the governess-第6章

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ng　her　pain。'

Here　a　trickling　tear　stole　from　Miss　Jenny's　eyes。　　She　suppressed　some　rising　sobs　that　interrupted　her　speech；　and　was　about　to　proceed　in　her　story；　when；　casting　her　eyes　on　her　companions；　she　saw　her　sorrow　had　such　an　effect　upon　them　all；　that　there　was　not　one　of　her　hearers　who　could　refrain　from　shedding　a　sympathising　tear。　　She　therefore　thought　it　was　more　strictly　following　her　mamma's　precepts　to　pass　this　part　of　her　story　in　silence；　rather　than　to　grieve　her　friends；　and　having　wiped　away　her　tears；　she　hastened　to　conclude　her　story；　which　she　did　as　follows：

'After　my　mamma's　death；　my　Aunt　Newman；　my　father's　sister；　took　the　care　of　me；　but　being　obliged　to　go　to　Jamaica；　to　settle　some　affairs　relating　to　an　estate　she　is　possessed　of　there；　she　took　with　her　my　Cousin　Harriet；　her　only　daughter；　and　left　me　under　the　care　of　the　good　Mrs。　Teachum　till　her　return。　　And　since　I　have　been　here；　you　all　know　as　much　of　my　history　as　I　do　myself。'



As　Miss　Jenny　spoke　these　words；　the　bell　summoned　them　to　supper　into　the　presence　of　their　governess；　who　having　narrowly　watched　their　looks　ever　since　the　fray；　had　hitherto　plainly　perceived；　that　though　they　did　not　dare　to　break　out　again　into　an　open　quarrel；　yet　their　hearts　had　still　harboured　unkind　thoughts　of　one　another。　　She　was　surprised　NOW；　as　she　stood　at　a　window　in　the　hall　that　overlooked　the　garden；　to　see　all　her　scholars　walk　towards　her　hand　in　hand；　with　such　cheerful　countenances；　as　plainly　showed　their　inward　good　humour。　　And　as　she　thought　proper　to　mention　to　them　her　pleasure　in　seeing　them　thus　altered；　Miss　Jenny　Peace　related　to　her　governess　all　that　had　passed　in　the　arbour；　with　their　general　reconciliation。　　Mrs。　Teachum　gave　Miss　Jenny　all　the　applause　due　to　her　goodness；　saying；　she　herself　had　only　waited　a　little　while；　to　see　if　their　anger　would　subside；　and　love　take　its　place　in　their　bosoms；　without　her　interfering　again；　for　THAT　she　certainly　should　otherwise　have　done；　to　have　brought　about　what　Miss　Jenny　had　so　happily　effected。

Miss　Jenny　thanked　her　governess　for　her　kind　approbation；　and　said；　that　if　she　would　give　them　leave；　she　would　spend　what　time　she　was　pleased　to　allow　them　from　school　in　this　little　arbour；　in　reading　stories；　and　such　things　as　she　should　think　a　proper　and　innocent　amusement。

Mrs。　Teachum　not　only　gave　leave；　but　very　much　approved　of　this　proposal；　and　desired　Miss　Jenny；　as　a　reward　for　what　she　had　already　done；　to　preside　over　these　diversions；　and　to　give　her　an　account　in　what　manner　they　proceeded。　　Miss　Jenny　promised　in　all　things　to　be　guided　by　good　Mrs。　Teachum。　　And　now；　soon　after　supper；　they　retired　to　rest；　free　from　those　uneasy　passions　which　used　to　prevent　their　quiet；　and　as　they　had　passed　the　day　in　pleasure；　at　night　they　sunk　in　soft　and　sweet　repose。



MONDAY。

THE　FIRST　DAY　AFTER　THEIR　REPENTANCE；　AND；　CONSEQUENTLY；　THE　FIRST　DAY　OF　THE　HAPPINESS　OF　MISS　JENNY　PEACE　AND　HER　COMPANIONS。

Early　in　the　morning；　as　soon　as　Miss　Jenny　arose；　all　her　companions　flocked　round　her；　for　they　now　looked　on　her　as　the　best　friend　they　had　in　the　world；　and　they　agreed；　when　they　came　out　of　school；　to　adjourn　into　their　arbour；　and　divert　themselves　till　dinner…time；　which　they　accordingly　did。　　When　Miss　Jenny　proposed；　if　it　was　agreeable　to　them　to　hear　it；　to　read　them　a　story　which　she　had　put　in　her　pocket　for　that　purpose；　and　as　they　now　began　to　look　upon　her　as　the　most　proper　person　to　direct　them　in　their　amusements；　they　all　replied；　What　was　most　agreeable　to　her　would　please　them　best。　　She　then　began　to　read　the　following　story；　with　which　we　shall　open　their　first　day's　amusement。



THE　STORY　OF　THE　CRUEL　GIANT　BARBARICO；　THE　GOOD　GIANT　BENEFICO；　AND　THE　LITTLE　PRETTY　DWARF　MIGNON。

A　great　many　hundred　years　ago；　the　mountains　of　Wales　were　inhabited　by　two　giants；　one　of　whom　was　the　terror　of　all　his　neighbours　and　the　plague　of　the　whole　country。　　He　greatly　exceeded　the　size　of　any　giant　recorded　in　history；　and　his　eyes　looked　so　fierce　and　terrible；　that　they　frightened　all　who　were　so　unhappy　as　to　behold　them。

