the life and perambulations of a mouse-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


er　call；　and　desired　to　know　what　she　wanted。　　'I　want　you　to　take　down　the　mouse…trap；'　she　replied；　'for　I　cannot　leave　the　child。　　I　am　glad　that　I　have　got　it；　I　am　sure；　for　the　closet　swarms　so；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　bearing　it。　　They　devour　everything：　　I　declare　they　have　eaten　up　a　whole　pound　of　sugar；　which　cost　me　elevenpence；　sugar　is　now　so　monstrously　dear！　indeed　the　man　made　a　favour　to　let　me　have　it　for　that；　only；　he　said；　as　our　family　were　good　customers；　and　I　was　but　a　servant；　he　would　take　no　more。　　And　enough　too　I　thought　it　was；　to　have　only　a　penny　back　in　change　out　of　a　whole　shilling　for　one　pound　of　sugar：　　and　then　to　think　of　the　poison　mice　to　have　it　all；　but　I　will　break　their　filthy　necks。　　Do；　Betty；　pray　take　the　trap　down；　and　return　with　it　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　I　will　set　it　again：　　for　I　dare　say　I　shall　catch　another　before　I　go　to　bed；　for　I　heard　some　more　rustling　among　the　things。'　　'O　lauk！'　replied　Betty；　'yon　do　not　think　that　I　will　take　down　the　trap；　do　you？　I　would　not　touch　it　for　twenty　pounds。　　I　am　always　frightened；　and　ready　to　die　at　the　sight　of　a　mouse。　　Once；　when　I　was　a　girl；　I　had　one　thrown　in　my　face；　and　ever　since　I　have　always　been　scared　out　of　my　wits　at　them；　and　if　ever　I　see　one　running　loose；　as　I　did　one　night　in　the　closet　below　stairs；　where　the　candles　are　kept；　I　scream　as　if　I　was　being　killed。'　　'Why　then；'　answered　Nurse；　'I　think　you　behave　like　a　great　fool；　for　what　harm　could　a　mouse　do　to　you？'　　'O　la！　I　hate　them；'　returned　she；　and　then　ran　away　without　the　trap。　　Greatly　was　I　rejoiced　at　her　departure；　as　I　hoped　that；　by　some　means；　Softdown　might　still　be　able　to　make　his　escape。　　But；　alas！　no　such　good　fortune　attended　him。　　Some　person　again　passing　the　door；　Nurse　once　more　called　out；　'Who　is　there？　John　is　it　you？'　　'Yes；'　replied　a　man's　voice。　　'Then　do　you　step　in；　will　you；　for　a　moment？'　rejoined　Mrs。　Nurse：　　and　instantly　entered　a　man　whom　I　had　never　before　seen。　　'What　do　you　want；　Nurse？'　said　he。　　'I　only　want　to　get　rid　of　a　mouse；'　returned　she；　'and；　do　you　know；　Betty　is　such　a　fool　that　she　is　afraid　of　taking　it；　and　I　want　the　trap　to　set　it　again；　for　they　swarm　here　like　bees　in　a　hive；　one　can　have　no　peace　for　them：　　they　devour　and　spoil　every　thing；　I　say　sometimes　that　I　believe　they　will　eat　me　up　at　last。'　　While　she　was　saying　this；　John　took　the　trap　in　his　hand；　held　it　up　once　more　to　the　candle；　then　taking　a　piece　of　thread　out　of　a　paper；　that　lay　bound　round　with　a　dirty　blue　ribbon　upon　the　table；　he　shook　the　trap　about　till　he　got　my　brother's　tail　through　the　wires；　when　catching　hold　of　it；　he　tied　the　thread　tight　round　it　and　dragged　him　by　it　to　the　door　of　the　trap；　which　he　opened；　and　took　him　out；　suspending　the　weight　of　his　body　upon　his　tail。

