the life and perambulations of a mouse-第16部分

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　with　bran；　afforded　me　enough　to　satisfy　my　hunger；　but　was　excessively　dry　and　unsavoury；　yet；　bad　as　it　was；　I　was　obliged　to　be　content　at　that　time　with　it；　and　had　nearly　done　eating　when　the　door　opened；　and　in　ran　two　or　three　of　the　children。　　Frightened　out　of　my　senses　almost；　I　had　just　time　to　escape　down　a　little　hole　in　the　floor；　made　by　one　of　the　knots　in　the　wood　slipping　out；　and　there　I　heard　one　of　the　girls　exclaim

'O　dear！　who　now　has　cut　my　pincushion？　it　was　you　did　it；　Tom。'　　'No；　indeed　I　did　not；'　replied　he。　　'Then　it　was　you；　Mary。'　　'No；　I　know　nothing　of　it；'　answered　she。　　'Then　it　was　you；　Hetty。'　　'That　I　am　sure　it　was　not；'　said　she；　'I　am　sure；　I　am　certain　it　was　not　me；　I　am　positive　it　was　not。'　　'Ah；'　replied　the　other；　'I　dare　say　it　was。'　　'Yes；　I　think　it　is　most　likely；'　said　Mary。　　'And　so　do　I　too；'　said　Tom。　　'And　pray　why　do　you　all　think　so？'　inquired　Hetty；　in　an　angry　tone。　　'Because；'　said　the　owner　of　the　pincushion；　'you　are　the　only　one　who　ever　tells　fibs；　you　told　a　story；　you　know；　about　the　fruit；　you　told　a　story　too　about　the　currant　jelly；　and　about　putting　your　fingers　in　the　butter；　at　breakfast；　and　therefore　there　is　a　very　great　reason　why　we　should　suspect　you　more　than　anybody　else。'　　'But　I　am　sure；'　said　she；　bursting　into　tears；　'I　am　very　sure　I　have　not　meddled　with　it。'　　'I　do　not　at　all　know　that；'　replied　the　other；　'and　I　do　think　it　was　you；　for　I　am　certain　if　any　one　else　had　done　it　they　would　not　deny　it；　and　it　could　not　come　into　this　condition　by　itself；　somebody　must　have　done　it；　and　I　dare　say　it　was　you；　so　say　no　more　about　it。'

Here　the　dispute　was　interrupted　by　somebody　calling　them　out　of　the　room；　and　I　could　not　help　making　some　reflections　on　what　had　passed。　　How　dreadful　a　crime；　thought　I；　is　lying　and　falsity；　to　what　sad　mortifications　does　it　subject　the　person　who　is　ever　wicked　enough　to　commit　it；　and　how　does　it　expose　them　to　the　contempt　of　everyone；　and　make　them　to　be　suspected　of　faults　they　are　even　perfectly　free　from。　　Little　Hetty　now　is　innocent；　with　respect　to　the　pincushion　with　which　her　sister　charges　her；　as　any　of　the　others；　yet；　because　she　has　before　forfeited　her　honour；　she　can　gain　no　credit：　　no　one　believes　what　she　says；　she　is　thought　to　be　guilty　of　the　double　fault　of　spoiling　the　pincushion；　and　what　is　still　worse；　of　lying　to　conceal　it；　whilst　the　other　children　are　at　once　believed；　and　their　words　depended　upon。

Surely；　surely；　thought　I；　if　people　would　but　reflect　upon　the　contempt；　the　shame；　and　the　difficulties　which　lies　expose　them　to；　they　would　never　be　guilty　of　so　terrible　a　vice；　which　subjects　them　to　the　scorn　of　all　they　converse　with；　and　renders　them　at　all　times　suspected；　even　though　they　should；　as　in　the　case　of　Hetty；　really　speak　the　truth。　　Such　were　my　reflections　upon　falsehood；　nor　could　I　help　altogether　blaming　the　owner　of　the　pincushion　for　her　hasty　judgment　relating　to　it。　　Somebody；　she　was　certain；　must　have　done　it；　it　was　impossible　it　could　come　so　by　itself。　　That；　to　be　sure；　was　very　true；　but　then　she　never　recollected　that　it　was　possible　a　little　mouse　might　put　it　in　that　condition。　　Ah！　thought　I　to　myself；　what　pity　is　it；　that　human　creatures；　who　are　blest　with　understanding　and　faculties　so　superior　to　any　species；　should　not　make　better　use　of　them；　and　learn；　from　daily　experience；　to　grow　wiser　and　better　for　the　future。　　This　one　instance　of　the　pincushion；　may　teach　（and　surely　people　engaged　in　life　must　hourly　find　more）　how　dangerous　it　is　to　draw　hasty　conclusions；　and　to　condemn　people　upon　suspicion；　as　also　the　many；　great；　and　bad　consequences　of　lying。

