the life and perambulations of a mouse-第14节

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hen　turning　to　the　beggar；　she　inquired　what　she　wanted；　in　so　mild　a　tone　of　voice；　that　it　encouraged　her　to　speak　and　tell　her　distress。

'Mrs。　Flail　listened　with　the　greatest　attention；　and　could　not　help　being　struck　with　her　speech　and　appearance；　for　though　she　was　clothed　in　rags　（having　parted　with　all　her　better　clothes　to　pay　for　lodging　and　food）　still　there　was　a　something　in　her　language　and　manner　which　discovered　that　she　was　no　common　beggar。　　Betsy　had　stood　all　the　time　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ground；　scarcely　once　lifting　them　to　look　at　the　face　of　Mrs。　Flail；　and　she　was　so　changed　herself　by　her　troubles　and　sickness；　that　it　was　impossible　for　any　one　who　had　ever　seen　Miss　Speedgo；　to　recollect　her　in　her　present　miserable　state。　　Mrs。　Flail；　however；　wanted　no　farther　inducement　to　relieve　her　than　to　hear　she　was　in　want。　　〃Every　fellow…creature　in　distress；〃　she　used　to　say；　〃was　a　proper　object　of　her　bounty；　and　whilst　she　was　blessed　with　plenty　she　thought　it　her　duty　to　relieve；　as　far　as　she　prudently　could；　all　whom　she　knew　to　be　in　need。〃　She　therefore　fetched　a　mug；　and；　filling　it　with　milk　herself；　gave　it　to　the　poor　woman　to　drink。　　〃Here；〃　said　she；　〃take　this；　good　woman；　and　I　hope　it　will　refresh　and　be　of　service　to　you。〃　　Betsy　held　out　her　hand　for　it；　and；　lifting　her　eyes　up　to　look　at　Mrs。　Flail；　whilst　she　thanked　her　for　her　kindness；　was　greatly　astonished　to　discover　in　her　benefactress；　the　features　of　her　old　servant；　Molly　Mount。　　〃Bless　me！〃　said　she；　with　an　air　of　confusion；　〃What　do　I　see？　　Who　is　it？　　Where　am　I？　　Madam；　pardon　my　boldness；　but　pray　forgive　me；　ma〃am；　but　is　not　your　name　Mount？〃　　〃It　was；〃　replied　Mrs。　Flail；　〃but　I　have　been　married　for　thirteen　years　to　a　Mr。　Flail；　and　that　is　my　name　now。　　But；　pray；　where　did　you　ever　see　me　before？　or　how　came　you　to　know　anything　of　me？〃　　Poor　Betsy　could　return　no　answer；　her　shame　at　being　seen　by　her　servant　that　was；　in　her　present　condition；　and　the　consciousness　of　having　so　ill…treated　that　very　servant；　to　whose　kindness　she　was　now　indebted；　all　together　were　too　much　for　her　in　her　weak　state；　and　she　fell　senseless　at　Mrs。　　Flail's　feet。

'This　still　added　to　Mrs。　Flail's　surprise；　and　she　had　her　carried　into　the　house　and　laid　upon　a　bed；　where　she　used　every　means　to　bring　her　to　herself　again；　which；　after　a　considerable　time；　succeeded；　and　she　then　（covered　with　shame　and　remorse）　told　her　who　she　was；　and　how　she　came　into　that　miserable　condition。　　No　words　can　describe　the　astonishment　Mrs。　Flail　was　in；　at　hearing　the　melancholy　story　of　her　sufferings；　nor　is　it　possible　to　tell　with　what　generosity　and　kindness　she　strove　to　comfort　her；　telling　her　to　compose　herself；　for　she　should　no　longer　be　in　want　of　any　thing。　　〃I　have；　thank　Heaven；〃　said　she；　〃a　most　worthy　good　man　for　my　husband；　who　will　rejoice　with　me　in　having　it　in　his　power　to　relieve　a　suffering　fellow…creature。　　Do　not；　therefore；　any　longer　distress　yourself　upon　what　passed　between　us　formerly。　　I　had；　for　my　part；　forgotten　it；　if　you　had　not　now　told　it　me；　but；　however　I　might　then　take　the　liberty　to　censure　you　for　too　much　haughtiness。　　I　am　sure　I　have　no　occasion　to　do　so　now。　　Think　no　more；　therefore；　I　beseech　you；　upon　those　times　which　are　now　past；　but　be　comforted；　and　make　yourself　as　happy　as　in　my　humble　plain　manner　of　living　you　can　possibly　do。〃

