the governess-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　all　their　sufferings。'

Miss　Polly　Suckling　said；　with　some　eagerness；　'My　greatest　joy　was　in　the　description　of　Mignon；　and　to　think　that　it　should　be　in　the　power　of　that　little　creature　to　conquer　such　a　great　monster。'

Miss　Patty　Lockit；　Miss　Nanny　Spruce；　Miss　Betty　Ford；　and　Miss　Henny　Fret；　advanced　no　new　opinions；　but　agreed　some　to　one；　and　some　to　another；　of　those　that　were　already　advanced。　　And　as　every　one　was　eager　to　maintain　her　own　opinion；　an　argument　followed；　the　particulars　of　which　I　could　never　learn：　　only　thus　much　I　know；　that　it　was　concluded　by　Miss　Lucy　Sly；　saying；　with　an　air　and　tone　of　voice　that　implied　more　anger　than　had　been　heard　since　the　reconciliation；　that　she　was　sure　Miss　Polly　Suckling　only　liked　that　part　about　Mignon；　because　she　was　the　least　in　the　school；　and　Mignon　being　such　a　little　creature；　put　her　in　mind　of　herself。

Miss　Jenny　Peace　now　began　to　be　frighted；　lest　this　contention　should　raise　another　quarrel；　and　therefore　begged　to　be　heard　before　they　went　any　farther。　　They　were　not　yet　angry　enough　to　refuse　hearing　what　she　had　to　say：　　and　then　Miss　Jenny　desired　them　to　consider　the　moral　of　the　story；　and　what　use　they　might　make　of　it；　instead　of　contending　which　was　the　prettiest　part：　　'For　otherwise；'　continued　she；　'I　have　lost　my　breath　in　reading　to　you；　and　you　will　be　worse；　rather　than　better；　for　what　you　have　heard。　　Pray　observe；　that　Benefico's　happiness　arose　entirely　from　his　goodness：　　he　had　less　strength；　and　less　riches；　than　the　cruel　monster；　and　yet；　by　the　good　use　he　made　of　what　he　possessed；　you　see　how　he　turned　all　things　to　his　advantage。　　But　particularly　remember；　that　the　good　little　Mignon；　in　the　moment　that　he　was　patiently　submitting　to　his　sufferings；　found　a　method　of　relieving　himself　from　them；　and　of　overcoming　a　barbarous　monster；　who　had　so　cruelly　abused　him。

'Our　good　governess　last　night　not　only　instructed　me　in　this　moral　I　am　now　communicating　to　you；　but　likewise　bid　me　warn　you　by　no　means　to　let　the　notion　of　giants　or　magic　to　dwell　upon　your　minds；　for　by　a　giant　is　meant　no　more　than　a　man　of　great　power；　and　the　magic　fillet　round　the　head　of　the　statue　was　only　intended　to　teach　you；　that　by　the　assistance　of　patience　you　may　overcome　all　difficulties。

'In　order　therefore　to　make　what　you　read　of　any　use　to　you；　you　must　not　only　think　of　it　thus　in　general；　but　make　the　application　to　yourselves。　　For　when　（as　now）　instead　of　improving　yourselves　by　reading；　you　make　what　you　read　a　subject　to　quarrel　about；　what　is　this　less　than　being　like　the　monster　Barbarico；　who　turned　his　very　riches　to　a　curse？　　I　am　sure　it　is　not　following　the　example　of　Benefico；　who　made　everything　a　blessing　to　him。　　Remember；　if　you　pinch　and　abuse　a　dog　or　cat；　because　it　is　in　your　power；　you　are　like　the　cruel　Monster；　when　he　abused　the　little　Mignon；　and　said；

I　am　a　giant；　and　I　can　eat　thee；　Thou　art　a　dwarf；　and　thou　canst　not　eat　me。

'In　short；　if　you　will　reap　any　benefit　from　this　story　towards　rendering　you　happy；　whenever　you　have　any　power；　you　must　follow　the　example　of　the　giant　Benefico；　and　do　good　with　it：　　and　when　you　are　under　any　sufferings；　like　Mignon；　you　must　patiently　endure　them　till　you　can　find　a　remedy：　　then；　in　one　case；　like　Benefico；　you　will　enjoy　what　you　possess；　and；　in　the　other；　you　will　in　time；　like　Mignon；　overcome　your　sufferings：　　for　the　natural　consequence　of　indulging　cruelty　and　revenge　in　the　mind；　even　where　there　is　the　highest　power　to　gratify　it；　is　misery。'

Here　Miss　Sukey　Jennet　interrupted　Miss　Jenny；　saying；　that　she　herself　had　experienced　the　truth　of　that　observation　in　the　former　part　of　her　life：　　for　she　never　had　known　either　peace　or　pleasure；　till　she　had　conquered　in　her　mind　the　desire　of　hurting　and　being　revenged　on　those　who　she　thought　did　not　by　their　behaviour　show　the　same　regard　for　her；　that　her　own　good　opinion　of　herself　made　her　think　she　deserved。　　Miss　Jenny　then　asked　her；　if　she　was　willing　to　lead　the　way　to　the　rest　of　her　companions；　by　telling　her　past　life？　　She　answered；　she　would　do　it　with　all　her　heart；　and；　by　having　so　many　and　great　faults　to　confess；　she　hoped　she　should；　by　her　true　confessions；　set　them　an　example　of　honesty　and　ingenuity。



THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　SUKEY　JENNETT。

Miss　Sukey　Jennett；　who　was　next　in　years　to　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　was　not　quite　twelve　years　old；　but　so　very　tall　of　her　age；　that　she　was　within　a　trifle　as　tall　as　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　and；　by　growing　so　fast；　was　much　thinner：　　and　though　she　was　not　really　so　well　made；　yet；　from　an　assured　air　in　her　manner　of　carrying　herself；　she　was　called　much　the　genteelest　girl。　　There　was；　on　first　view；　a　great　resemblance　in　their　persons。　　Her　face　was　very　handsome；　and　her　complexion　extremely　good；　but　a　little　more　inclined　to　pale　than　Miss　Jenny's。　　Her　eyes　were　a　degree　darker；　and　had　a　life　and　fire　in　them　which　was　very　beautiful：　　but　yet　her　impatience　on　the　least　contradiction　often　brought　a　fierceness　into　her　eyes；　and　gave　such　a　discomposure　to　her　whole　countenance；　as　immediately　took　off　your　admiration。　　But　her　eyes　had　now；　since　her　hearty　reconciliation　with　her　companions；　lost　a　great　part　of　their　fierceness；　and　with　great　mildness；　and　an　obliging　manner；　she　told　her　story　as　follows：



THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　SUKEY　JENNETT。

'My　mamma　died　when　I　was　so　young　that　I　cannot　remember　her；　and　my　papa　marrying　again　within　half　a　year　after　her　death；　I　was　chiefly　left　to　the　care　of　an　old　servant；　that　had　lived　many　years　in　the　family。　　I　was　a　great　favourite　of　hers；　and　in　everything　had　my　own　way。　　When　I　was　but　four　years　old；　if　ever　anything　crossed　me；　I　was　taught　to　beat　it；　and　be　revenged　of　it；　even　though　it　could　not　feel。　　If　I　fell　down　and　hurt　myself；　the　very　ground　was　to　be　beat　for　hurting　the　sweet　child：　　so　that；　instead　of　fearing　to　fall；　I　did　not　dislike　it；　for　I　was　pleased　to　find；　that　I　was　of　such　consequence；　that　everything　was　to　take　care　that　I　came　by　no　harm。

'I　had　a　little　playfellow；　in　a　child　of　one　of　my　papa's　servants；　who　was　to　be　entirely　under　my　command。　　This　girl　I　used　to　abuse　and　beat；　whenever　I　was　out　of　humour；　and　when　I　had　abused　her；　if　she　dared　to　grumble；　or　make　the　least　complaint；　I　thought　it　the　greatest　impudence　in　the　world；　and；　instead　of　mending　my　behaviour　to　her；　I　grew　very　angry　that　she　should　dare　to　dispute　my　power：　　for　my　governess　always　told　her；　that　she　was　but　a　servant's　girl；　and　I　was　a　gentleman's　daughter；　and　that　therefore　she　ought　to　give　way　to　me；　for　that　I　did　her　great　honour　in　playing　with　her。　　Thus　I　thought　the　distance　between　us　was　so　great；　that　I　never　considered　that　she　could　feel：　　but　whilst　I　myself　suffered　nothing；　I　fancied　everything　was　very　right；　and　it　never　once　came　into　my　head；　that　I　could　be　in　the　wrong。

'This　life　I　led　till　I　came　to　school；　when　I　was　eleven　years　old。　　Here　I　had　nobody　in　my　power；　for　all　my　schoolfellows　thought　themselves　my　equals：　　so　that　I　could　only　quarrel；　fight；　and　contend　for　everything：　　but　being　liable　to　be　punished；　when　I　was　trying　to　be　revenged　on　any　of　my　enemies；　as　I　thought　them；　I　never　had　a　moment's　ease　or　pleasure；　till　Miss　Jenny　was　so　good　to　take　the　pains　to　convince　me　of　my　folly；　and　made　me　be　reconciled　to　you；　my　dear　companions。'

Here　Miss　Sukey　ceased；　and　Miss　Jenny　smiled　with　pleasure；　at　the　thoughts　that　she　had　been　the　cause　of　her　happiness。

Mrs。　Teachum　being　now　come　into　the　arbour；　to　see　in　what　manner　her　little　scholars　passed　their　time；　they　all　rose　up　and　do　her　reverence。　　Miss　Jenny　gave　her　an　account　how　they　had　been　employed；　and　she　was　much　pleased　with　their　innocent　and　useful　entertainment；　but　especially　with　the　method　they　had　found　out　of　relating　their　past　lives。　　She　took　little　Polly　Suckling　by　the　hand；　and　bidding　the　rest　follow；　it　being　now　dinner　time；　she　walked　towards　the　house；　attended　by　the　whole　company。

Mrs。　Teachum　had　a　great　inclination　to　hear　the　history　of　the　lives　of　all　her　little　scholars：　　but　she　thought；