the life and perambulations of a mouse-第13章

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ow　to　hear　a　man　say　so；　it　looks　as　if　you　are　discontented　with　the　state　in　which　you　are　placed；　and　depend　upon　it；　you　are　in　the　one　that　is　fittest　for　you；　or　you　would　not　have　been　put　into　it。　　And　as　for　being　happier　if　you　were　a　gentleman；　I　don't　know　what　to　say　to　it。　　To　be　sure；　to　have　a　little　more　money　in　one's　pocket；　nobody　can　deny　that　it　would　be　very　agreeable；　and　to　be　at　liberty　to　come　in　and　go　out　when　one　pleased；　to　be　sure　would　be　very　comfortable。　　But　still；　Bob；　still　you　may　assure　yourself；　that　no　state　in　this　world　is　free　from　care；　and　if　we　were　turned　into　lords；　we　should　find　many　causes　for　uneasiness。　　So　here's　your　good　health；'　said　he；　lifting　the　mug　to　his　mouth；　'wishing；　my　lad；　you　may　be　contented；　cheerful；　and　good　humoured；　for　without　these　three　requisites；　content；　cheerfulness；　and　good　humour；　no　one　person　upon　earth；　rich　or　poor；　old　or　young；　can　ever　feel　comfortable　or　happy；　and　so　here's　to　you；　I　say。'　　'And　here's　the　same　good　wishes　to　you；'　said　a　clean　decent　cook…woman　servant；　who　took　up　the　mug　upon　John's　putting　it　down。　　'Content；　cheerfulness；　and　good　humour；　I　think　was　the　toast。'　　Then　wiping　her　mouth；　as　she　began　her　speech；　she　added；　'and　an　excellent　one　it　is：　　I　wish　all　folks　would　mind　it；　and　endeavour　to　acquire　three　such　good　qualifications。'　　'I　am　sure；'　rejoined　another　female　servant；　whose　name　I　heard　was　Sally；　'I　wish　so　too：　　at　least　I　wish　Miss　Mary　would　try　to　gain　a　little　more　of　the　good　humour；　for　I　never　came　near　such　a　cross　crab　in　my　life　as　it　is。　　I　declare　I　hate　the　sight　of　the　girl；　she　is　such　a　proud　little　minx　she　would　not　vouchsafe　to　speak　to　a　poor　servant　for　the　world；　as　if　she　thought　because　we　are　poorer；　we　were　therefore　not　of　the　same　nature：　　her　sisters；　I　think　are　worth　ten　of　her；　they　always　reply　so　civilly　if　a　body　speaks　to　them；　and　say；　〃Yes；　if　you　please；　Mrs。　〃Sally；　or　〃No；　thank　you；　Mr。　Bob；〃　or　〃I　should　be　obliged　to　you　if　you　would　do　so　and　so；　Mrs。　Nelly；〃　and　not　plain　yes　or　no；　as　she　does；　and　well　too　if　you　can　get　even　that　from　her；　for　sometimes　I　declare　she　will　not　deign　to　give　one　any　answer　at　all。'　　'Aye；　that　is　a　sure　thing　she　won't；'　replied　the　maid　servant　who　first　drank；　'it　is　a　sad　thing　she　should　behave　so；　I　can't　think；　for　my　part；　where　she　learns　it；　I　am　sure　neither　her　papa　nor　mamma　set　her　the　example　of　it；　for　they　always　speak　as　pretty　and　as　kind　as　it　is　possible　to　do；　and　I　have　heard；　with　my　own　ears；　my　mistress　tell　her　of　it　twenty　and　twenty　times；　but　she　will　do　so。　　I　am　sure　it　is　a　sad　thing　that　she　should；　for　she　will　always　make　people　dislike　her。　　I　am　sure；　if　young　gentlemen　and　ladies　did　not　know　how　it　makes　people　love　them　to　speak　civilly　and　kind；　they　would　take　great　care　not　to　behave　like　Miss　Mary。　　Do　you　know；　the　other　day；　when　Mrs。　Lime's　maid　brought　little　Miss　Peggy　to　see　my　mistress；　when　she　went　away；　she　made　a　courtesy　to　Miss　Mary；　and　said；　〃Good　morning　to　you；　Miss。〃　　And　would　you　think　it；　the　child　stood　like　a　stake；　and　never　returned　it　so　much　as　by　a　nod　of　the　head；　nor　did　she　open　her　lips。　　I　saw　by　her　looks　the　maid　took　notice　of　it；　and　I　am　sure　I　have　such　a　regard　for　the　family；　that　I　felt　quite　ashamed　of　her　behaviour。'　　'Oh！　she　served　me　worse　than　that；'　resumed　Sally；　'for；　would　you　believe　it；　the　other　day　I　begged　her　to　be　so　kind　as　to　let　her　mamma　know　I　wanted　to　speak　with　her；　and　I　did　not　choose　to　go　into　the　room　myself；　because　I　was　dirty；　and　there　was　company　there；　but　for　all　I　desired　her　over　and　over　only　just　to　step　in　（and　she　was　at　play　close　to　the　door）　yet；　could　you　suppose　it　possible；　she　was　ill…natured　enough　to　refuse　me；　and　would　not　do　it　at　last。'　　'Well；　if　ever　I　heard　the　like　of　that！'　exclaimed　John；　whose　pocket　I　had　been　in。　　'I　think　that　was　being　cross　indeed；　and　if　a　child　of　mine　was　to　behave　in　that　surly　manner；　I　would　whip　it　to　death　almost。　　I　abominate　such　unkind　doings；　let　everyone；　I　say；　do　as　they　like　to　be　done　by；　and　that　is　the　only　way　to　be　happy；　and　the　only　way　to　deserve　to　be　so；　for　if　folks　will　not　try　to　be　kind；　and　oblige　others；　why　should　anybody　try　to　please　them？　　And　if　Miss　Mary　was　my　girl；　and　chose　to　behave　rude　and　cross　to　the　servants；　if　I　was　her　papa；　I　would　order　them　to　refuse　doing　anything　for　her。　　I　would　soon　humble　her　pride　I　warrant　you；　for　nobody　should　make　her　puddings；　or　cut　her　bread；　or　do　anything　for　her　till　she　learned　to　be　kind；　and　civil；　and　thankful　too；　for　all　that　was　done　for　her。　　I　have　no　notion；　for　my　part；　for　a　child　to　give　herself　such　airs　for　nothing；　and　because　her　parents　happen　to　have　a　little　more　money　in　their　pockets；　for　that　reason　to　think　she　may　be　rude　to　poor　folks；　but　though　servants　are　poor；　still　surely　they　are　richer　than　she　is；　I　should　like　to　ask　her　how　much　she　has　got？　and　which　way　she　came　by　it？　　A　child　I　am　sure　is　no　richer　than　a　beggar；　for　they　have　not　a　farthing　that　is　not　given　them　through　mere　bounty；　whereas　a　servant　who　works　for　his　living；　has　a　right　and　just　claim　to　his　wages；　and　may　truly　call　them　his　own；　but　a　child　has　not　one　farthing　that　is　not　its　parents。　　So　here's　my　service　to　you；　Miss；'　said　he；　（again　lifting　the　ale…mug　to　his　mouth）　'and　wishing　her　a　speedy　reformation　of　manners；　I　drink　to　her　very　good　health。'