'She　then　furnished　her　with　some　of　her　own　clothes；　till　she　could　procure　her　new　ones；　and　sent　immediately　for　a　physician　from　the　next　town；　by　following　of　whose　prescription；　together　with　good　nursing；　and　plenty　of　all　necessaries；　she　soon　recovered　her　health；　but　she　was　too　deeply　affected　with　the　thoughts　of　her　former　misconduct　ever　to　feel　happy　in　her　situation；　though　Mrs。　Flail　used　every　method　in　her　power　to　render　her　as　comfortable　as　possible。　　Nor　did　she　confine　her　goodness　only　to　this　one　daughter；　but　sent　also　for　her　sister　and　mother　（her　father　being　dead）；　and　fitted　up　a　neat　little　house　for　them　near　their　own。　　But　as　the　Flails　could　not　afford　wholly　to　maintain　them　for　nothing；　they　entrusted　the　poultry　to　their　care；　which　enabled　them　to　do　with　one　servant　less；　and　by　that　means　they　could；　without　any　great　expense；　afford　to　give　them　sufficient　to　make　their　lives　comfortable；　that　is；　as　far　as　their　own　reflections　would　let　them；　for　the　last　words　Mrs。　Speedgo　said　to　Molly；　when　she　parted　from　her；　dwelt　continually　upon　her　mind；　and　filled　her　with　shame　and　remorse。

'〃I　told　her；〃　said　she；　〃that　she　should　never　again　come　into　my　doors；　or　eat　another　mouthful　in　my　house；　and　now　it　is　her　bounty　alone　which　keeps　us　all　from　perishing。　　Oh！　how　unworthy　are　we　of　such　goodness！　　True；　indeed；　was　what　she　told　you；　that　kindness　and　virtue　were　far　more　valuable　than　riches。　　Goodness　and　kindness　no　time　or　change　can　take　from　us；　but　riches　soon　fly　as　it　were　away；　and　then　what　are　we　the　better　for　having　been　once　possessed　of　them？〃'

Here　Mr。　John　stopped；　and　jumping　hastily　up；　and　turning　round　to　Mrs。　　Sally；　Mrs。　Nelly；　and　Mr。　Bob；　exclaimed；　rubbing　his　hands'There　ladies；　I　have　finished　my　story；　and；　let　me　tell　you；　so　long　preaching　has　made　my　throat　dry；　so　another　mug　of　ale；　if　you　please；　Master　Bobby　（tapping　him　at　the　same　time　upon　the　shoulder）；　another　mug　of　ale；　my　boy；　for　faith；　talking　at　the　rate　I　have　done；　is　enough　to　wear　a　man's　lungs　out；　and；　in　truth；　I　have　need　of　something　to　hearten　me　after　such　fatigue。'

'Well；　I　am　sure；'　replied　Mrs。　Sally　and　Mrs。　Nelly；　in　the　same　breath；　'we　are　greatly　obliged　to　you　for　your　history；　and　I　am　sure　it　deserves　to　be　framed　and　glazed；　and　it　ought　to　be　hung　up　in　the　hall　of　every　family；　that　all　people　may　see　the　sad　effects　of　pride；　and　how　little　cause　people　have；　because　they　are　rich；　to　despise　those　who　are　poor；　since　it　frequently　happens；　that　those　who　this　year　are　like　little　kings；　may　the　next　be　beggars；　and　then　they　will　repent；　when　it　is　too　late；　of　all　their　pride　and　unkindness　they　showed　to　those　beneath　them。'

