the life and perambulations of a mouse-第12部分

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o　whom　his　father　gave　a　fortune　not　much　less　than　three　thousand　pounds；　with　which　he　bought　and　stocked　a　very　pretty　farm　in　Somersetshire；　where　they　lived　as　happy　as　virtue　and　affluence　could　make　them。　　By　industry　and　care　they　prospered　beyond　their　utmost　expectations；　and；　by　their　prudence　and　good　behaviour；　gained　the　esteem　and　love　of　all　who　knew　them。

'To　their　servants　（for　they　soon　acquired　riches　enough　to　keep　three　or　four；　I　mean　household　ones；　besides　the　number　that　were　employed　in　the　farming　business）　they　behaved　with　such　kindness　and　civility；　that　had　they　even　given　less　wages　than　their　neighbours；　they　would　never　have　been　in　want　of　any；　everyone　being　desirous　of　getting　into　a　family　where　they　were　treated　with　such　kindness　and　condescension。

'In　this　happy　manner　they　continued　to　live　for　many　years；　bringing　up　a　large　family　of　children　to　imitate　their　virtues；　but　one　great　mortification　they　were　obliged　to　submit　to；　which　was　that　of　putting　their　children　very　early　to　boarding　school；　a　circumstance　which　the　want　of　education　in　Mrs。　and　indeed　I　may　add　Mr。　Flail；　rendered　absolutely　necessary。

'But　I　am　afraid；　Mrs。　Sally　and　Mrs。　Nelly；　you　will　be　tired；　as　I　have　but　half　told　my　story；　but　I　will　endeavour　to　make　short　work　of　it；　though　indeed　it　deserves　to　be　noticed；　for　it　will　teach　one　a　great　deal；　and　convince　one　how　little　the　world's　riches　are　to　be　depended　on。

'I　have　said；　you　know；　that　Mr。　Speedgo　was　a　merchant；　and　a　very　rich　one　too。　　It　is　unknown　what　vast　sums　of　money　he　used　to　spend！　when；　would　you　think　it；　either　through　spending　it　too　fast；　or　some　losses　he　met　with　in　trade；　he　broke　all　to　nothing；　and　had　not　a　farthing　to　pay　his　creditors。　　I　forgot　how　many　thousand　pounds　it　was　he　owed；　but　it　was　a　vast　great　many。　　Well！　this　you　may　be　sure　was　a　great　mortification　to　them；　they　begged　for　mercy　from　their　creditors；　but　as　in　their　prosperity　they　had　never　shown　much　mercy　themselves　to　those　they　thought　beneath　them；　so　now　they　met　with　very　little　from　others：　　the　poor　saying　they　deserved　it　for　their　pride；　the　rich　condemning　them　for　their　presumption；　in　trying　to　vie　with　those　of　superior　birth；　and　those　who　had　been　less　successful　in　business；　blaming　them　for　their　extravagance；　which；　they　said；　had　justly　brought　on　them　their　misfortunes。

'In　this　distress；　in　vain　it　was　they　applied　for　assistance　to　those　they　had　esteemed　their　friends；　for　as　they　never　had　been　careful　to　form　their　connections　with　people　of　real　merit；　only　seeking　to　be　acquainted　with　those　who　were　rich　and　prosperous；　so　now　they　could　no　longer　return　their　civilities；　they　found　none　were　ready　to　show　them　any；　but　everyone　seemed　anxious　to　keep　from　them　as　much　as　possible。　　Thus　distressed；　and　finding　no　one　willing　to　help　them；　the　young　squire；　Master　James；　was　obliged　to　go　to　sea：　　while　Miss　Betsy　and　Miss　Rachael　were　even　forced　to　try　to　get　their　living　by　service；　a　way　of　life　they　were　both　ill　qualified　to　undertake；　for　they　had　always　so　accustomed　themselves　to　be　waited　on　and　attended；　that　they　scarcely　knew　how　to　help　themselves；　much　less　how　to　work　for　others。　　The　consequence　of　which　was；　they　gave　so　little　satisfaction　to　their　employers；　that　they　staid　but　a　little　time　in　a　place；　and　from　so　frequently　changing；　no　family；　who　wished　to　be　well　settled；　would　admit　them；　as　they　thought　it　impossible　they　could　be　good　servants　whom　no　one　thought　worthy　of　keeping。

