第76章

第76章“why,isupposeyouhaveagovernessforher:isawapersonwithherjustnow—isshegone?oh,no!theresheisstill,behindthewindow-curtain.youpayher,ofcourse;ishouldthinkitquiteasexpensive,—moreso;foryouhavethembothtokeepinaddition.”

ifeared—orshouldisay,hoped?—theallusiontomewouldmakemr.rochesterglancemyway;andiinvoluntarilyshrankfartherintotheshade:butheneverturnedhiseyes.

“ihavenotconsideredthesubject,”saidheindifferently,lookingstraightbeforehim.

“no,youmenneverdoconsidereconomyandcommonsense.youshouldhearmamaonthechapterofgovernesses:maryandihavehad,ishouldthink,adozenatleastinourday;halfofthemdetestableandtherestridiculous,andallincubi—weretheynot,mama?”

“didyouspeak,myown?”

theyoungladythusclaimedasthedowager’sspecialproperty,reiteratedherquestionwithanexplanation.

“mydearest,don’tmentiongovernesses;thewordmakesmenervous.ihavesufferedamartyrdomfromtheirincompetencyandcaprice.ithankheavenihavenowdonewiththem!”

mrs.dentherebentovertothepiousladyandwhisperedsomethinginherear;isuppose,fromtheanswerelicited,itwasareminderthatoneoftheanathematisedracewaspresent.

“tantpis!”saidherladyship,“ihopeitmaydohergood!”then,inalowertone,butstillloudenoughformetohear,“inoticedher;iamajudgeofphysiognomy,andinhersiseeallthefaultsofherclass.”

“whatarethey,madam?”inquiredmr.rochesteraloud.

“iwilltellyouinyourprivateear,”repliedshe,ingherturbanthreetimeswithportentoussignificancy.

“butmycuriositywillbepastitsappetite;itcravesfoodnow.”

“askblanche;sheisneareryouthani.”

“oh,don’treferhimtome,mama!ihavejustonewordtosayofthewholetribe;theyareanuisance.notthatieversufferedmuchfromthem;itookcaretoturnthetables.whattrickstheodoreandiusedtoplayonourmisswilsons,andmrs.greys,andmadamejouberts!marywasalwaystoosleepytojoininaplotwithspirit.thebestfunwaswithmadamejoubert:misswilsonwasapoorsicklything,lachrymoseandlow-spirited,notworththetroubleofvanquishing,inshort;andmrs.greywascoarseandinsensible;noblowtookeffectonher.butpoormadamejoubert!iseeheryetinherragingpassions,whenwehaddrivenhertoextremities—spiltourtea,crumbledourbreadandbutter,tossedourbooksuptotheceiling,andplayedacharivariwiththeruleranddesk,thefenderandfire-irons.theodore,doyourememberthosemerrydays?”

“yaas,tobesureido,”drawledlordingram;“andthepooroldstickusedtocryout‘ohyouvillainschilds!’—andthenwesermonisedheronthepresumptionofattemptingtoteachsuchcleverbladesaswewere,whenshewasherselfsoignorant.”

“wedid;and,tedo,youknow,ihelpedyouinprosecuting(orpersecuting)yourtutor,whey-facedmr.vining—theparsoninthepip,asweusedtocallhim.heandmisswilsontookthelibertyoffallinginlovewitheachother—atleasttedoandithoughtso;wesurprisedsundrytenderglancesandsighswhichweinterpretedastokensof‘labellepassion,’andipromiseyouthepublicsoonhadthebenefitofourdiscovery;weemployeditasasortoflevertohoistourdead-weightsfromthehouse.dearmama,there,assoonasshegotaninklingofthebusiness,foundoutthatitwasofanimmoraltendency.didyounot,mylady-mother?”

“certainly,mybest.andiwasquiteright:dependonthat:thereareathousandreasonswhyliaisonsbetweengovernessesandtutorsshouldneverbetoleratedamomentinanywell-regulatedhouse;firstly—”

“oh,gracious,mama!spareustheenumeration!aureste,weallknowthem:dangerofbadexampletoinnocenceofchildhood;distractionsandconsequentneglectofdutyonthepartoftheattached—mutualallianceandreliance;confidencethenceresulting—insolenceaccompanying—mutinyandgeneralblow-up.amiright,baronessingram,ofingrampark?”

“mylily-flower,youarerightnow,asalways.”

“thennomoreneedbesaid:changethesubject.”

amyeshton,nothearingornotheedingthisdictum,joinedinwithhersoft,infantinetone:“louisaandiusedtoquizourgovernesstoo;butshewassuchagoodcreature,shewouldbearanything:nothingputherout.shewasnevercrosswithus;wasshe,louisa?”

“no,never:wemightdowhatwepleased;ransackherdeskandherworkbox,andturnherdrawersinsideout;andshewassogood-natured,shewouldgiveasanythingweaskedfor.”

“isuppose,now,”saidmissingram,curlingherlipsarcastically,“weshallhaveanabstractofthememoirsofallthegovernessesextant:inordertoavertsuchavisitation,iagainmovetheintroductionofanewtopic.mr.rochester,doyousecondmymotion?”

“madam,isupportyouonthispoint,asoneveryother.”

“thenonmebetheonusofbringingitforward.signioreduardo,areyouinvoiceto-night?”

“donnabianca,ifyoucommandit,iwillbe.”

“then,signior,ilayonyoumysovereignbehesttofurbishupyourlungsandothervocalorgans,astheywillbewantedonmyroyalservice.”

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