Here　the　conversation　was　put　a　stop　to　by　the　bell　ringing；　and　John　being　ordered　to　drive　to　the　door。　　I；　who　during　the　whole　of　the　history　had　been　feasting　upon　a　mince…pie；　now　thought　it　safer　to　conceal　myself　in　a　little　hole　in　the　wainscot　of　the　closet；　where；　finding　myself　very　safe；　I　did　not　awake　till　midnight。　　After　the　family　were　all　retired　to　rest；　I　peeped　out　of　the　hole；　and　there　saw　just　such　another　frightful　trap　as　that　which　was　the　prelude　to　poor　Softdown's　sufferings。　　Startled　at　the　sight；　I　retreated　back　as　expeditiously　as　possible；　nor　ever　stopped　till　I　found　my　way　into　a　bed…chamber；　where　lay　two　little　girls　fast　asleep。

I　looked　about　for　some　time；　peeping　into　every　hole　and　corner　before　I　could　find　any　thing　to　eat；　there　being　not　so　much　as　a　candle　in　the　room　with　them。　　At　last　I　crept　into　a　little　leathern　trunk；　which　stood　on　a　table；　not　shut　down　quite　close：　　here　I　instantly　smelt　something　good：　　but　was　obliged　to　gnaw　through　a　great　deal　of　linen　to　get　at　it；　it　was　wrapped　up　in　a　lap…bag；　amongst　a　vast　quantity　of　work。　　However；　I　made　my　way　through　half　a　hundred　folds；　and　at　last　was　amply　repaid；　by　finding　out　a　nice　piece　of　plum…cake；　and　the　pips　of　an　apple；　which　I　could　easily　get　at；　one　half　of　it　having　been　eat　away。　　Whilst　I　was　thus　engaged　I　heard　a　cat　mew；　and　not　knowing　how　near　she　might　be；　I　endeavoured　to　jump　out；　but　in　the　hurry　I　somehow　or　other　entangled　myself　in　the　muslin；　and　pulled　that；　trunk　and　all；　down　with　me；　for　the　trunk　stood　half　off　the　table；　so　that　the　least　touch　in　the　world　overset　it；　otherwise　my　weight　could　never　have　tumbled　it　down。

The　noise　of　the　fall；　however；　waked　the　children；　and　I　heard　one　say　to　the　other；'Bless　me！　　Mary；　what　is　that　noise？What　can　it　be？　　I　am　almost　frightened　out　of　my　wits；　do；　pray；　sister；　hug　me　close！'　　'Pooh！'　replied　the　other；　'never　mind　it！　　What　in　the　world　need　you　be　frightened　at？　　What　do　you　suppose　will　hurt　you？　　It　sounded　as　if　something　fell　down；　but　as　it　has　not　fallen　upon　us；　and　I　do　not　hear　anybody　stirring；　or　speaking　as　if　they　were　hurt；　what　need　we　care　about　it？　　So　pray；　Nancy；　let　us　go　to　sleep　again；　for　as　yet　I　have　not　had　half　sufficient；　I　am　sure；　I　hope　morning　is　not　coming　yet；　for　I　am　not　at　all　ready　to　get　up。'　　'I　am　sure；'　answered　the　other；　'I　wish　it　was　morning；　and　daylight　now；　for　I　should　like　to　get　up　vastly；　I　do　not　like　to　lay　here　in　the　dark　any　longer；　I　have　a　great　mind　to　ring　the　bell；　and　then　mamma　or　somebody　will　come　to　us　with　a　candle。'　　'And　what　in　the　world；'　rejoined　Mary；　'will　be　the　use　of　that？　　Do　you　want　a　candle　to　light　you　to　look　for　the　wounds　the　noise　has　given　you；　or　what　can　you　wish　to　disturb　my　mamma　for？　　Come；　let　me　cuddle　you；　and　do　go　to　sleep；　child；　for　I　cannot　think　what　occasion　there　is　for　us　to　keep　awake　because　we　heard　a　noise；　I　never　knew　that　noise　had　teeth　or　claws　to　hurt　one　with；　and　I　am　sure　this　has　not　hurt　me；　and　so；　whether　you　c