the life and perambulations of a mouse-第10节

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out　any　longer　against　two　so　much　stronger　than　himself；　the　boys　agreed　to　secure　themselves　by　numbers；　and　to　sally　forth　to　his　assistance　altogether。　　This　scheme　succeeded；　and　very　shortly　rescued　Tomkins　from　his　antagonists。　　He　thanked　them　for　their　assistance；　saying；　at　the　same　time；　〃I　hope　you　will　no　longer　doubt　my　courage；　or　my　abilities　to　fight；　when　it　is　necessary　or　in　a　good　cause。〃　　After　so　signal　a　proof　of　his　viler；　his　greatest　enemies　could　no　longer　doubt　it；　and；　without　ever　engaging　in　foolish　battles；　he　passed　through　school　as　much　respected　as　any　boy；　and　his　magnanimity　was　never　again　called　in　question。'

As　the　gentleman　stopped　speaking；　the　little　girl　called　out；　'O；　papa；　the　coach　is　at　the　door。'　　'Is　it；　my　dear？'　returned　the　father。　　'Well　then；　stop；　my　love；'　said　one　of　the　ladies；　'I　have　got　a　few　cakes　for　you：　　stay；　and　take　them　before　you　go。'　　She　then　unlocked　the　closet　where　we　were；　and　took　down　the　paper　of　macaroons；　among　which　we　had　so　comfortably　regaled　ourselves；　when；　observing　the　hole　in　the　paper　through　which　we　entered；　'O　dear！'　she　exclaimed；　'the　mice　have　actually　got　into　my　cupboard。　　I　will　move　all　the　things　out　this　very　morning；　and　lock　the　cat　up　in　it；　for　I　shall　be　undone　if　the　mice　once　get　footing　here；　they　will　soon　spoil　all　my　stores；　and　that　will　never　do。'　　She　then　kissed　both　the　children；　and；　giving　them　the　cakes；　they；　the　gentleman；　and　another　lady；　all　departed；　and　she　instantly　began　to　move　the　boxes　and　jars　from　the　closet；　whilst　we；　terrified　almost　out　of　our　wits；　sat　trembling　behind　one　of　them；　not　daring　to　stir；　yet　dreading　the　cat's　approach　every　moment。

We　were　soon；　however；　obliged　to　move　our　quarters；　for　the　lady　taking　down　the　very　jar　which　concealed　us；　we　were　forced　（without　knowing　where　we　were）　to　jump　down　instantly。　　In　vain　we　sought　all　round　the　room　for　some　avenue　whereat　we　might　escape；　the　apartment　was　too　well　fitted　up　to　admit　the　smallest　crack；　and　we　must　then　certainly　have　been　destroyed；　had　we　not；　with　uncommon　presence　of　mind；　ran　up　the　back　of　the　lady's　gown；　by　which　means　she　lost　sight　of　us；　and　gave　us　an　opportunity　to　make　our　escape；　as　she　opened　the　door　to　order　the　cat　to　be　brought　in。　　We　seized　the　lucky　moment；　and；　dropping　from　her　gown；　fled　with　the　utmost　haste　out　at　the　house　door；　which　happened　to　be　wide　open；　and　I；　without　once　looking　behind　me；　ran　on　till　I　discovered　a　little　crack　in　the　brick　wall；　which　I　entered；　and　which；　after　many　turnings　and　windings；　brought　me　to　this　house；　where　I　have　now　continued　skulking　about　in　its　different　apartments　for　above　a　month；　during　which　time　I　have　not　heard　the　least　tidings　of　my　beloved　brother　Longtail。　　Whether；　therefore；　any　mischief　befell　him　as　he　followed　me；　or　whether　he　entered　the　crack　with　me　and　then　lost　sight　of　me；　I　know　not；　but　in　vain　have　I　sought　him　every　day　since　my　arrival　within　these　walls；　and　so　anxious　am　I　to　learn　what　is　become　of　him；　that　I　am　now　come　forth；　contrary　to　my　nature；　to　engage　your　compassion；　and　to　beseech　you；　in　case



