the governess-第27部分

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gh　she　was　to　have　but　that　one　shilling　in　the　world　which　was　so　insolently　offered　him　as　his　father's　last　legacy；　than　be　the　Lady　Brumpton；　even　though　she　had　possessed　the　fortune　she　so　treacherously　endeavoured　to　obtain。

'Nay　（said　Miss　Dolly　Friendly）　I　had　rather　have　been　old　Trusty；　with　all　the　infirmities　of　age；　following　my　Lord　Hardy　through　the　world；　had　his　poverty　and　distress　been　ever　so　great；　than　have　been　the　malicious　Lady　Brumpton；　in　the　height　of　her　beauty；　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　lovers　and　flatterers。'

Miss　Henny　Fret　then　declared　how　glad　she　was　that　she　had　now　no　malice　in　her　mind；　though　she　could　not　always　have　said　so；　as　she　would　inform　them　in　the　history　of　her　past　life。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　HENNY　FRET。

Miss　Henny　Fret　was　turned　of　nine　years　old。　　She　was　very　prettily　made；　and　remarkably　genteel。　　All　her　features　were　regular。　　She　was　not　very　fair；　and　looked　pale。　　Her　upper　lip　seemed　rather　shorter　than　it　should　be；　for　it　was　drawn　up　in　such　a　manner；　as　to　show　her　upper　teeth；　and　though　this　was　in　some　degree　natural；　yet　it　had　been　very　much　increased　by　her　being　continually　on　the　fret　for　every　trifling　accident　that　offended　her；　or　on　every　contradiction　that　was　offered　to　her。　　When　you　came　to　examine　her　face；　she　had　not　one　feature　but　what　was　pretty；　yet；　from　that　constant　uneasiness　which　appeared　in　her　countenance；　it　gave　you　so　little　pleasure　to　look　at　her；　that　she　seldom　had　common　justice　done　her；　but　had　generally　hitherto　passed　for　a　little　insignificant　plain　girl；　though　her　very　face　was　so　altered　since　she　was　grown　good　natured；　and　had　got　the　better　of　that　foolish　fretfulness　she　used　to　be　possessed　of；　that　she　appeared　from　her　good…humoured　smiles　quite　a　different　person；　and；　with　a　mild　aspect；　thus　began　her　story：


THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　HENNY　FRET。

'I　had　one　brother；'　said　Miss　Henny；　'as　well　as　Miss　Jenny　Peace；　but　my　manner　of　living　with　him　was　quite　the　reverse　to　that　in　which　she　lived　with　her　brother。　　All　my　praise　or　blame　was　to　arise　from　my　being　better　or　worse　than　my　brother。　　If　I　was　guilty　of　any　fault；　it　was　immediately　said；　〃Oh！　fie；　miss！　　Master　George　（that　was　my　brother's　name）　would　not　be　guilty　of　such　a　thing　for　the　world。〃　　If　he　was　carried　abroad；　and　I　stayed　at　home；　then　I　was　bemoaned　over；　that　poor　Miss　Henny　was　left　at　home；　and　her　brother　carried　abroad。　　And　then　I　was　told；　that　I　should　go　abroad　one　of　these　days；　and　my　brother　be　left　at　home　so　that　whenever　I　went　abroad；　my　greatest　joy　was；　that　he　was　left　at　home；　and　I　was　pleased　to　see　him　come　out　to　the　coach…door　with　a　melancholy　air　that　he　could　not　go　too。　　If　my　brother　happened　to　have　any　fruit　given　him；　and　was　in　a　peevish　humour；　and　would　not　give　me　as　much　as　I　desired；　the　servant　that　attended　me　was　sure　to　bid　me　take　care；　when　I　had　anything　he　waited；　not　to　give　him　any。　　So　that　I　thought；　if　I　did　not　endeavour　to　be　revenged　of　him；　I　should　show　a　want　of　spirit；　which　was　of　all　things　what　I　dreaded　most。　　I　had　a　better　memory　than　my　brother；　and　whenever　I　learnt　anything；　my　comfort　was　to　laugh　at　him　because　he　could　not　learn　so　fast；　by　which　means　I　got　a　good　deal　of　learning；　but　never　minded　what　I　learnt；　nor　took　any　pains　to　keep　it；　so　that　what　I　was　eager　to　learn　one　day；　to　show　George　how　much　I　knew　more　than　he；　I　forgot　the　next。　　And　so　I　went　on　learning；　and　forgetting　as　fast　as　I　learnt；　and　all　the　pains　I　took　served　only　to　show　that　I　COULD　learn。

