the life and perambulations of a mouse-第6章

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ever　see　me　torment　as　well　as　kill　them？　　Or　did　I　ever　keep　them　in　pain　one　moment　longer　than　necessary？　I　am　not　condemning　people　for　killing　vermin　and　animals；　provided　they　do　it　expeditiously；　and　put　them　to　death　with　as　little　pain　as　possible；　but　it　is　putting　them　to　needless　torment　and　misery　that　I　say　is　wicked。　　Had　you　destroyed　the　mouse　with　one　blow；　or　rather　given　it　to　somebody　else　to　destroy　it　（for　I　should　not　think　a　tender…hearted　boy　would　delight　in　such　operations　himself）；　I　would　not　have　condemned　you；　but；　to　keep　it　hanging　the　whole　weight　of　its　body　upon　its　tail；　to　swing　it　about；　and；　by　that；　to　hold　it　terrifying　over　the　cat's　jaws；　and　to　take　pleasure　in　hearing　it　squeak；　and　seeing　it　struggle　for　liberty；　is　such　unmanly；　such　detestable　cruelty；　as　calls　for　my　utmost　indignation　and　abhorrence。　　But；　since　you　think　pain　so　very　trifling　an　evil；　try。　　Charles；　how　you　like　that；'　said　he；　giving　him　at　the　same　time　some　severe　strokes　with　his　horsewhip。　　The　boy　then　cried；　and　called　out；　'I　do　not　like　it　at　all；　I　do　not　like　it　at　all。'　　'Neither　did　the　mouse；'　replied　his　father；　'like　at　all　to　be　tied　to　a　string；　and　swung　about　by　his　tail：　　he　did　not　like　it；　and　told　you　so　in　a　language　which　you　perfectly　well　understood；　but　you　would　not　attend　to　his　cries；　you　thought　it　pleasure　to　hear　it　squeak；　because　you　were　bigger；　and　did　not　feel　its　torture。　　I　am　now　bigger　than　you。　　and　do　not　feel　your　pain。　　I　therefore　shall　not　yet　leave　off；　as　I　hope　it　will　teach　you　not　to　torment　anything　another　time。'　Just　as　he　said　these　words；　the　boy；　endeavouring　to　avoid　the　whip；　ran　against　the　table　on　which　I　was　placed；　and　happily　threw　down　the　pan　that　confined　me。　　I　instantly　seized　the　opportunity；　jumped　down；　and　once　more　escaped　to　the　little　hole　by　which　I　first　entered。　　There　I　found　my　only　brother　waiting　for　me；　and　was　again　under　the　dreadful　necessity　of　paining　his　tender　heart　with　the　recital　of　the　sufferings　which　I　had　been　witness　to　in　our　dear　Brighteyes；　as　well　as　the　imminent　danger　I　myself　had　been　exposed　to。　　'And；　surely；'　said　I；　'we　have　again　drawn　this　evil　upon　ourselves　by　our　disobedience　to　our　mother's　advice；　she；　doubtless；　intended　that　we　should　not　continue　in　the　same　house　long　together；　whereas　from　the　day　of　her　leaving　us；　we　have　never　been　in　any　other　but　this；　which　has　occasioned　us　such　heavy　affliction。　　Therefore；　upon　no　account；　let　us　continue　another　night　under　this　roof；　but；　as　soon　as　the　evening　begins　to　grow　dark　enough　to　conceal　us　from　the　observation　of　any　one；　we　will　set　off；　and　seek　a　lodging　in　some　other　place；　and　should　any　misfortune　befall　us　on　our　passage；　we　shall　at　least　have　the　consolation　of　thinking。　　that　we　were　doing　our　duty　by　following　the　advice　of　our　parent。'　　'It　is　true；'　said　my　brother；　'we　have　been　greatly　to　blame；　for　the　future　we　will　be　more　careful　of　our　conduct；　but　do；　my　dear　Nimble；'　continued　he；　'endeavour　to　compose　yourself；　and　take　a　little　rest；　after　the　pain　and　fatigue　which　you　have　gone　through；　otherwise　you　may　be　sick；　and　what　will　become　of　me；　if　any　mischief　should　befall　you？　　I　shall　then　have　no　brother　to　converse　with；　no　friend　to　advise　me　what　to　do。'　　Here　he　stopped；　overpowered　with　his　grief　for　the　loss　of　our　two　murdered　brothers；　and　with　his　tender　solicitude　for　my　welfare。　　I　endeavoured　all　in　my　power　to　comfort　him；　and　said　I　hoped　that　I　should　soon　recover　from　the　bruises　I　had　received　both　from　the　boy's　hat　and　book；　as　well　as　the　pinches　in　my　neck　with　his　finger　and　thumb；　by　which　he　held　me；　and　promised　to　compose　myself。　　This　promise　I　fulfilled　by　endeavouring　to　sleep；　but　the　scene　that　I　had　so　lately　been　witness　to　was　too　fresh　in　my　imagination　to　suffer　me　to　close　my　eyes：　　however；　I　kept　for　some　time　quiet。

