the governess-第21章

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t　of　my　House。　　I　started　from　my　bed；　and　striking　on　the　ground　three　times　with　my　wand；　there　came　such　a　quantity　of　water　from　the　heavens；　as　soon　extinguished　the　fire；　and　the　next　morning；　by　again　having　recourse　to　my　wand；　all　things　grew　up　into　their　convenient　and　proper　order。　　When　my　sister　Brunetta　found　that　I　had　such　a　supernatural　power　at　my　command；　though　she　knew　not　what　it　was；　she　desisted　from　ever　attempting　any　more　by　force　to　disturb　me；　and　now　only　uses　all　sorts　of　arts　and　contrivances　to　deceive　me；　or　any　persons　whom　I　would　wish　to　secure。　　One　of　my　father's　daily　lessons　to　me　was；　that　I　should　never　omit　any　one　day　of　my　life　endeavouring　to　be　as　serviceable　as　I　possibly　could　to　any　person　in　distress。　　And　I　daily　wander；　as　far　as　my　feet　will　carry　me；　in　search　of　any　such；　and　hither　I　invite　them　to　peace　and　calm　contentment。　　But　my　father　added　also　this　command；　that　I　should　never　endeavour　doing　any　farther　good　to　those　whom　adversity　had　not　taught　to　hearken　to　the　voice　of　reason；　enough　to　enable　them　so　to　conquer　their　passions　as　not　to　think　themselves　miserable　in　a　safe　retreat　from　noise　and　confusion。　　This　was　the　reason　I　could　not　gratify　you　in　relating　the　history　of　my　life；　whilst　you　gave　way　to　raging　passions；　which　only　serve　to　blind　your　eyes；　and　shut　your　ears　from　truth。　　But　now；　great　queen　（for　I　know　your　state；　from　what　you　vented　in　your　grief）；　I　am　ready　to　endow　this　little　princess　with　any　gift　in　my　power；　that　I　know　will　tend　really　to　her　good；　and　I　hope　your　experience　of　the　world　has　made　you　too　reasonable　to　require　any　other。'

The　queen　considered　a　little　while；　and　then　desired　Sybella　to　endow　the　princess　with　that　only　wisdom　which　would　enable　her　to　see　and　follow　what　was　her　own　true　good；　to　know　the　value　of　everything　around　her；　and　to　be　sensible　that　following　the　paths　of　goodness　and　performing　her　duty　was　the　only　road　to　content　and　happiness。

Sybella　was　overjoyed　at　the　queen's　request；　and　immediately　granted　it；　only　telling　the　Princess　Hebe；　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　towards　the　attainment　of　this　great　blessing；　that　she　should　entirely　obey　the　queen　her　mother；　without　ever　pretending　to　examine　her　commands；　for　'true　obedience　（said　she）　consists　in　submission；　and　when　we　pretend　to　choose　what　commands　are　proper　and　fit　for　us；　we　don't　obey；　but　set　up　our　own　wisdom　in　opposition　to　our　governorsthis；　my　dear　Hebe；　you　must　be　very　careful　of　avoiding；　if　you　would　be　happy。'　　She　then　cautioned　her　against　giving　way　to　the　persuasions　of　any　of　the　young　shepherdesses　thereabouts；　who　would　endeavour　to　allure　her　to　disobedience；　by　striving　to　raise　in　her　mind　a　desire　of　thinking　herself　wise；　whilst　they　were　tearing　from　her　what　was　indeed　true　wisdom。　　'For　（said　Sybella）　my　sister　Brunetta；　who　lives　in　the　castle　she　drove　me　from　（about　a　mile　from　this　wood）　endows　young　shepherdesses　with　great　beauty；　and　everything　that　is　in　appearance　amiable；　and　likely　to　persuade；　in　order　to　allure　away　and　make　wretched；　those　persons　I　would　preserve：　　and　all　the　wisdom　with　which　I　have　endowed　the　Princess　Hebe　will　not　prevent　her　falling　into　my　sister's　snares；　if　she　gives　the　least　way　to　temptation；　for　my　father's　gift　to　Brunetta；　in　her　infancy；　enables　her　（as　I　told　you）　to　succeed　in　all　her　designs；　except　they　are　resisted　by　the　virtue　of　the　person　she　is　practising　against。　　Many　poor　wretches　has　my　sister　already　decoyed　away　from　me；　whom　she　now　keeps　in　her　castle；　where　they　live　in　splendor　and　seeming　joy；　but　in　real　misery；　from　perpetual　jars　and　tumults；　railed　by　envy；　malice；　and　all　the　train　of　tumultuous　and　tormenting　passions。'