At　this　moment；　the　door　of　my　room　opened；　and　my　servant　coming　hastily　in；　the　mouse　jumped　from　my　table；　and　precipitately　retreated　to　the　same　hole　from　whence　it　first　addressed　me；　and　though　I　have　several　times　peeped　into　it；　and　even　laid　little　bits　of　cake　to　entice　it　back　again；　yet　have　I　never　been　able　to　see　it　any　where　since。　　Should　either　that；　or　any　other；　ever　again　favour　me　so　far　with　their　confidence；　as　to　instruct　me　with　their　history；　I　will　certainly　communicate　it　with　all　possible　speed　to　my　little　readers；　who　I　hope　have　been　wise　enough　to　attend　to　the　advice　given　them　in　the　preceding　pages；　although　it　was　delivered　to　them　by　one　as　insignificant　as　a　MOUSE。



PART　II。　INTRODUCTION


It　is　now　some　months　ago　since　I　took　leave　of　my　little　readers；　promising；　in　case　I　should　ever　hear　any　further　tidings　of　either　Nimble　or　Longtail；　I　would　certainly　communicate　it　to　them；　and；　as　I　think　it　extremely　wrong　not　to　fulfil　any　engagement　we　enter　into；　I　look　upon　myself　bound　to　give　them　all　the　information　I　have　since　gained；　relating　to　those　two　little　animals；　and　I　doubt　not　but　they　will　be　glad　to　hear　what　happened　to　them；　after　Nimble　was　frightened　from　my　writing　table　by　the　entrance　of　my　servant。　　If　I　recollect　right；　I　have　already　told　you；　that　I　frequently　peeped　into　the　hole　in　the　skirting…board；　and　laid　bits　of　cake　to　try　to　entice　my　little　companion　back；　but　all　to　no　purpose：　　and　I　had　quite　given　over　all　hopes　of　ever　again　seeing　him；　when　one　day；　as　I　was　putting　my　hand　into　a　large　jar；　which　had　some　Turkey　figs　in　it；　I　felt　something　soft　at　the　bottom；　and　taking　it　out；　found　it　to　be　a　poor　little　mouse；　not　quite　dead；　but　so　starved　and　weak；　that　upon　my　placing　it　upon　the　table；　it　had　not　strength　sufficient　to　get　from　me。　　A　little　boy　happened　to　be　standing　by　me；　who；　upon　the　sight　of　the　mouse；　began　to　beg　me　to　give　it　to　the　cat；　or　kill　it；　'for　I　don't　like　mice；'　said　he；　'pray；　ma'am；　put　it　away。'　　'Not　like　mice；'　replied　I；　'what　can　be　your　objection　to　such　a　little　soft　creature　as　this？'　and　taking　advantage　of　its　weakness；　I　picked　it　up；　and　held　it　in　the　palm　of　one　hand；　whilst　I　stroked　it　with　the　fingers　of　my　right。　　'Poor　little　mouse；'　said　I；　'who　can　be　afraid　of　such　a　little　object　as　this？　　Do　you　not　feel　ashamed　of　yourself；　Joe；　to　fear　such　a　little　creature　as　this？　Only　look　at　it；　observe　how　small　it　is；　and　then　consider　your　own　size；　and　surely；　my　dear；　you　will　blush　to　think　of　being　no　more　of　a　man　than　to　fear　a　mouse！　　Look　at　me；　Joe；'　continued　I；　'see；　I　will　kiss　it；　I　am　not　at　all　afraid　that　it　will　hurt　me。'　When；　lifting　it　up　toward　my　face；　I　heard　it　say；　in　the　faintest　voice　possible；　'Do　you　not　know　me？'　　I　instantly　recollected　my　little　friend　Nimble；　and　rejoiced　at　so　unexpectedly　finding　him。　　'What；　is　it　you；　little　Nimble；'　exclaimed　I；　'that　I　again　behold？　　Believe　me；　I　am　heartily　rejoiced　once　more　to　find　you；　but　tell　me；　where　have　you　been；　what　have　you　done；　whom　have　you　seen；　and　what　have　you　learned　since　you　last　left　me？'　　'Oh！'　replied　he；　in　a　voice　so　low　I　could　scarcely　hear　him；　'I　have　seen　many　things；　but　I　am　so　faint　and　weak　for　want　of　food　and　fresh　air；　that　I　doubt　I　shall　never　live　to　tell　you；　but；　for　pity's　sake　have　compassion　on　me；　either　put　me　out　of　my　present　misery　by　instantly　killing　me；　or　else　give　me　something　to　eat；　for；　if　you　knew　my　sufferings；　I　am　sure　it　would　grieve　your　heart。'　　'Kill　you！'　returned　I；　'no；　that　I　will　not：　　on　the　contrary；　I　will　try　by　every　method　to　restore　you　to　health；　and　all　the　happiness　a　mouse　is　capable　of　feeling。'　　I　then　instantly　sent　for　some　bread；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　eat　very　heartily　of　it；　after　which　he　seemed　much　refreshed；　and　began　to　move　about　a　little　more　suitable　to　his　name；　for；　in　truth；　when　I　first　found　him；　no　living　creature　in　the　world　could　appear　less　deserving　of　the　appellation　of　Nimble。　　I　then　fetched　him　a　little　milk；　and　gave　him　a　lump　of　sugar　to　nibble；　after　eating　of　which　he　begged　to　retire　into　some　safe　little　hole　to　take　a　nap；　from　whence　he　promised　to　return　as　soon　as　he　should　wake；　and　accordingly；　in　about　an　hour　he　again　appeared　on　my　table；　and　began　as　follows。



