the life and perambulations of a mouse-第3节

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as　she　entered；　the　nurse　addressed　her；　saying；　'Pray；　madam；　is　it　by　your　desire　that　Miss　Nancy　behaves　so　rudely；　and　bids　me　dress　her　directly；　and　change　the　buckles　in　her　shoes；　or　else　she　will　slap　my　face？　　Indeed　she　did　give　me　a　slap　upon　my　hand；　so　I　told　her；　that　I　would　not　dress　her　at　all；　for　really；　madam；　I　thought　you　would　not　wish　me　to　do　it；　whilst　she　behaved　so；　and　I　took　the　liberty　of　putting　her　to　stand　in　the　corner。'　　'I　do　not　think；'　replied　Mrs。　Artless；　'that　she　deserves　to　stand　in　the　room　at　all；　or　in　the　house　either；　if　she　behaves　in　that　manner：　　if　she　does　not　speak　civilly　when　she　wants　to　be　assisted；　let　her　go　without　help；　and　see　what　will　become　of　her　then。　　I　am　quite　ashamed　of　you；　Nancy！　　I　could　not　have　thought　you　would　behave　so；　but　since　you　have；　I　promise　that　you　shall　not　be　dressed　today；　or　have　any　assistance　given　you；　unless　you　speak　in　a　very　different　manner。'

Whilst　Mrs。　Artless　was　talking；　nurse　went　out　of　the　room。　　Mrs。　Artless　then　took　her　seat　by　the　cradle；　and　looking　into　it；　found　the　child　awake；　and　I　saw　her　take　out　a　fine　little　girl；　about　five　months　old：　　she　then　continued　her　discourse；　saying；　'Look　here；　Nancy；　look　at　this　little　baby；　see　how　unable　it　is　to　help　itself；　were　we　to　neglect　attending　to　it；　what　do　yon　think　would　become　of　it？　　Suppose　I　were　now　to　put　your　sister　upon　the　floor；　and　there　leave　her；　tell　me　what　do　you　think　she　could　do；　or　what　would　become　of　her？'　　Nancy　sobbed　out；　that　she　would　die。　　'And　pray；　my　dear；'　continued　Mrs。　Artless；　'if　we　were　to　leave　you　to　yourself；　what　would　become　of　you？　　It　is　true；　you　talk　and　run　about　better　than　Polly：　　but　not　a　bit　better　could　you　provide　for；　or　take　care　of　yourself。　　Could　you　buy　or　dress　your　own　victuals？　could　you　light　your　own　fire？　could　you　clean　your　own　house；　or　open　and　shut　the　doors　and　windows？　could　you　make　your　own　clothes；　or　even　put　them　on　without　some　assistance；　when　made？　　And　who　do　you　think　will　do　anything　for　you；　if　you　are　not　good；　and　do　not　speak　civilly？　　Not　I；　I　promise　you；　neither　shall　nurse；　nor　any　of　the　servants；　for　though　I　pay　them　wages　to　help　to　do　my　business　for　me；　I　never　want　them　to　do　anything　unless　they　are　desired　in　a　pretty　manner。　　Should　you　like；　if　when　I　want　you　to　pick　up　my　scissors；　or　do　any　little　job；　I　were　to　say；　〃Pick　up　my　scissors　this　moment；　or　I　will　slap　your　face？〃　　Should　not　you　think　that　it　sounded　very　cross　and　disagreeable？'　　'Yes；　madam；'　replied　Nancy。　　'Then　why；'　rejoined　Mrs。　Artless；　'should　you　speak　cross　to　anybody；　particularly　to　servants　and　poor　people？　for　to　behave　so　to　them；　is　not　only　cross；　but　insolent　and　proud：　　it　is　as　if　you　thought　that　because　they　are　rather　poorer；　they　are　not　so　good　as　yourself；　whereas；　I　assure　you；　poverty　makes　no　difference　in　the　merit　of　people；　for　those　only　are　deserving　of　respect　who　are　truly　good；　and　a　beggar　who　is　virtuous；　is　far　better　than　a　prince　who　is　wicked。'　　I　was　prevented　from　hearing　any　more　of　this　very　just　discourse；　by　the　little　boy's　opening　the　door　and　letting　in　a　cat；　which；　though　it　was　the　first　that　I　had　ever　seen　in　my　life；　I　was　certain　was　the　same　destructive　animal　to　our　race；　which　I　had　frequently　heard　my　mother　describe。　　I　therefore　made　all　possible　haste　back　to　the　closet；　and　warning　Brighteyes　of　our　danger；　we　instantly　returned　by　the　same　way　which　we　came；　to　our　two　brothers；　whom　we　found　waiting　for　us；　and　wondering　at　our　long　absence。　　We　related　to　them　the　dainty　cheer　which　we　had　met　with；　and　agreed　to　conduct　them　thither　in　the　evening。　　Accordingly；　as　soon　as　it　grew　towards　dusk；　we　climbed　up　the　wall；　and　all　four　together　attacked　the　plum…cake；　which　no　one　had　touched　since　we　left　it；　but　scarcely　had　we　all　seated　ourselves　round　it；　than　on　a　sudden　the　closet…door　opened；　and　a　woman　entered。　　Away　we　all　scampered　as　fast　as　possible；　but　poor　Brighteyes；　who　could　not　move　quite　so　fast　on　account　of　his　sore　toe；　and　who　likewise　having　advanced　farther　into　the　cake；　was　discovered　before　he　could　reach　the　crack　by　which　we　entered。　　The　woman；　who　had　a　knife　in　her　hand；　struck　at　him　with　it；　at　the　same　time　exclaiming；　'Bless　me；　nurse；　here　is　a　mouse　in　the　closet！'　　Happily；　she　missed　her　aim；　and　he　only　received　a　small　wound　on　the　tip　of　his　tail。　　This　interruption　sadly　alarmed　us；　and　it　was　above　an　hour　before　we　could　have　courage　to　venture　back；　when　finding　everything　quiet；　except　Mrs。　Nurse's　singing　to　her　child；　we　again　crept　out；　and　once　more　surrounded　the　cake。　　We　continued　without　any　further　alarm　till　we　were　perfectly　satisfied；　and　then　retired　to　a　little　distance　behind　the　wainscot；　determined　there　to　sleep；　and　to　breakfast　on　the　cake　the　next　day。