John　drank　to　the　bottom　of　the　mug；　and　then　shaking　the　last　drop　into　the　ashes　under　the　grate；　he　told　the　following　story；　as　he　sat　swinging　the　mug　by　its　handle　across　his　two　forefingers；　which　he　had　joined　for　that　purpose。

'When　my　father　was　a　young　man　he　lived　at　one　Mr。　Speedgo's；　as　upper　footman：　　they　were　vastly　rich。　　Mr。　Speedgo　was　a　merchant；　and　by　good　luck　he　gathered　gold　as　fast　as　his　neighbours　would　pick　up　stones　（as　a　body　may　say）。　　So　they　kept　two　or　three　carriages；　there　was　a　coach；　and　a　chariot；　and　a　phaeton；　and　I　can't　tell　what　besides；　and　a　power　of　servants　you　may　well　suppose　to　attend　them　all；　and　very　well　they　lived；　with　plenty　of　victuals　and　drink。　　But　though　they　wanted　for　nothing　still　they　never　much　loved　either　their　master　or　mistress；　they　used　to　give　their　orders　in　so　haughty　and　imperious　a　manner；　and　if　asked　a　civil　question；　answer　so　shortly；　as　if　they　thought　their　servants　not　worthy　of　their　notice：　　so　that；　in　short；　no　one　loved　them；　nor　their　children　either；　for　they　brought　them　up　just　like　themselves；　to　despise　everyone　poorer　than　they　were；　and　to　speak　as　cross　to　their　servants　as　if　they　had　been　so　many　adders　they　were　afraid　would　bite　them。

'I　have　heard　my　father　say；　that　if　Master　Speedgo　wanted　his　horse　to　be　got　ready；　he　would　say；　〃Saddle　my　horse！〃　in　such　a　displeasing　manner　as　made　it　quite　a　burthen　to　do　anything　for　him。　　Or　if　the　young　ladies　wanted　a　piece　of　bread　and　butter；　or　cake；　they　would　say；　〃Give　me　a　bit　of　cake；〃　or；　if　they　added　the　word　pray　to　it；　they　spoke　in　such　a　grumpy　way；　as　plainly　showed　they　thought　themselves　a　deal　better　than　their　servants；　forgetting　that　an　honest　servant　is　just　as　worthy　a　member　of　society　as　his　master；　and　whilst　he　behaves　well；　as　much　deserving　of　civility　as　anybody。　　But　to　go　on　with　my　story。　　I　have　already　told　you　Mr。　Speedgo　was　very　rich　and　very　proud；　nor　would　he　on　any　account　suffer　anyone　to　visit　at　his　house　whom　he　thought　below　him；　as　he　called　it；　or　at　least；　if　he　did；　he　always　took　care　to　behave　to　them　in　such　a　manner；　as　plainly　to　let　them　know　he　thought　he　showed　a　mighty　favour　in　conversing　with　them。

'Among　the　rest　of　the　servants　there　was　one　Molly　Mount；　as　good　a　hearted　girl；　my　father　says；　as　ever　lived：　　she　had　never　received　much　education；　because　her　parents　could　not　afford　to　give　her　any；　and　she　learned　to　read　after　she　was　at　Mr。　Speedgo's　from　one　of　the　housemaids；　who　was　kind　enough　to　teach　her　a　little；　but　you　may　suppose；　from　such　sort　of　teaching；　she　was　no　very　good　scholar。　　However；　she　read　well　enough　to　be　able　to　make　out　some　chapters　in　the　Bible；