I　was　frightened　away　from　you　just　as　I　was　going　to　implore　your　compassion　for　any　unfortunate　mouse　that　might　happen　to　fall　within　your　power；　lest　you　should　destroy　my　dear　and　only　surviving　brother；　Longtail；　but　somebody　entering　the　room；　prevented　me；　and　after　I　had　regained　my　hiding　place；　I　resolved　to　quit　the　house；　and　once　more　set　out　in　search　of　my　beloved　brother。　　Accordingly；　with　great　difficulty　I　made　my　way　out　of　the　house；　but　my　distress　was　much　increased　upon　finding　the　snow　so　deep　upon　the　ground；　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　attempt　to　stir；　as　upon　stepping　one　foot　out　to　try；　I　found　it　far　too　deep　for　me　to　fathom　the　bottom。　　This　greatly　distressed　me。　　'Alas！'　said　I　to　myself；　'what　shall　I　do　now？　　To　proceed　is　impossible；　and　to　return　is　very　melancholy；　without　any　tidings　of　my　dear；　dear　Longtail。'　　But　I　was　interrupted　in　the　midst　of　these　reflections；　by　the　appearance　of　two　cats；　who　came　running　with　such　violence　as　to　pass　by　without　observing　me：　　however；　it　put　me　in　such　consternation；　that　regardless　where　I　went；　I　sprung　forward；　and　sunk　so　deep　in　the　snow　that　I　must　inevitably　soon　have　perished；　had　not　a　boy　come　to　the　very　place　where　I　was；　to　gather　snow　for　making　snowballs　to　throw　at　his　companions。　　Happily　for　me；　he　took　me　up　in　his　hand；　in　the　midst　of　the　snow；　which　not　less　alarmed　me；　when　I　considered　the　sufferings　I　had　before　endured；　and　the　cruel　death　of　my　brother　Brighteyes；　from　the　hands　of　boys。　　Oh！　thought　I　to　myself；　what　new　tortures　shall　I　now　experience？　　Better　had　I　perished　in　the　cold　snow；　than　be　spared　only　to　be　tormented　by　the　cruel　hands　of　unthinki