the life and perambulations of a mouse-第15部分

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such　a　one；　who；　unless　I　kept　a　constant　watch　over；　as　I　must　over　a　wild　beast；　would；　like　a　wild　beast；　be　sure　to　do　me　some　injury？　　Would　it　be　possible；　I　say；　to　love　such　a　character；　whatever　shining　abilities　or　depth　of　learning　he　might　possess？　Ask　your　own　hearts；　my　dears；　whether　you　think　you　could？'

To　this　they　all　answered　at　once；　'No；　that　I　could　not；'　and　'I　am　sure　I　could　not。'　　'Well；　then；'　resumed　the　father；　'only　think　how　odious　that　conduct　must　be；　which　robs　us　of　the　esteem；　confidence；　and　love　of　our　fellow…creatures；　and　that　too；　notwithstanding　we　may　at　the　same　time　be　very　clever；　and　have　a　great　deal　of　sense　and　learning。　　But；　for　my　part；　I　confess　I　know　not　the　least　advantage　of　our　understanding　or　our　learning；　unless　we　make　a　proper　use　of　them。　　Knowing　a　great　deal；　and　having　read　a　great　many　books；　will　be　of　no　service　to　us；　unless　we　are　careful　to　make　a　proper　use　of　that　knowledge；　and　to　improve　by　what　we　read；　otherwise　the　time　we　so　bestow　is　but　lost；　and　we　might　as　well　spend　the　whole　of　our　lives　in　idleness。

'Always　remember；　therefore；　my　loves；　that　the　whole　end　of　our　taking　the　trouble　to　instruct　you；　or　putting　ourselves　to　the　expense　of　sending　you　to　school；　or　your　attending　to　what　is　taught　you；　is；　that　you　may　grow　better　men　and　women　than　you　otherwise　would　be；　and　unless；　therefore；　you　do　improve；　we　might　as　well　spare　ourselves　the　pains　and　expense；　and　you　need　not　take　the　trouble　of　learning；　since；　if　you　will　act　wickedly；　all　our　labour　is　but　thrown　away　to　no　manner　of　purpose。

'Mr。　and　Mrs。　Sharply；　how　I　pity　them！　　What　sorrow　must　they　endure；　to　behold　their　son　acting　in　the　manner　you　have　described；　for　nothing　can　give　so　much　concern　to　a　fond　parent's　heart；　as　to　see　their　children；　for　whom　they　have　taken　so　much　pains；　turn　out　naughty；　and　to　deceive　and　cheat！　What　can　be　worse　than　that？　　I　hope；　my　dear　children；　you　will　never；　any　of　you；　give　us　that　dreadful　misery！　　I　hope；　my　dear　Tom；　I　hope　you　will　never　learn　any　of　those　detestable　ways　your　brother　has　been　telling　you　of。　　And　if　it　was　not　that　you　will　often　be　obliged　to　see　such　things　when　you　mix　with　other　children；　I　should　be　sorry　you　should　even　hear　of　such　bad　actions；　as　I　could　wish　you　to　pass　through　life　without　so　much　as　knowing　such　wickedness　ever　existed；　hut　that　is　impossible。　　There　are　so　many　naughty　people　in　the　world；　that　you　will　often　be　obliged　to　see　and　hear　of　crimes　which　I　hope　you　will　shudder　to　think　of　committing　yourselves；　and　being　warned　of　them　beforehand；　I　hope　it　will　put　you　more　upon　your　guard；　not　to　be　tempted；　upon　any　consideration；　to　give　the　least　encouragement　to　them；　much　less　to　practise　them　yourselves。

