1. I’ve es - caped from my Go - ver - ness! Oh, what a treat!
Some fault she has al - ways to find;
And when I get home, with a scold - ing I’ll meet,
But not in the least shall I mind.
She’ll be in a ter - ri - ble fright, I can tell,
But she’ll hunt for me vain - ly, I fear;
She for - bade me to en - ter this beau - ti - ful Dell,
And that is the rea - son I’m here.
I’m not to do this, I am to do that,
I’m grum - bled at all the day long;
What - ev - er I don’t do,
What - ev - er I do do,
I’m sure to be told it is wrong, wrong, wrong,
Ne - ver right, ne - ver right, al - ways wrong.
2. And this is the Dell that’s en - chant - ed, she said,
I’m sure it looks harm - less e - nough;
The sto - ry in some chil - dren’s book she has read,
So it must all be non - sense and stuff.
Of course she will say to me, “Where did you go?”
And the truth I will cer - tain - ly tell;
And then I can tease her and laugh at her so,
For be - liev - ing in Hy - a - cinth Dell.
I’m not to do this, I am to do that,
I’m grum - bled at all the day long;
What - ev - er I don’t do,
What - ev - er I do do,
I’m sure to be told it is wrong, wrong, wrong,
Ne - ver right, ne - ver right, al - ways wrong.
Alice (looking off). But who is this coming so slowly along? She certainly looks as if she wanted stirring up a bit.
Enter Governess. Alice retires to the back and listens.
Gov. (sitting down). I seem to get weaker and weaker and more tired every day. I’m sure it is hard enough to have to take Flibbie out for a walk, for he goes so fast on purpose, as he knows that I am obliged to keep up with him; but when it comes to have to run after him, it is intolerable. Of course, if he gets into mischief, I get into trouble for it; and as he is always getting into mischief, on purpose, I am always getting into trouble. He’s run away and hidden himself somewhere. I’ve hunted for him high and low, and it’s almost time for his Euclid lesson. Oh, dear me! Who’d be a Governess, a miserable Governess!
Alice (coming forward). Oh, tell me that I have not heard rightly. Tell me that you are not a Governess.
Gov. (rising). A mortal child! Unhappy One! Why, oh, why did you venture into Hyacinth Dell. I am a Governess—a Fairy Governess.