the governess-第18章

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s　Jenny；　with　great　good　humour；　told　her　mistress　the　small　contest　she　had　just　had　with　Miss　Polly　about　reading　a　fairy　tale；　and　the　occasion　of　it。　　Mrs。　Teachum　kindly　chucking　the　little　dumpling　under　the　chin；　said；　she　had　so　good　an　opinion　of　Miss　Jenny；　as　to　answer　for　her；　that　she　would　read　nothing　to　them　but　what　was　proper；　and　added；　that　she　herself　would　stay　and　hear　this　fairy　tale　which　Miss　Jenny；　on　her　commands；　immediately　began。



THE　PRINCESS　HEBE。　A　FAIRY　TALE。

Above　two　thousand　years　ago；　there　reigned　over　the　kingdom　of　Tonga；　a　king；　whose　name　was　Abdallah。　　He　was　married　to　a　young　princess；　the　daughter　of　a　king　of　a　neighbouring　country；　whose　name　was　Rousignon。　　Her　beauty　and　prudence　engaged　him　so　far　in　affection　to　her；　that　every　hour　he　could　possibly　spare　from　attending　the　affairs　of　his　kingdom　he　spent　in　her　apartment。　　They　had　a　little　daughter；　to　whom　they　gave　the　name　of　Hebe；　　who　was　the　darling　and　mutual　care　of　both。

The　king　was　quiet　in　his　dominion；　beloved　by　his　subjects；　happy　in　his　family；　and　all　his　days　rolled　on　in　calm　content　and　joy。　　The　king's　brother　Abdulham　was　also　married　to　a　young　princess；　named　Tropo；　who　in　seven　years　had　brought　him　no　children；　　and　she　conceived　so　mortal　a　hatred　against　the　queen　（for　she　envied　her　the　happiness　of　the　little　Princess　Hebe）　that　she　resolved　to　do　her　some　mischief。　　It　was　impossible　for　her；　during　the　king's　lifetime；　to　vent　her　malice　without　being　discovered；　and　therefore　she　pretended　the　greatest　respect　and　friendship　imaginable　for　the　unsuspecting　queen。

Whilst　things　were　in　this　situation；　the　king　fell　into　a　violent　fever；　of　which　he　died；　and　during　the　time　that　the　queen　was　in　the　height　of　her　affliction　for　him；　and　could　think　of　nothing　but　his　loss；　the　Princess　Tropo　took　the　opportunity　of　putting　in　execution　her　malicious　intentions。　　She　inflamed　her　husband's　passions；　by　setting　forth　the　meanness　of　his　spirit；　in　letting　a　crown　be　ravished　from　his　head　by　a　female　infant；　till　ambition　seized　his　mind；　and　he　resolved　to　wield　the　Tongian　sceptre　himself。　　It　was　very　easy　to　bring　this　about；　for；　by　his　brother's　appointment；　he　was　protector　of　the　realm；　and　guardian　to　the　young　princess　his　niece；　and　the　queen　taking　him　and　the　princess　his　wife　for　her　best　friends；　suspected　nothing　of　their　designs；　but　in　a　manner　gave　herself　up　to　their　power。

The　protector　Abdulham；　having　the　whole　treasure　of　the　kingdom　at　his　command；　was　in　possession　of　the　means　to　make　all　his　schemes　successful；　　and　the　Princess　Tropo；　by　lavishly　rewarding　the　instruments　of　her　treachery；　contrived　to　make　it　generally　believed；　that　the　queen　had　poisoned　her　husband；　who　was　so　much　beloved　by　his　subjects；　that　the　very　horror　of　the　action；　without　any　proof　of　her　guilt；　raised　against　the　poor　unhappy　Queen　a　universal　clamour；　and　a　general　aversion　throughout　the　whole　kingdom。　　The　princess　had　so　well　laid　her　scheme；　that　the　guards　were　to　seize　the　queen；　and　convey　her　to　a　place　of　confinement；　till　she　could　prove　her　innocence；　which；　that　she　might　never　be　able　to　do；　proper　care　was　taken　by　procuring　sufficient　evidence　to　accuse　her　on　oath；　and　the　Princess　Hebe；　her　daughter；　was　to　be　taken　from　her；　and　educated　under　the　care　of　her　uncle。　　But　the　night　before　this　cruel　design　was　to　have　been　put　in　execution；　a　faithful　attendant　of　the　queen's；　named　Loretta；　by　the　assistance　of　one　of　the　Princess　Tropo's　confidants　（who　had　long　professed　himself　her　lover）　discovered　the　whole　secret；　of　which　she　immediately　informed　her　royal　mistress。