The　name　of　this　enormous　wretch　was　Barbarico。　　A　name　which　filled　all　who　heard　it　with　fear　and　astonishment。　　The　whole　delight　of　this　monster's　life　was　in　acts　of　inhumanity　and　mischief；　and　he　was　the　most　miserable　as　well　as　the　most　wicked　creature　that　ever　yet　was　born。　　He　had　no　sooner　committed　one　outrage；　but　he　was　in　agonies　till　he　could　commit　another；　never　satisfied；　unless　he　could　find　an　opportunity　of　either　torturing　or　devouring　some　innocent　creature。　　And　whenever　he　happened　to　be　disappointed　in　any　of　his　malicious　purposes；　he　would　stretch　his　immense　bulk　on　the　top　of　some　high　mountain；　and　groan；　and　beat　the　earth；　and　bellow　with　such　a　hollow　voice；　that　the　whole　country　heard　and　trembled　at　the　sound。

The　other　giant；　whose　name　was　Benefico；　was　not　so　tall　and　bulky　as　the　hideous　Barbarico。　　He　was　handsome；　well　proportioned；　and　of　a　very　good…natured　turn　of　mind。　　His　delight　was　no　less　in　acts　of　goodness　and　benevolence　than　the　other's　was　in　cruelty　and　mischief。　　His　constant　care　was　to　endeavour　if　possible　to　repair　the　injuries　committed　by　this　horrid　tyrant；　which　he　had　sometimes　an　opportunity　of　doing；　for　though　Barbarico　was　much　larger　and　stronger　than　Benefico；　yet　his　coward　mind　was　afraid　to　engage　with　him；　and　always　shunned　a　meeting；　leaving　the　pursuit　of　any　prey；　if　he　himself　was　pursued　by　Benefico：　　nor　could　the　good　Benefico　trust　farther　to　this　coward　spirit　of　his　base　adversary；　than　only　to　make　the　horrid　creature　fly；　for　he　well　knew　that　a　close　engagement　might　make　him　desperate；　and　fatal　to　himself　might　be　the　consequence　of　such　a　brutal　desperation；　therefore　he　prudently　declined　any　attempt　to　destroy　this　cruel　monster；　till　he　should　gain　some　sure　advantage　over　him。

It　happened　on　a　certain　day；　that　as　the　inhuman　Barbarico　was　prowling　along　the　side　of　a　craggy　mountain　overgrown　with　brambles　and　briery　thickets；　taking　most　horrid　strides；　rolling　his　ghastly　eyes　around　in　quest　of　human　blood；　and　having　his　breast　tortured　with　inward　rage　and　grief；　that　he　had　been　so　unhappy　as　to　live　one　whole　day　without　some　act　of　violence；　he　beheld；　in　a　pleasant　valley　at　a　distance；　a　little　rivulet　winding　its　gentle　course　through　rows　of　willows　mixed　with　flowery　shrubs。　　Hither　the　giant　hasted；　and　being　arrived；　he　gazed　about　to　see　if　in　this　sweet　retirement　any　were　so　unhappy　as　to　fall　within　his　power；　but　finding　none；　the　disappointment　set　him　in　a　flame　of　rage；　which；　burning　like　an　inward　furnace；　parched　his　throat。　　And　now　he　laid　him　down　on　the　bank；　to　try　if　in　the　cool　stream；　that　murmured　as　it　flowed；　he　could　assuage　or　slack　the　fiery　thirst　that　burnt　within　him。

He　bent　him　down　to　drink；　and　at　the　same　time　casting　his　baleful　eyes　towards　the　opposite　side；　he　discovered　within　a　little　natural　arbour　formed　by　the　branches　of　a　spreading　tree；　within　the　meadow's　flowery　lawn；　the　shepherd　Fidus　and　his　loved　Amata。

The　gloomy　tyrant　no　sooner　perceived　this　happy　pair；　than　his　heart　exulted　with　joy；　and；　suddenly　leaping　up　on　the　ground；　he　forgot　his　thirst；　and　left　the　stream　untasted。　　He　stood　for　a　short　space　to　view　them　in　their　sweet　retirement；　and　was　soon　convinced　that；　in　the　innocent　enjoyment　of　reciprocal　affection；　their　happiness　was　complete。　　His　eyes；　inflamed　with　envy　to　behold　such　bliss；　darted　a　fearful　glare；　and　his　breast　swelling　with　malice　and　envenomed　rage；　he　with　gigantic　pace　approached　their　peaceful　seat。

The　happy　Fidus　was　at　that　time　busy　in　entertaining　his　loved　Amata　with　a　song　which　he　had　that　very　morning　composed　in　praise　of　constancy；　and　the　giant　was　now　within　one　stride　of　them；　when　Amata；　perceiving　him；　cried　out　in　a　trembling　voice；　'Fly；　Fidus；　fly；　or　we　are　lost　for　ever；　we　are　pursued　by　the　hateful　Barbarico！'　　She　had　scarce　uttered　these　words；　when　the　savage　tyrant　seized　them　by　the　waist　n　either　hand；　and　holding　up　to　his　nearer　view；　th