the governess-第19章

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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…white　horses；　and　placing　the　queen　with　the　Princess　Hebe　in　her　lap　by　her　side；　she　drove　with　excessive　swiftness　full　westward　for　eight　hours；　when　（just　as　the　sun　began　to　have　power　enough　to　make　the　queen　almost　faint　with　the　heat　and　her　former　fatigue）　they　arrived　at　the　side　of　a　shady　wood；　upon　entering　of　which；　the　fairy　made　her　horses　slacken　in　their　speed；　and　having　travelled　about　a　mile　and　a　half；　through　rows　of　elms　and　beech　trees；　they　came　to　a　thick　grove　of　firs；　into　which　there　seemed　to　be　no　entrance。　　For　there　was　not　any　opening　to　a　path；　and　the　underwood　consisting　chiefly　of　rose…bushes；　white…thorn；　eglantine；　and　other　flowering　shrubs；　was　so　thick；　that　it　appeared　impossible　to　attempt　forcing　through　them。　　But　alighting　out　of　the　car　（which　immediately　disappeared）　the　fairy　（bidding　the　queen　follow　her）　pushed　her　way　through　a　large　bush　of　jessamine；　whose　tender　branches　gave　way　for　their　passage　and　then　closed　again；　so　as　to　leave　no　traces　of　an　entrance　into　this　charming　grove。

Having　gone　a　little　way　through　an　extreme　narrow　path；　they　came　into　an　opening　（quite　surrounded　by　these　firs　and　sweet　underwood）　not　very　large；　but　in　which　was　contained　everything　that　is　necessary　towards　making　life　comfortable。　　At　the　end　of　a　green　meadow　was　a　plain　neat　house；　built　more　for　convenience　than　beauty；　fronting　the　rising　sun；　and　behind　it　was　a　small　garden；　stored　only　with　fruits　and　useful　herbs。　　Sybella　conducted　her　guests　into　this　her　simple　lodging；　and　as　repose　was　the　chief　thing　necessary　for　the　poor　fatigued　queen；　she　prevailed　with　her　to　lie　down　on　a　couch。　　Some　hours'　sound　sleep；　which　her　weariness　induced；　gave　her　a　fresh　supply　of　spirits；　the　ease　and　safety　from　her　pursuers；　in　which　she　then　found　herself；　made　her　for　a　short　time　tolerably　composed；　and　she　begged　the　favour　of　knowing　to　whom　she　was　so　greatly　obliged　for　this　her　happy　deliverance；　but　the　fairy　seeing　her　mind　too　unsettled　to　give　any　due　attention　to　what　she　should　say；　told　her　that　she　would　defer　the　relation　of　her　own　life　（which　was　worth　her　observation）　till　she　had　obtained　a　respite　from　her　own　sorrows；　and　in　the　meantime；　by　all　manner　of　obliging　ways；　she　endeavoured　to　divert　and　amuse　her。

The　queen；　after　a　short　interval　of　calmness　of　mind；　occasioned　only　by　her　so　sudden　escape　from　the　terrors　of　pursuit；　returned　to　her　former　dejection；　and　for　some　time　incessantly　wept　at　the　dismal　thought；　that　the　princess　seemed　now；　by　this　reverse　of　fate；　to　be　for　ever　excluded　all　hopes　of　being　seated　on　her　father's　throne；　and；　by　a　strange　perverse　way　of　adding　to　her　own　grief；　she　afflicted　herself　the　more；　because　the　little　princess　was　ignorant　of　her　misfortune；　and　whenever　she　saw　her　diverting　herself　with　little　childish　plays；　instead　of　being　pleased　with　such　her　innocent　amusement；　it　added　to　her　sorrow；　and　made　her　tears　gush　forth　in　a　larger　stream　than　usual。　　She　could　not　divert　her　thoughts　from　the　palace　from　which　she　had　been　driven；　to　fix　them　on　any　other　object；　nor　would　her　grief　suffer　her　to　reflect；　that　it　was　possible　for　the　princess　to　be　happy　without　a　crown。

At　length　time；　the　great　cure　of　all　ills；　in　some　measure　abated　her　Sorrows；　her　grief　began　to　subside；　in　spite　of　herself；　the　reflection　that　her　misery　was　only　in　her　own　fancy；　would　sometimes　force　itself　on　her　mind。　　She　could　not　avoid　seeing；　that　her　little　hostess　enjoyed　as　perfect　a　state　of　happiness　as　is　possible　to　attain　in　this　world；　that　she　was　free　from　anxious　cares；　undisturbed　by　restless　passions；　and　mistress　of　all　things　that　could　be　of　any　use　to　make　life　easy　or　agreeable。　　The　oftener　this　reflection　presented　itself　to　her　thoughts；　the　more　strength　it　gained；　and；　at　last；　she　could　even　bear　to　think；　that　her　beloved　child　might　be　as　happy　in　such　a　situation；　as　was　her　amiable　hostess。　　Her　countenance　now　grew　more　cheerful；　she　could　take　the　Princess　Hebe　in　her　arms；　and　thinking　the　jewels　she　had　preserved　would　secure　her　from　any　fear　of　want；　look　on　her　with　delight；　and　began　even　to　imagine；　that　her　future　life　might　be　spent　in　calm　content　and　pleasure。