Softdown；　who　till　the　thread　was　tied　had　patiently　continued　perfectly　quiet；　could　no　longer　support　the　pain　without　dismal　cries　and　anguish：　　he　squeaked　as　loud　as　his　little　throat　would　let　him；　exerting　at　the　same　time　the　utmost　of　his　strength　to　disengage　himself。　　But　in　such　a　position；　with　his　head　downward；　in　vain　were　all　his　efforts　to　procure　relief；　and　the　barbarous　monster　who　held　him　discovered　not　the　smallest　emotions　of　pity　for　his　sufferings。　　Oh！　how　at　that　moment　did　I　abhor　my　own　existence；　and　wish　that　I　could　be　endowed　with　size　and　strength　sufficient；　at　once　both　to　rescue　him；　and　severely　punish　his　tormentors。　　But　my　wish　was　ineffectual；　and　I　had　the　inexpressible　affliction　of　seeing　the　inhuman　wretch　hold　him　down　upon　the　hearth；　whilst；　without　remorse；　he　crushed　him　beneath　his　foot；　and　then　carelessly　kicked　him　into　the　ashes；　saying；　'There！　　The　cat　will　smell　it　out　when　she　comes　up。'　　My　very　blood　runs　cold　within　me　at　the　recollection　of　seeing　Softdown's　as　it　spurted　from　beneath　the　monster's　foot；　whilst　the　crunch　of　his　bones　almost　petrified　me　with　horror。　　At　length；　however；　recollecting　the　impossibility　of　restoring　my　beloved　brother　to　life；　and　the　danger　of　my　own　situation；　I；　with　trembling　feet　and　palpitating　heart；　crept　softly　back　to　my　remaining　two　brothers；　who　were　impatiently　expecting　me　behind　the　closet。　　There　I　related　to　them　the　horrid　scene　which　had　passed　before　my　eyes；　whilst　the　anguish　it　caused　in　their　gentle　bosoms　far　exceeds　my　power　to　describe。

After　having　mingled　our　lamentations　for　some　time；　I　thus　addressed　them：　　'We　have　this　night；　my　brothers；　tasted　the　severest　affliction　in　the　cruel　death　of　our　dear　brother；　companion；　and　friend；　let　us　not；　however；　only　mourn　his　loss；　but　also　gather　wisdom　from　our　misfortune；　and　return　to　that　duty　which　we　have　hitherto　neglected。　　Recollect；　my　dear　friends；　what　were　the　last　words　which　our　good　mother　spoke　to　us　at　parting。　　She　charged　us；　upon　no　account；　for　no　temptation　whatever；　to　return　frequently　to　the　same　place：　　if　we　did；　she　forewarned　us　that　death　and　ruin　would　certainly　await　us。　　But　in　what　manner　have　we　obeyed　this　her　kind　advice？　　We　have　not　even　so　much　as　once　recollected　it　since　she　left　us；　or；　if　we　thought　of　it　for　a　moment；　we　foolishly　despised　it　as　unnecessary。　　Now；　therefore；　we　sincerely　feel　the　consequence　of　our　disobedience；　and；　though　our　sufferings　are　most　distressing；　yet　we　must　confess　that　we　amply　deserve　them。　　Let　us　therefore；　my　brothers；　instantly　fly　from　a　place　which　has　already　cost　us　the　life　of　our　beloved　Softdown；　lest　we　should　all　likewise　fall　a　sacrifice　to　our　disobedience。'And　here　the　writer　cannot　help　observing　how　just　were　the　reflections　of　the　mouse　on　the　crime　which　they　had　been　guilty　of；　and　begs　every　reader　will　be　careful　to　remember　the　fatal　consequences　that　attended　their　disobedience　of　their　mother's　advice；　since　they　may　be　assured　that　equal　if　not　the　same　misfortune　will　always　attend　those　who　refuse　to　pay　attention　to　the　advice　of　their　parents。　　But；　to　return　to　the　history。