'I　was　so　great　a　favourite；　that　I　was　never　denied　any　thing　I　asked　for；　　but　I　was　very　unhappy　for　the　same　reason　that　Miss　Dolly　Friendly's　sister　was　so；　and　I　have　often　sat　down　and　cried；　because　I　did　not　know　what　I　would　have；　till　at　last　I　own　I　grew　so　peevish　and　humoursome；　that　I　was　always　on　the　fret；　and　harboured　in　my　mind　a　kind　of　malice　that　made　me　fancy　whatever　my　brother　got；　I　lost；　and　in　this　unhappy　condition　I　lived；　till　I　came　to　school；　and　here　I　found　that　other　misses　wanted　to　have　their　humours　as　well　as　myself。　　This　I　could　not　bear；　because　I　had　been　used　to　have　my　own　will；　and　never　to　trouble　myself　about　what　others　felt。　　For　whenever　I　beat　or　abused　my　brother；　his　pain　did　not　make　me　cry；　but　I　believe　it　was　thinking　wrong　made　me　guilty　of　these　faults；　for　I　don't　find　I　am　ill…natured；　for　now　I　have　been　taught　to　consider　that　my　companions　can　feel　as　well　as　myself；　I　am　sorry　for　their　pain；　and　glad　when　they　are　pleased；　and　would　be　glad　to　do　anything　to　oblige　them。'



Here　Miss　Henny　ceased；　and　Miss　Jenny　Peace　then　told　her　how　glad　she　was　to　hear　that　she　had　subdued　all　malice　in　her　mind；　adding；　'These　weeds；　my　dear；　unless　early　plucked　up；　are　（as　I　have　heard　our　good　governess　observe　upon　a　like　occasion）　very　apt　to　take　such　deep　root；　as　to　choke　every　good　seed　around　them；　and　then　who　can　tell　whether；　with　the　same　opportunities；　they　might　not　become　Lady　Brumptons　before　the　end　of　their　lives？'

Little　Polly　Suckling　remembered　that　all　the　company　had　told　the　story　of　their　past　lives；　except　herself；　and　she　thought　she　would　not　be　left　out；　but　yet　she　had　a　mind　to　be　asked　to　tell　it；　hoping　that　her　companions　thought　her　of　consequence　enough　not　to　leave　her　out　of　any　scheme；　therefore；　addressing　herself　to　Miss　Jenny；　she　said　she　thought　it　was　very　pleasant　to　hear　anybody　tell　the　history　of　their　own　lives。　　Miss　Jenny　saw　her　meaning；　and　answered；　'So　it　is；　my　little　dear；　and　now；　　if　you　please；　you　shall　oblige　us　with　relating　the　history　of　yours。'　　Polly　smiled　at　this　request；　and　said　she　was　ready　to　comply。


THE　DESCRIPTION　OF　MISS　POLLY　SUCKLING。

Miss　Polly　Suckling　was　just　turned　of　eight　years　old；　but　so　short　of　her　age；　that　few　people　took　her　to　be　above　five。　　It　was　not　a　dwarfish　shortness；　for　she　had　the　most　exact　proportioned　limbs　in　the　world；　very　small　bones；　and　was　as　fat　as　a　little　cherub。　　She　was　extremely　fair；　and　her　hair　quite　flaxen。　　Her　eyes　a　perfect　blue；　her　mouth　small；　and　her　lips　quite　plump　and　red。　　She　had　the　freshness　of　a　milkmaid；　and　when　she　smiled　and　laughed；　she　seemed　to　show　an　hundred　agreeable　dimples。　　She　was；　in　short；　the　very　picture　of　health　and　good…humour；　and　was　the　plaything　and　general　favorite　of　the　whole　school。