Scarcely　had　I　finished　these　soliloquies　when　a　great　knock　at　the　house　door　made　me　give　such　a　start　that　I　fell　off　the　joist　on　which　I　was　standing；　and　then　ran　straight　forwards　till　I　came　out　at　a　little　hole　I　found　in　the　bricks　above　the　parlour　window：　　from　that　I　descended　into　the　road；　and　went　on　unmolested　till　I　reached　a　malt…house；　about　whose　various　apartments；　never　staying　long　in　the　same；　I　continued　to　live；　till　one　night；　all　on　a　sudden；　I　was　alarmed　by　fire；　which　obliged　me　to　retreat　with　the　greatest　expedition。

I　passed　numberless　rats　and　mice　in　my　way；　who；　like　myself；　were　driven　forth　by　the　flames；　but；　alas！　among　them　I　found　not　my　brother。　　Despairing；　therefore；　of　ever　seeing　him　again；　I　determined；　if　possible；　to　find　my　way　back　to　you；　who　before　had　shown　me　such　kindness。　　Numberless　were　the　fatigues　and　difficulties　I　had　to　encounter　in　my　journey　here；　one　while　in　danger　from　hungry　cats；　at　another　almost　perished　with　cold　and　want　of　food。

But　it　is　needless　to　enumerate　every　particular；　I　should　but　tire　your　patience　was　I　to　attempt　it；　so　I　will　hasten　to　a　conclusion　of　my　history；　only　telling　you　how　you　came　to　find　me　in　that　melancholy　condition　from　which　your　mercy　has　now　raised　me。

I　came　into　your　house　one　evening　concealed　in　the　middle　of　a　floor…cloth；　which　the　maid　had　rolled　up　and　set　at　the　outside　of　the　back　door；　whilst　she　swept　the　passage；　and　neglected　to　take　it　in　again　till　the　evening；　In　that　I　hid　myself；　and　upon　her　laying　it　down；　ran　with　all　speed　down　the　cellar…stairs；　where　I　continued　till　the　family　were　all　gone　to　bed。　　Then　I　returned　back；　and　came　into　your　closet；　where　the　scent　of　some　figs　tempted　me　to　get　into　the　jar　in　which　you　found　me。　　I　concealed　myself　among　them；　and　after　feasting　most　deliciously；　fell　asleep；　from　which　I　was　awakened　by　hearing　a　voice　say；　〃Who　has　left　the　cover　off　the　fig…jar？〃　and　at　the　same　time　I　was　involved　in　darkness　by　having　it　put　on。　　In　vain　I　endeavoured　to　remove　it；　the　figs　were　so　low；　that　when　I　stood　on　them　I　could　but　just　touch　it　with　my　lips；　and　the　jar　being　stone　I　could　not　possibly　fasten　my　nails　to　hang　by　the　side。

In　this　dismal　situation　therefore　I　was　constrained　to　stay；　my　apprehensions　each　day　increasing　as　my　food　diminished；　till　at　last；　after　feeding　very　sparingly　for　some　days；　it　was　quite　exhausted；　and　I　had　endured　the　inexpressible　tortures　of　hunger　for　three　days　and　three　nights；　when　you　happily　released　me；　and　by　your　compassion　restored　me　once　more　to　life　and　liberty。　　Condescend；　therefore；　to　preserve　that　life　you　have　so　lengthened；　and　take　me　under　your　protection。

'That　most　gladly；'　interrupted　I；　'I　will　do：　　you　will　live　in　this　large　green…flowered　tin　canister；　and　run　in　and　out　when　you　please；　and　I　will　keep　you　constantly　supplied　with　food。　　But　I　must　now　shut　you　in；　for　the　cat　has　this　moment　entered　the　room。'



And　now　I　cannot　take　leave　of　all　my　little　readers；　without　once　more　begging　them；　for　their　own　sakes；　to　endeavour　to　follow　all　the　good　advice　the　mouse　has　been　giving　them；　and　likewise　warning　them　to　shun　all　those　vices　and　follies；　the　practice　of　which　renders　children　so　contemptible　and　wicked。





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