'Perhaps；　Tom；　if　your　brother　had　not；　by　telling　us　of　Sharply's　tricks；　given　me　an　opportunity　of　warning　you　how　extremely　wrong　and　wicked　they　are；　you　might　when　you　were　at　school；　have　thought　them　very　clever；　and　marks　of　genius；　and　therefore；　like　others　of　the　boys；　have　tried　to　imitate　them；　and　by　that　means　have　become　as　wicked；　mean；　and　dishonourable　yourself。　　And　only　think　how　it　would　have　grieved　your　mamma　and　me；　to　find　the　next　holidays；　our　dear　little　Tom；　instead　of　being　that　honest；　open；　generous…hearted　boy　he　now　is；　changed　into　a　deceiver；　a　cheat；　a　liar；　one　whom　we　could　place　no　trust　or　confidence　in；　for；　depend　upon　it；　the　person　who　will；　when　at　play；　behave　unfair；　would　not　scruple　to　do　so　in　even　other　action　of　his　life。　　And　the　boy　who　will　deceive　for　the　sake　of　a　marble；　or　the　girl　who　would　act　ungenerously；　for　the　sake　of　a　doll's　cap　or　a　pin；　will；　when　grown　up；　be　ready　to　cheat　and　over…reach　in　their　trades；　or　any　affairs　they　may　have　to　transact。　　And　you　may　assure　yourselves　that　numbers　of　people　who　are　every　year　hanged；　began　at　first　to　be　wicked　by　practising　those　little　dishonourable　mean　actions；　which　so　many　children　are　too　apt　to　do　at　play；　without　thinking　of　their　evil　consequences。

'I　think；　my　dear；'　said　he；　turning　to　his　wife；　'I　have　heard　you　mention　a　person　who　you　were　acquainted　with　when　a　girl；　who　at　last　was　hanged　for　stealing；　I　think；　was　not　she？'　　'No；'　replied　the　lady；　'she　was　not　hanged；　she　was　transported　for　one…and…twenty　years。'　　'Pray；　madam；　how　transported？　what　is　that？'　inquired　one　of　the　children。　　'People；　my　dear；'　resumed　the　lady；　'are　transported　when　they　have　committed　crimes；　which；　according　to　the　laws　of　our　land；　are　not　thought　quite　wicked　enough　to　be　hanged　for；　but　still　too　bad　to　suffer　them　to　continue　amongst　other　people。　　So；　instead　of　hanging　them；　the　judge　orders　that　they　shall　be　sent　on　board　a　ship；　built　on　purpose　to　hold　naughty　people；　and　carried　away　from　all　their　friends；　a　great　many　miles　distant；　commonly　to　America；　where　they　are　sold　as　slaves；　to　work　very　hard　for　as　many　years　as　they　are　transported　for。　　And　the　person　your　papa　mentioned　was　sold　for　twenty…one　years；　but　she　died　before　that　time　was　out；　as　most　of　them　do：　　they　are　generally　used　very　cruelly；　and　work　very　hard；　and　besides；　the　heat　of　the　climate　seldom　agrees　with　anybody　who　has　been　used　to　live　in　England；　and　so　they　generally　die　before　their　time　is　expired；　and　never　have　an　opportunity　of　seeing　their　friends　any　more；　after　they　are　once　sent　away。　　How　should　any　of　you；　my　dears；　like　to　be　sent　away　from　your　papa　and　me；　and　your　brothers　and　sisters；　and　uncles　and　aunts；　and　all　your　friends；　and　never）　never　see　us　any　more；　and　only　keep　company　with　naughty；　cross；　wicked　people；　and　labour　very　hard；　and　suffer　a　great　deal　of　sickness；　and　such　a　number　of　different　hardships；　you　cannot　imagine？　　Only　think　how　shocking　it　must　be！　How　should　you　like　it？'　　'Oh'；　not　at　all；　not　at　all；'　was　echoed　from　everyone　in　the　room。

'But　such；'　rejoined　their　mother；　'is　the　punishment　naughty　people　have；　and　such　was　the　punishment　the　person　your　papa　spoke　of　had；　who；　when　she　was　young；　no　more　expected　to　come　to　such　an　end　than　any　of　you　do。　　I　was　very　well　acquainted　with　her；　and　often　used　to　play　with　her；　and　she　（like　the　boy　Frank　has　been　talking　of）　used　to　think　it　a　mark　of　cleverness　to　be　able　to　deceive；　and　for　the　sake　of　winning　the　game　she　was　engaged　in；　would　not　scruple　committing　any　little　unfair　action；　which　would　give　her　the　advantage。

'I　remember　one　time；　at　such　a　trifling　game　as　pushpin；　she　gave　me　a　very　bad　opinion　of　her；　for　I　observed；　instead　of　pushing　the　pin　as　she　ought　to　do；　she　would　try　to　lift　it　up　with　her　finger　a　little；　to　make　it　cross　over　the　other。

'And　when　we　were　all　at　cards；　she　would　peep；　to　find　out　the　pictured　ones；　that　she　might　have　them　in　her　own　hand。