THE　LIFE　OF　MISS　POLLY　SUCKLING。

'Now；'　said　little　Polly；　'I　will　tell　you　all　my　whole　history。　　I　hardly　remember　anything　before　I　came　to　school；　for　I　was　but　five　years　old　when　I　was　brought　hither。

'All　I　know　is；　that　I　don't　love　quarrelling；　for　I　like　better　to　live　in　peace　and　quietness。　　But　I　have　been　always　less　than　any　of　my　companions；　ever　since　I　have　been　here；　and　so　I　only　followed　the　example　of　the　rest；　and　as　I　found　they　contended　about　everything；　I　did　so　too。　　Besides；　I　have　been　always　in　fear　that　my　schoolfellows　wanted　to　impose　on　me；　because　I　was　little；　and　so　I　used　to　engage　in　every　quarrel；　rather　than　be　left　out；　as　if　I　was　too　little　to　give　any　assistance；　but；　indeed；　I　am　very　glad　now　we　all　agree；　because　I　always　came　by　the　worst　of　it。　　And；　besides；　it　is　a　great　pleasure　to　me　to　be　loved；　and　every　Miss　is　kind　and　good　to　me；　and　ready　to　assist　me　whenever　I　ask　them。　　And　this　is　all　I　know　of　my　whole　life。'



When　little　Polly　ceased；　she　was　kissed　and　applauded　by　the　whole　company；　for　the　agreeable　simplicity　of　her　little　history。

And　thus　ended　the　eighth　day's　amusement。



TUESDAY。　THE　NINTH　DAY。

Miss　Jenny　rose　early　in　the　morning；　and；　having　collected　the　lives　of　her　companions　（which　she　had　wrote　down　each　day；　as　they　related　them）　she　carried　them；　after　morning　school；　according　to　her　promise；　to　her　governess。

Mrs。　Teachum；　when　she　had　perused　them；　was　much　pleased；　and　said　that　she　perceived；　by　the　manner　in　which　her　scholars　had　related　their　lives；　how　much　they　were　in　earnest　in　their　design　of　amendment。　　'For　（continued　she）　they　have　all　confessed　their　faults　without　reserve；　and　the　untowardly　bent　of　their　minds；　which　so　strongly　appeared　before　the　quarrel；　has　not　broke　out　in　these　their　little　histories；　but；　on　the　contrary；　they　all　seem；　according　to　their　capacities；　to　have　endeavoured　at　imitating　your　style；　in　the　account　you　gave　of　your　own　life。　　I　would　have　you　continue　to　employ　your　leisure　hours　in　the　manner　you　have　lately　done；　only　setting　apart　a　proper　time　for　exercise；　and　today　I　will　dispense　with　your　attendance　in　the　school…room　and　indulge　you　this　afternoon　in　another　walk；　either　to　the　dairy　house；　or　to　the　cherry…garden；　whichever　you　all　agree　on。　　But　as　I　shall　not　go　with　you　myself；　and　shall　only　find　a　servant　to　take　care　of　you；　I　hope　to　hear　from　you；　Miss　Jenny；　so　good　an　account　of　the　behaviour　of　your　little　friends　and　companions；　that　I　shall　have　no　cause　to　repent　my　indulgence。'

Miss　Jenny　Peace　respectfully　took　leave　of　her　governess；　and　hastened　to　the　arbour；　where　her　little　friends　were　met；　in　expectation　of　her　coming。　She　told　them　how　well　pleased　their　govern