第22部分(第4/7 页)

ed；　kind…natured　woman；　of　petent　education　and　average　intelligence。　My　pupil　was　a　lively　child；　who　had　been　spoilt　and　indulged；　and　therefore　was　sometimes　wayward；　but　as　she　was　mitted　entirely　to　my　care；　and　no　injudicious　interference　from　any　quarter　ever　thwarted　my　plans　for　her　improvement；　she　soon　forgot　her　little　freaks；　and　became　obedient　and　teachable。　She　had　no　great　talents；　no　marked　traits　of　character；　no　peculiar　development　of　feeling　or　taste　which　raised　her　one　inch　above　the　ordinary　level　of　childhood；　but　neither　had　she　any　deficiency　or　vice　which　sunk　her　below　it。　She　made　reasonable　progress；　entertained　for　me　a　vivacious；　though　perhaps　not　very　profound；　affection；　and　by　her　simplicity；　gay　prattle；　and　efforts　to　please；　inspired　me；　in　return；　with　a　degree　of　attachment　sufficient　to　make　us　both　content　in　each　other’s　society。

This；　par　parenthèse；　will　be　thought　cool　language　by　persons　who　entertain　solemn　doctrines　about　the　angelic　nature　of　children；　and　the　duty　of　those　charged　with　their　education　to　conceive　for　them　an　idolatrous　devotion：　but　I　am　not　writing　to　flatter　parental　egotism；　to　echo　cant；　or　prop　up　humbug；　I　am　merely　telling　the　truth。　I　felt　a　conscientious　solicitude　for　Adèle’s　welfare　and　progress；　and　a　quiet　liking　for　her　little　self：　just　as　I　cherished　towards　Mrs。　Fairfax　a　thankfulness　for　her　kindness；　and　a　pleasure　in　her　society　proportionate　to　the　tranquil　regard　she　had　for　me；　and　the　moderation　of　her　mind　and　character。

Anybody　may　blame　me　who　likes；　when　I　add　further；　that；　now　and　then；　when　I　took　a　walk　by　myself　in　the　grounds；　when　I　went　down　to　the　gates　and　looked　through　them　along　the　road；　or　when；　while　Adèle　played　with　her　nurse；　and　Mrs。　Fairf