'And　when　we　played　at　any　game　which　had　forfeits；　she　would　try；　by　different　little　artifices；　to　steal　back　her　own　before　the　time　of　crying　them　came；　or；　if　she　was　the　person　who　was　to　cry　them；　as　you　call　it；　she　would　endeavour　to　see　whose　came　next；　that　she　might　order　the　penalty　accordingly。

'Or　if　we　were　playing　at　hide　and　seek；　she　would　put　what　we　had　to　hide　either　in　her　own　pocket；　or　throw　it　into　the　fire；　so　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　find　it；　and　then；　after　making　her　companions　hunt　for　it　for　an　hour；　till　their　patience　was　quite　tired；　and　they　gave　out；　she　would　burst　out　in　a　loud　laugh！　and　say　she　only　did　it　for　fun。　　But；　for　my　part；　I　never　could　see　any　joke　in　such　kind　of　things：　　the　meanness；　the　baseness；　the　dish　on　our；　which　attended　it　always；　in　my　opinion；　took　off　all　degree　of　cleverness；　or　pleasure　from　such　actions。

'There　was　another　of　her　sly　tricks　which　I　forgot　to　mention；　and　that　was；　if　at　tea；　or　any　other　time；　she　got　first　to　the　plate　of　cake　or　bread；　she　would　place　the　piece　she　liked　best　where　she　thought　it　would　come　to　her　turn　to　have　it：　　or　if　at　breakfast　she　saw　her　sisters'　basin　have　the　under　crust　in　it；　and　they　happened　not　to　be　by；　or　to　see　her；　she　would　take　it　out；　and　put　her　own；　which　she　happened　not　to　like　so　well；　in　the　stead。

'Only　think；　my　dears；　what　frightful；　sly；　naughty　tricks　to　be　guilty　of！　　And　from　practising　these；　which　she　said　there　was　no　harm　in；　and　she　only　did　them　in　play；　and　for　a　bit　of　fun；　at　last　she　came；　by　degrees；　to　be　guilty　of　greater。　　She　two　or　three　different　times；　when　she　was　not　seen；　stole　things　out　of　shops；　and　one　day；　when　she　was　upon　a　visit；　and　thought　she　could　do　it　cleverly；　without　being　discovered；　put　a　couple　of　table　spoons　into　her　pocket。　　The　footman　who　was　waiting　happened　to　see　her；　but　fearing　to　give　offence；　he　took　no　notice　of　it　till　after　she　was　gone　home；　when　he　told　his　master；　who；　justly　provoked　at　being　so　ill…treated；　by　a　person　to　whom　he　had　shown　every　civility；　went　after　her；　called　in　her　own　two　maids；　and　his　footman；　as　witnesses；　and　then　insisted　upon　examining　her　pockets；　where　he　indeed　found　his　own　two　spoons。　　He　then　sent　for　proper　officers　to　secure　her；　had　her　taken　into　custody；　and　for　that　offence　it　was　that　she　was　transported。

'Thus；　my　dear　children；　you　see　the　shocking　consequence　of　ever　suffering　such　vile　habits　to　grow　upon　us；　and　I　hope　the　example　of　this　unhappy　woman　（which　I　assure　you　is　a　true　story）　will　be　sufficient　to　warn　you　for　ever；　for　a　single　time；　being　guilty　of　so　detestable　a　crime；　lest　you　should；　like　her；　by　degrees　come　to　experience　her　fatal　punishment。'

Just　as　the　lady　said　these　words　a　bell　rang；　and　all　getting　up　together；　they　went　out　of　the　room；　the　young　one　calling　out；　'To　dinner！　to　dinner！　to　dinner！　here　we　all　go　to　dinner！'

And　I　will　seek　for　one　too；　said　I　to　myself；　（creeping　out　as　soon　as　I　found　I　was　alone）　for　I　feel　very　faint　and　hungry。　　I　looked　and　looked　about　a　long　while；　for　I　could　move　but　slow；　on　account　of　the　bruises　I　had　received　in　the　shoe。　　At　last　under　the　table；　round　which　the　family　had　been　sitting；　I　found　a　pincushion；　which；　being　stuffed　with　bran；　afforded　me　enough　to　satisfy　my　hunger；　but　was　excessively　dry　and　unsavoury；　yet；　bad