Early　in　the　morning　I　waked；　and　calling　my　brothers；　we　all　marched　forward；　and　soon　arrived　at　the　delightful　cake；　where　we　highly　enjoyed　ourselves　without　the　least　disturbance；　till　our　appetites　were　fully　satisfied。　　We　then　retired；　took　a　little　run　round　some　other　parts　of　the　house；　but　met　with　nothing　worth　relating。　　At　noon　we　again　made　our　way　into　the　closet；　intending　to　dine　on　the　dish　on　which　we　breakfasted；　but；　to　our　no　small　mortification；　the　delicious　dainty　was　removed。　　This　you　may　be　sure　was　a　sad　disappointment；　yet　as　we　were　not　extremely　hungry；　we　had　time　to　look　about　for　more。　　We　were　not　long　in　finding　it；　for　upon　the　same　shelf　from　which　the　cake　was　removed；　there　was　a　round　tin　box；　the　lid　of　which　was　not　quite　close　shut　down；　into　this　we　all　crept；　and　were　highly　regaled　with　some　nice　lumps　of　sugar。　　But　it　would　be　endless　to　enumerate　all　the　various　repasts　which　we　met　with　in　this　closet；　sometimes　terrified　by　the　entrance　of　people；　and　sometimes　comfortably　enjoying　ourselves　without　alarm：　　it　is　sufficient　to　inform　you；　that；　unmindful　of　our　mother's　advice；　we　continued　to　live　upon　the　contents　of　the　same　cupboard　for　above　a　week；　when；　one　evening；　as　we　were　as　usual　hastening　to　find　our　suppers；　Softdown；　who　happened　to　be　first；　ran　eagerly　to　a　piece　of　cheese；　which　he　saw　hanging　before　him。　　'Come　along；'　said　he；　'here　is　some　nice　cheese；　it　smells　most　delightfully　good！'　　Just　as　he　spoke　these　words；　before　any　of　us　came　up　to　him；　a　little　wooden　door　on　a　sudden　dropped　down；　and　hid　him　and　the　cheese　from　our　sight。

