CHAPTER III. A FEW MORE LESSONS

kitchen,then,forI’msureIcarveditquiteproperlyhere,yesterday.” “Nodoubttheycutitwronginthekitchen—thesavages!Dear—dear!Dideveranyoneseesuchafinepieceofbeefsocompletelyruined?Butrememberthat,infuture,whenadecentdishleavesthistable,theyshallnottouchitinthekitchen.Rememberthat,Mrs.Bloomfield!” Notwithstandingtheruinousstateofthebeef,thegentlemanmanagedtocuthimselfsomedelicateslices,partofwhichheateinsilence.Whenhenextspoke,itwas,inalessqueruloustone,toaskwhattherewasfordinner. “Turkeyandgrouse,”wastheconcisereply. “Andwhatbesides?” “Fish.” “Whatkindoffish?” “Idon’tknow.” “Youdon’tknow?”criedhe,lookingsolemnlyupfromhisplate,andsuspendinghisknifeandforkinastonishment. “No.Itoldthecooktogetsomefish—Ididnotparticularizewhat.” “Well,thatbeatseverything!Aladyprofessestokeephouse,anddoesn’tevenknowwhatfishisfordinner!professestoorderfish,anddoesn’tspecifywhat!” “Perhaps,Mr.Bloomfield,youwillorderdinneryourselfinfuture.” NothingmorewassaidandIwasverygladtogetoutoftheroomwithmypupilsforIneverfeltsoashamedanduncomfortableinmylifeforanythingthatwasnotmyownfault. Intheafternoonweappliedtolessonsagain:thenwentoutagainthenhadteaintheschoolroomthenIdressedMaryAnnfordessertandwhensheandherbrotherhadgonedowntothedining-room,Itooktheopportunityofbeginningalettertomydearfriendsathome:butthechildrencameupbeforeIhadhalfcompletedit.AtsevenIhadtoputMaryAnntobedthenIplayedwithTomtilleight,whenhe,too,wentandIfinishedmyletterandunpackedmyclothes,whichIhadhithertofoundnoopportunityfordoing,and,finally,wenttobedmyself. Butthisisaveryfavourablespecimenofaday’sproceedings. Mytaskofinstructionandsurveillance,insteadofbecomingeasierasmychargesandIgotbetteraccustomedtoeachother,becamemorearduousastheircharactersunfolded.Thenameofgoverness,Isoonfound,wasameremockeryasappliedtome:mypupilshadnomorenotionofobediencethanawild,unbrokencolt.Thehabitualfearoftheirfather’speevishtemper,andthedreadofthepunishmentshewaswonttoinflictwhenirritated,keptthemgenerallywithinboundsinhisimmediatepresence.Thegirls,too,hadsomefearoftheirmother’sangerandtheboymightoccasionallybebribedtodoasshebidhimbythehopeofrewardbutIhadnorewardstoofferandasforpunishments,Iwasgiventounderstand,theparentsreservedthatprivilegetothemselvesandyettheyexpectedmetokeepmypupilsinorder.Otherchildrenmightbeguidedbythefearofangerandthedesireofapprobationbutneithertheonenortheotherhadanyeffectuponthese. MasterTom,notcontentwithrefusingtoberuled,mustneedssetupasaruler,andmanifestedadeterminationtokeep,notonlyhissisters,buthisgovernessinorder,byviolentmanualandpedalapplicationsand,ashewasatall,strongboyofhisyears,thisoccasionednotriflinginconvenience.Afewsoundboxesontheear,onsuchoccasions,mighthavesettledthemattereasilyenough:butas,inthatcase,hemightmakeupsomestorytohismotherwhichshewouldbesuretobelieve,asshehadsuchunshakenfaithinhisveracity—thoughIhadalreadydiscoveredittobebynomeansunimpeachable—Ideterminedtorefrainfromstrikinghim,eveninself-defenceand,inhismostviolentmoods,myonlyresourcewastothrowhimonhisbackandholdhishandsandfeettillthefrenzywassomewhatabated.Tothedifficultyofpreventinghimfromdoingwhatheoughtnot,wasaddedthatofforcinghimtodowhatheought.Oftenhewouldpositivelyrefusetolearn,ortorepeathislessons,oreventolookathisbook.Here,again,agoodbirchrodmighthavebeenserviceablebut,asmypowersweresolimited,ImustmakethebestuseofwhatIhad. Astherewerenosettledhoursforstudyandplay,Iresolvedtogivemypupilsacertaintask,which,withmoderateattention,theycouldperforminashorttimeandtillthiswasdone,howeverwearyIwas,orhoweverperversetheymightbe,nothingshortofparentalinterferenceshouldinducemetosufferthemtoleavetheschoolroom,evenifIshouldsitwithmychairagainstthedoortokeepthemin.Patience,Firmness,andPerseveranceweremyonlyweaponsandtheseIresolvedtousetotheutmost.Ideterminedalwaysstrictl