The　Princess　Hebe　said；　she　doubted　not　but　she　should　be　able　to　withstand　any　of　Brunetta's　temptations。　　Her　mother　interrupting　her；　cried　out；　'Oh；　my　dear　child；　though　you　are　endowed　with　wisdom　enough　to　direct　you　in　the　way　to　virtue；　yet　if　you　grow　conceited　and　proud　of　that　wisdom；　and　fancy　yourself　above　temptation；　it　will　lead　you　into　the　worst　of　all　evils。'　　Here　the　fairy　interposed；　and　told　the　Princess　Hebe；　that　if　she　would　always　carefully　observe　and　obey　her　mother；　who　had　learned　wisdom　in　that　best　school；　adversity；　she　would　then；　indeed；　be　able　to　withstand　and　overcome　every　temptation；　and　would　likewise　be　happy　herself；　and　able　to　dispense　happiness　to　all　around　her。　　Nothing　was　omitted　by　the　fairy　to　make　this　retirement　agreeable　to　her　royal　guests；　and　they　had　now　passed　near　seven　years　in　this　delightful　grove；　in　perfect　peace　and　tranquillity；　when　one　evening；　as　they　were　walking　in　the　pleasant　wood　which　surrounded　their　habitation；　they　espied　under　the　shade；　and　leaning　against　the　bark　of　a　large　oak；　a　poor　old　man；　whose　limbs　were　withered　and　decayed；　and　whose　eyes　were　hollow；　and　sunk　with　age　and　misery。　　They　stopped　as　soon　as　they　saw　him；　and　heard　him　in　the　anguish　of　his　heart；　with　a　loud　groan；　utter　these　words：　　'When　will　my　sorrows　end？　　Where　shall　I　find　the　good　fairy　Sybella？'　　The　fairy　immediately　begged　to　know　his　business　with　her；　and　said；　if　his　sorrows　would　end　on　finding　Sybella；　he　might　set　his　heart　at　ease；　for　she　stood　now　before　him；　and　ready　to　serve　him；　if　his　distresses　were　such　as　would　admit　of　relief；　and　he　could　prove　himself　worthy　of　her　friendship。　　The　old　Man　appeared　greatly　overjoyed　at　having　found　the　fairy；　and　began　the　following　story：

'I　live　from　hence　a　thousand　leagues。　　All　this　tiresome　way　have　I　come　in　search　of　you。　　My　whole　life　has　been　spent　in　amassing　wealth；　to　enrich　one　only　son；　whom　I　doted　on　to　distraction。　　It　is　now　five　years　since　I　have　given　him　up　all　the　riches　I　had　laboured　to　get；　only　to　make　him　happy。　　But；　alas　how　am　I　disappointed！　　His　wealth　enables　him　to　command　whatever　this　world　produces；　and　yet　the　poorest　wretch　that　begs　his　bread　cannot　be　more　miserable。　　He　spends　his　days　in　riot　and　luxury；　has　more　slaves　and　attendants　than　wait　in　the　palace　of　a　prince；　and　still　he　sighs　from　morning　till　night；　because；　he　says；　there　is　nothing　in　this　world　worth　living　for。　　All　his　dainties　only　sate　his　palate；　and　grow　irksome　to　his　sight。　　He　daily　changes　his　opinion　of　what　is　pleasure；　and；　on　the　trial；　finds　none　that　he　can　call　such；　and　then　falls　to　sighing　again；　for　the　emptiness　of　all　that　he　has　enjoyed。　　So　that；　instead　of　being　my　delight；　and　the　comfort　of　my　old　age；　sleepless　nights；　and　anxious　days；　are　all　the　rewards　of　my　past　labours　for　him。　But　I　have　had　many　visions　and　dreams　to　admonish　me；　that　if　I　would　venture　with　my　old　frame　to　travel　hither　a…foot　in　search　of　the　fairy　Sybella；　she　had　a　glass；　which　if　she　showed　him；　he　would　be　cured　of　this　dreadful　melancholy；　and　I　have　borne　the　labour　and　fatigue　of　coming　this　long　tiresome　way；　that　I　may　not　breathe　my　last　with　the　agonizing　reflection；　that　all　the　labours　of　my　life　have　been　thrown　away。　　But　what　shall　I　say　to　engage　you　to　go　with　me？　　Can　riches　tempt；　or　praise　allure　you？'

'No；　（answered　the　fairy）　neither　of　them　has　power　to　move　me；　but　I　compassionate　your　age；　and　if　I　thought　I　could　succeed；　would　not　refuse　you。　　The　glass　which　I　shall　bid　him　look　in；　will　show　him　his　inward　self；　but　if　he　will　not　open　both　his　eyes　and　heart　enough　to　truth；　to　let　him　understand；　that　the　pleasures　he　pursues　not　only　are　not　but　cannot　be　satisfactory；　I　can　be　of　no　sort　of　service　to　him。　　And　know；　old　man；　that　the　punishment　you　now　feel　is　the　natural　result　of　your　not　having　taught　him　this　from　his　infancy；　for；　instead　of　heaping　up　wealth；　to　allure　him　to　seek　for　happiness　from　such　deceitful　means；　you　should　have　taught　him；　that　the　only　path　to　it　was　to　be　virtuous　and　good。'

The　old　man　said；　he　heartily　repented　of　his　conduct；　and　on　his　knees　so　fervently　implored　Sybella's　assistance；　that　at　last　she　consented　to　go　with　him。　　Then　striking　on　the　ground　three　times　with　her　wand；　the　car　and　horses　rose　up；　and　placing　the　old　Man　by　her；　after　taking　leave　of　the　queen；　and　be