'It　is　impossible　to　describe　the　many　and　great　mortifications　those　two　young　ladies　met　with。　　They　now　frequently　recollected　the　words　of　Molly　Mount；　and　earnestly　wished　they　had　attended　to　them　whilst　it　was　in　their　power；　as　by　so　doing　they　would　have　secured　to　themselves　friends。　　And　they　very　forcibly　found；　that；　although　they　were　poor　and　servants；　yet　they　were　as　sensible　of　kind　treatment　and　civility；　as　if　they　had　been　richer。

'After　they　had　been　for　some　years　changing　from　place　to　place；　always　obliged　to　put　up　with　very　low　wages；　upon　account　of　their　being　so　ill　qualified　for　servants；　it　happened　that　Miss　Betsy　got　into　service　at　Watchet；　a　place　about　three　miles　distant　from　Mr。　Flail's　farm。　　Here　she　had　a　violent　fit　of　illness；　and　not　having　been　long　enough　in　the　family　to　engage　their　generosity　to　keep　her；　she　was　dismissed　upon　account　of　her　ill　health　rendering　her　wholly　incapable　of　doing　her　business　for　which　she　was　hired。　　She　then；　with　the　very　little　money　she　had；　procured　a　lodging　in　a　miserable　little　dirty　cottage；　but　through　weakness　being　unable　to　work；　she　soon　exhausted　her　whole　stock；　and　was　even　obliged　to　quit　this　habitation；　bad　as　it　was；　and　for　some　days　support　herself　wholly　by　begging　from　door　to　door；　often　meeting　with　very　unkind　language　for　so　idle　an　employment；　some　people　telling　her　to　go　to　her　parish；　when；　alas！　her　parish　was　many　miles　distant；　and　she；　poor　creature；　had　no　means　of　getting　there。

'At　last　she　wandered；　in　this　distressful　situation；　to　the　house　of　Mr。　Flail；　and　walked　into　the　farm　yard　just　at　the　time　the　cows　were　being　milked。　　She；　who　for　a　long　time　had　tasted　nothing　but　bits　of　broken　bread；　and　had　no　drink　besides　water　she　had　scooped　up　in　her　hands；　looked　at　the　quantity　of　fresh　milk　with　a　most　wishful　eye；　and；　going　to　the　women　who　were　milking；　she　besought　them　in　a　moving　manner　to　give　her　a　draught；　as　she　was　almost　ready　to　perish。　　〃For　pity's　sake；〃　said　she；　〃have　compassion　upon　a　poor　wretch；　dying　with　sickness；　hunger；　and　thirst；　it　is　a　long　time　since　I　have　tasted　a　mouthful　of　wholesome　victuals；　my　lips　are　now　almost　parched　with　thirst；　and　I　am　so　faint　for　want；　that　I　can　scarcely　stand；　my　sufferings　are　very　great　indeed；　it　would　melt　a　heart　of　stone　to　hear　the　story　of　my　woes。　　Oh！　have　pity　upon　a　fellow…creature　then；　and　give　me　one　draught　of　that　milk；　which　can　never　be　missed　out　of　so　vast　a　quantity　as　you　have　there；　and　may　you　never；　never；　know　what　it　is　to　suffer　as　I　now　do。〃　　To　this　piteous　request；　she　received　for　answer；　the　common　one　of　〃Go　about　your　business；　we　have　nothing　for　you；　so　don't　come　here。〃　　〃We　should　have　enough　to　do　indeed；〃　said　one　of　the　milkers；　〃if　we　were　to　give　every　idle　beggar　who　would　like　a　draught　of　this　delicious　milk；　but　no；　indeed；　we　shall　not　give　you　a　drop；　so　go　about　your　business；　and　don't　come　plaguing　us　here。〃　　Mrs。　Flail；　who　happened　to　be　in　the　yard；　with　one　of　her　children　who　was　feeding　the　chickens；　overheard　enough　of　this　to　make　her　come　forward；　and　enquire　what　was　the　matter。　　〃Nothing；　ma〃am；〃　replied　the　milk…maid；　〃only　I　was　sending　away　this　nasty　dirty　creature；　who　was　so　bold　as　to　come　asking　for　milk　indeed！　　But　beggars　grow　so　impudent　now…a…days　there　never　was　the　like　of　it。〃　　〃Oh　fie！〃　returned　Mrs。　Flail；　shocked　at　her　inhuman　way　of　speaking；　〃fie　upon　you；　to　speak　in　so　unkind　a　manner　of　a　poor　creature　in　distress。〃　　Then　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