It　is　impossible　to　describe　our　consternation　and　surprise　upon　this　occasion；　which　was　greatly　increased　when　we　advanced　near　the　place；　at　seeing　him　（through　some　little　wire　bars）　confined　in　a　small　box；　without　any　visible　way　for　him　to　get　out；　and　hearing　him　in　the　most　moving　accents　beg　us　to　assist　him　in　procuring　his　liberty。　　We　all　ran　round　and　round　his　place　of　confinement　several　times；　but　not　the　least　crack　or　opening　could　we　discover；　except　through　the　bars；　which　being　of　iron；　it　was　impossible　for　us　to　break　or　bend。　　At　length　we　determined　to　try　to　gnaw　through　the　wood…work　close　at　the　edge；　which　being　already　some　little　distance　from　one　of　the　bars；　we　hoped；　by　making　the　opening　a　little　wider；　he　would　escape：　　accordingly　we　all　began；　he　on　the　inside；　and　we　all　on　the　out；　and　by　our　diligence　had　made　some　very　considerable　progress；　when　we　were　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Mrs。　Nurse　with　the　child　in　her　arms。

Upon　the　sight　of　her；　though　much　grieved　to　leave　our　brother　in　his　distress；　yet　fearing　instant　death　would　be　the　fate　of　all　of　us　if　we　stayed；　to　preserve　our　own　existence；　we　retired　as　quick　as　possible；　but　not　without　her　seeing　some　of　us；　for　we　heard　her　say　to　herself；　or　to　the　babe　in　her　arms；　'I　declare；　this　closet　swarms　with　mice；　they　spoil　everything　one　puts　here。'　　Then　taking　up　the　box　in　which　was　poor　Softdown　（and　which　I　afterwards　learned　was　called　a　trap）　she　carried　it　intO　the　room。　　I　crept　softly　after　her；　to　see　what　would　be　the　fate　of　my　beloved　brother。　　But　what　words　can　express　my　horror；　when　I　saw　her　holding　it　in　one　hand　close　to　the　candle；　whilst　in　the　other　she　held　the　child；　singing　to　her　with　the　utmost　composure；　and　bidding　her　to　look　at　the　mousy！　mousy！

What　were　the　actions　or　sensations　of　poor　Softdown　at　that　dreadful　moment　I　know　not：　　but　my　own　anguish；　which　it　is　impossible　to　describe；　was　still　augmented　every　moment　by　seeing　her　shake　the　trap　almost　topsy…turvy；　then　blow　through　the　trap　at　one　end；　at　which　times　I　saw　the　dear　creature's　tail　come　out　between　the　wires　on　the　contrary　side；　as　he　was　striving；　I　suppose；　to　retreat　from　her。　　At　length；　after　she　had　thus　tortured　him　for　some　time；　she　set　the　trap　on　the　table；　so　close　to　a　large　fire；　that　I　am　sure　he　must　have　been　much　incommoded　by　the　heat；　and　began　to　undress　her　child。

Then　hearing　somebody　go　by　the　door；　she　cried　out；　'Who　is　there？　is　it　you；　Betty？　if　it　is；　I　wish　you　would　come　and　take　down　the　mouse…trap；　for　I　have　caught　a　mouse。'　　Betty　instantly　obeyed　her　call；　and　desired　to　know　what　she　wanted。　　'I　want　you　to　take　down　the　mouse…trap；'　she　replied