As　soon　as　the　voice　of　reason　had　gained　this　power　over　the　queen；　Sybella　told　her；　that　now　her　bosom　was　so　free　from　passion；　she　would　relate　the　history　of　her　life。　　The　queen；　overjoyed　that　her　curiosity　might　now　be　gratified；　begged　her　not　to　delay　giving　her　that　pleasure　one　moment；　on　which　our　little　fairy　began　in　the　following　manner。



But　there　Mrs。　Teachum　told　Miss　Jenny　that　the　bell　rung　for　dinner；　on　which　she　was　obliged　to　break　off。　　But　meeting　again　in　the　same　arbour　in　the　evening；　when　their　good　mistress　continued　to　them　the　favour　of　her　presence；　Miss　Jenny　pursued　her　story。



THE　FAIRY　TALE　CONTINUED。

'My　father；'　said　the　fairy；　'was　a　magician：　　he　married　a　lady　for　love；　whose　beauty　far　outshone　that　of　all　her　neighbours；　and　by　means　of　that　beauty；　she　had　so　great　an　influence　over　her　husband；　that　she　could　command　the　utmost　power　of　his　art。　　But　better　had　it　been　for　her；　had　that　beauty　been　wanting；　for　her　power　only　served　to　make　her　wish　for　more；　and　the　gratification　of　every　desire　begot　a　new　one；　which　often　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　gratify。　　My　father；　though　he　saw　his　error　in　thus　indulging　her；　could　not　attain　steadiness　of　mind　enough　to　mend　it；　nor　acquire　resolution　enough　to　suffer　his　beloved　wife　once　to　grieve　or　shed　a　tear　to　no　purpose；　though　in　order　to　cure　her　of　that　folly　which　made　her　miserable。

'My　grandfather　so　plainly　saw　the　temper　and　disposition　of　his　son　towards　women；　that　he　did　not　leave　him　at　liberty　to　dispose　of　his　magic　art　to　any　but　his　posterity；　that　it　might　not　be　in　the　power　of　a　wife　to　tease　him　out　of　it。　　But　his　caution　was　to　very　little　purpose；　for　although　my　mother　could　not　from　herself　exert　any　magic　power；　yet　such　was　her　unbounded　influence　over　her　husband；　that　she　was　sure　of　success　in　every　attempt　to　persuade　him　to　gratify　her　desires。　　For　if　every　argument　she　could　invent　happened　to　fail；　yet　the　shedding　but　one　tear　was　a　certain　method　to　prevail　with　him　to　give　up　his　reason；　whatever　might　be　the　consequence。

'When　my　father　and　mother　had　been　married　about　a　year；　she　was　brought　to　bed　of　a　daughter；　to　whom　she　gave　the　name　of　Brunetta。　　Her　first　request　to　my　father　was；　that　he　would　endow　this　infant　with　as　much　beauty　as　she　herself　was　possessed　of；　and　bestow　on　her　as　much　of　his　art　as　should　enable　her　to　succeed　in　all　her　designs。　　My　father　foresaw　the　dreadful　tendency　of　granting　this　request；　but　said　he　would　give　it　with　this　restriction；　that　she　should　succeed　in　all　her　designs　that　were　not　wicked；　for；　said　he；　the　success　of　wicked　designs　always　turns　out　as　a　punishment　to　the　person　so　succeeding。　In　this　resolution　he　held　for　three　days；　till　my　mother　（being　weak　in　body　after　her　lying…in）　worked　herself　with　her　violent　passions　to　such　a　degree；　that　the　physicians　told　my　father；　they　despaired　of　her　life；　unless　some　method　could　be　found　to　make　her　mind　more　calm　and　easy。　　His　fondness　for　his　wife　would　not　suffer　him　to　bear　the　thoughts　of　losing　her；　and　the　horror　with　which　that　apprehension　had　but　for　a　moment　possessed　his　mind；　prevailed　with　him　to　bestow　on　the　little　Brunetta　（though　foreseeing　it　would　make　her　miserable）　the　fatal　gift　in　its　full　extent。　　But　one　restriction　it　was　out　of　his　power　to　take　off；　namely；　that　all　wicked　designs　ever　could　and　should　be　rendered　ineffectual　by　the　virtue　and　perseverance　of　those　against　whom　they　were　intended；　if　they　in　a　proper　manner　exerted　that　virtue。

'I　was　born　in　two　years　after　Brunetta；　and　was　called　Sybella：　　but　my　mother　was　so　taken　up　with　her　darling　Brunetta；　that　she　gave　herself　nut　the　least　concern　about　me；　and　I　was　left　wholly　to　the　care　of　my　father。　　In　order　to　make