To　this　proposal　（continued　the　mouse）　my　brothers　readily　agreed；　and　we　directly　descended　to　the　place　we　were　in　when　we　discovered　the　crack　that　led　us　to　the　room　in　which　we　feasted　on　bird…seed。　　Here　we　determined　to　wait；　and　when　the　family　were　all　quiet　in　bed；　to　go　forth　in　search　of　provision；　as　we　began　to　be　rather　hungry；　not　having　eaten　anything　a　long　while。　　Accordingly　we　stayed　till　after　the　clock　struck　twelve；　when　peeping　out；　we　saw　that　the　room　was　empty：　　we　then　ventured　forth；　and　found　several　seeds；　though　not　enough　to　afford　a　very　ample　meal　for　three　of　us。

After　we　had　cleared　the　room；　we　again　returned　to　our　hiding…place；　where　we　continued　till　after　the　family　had　finished　their　breakfast。　　They　all　then　went　to　take　a　walk　in　the　garden；　and　we　stepped　out　to　pick　up　the　crumbs　which　had　fallen　from　the　table。　　Whilst　we　were　thus　employed；　at　a　distance　from　our　place　of　retreat；　we　were　alarmed　by　the　entrance　of　two　boys；　who　appeared　to　be　about　twelve　or　thirteen　years　of　age。　　We　directly　ran　towards　the　crack；　but　alas！　we　were　not　quick　enough　to　escape　their　observation；　for；　seeing　us；　they　both　at　once　exclaimed；　'Some　mice！　some　mice！'　and　at　the　same　time　took　off　their　hats；　and　threw　at　us。　　Longtail　happily　eluded　the　blow；　and　safely　got　home；　but　poor　Brighteyes　and　myself　were　less　fortunate；　and　though　we　for　a　considerable　time；　by　our　quickness；　prevented　their　catching　us；　at　length；　being　much　disabled　by　a　blow　that　one　of　them　gave　me　with　a　book　which　he　threw　at　me；　I　was　unable　any　longer　to　run；　and　hobbling　very　slowly　across　the　room；　he　picked　me　up。　　At　the　same　moment　Brighteyes　was　so　entangled　in　a　handkerchief　which　the　other　boy　tossed　over　him；　that　he　likewise　was　taken　prisoner。　　Our　little　hearts　now　beat　quick　with　fear　of　those　tortures　we　expected　to　receive；　nor　were　our　apprehensions　lessened　by　hearing　the　boys　consult　what　they　should　do　with　us；　'I；'　said　one；　'will　throw　mine　into　the　pond；　and　see　how　he　will　swim　out　again。'　　'And　I；'　said　the　other；　'will　keep　mine　and　tame　it。'　　'But　where　will　you　keep　it？'　inquired　his　companion。　　'Oh；'　replied　he；　'I　will　keep　it　under　a　little　pan　till　I　can　get　a　house　made　for　it。'　　He　then；　holding　me　by　the　skin　at　the　back　of　my　neck；　ran　with　me　into　the　kitchen　to　fetch　a　pan。　　Here　I　was　not　only　threatened　with　death　by　three　or　four　of　the　servants；　who　all　blamed　Master　Peter　for　keeping　me；　but　likewise　two　or　three　cats　came　round　him；　rubbing　themselves　backward　and　forward　against　his　legs；　and　then　standing　upon　their　hind　feet　to　endeavour　to　make　themselves　high　enough　to　reach　me。　　At　last；　taking　a　pan　in　his　hand；　he　returned　to　his　brother　with　one　of　the　cats　following　him。　　Immediately　upon　our　entrance；　the　boy　exclaimed；　'Oh；　now　I　know　what　I　will　do：　　I　will　tie　a　piece　of　string　to　its　tail；　and　teach　the　cat　to　jump　for　it。'　　No　sooner　did　this　thought　present　itself　than　it　was　put　into　practice；　and　I　again　was　obliged　to　sustain　the　shocking　sight　of　a　brother　put　to　the　torture。　　I；　in　the　mean　time；　was　placed　upon　the　table；　with　a　pan　put　over　me；　in　which　there　was　a　crack；　so　that　I　could　see　as　we