The　horrors　which　filled　the　queen's　mind　at　the　relation　of　the　Princess　Tropo's　malicious　intentions；　were　inexpressible；　and　her　perturbation　so　great；　that　she　could　not　form　any　scheme　that　appeared　probable　to　execute　for　her　own　preservation。　　Loretta　told　her　that　the　person　who　had　given　her　this　timely　notice；　had　also　provided　a　peasant　who　knew　the　country；　and　would　meet　her　at　the　western　gate　of　the　city；　and；　carrying　the　young　Princess　Hebe　in　his　arms；　would　conduct　her　to　some　place　of　safety；　but　she　must　consent　to　put　on　a　disguise；　and　escape　that　very　night　from　the　palace；　or　she　would　be　lost　for　ever。　　Horses　or　mules；　she　said；　it　would　be　impossible　to　come　at　without　suspicion；　therefore　she　must　endeavour　（though　unused　to　such　fatigue）　to　travel　afoot　till　she　got　herself　concealed　in　some　cottage　from　her　pursuers；　if　her　enemies　should　think　of　endeavouring　to　find　her　out。　　Loretta　offered　to　attend　her　mistress；　but　she　absolutely　forbad　her　going　any　farther　than　to　the　western　gate；　　where　delivering　the　little　Princess　Hebe　into　the　arms　of　the　peasant；　who　was　there　waiting　for　them；　she　reluctantly　withdrew。

The　good　queen；　who　saw　no　remedy　to　this　her　terrible　disgrace；　could　have　borne　this　barbarous　usage　without　much　repining；　had　she　herself　been　the　only　sufferer　by　it；　for　the　loss　of　the　good　king　her　husband　so　far　exceeded　all　her　other　misfortunes；　that　every　everything　else　was　trifling　in　comparison　of　so　dreadful　an　affliction。　　But　the　young　Princess　Hebe；　whom　she　was　accustomed　to　look　on　as　her　greatest　blessing；　now　became　to　her　an　object　of　pity　and　concern；　for；　from　being　heiress　to　a　throne；　the　poor　infant；　not　yet　five　years　old；　was；　with　her　wretched　mother；　become　a　vagabond；　and　knew　not　whither　to　fly　for　protection。

Loretta　had　prevailed　on　her　royal　mistress　to　take　with　her　a　few　little　necessaries；　besides　a　small　picture　of　the　king；　and　some　of　her　jewels；　which　the　queen　contrived　to　conceal　under　her　night…clothes；　in　the　midst　of　that　hair　they　were　used　to　adorn；　when　her　loved　husband　delighted　to　see　it　displayed　in　flowing　ringlets　round　her　snowy　neck。　　This　lady；　during　the　life　of　her　fond　husband；　was　by　his　tender　care　kept　from　every　inclemency　of　the　air；　and　preserved　from　every　inconvenience　that　it　was　possible　for　human　nature　to　suffer。　　What　then　must　be　her　condition　now；　when　through　bypaths　and　thorny　ways；　she　was　obliged　to　fly　with　all　possible　speed；　to　escape　the　fury　of　her　cruel　pursuers：　　for　she　too　well　knew　the　merciless　temper　of　her　enemies；　to　hope　that　they　would　not　pursue　her　with　the　utmost　diligence；　especially　as　she　was　accompanied　by　the　young　Princess　Hebe；　whose　life　was　the　principal　cause　of　their　disquiet；　and　whose　destruction　they　chiefly　aimed　at。

The　honest　peasant；　who　carried　the　Princess　Hebe　in　his　arms；　followed　the　queen's　painful　steps；　and　seeing　the　day　begin　to　break；　he　begged　her；　if　possible；　to　hasten　on　to　a　wood　which　was　not　far　off；　where　it　was　likely　she　might　find　a　place　of　safety。　　But　the　afflicted　queen；　at　the　sight　of　the　opening　morn　（which　once　used　to　fill　her　mind　with　rising　joy）　burst　into　a　flood　of　tears；　and；　quite　overcome　with　grief　and　fatigue；　cast　herself　on　the　ground；　crying　out　in　the　most　affecting　manner；　'The　end　of　my　misfortunes　is　at　hand。　　My　weary　limbs　will　no　longer　support　me。　　My　spirits　fail　me。　　In　the　grave　alone　must　I　seek　for　shelter。'　　The　poor　princess；　seeing　her　mother　in　tears；　cast　her　little　arms　about　her　neck；　and　wept　also；　though　she　knew　not　why。

Whilst　she　was　in　this　deplorable　condition；　turning　round　her　head；　she　saw　behind　her　a　little　girl；　no　older　in　appearance　than　the　Princess　Hebe；　who；　with　an　amiable　and　tranquil　countenance；　begged　her　to　rise　and　follow　her；　and　she　would　lead　her　where　she　might　refresh　and　repose　herself。

The　queen　was　surprised　at　the　manner　of　speaking　of　this　little　child；　as　she　took　her　to　be；　but　soon　thought　it　was　some　kind　fairy　sent　to　protect　her；　and　was　very　ready　to　submit　herself　to　her　guidance　and　protection。

The　little　fairy　（for　such　indeed　was　the　seeming　child　who　had　thus　accosted　them）　ordered　the　peasant　to　return　back；　and　said　that　she　would　take　care　of　the　queen；　and　her　young　daughter；　and　he；　knowing　her　to　be　the　good　fairy　Sybella；　very　readily　obeyed。

Sybella　then　striking　the　ground　three　times　with　a　little　wand；　there　suddenly　rose　up　before　them　a　neat　plain　car；　and　a　pair　of　milk…whit