The　rest　of　the　day　we　spent　in　almost　total　silence；　having　no　spirits　for　conversation；　our　hearts　being　almost　broken　with　anguish。　　When　it　grew　toward　evening；　we　agreed　to　find　our　way　out　of　that　detested　house；　and　seek　for　some　other　habitation；　which　might　be　more　propitious。　　But　we　found　more　difficulty　in　this　undertaking　than　we　were　at　all　aware　of；　for　though　we　could　with　tolerable　ease　go　from　room　to　room　within　the　house；　still；　when　we　attempted　to　quit　it；　we　found　it　every　way　surrounded　with　so　thick　a　brick　wall；　that　it　was　impossible　for　us　to　make　our　way　through　it：　　we　therefore　ran　round　and　round　it　several　times；　searching　for　some　little　crevice　through　which　we　might　escape；　but　all　to　no　purpose；　not　the　least　crack　could　we　discover：　　and　we　might　have　continued　there　till　this　time；　had　we　not　at　length；　after　the　family　were　in　bed；　resolved　to　venture　through　one　of　the　apartments　into　the　hall；　and　so　creep　out　under　the　house　door。　　But　the　dangers　we　exposed　ourselves　to　in　this　expedition　were　many　and　great；　we　knew　that　traps　were　set　for　us　about　the　house；　and　where　they　might　chance　to　be　placed　we　could　not　tell。　　I　had　likewise　been　eye…witness　to　no　less　than　four　cats；　who　might；　for　ought　we　knew　to　the　contrary；　at　that　hour　of　darkness；　be　prowling　in　search　of　some　of　our　unhappy　species。

But；　in　spite　of　every　difficulty　and　hazard；　we　determined　to　venture　rather　than　continue　in　opposition　to　our　mother's　commands；　and；　to　reward　our　obedience；　we　escaped　with　trembling　hearts；　unobserved；　at　least　unmolested；　by　any　one。　　And　now；　for　the　first　time　since　our　birth；　we　found　ourselves　exposed　to　the　inclemency　of　the　weather。　　The　night　was　very　dark　and　tempestuous；　the　rain　poured　down　in　torrents；　and　the　wind　blew　so　exceedingly　high；　that；　low　upon　the　ground　as　we　were；　it　was　with　difficulty　that　we　could　keep　our　legs：　　added　to　which；　even　step　we　took；　we　were　in　water　up　to　our　stomachs。　　In　this　wretched　condition　we　knew　not　which　way　to　turn　ourselves；　or　where　to　seek　for　shelter。　　The　spattering　of　the　rain；　the　howling　of　the　wind；　together　with　the　rattling　and　shaking　of　the　trees；　all　contributed　to　make　such　a　noise　as　rendered　it　impossible　for　us　to　hear　whether　any　danger　was　approaching　us　or　not。

In　this　truly　melancholy　situation　we　waded　on　for　a　considerable　time；　till　at　length　we　reached　a　small　house；　and　very　easily　gained　admittance　through　a　pretty　large　hole　on　one　side　of　the　door。　　Most　heartily　did　we　rejoice　at　finding　ourselves　once　more　under　shelter　from　the　cold　and　rain；　and　for　some　time　only　busied　ourselves　in　drying　our　hair；　which　was　as　thoroughly　wet　as　if　we　had　been　served　as　the　boy　threatened　my　brother　Brighteyes；　and　we　had　really　been　drawn　through　a　pond。　　After　we　had　done　this；　and　had　a　little　rested　ourselves；　we　began　to　look　about　in　search　of　food；　but　we　could　find　nothing。　　except　a　few　crumbs　of　bread　and　cheese　in　a　man's　coat　pocket；　and　a　piece　of　tallow…candle　stuck　on　the　top　of　a　tinder…box。　　This；　however；　though　not　such　delicate　eating　as　we　had　been　used　to；　yet　served　to　satisfy　our　present　hunger；　and　we　had　just　finished　the　candle　when　we　were　greatly　alarmed　by　the　sight　of　a　human　hand　（for　we　mice　can　see　a　little　in　the　dark）　feeling　about　the　very　chair　on　which　we　stood。　　We　jumped　down　in　an　instant；　and　hid　ourselves　in　a　little　hole　behind　a　black　trunk　that　stood　in　one　corner　of　the　room。

We　then　heard　very　distinctly　a　man　say；　'Betty；　did　you　not　put　the　candle　by　the　bedside？'　　'Yes；　that　I　am　very　sure　I　did；'　replied　a　female　voice。　　'I　thought　so；'　answered　the　man；　'but　I　am　sure　it　is　not　here　now。　　Tom！　Tom！　Tom！'　continued　he。　　'What；　father？'　replied　a　boy；　starting　up；　'what　is　the　matter？'　　'Why；　do　you　know　anything　of　the　candle？　　I　cannot　find　it；　my　dear；　and　I　want　it　sadly；　for　I　fancy　it　is　time　we　should　be　up　and　be　jogging。　　Dost　know　any　thing　of　it；　my　lad？'　　'Not　I；　truly；　father；'　said　the　boy；　'I　only　know　that　I　saw　mother　stick　it　in　the　box…lid　last　night；　and　put　it　upon　the　chair；　which　she　set　by　the　bedside；　after　you　had　put　your　clothes　upon　the　back　of　it；　I　know　I　saw　her　put　it　there；　so　it　must　be　there　now；　I　fancy。'　　'Well；　I　cannot　find　it；'　replied　t