the life and perambulations of a mouse-第7部分

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　it。

From　this　state　of　horror；　however；　we　were　at　length　delivered　by　a　little　boy　of　about　two　years　old；　who　came　out　of　the　house；　and　taking　the　cat　up　round　its　body　with　both　hands；　tottered　away　with　it；　and　shut　the　door。

Finding　ourselves　thus　unexpectedly　once　more　at　liberty；　we　determined　to　make　use　of　it；　by　seeking　some　safer　retreat；　at　least；　till　night　should　better　hide　us　from　public　view。　　Terrified　almost　out　of　our　senses；　we　crept　from　behind　the　brick；　and；　after　running　a　few　yards；　slipped　under　the　folding　doors　of　a　barn；　and　soon　concealed　ourselves　amidst　a　vast　quantity　of　threshed　corn。　　This　appeared　to　us　the　most　desirable　retreat　that　we　had　yet　found；　not　only　as　it　afforded　such　immense　plenty　of　food；　but　also　as　we　could　so　easily　hide　ourselves　from　the　observation　of　any　one：　　beside；　as　it　did　not　appear　to　be　a　dwelling…house；　we　could　in　security　reside；　free　from　any　danger　of　traps；　or　the　cruelty　of　man。　　We　therefore　congratulated　each　other；　not　more　on　account　of　the　wonderful　escape　which　we　had；　than　upon　our　good　fortune　in　coming　to　a　Spot　so　blessed　with　peace　and　plenty。

After　we　were　a　little　recovered　from　the　fatigue　of　mind；　as　well　as　of　body；　which　we　had　lately　gone　through；　we　regaled　very　heartily　upon　the　corn　that　surrounded　us；　and　then　fell　into　a　charming　sleep；　from　which　we　were　awakened　the　next　morning　by　the　sound　of　human　voices。　　We　very　distinctly　heard　that　of　a　boy；　saying；　'Let　us　mix　all　the　threshed　corn　with　the　rest　that　is　not　threshed；　and　that　will　make　a　fine　fuss；　and　set　John　and　Simon　a　swearing　like　troopers　when　they　come　and　find　all　their　labour　lost；　and　that　they　must　do　all　their　work　over　again。'　　'And　do　you　think　there　is　anything　so　agreeable　in　giving　people　trouble；　and　hearing　them　swear；'　replied　another　voice；　'that　you　can　wish　to　do　it？　　For　my　part。　　I　think　it　is　so　wicked　a　thing；　that　I　hate　to　hear　anybody　guilty　of　it；　much　less　would　I　be　the　cause　of　making　them　commit　so　great　a　sin；　and　as　for　giving　them　all　their　trouble　over　again；　so　far　would　it　be　from　affording　me　any　pleasure；　that　on　the　contrary　it　would　give　me　great　pain；　for　however　you　may　think　of　it；　Will；　I　assure　you；　it　always　gives　me　much　uneasiness　to　see　people　labouring　and　working　hard。　　I　always　think　how　much　I　should　dislike　to　be　obliged　to　do　so　myself；　and　therefore　very　sincerely　pity　those　who　must。　　On　no　account　therefore　will　I　do　anything　to　add　to　their　labour；　or　that　shall　give　them　unnecessary　work。'

'Pooh！'　answered　Will；　'you　are　wonderfully　wise；　I；　for　my　part；　hate　such　super…abundant　wisdom；　I　like　to　see　folk　fret；　and　stew；　and　scold；　as　our　maids　did　last　week　when　I　cut　the　line；　and　let　all　the　sheets；　and　gowns；　and　petticoats；　and　frocks；　and　shirts；　and　aprons；　and　caps；　and　what　not；　fall　plump　into　the　dirt。　　O！　how　I　did　laugh！　and　how　they　did　mutter　and　scold！　　And　do　you　know；　that　just　as　the　wash　ladies　were　wiping　their　coddled　hands；　and　comforted　themselves　with　the　thought　of　their　work　being　all　over；　and　were　going　to　sip　their　tea　by　the　fireside；　I　put　them　all　to　the　scout；　and　they　were　obliged　to　wash　every　rag　over　again。　　I　shall　never　forget　how　cross　they　looked；　nay；　I　verily　believe　Susan　cried　about　it；　and　how　I　did　laugh！'

'And　pray；'　rejoined　the　other　boy；　'should　you　have　laughed　equally　hearty　if；　after　you　had　been　at　school　all　day；　and　had　with　much　difficulty　just　got　through　all　your　writing；　and　different　exercises；　and　were　going　to　play；　should　you　laugh；　I　say；　if　somebody　was　to　run　away　with　them　all；　and　your　master　oblige　you　to　do　them　all　over　again？　Tell　me；　Will；　should　you　laugh；　or　cry　and　look　cross？　　And　even　that　would　not　be　half　so　bad　for　you；　as　it　was　for　the　maids　to　be　obliged　to　wash　their　clothes　over　again；　washing　is　very　hard　labour；　and　tires　people　sadly；　and　so　does　threshing　too。　　It　is　very　unkind；　therefore；　to　give　them　such　unnecessary　trouble；　and　everything　that　is　unkind；　is　wicked；　and　I　would　not　do　it　upon　any　account；　I　assure　you。'　　'Then　I　assure　you；'　replied　Will；　'you　may　let　it　alone；　I　can　do　it　without　your　assistance。'　　He　then　began　mixing　the　grain　and　the　chaff　together；　the　other　boy　strongly　remonstrating　against　it；　to　which　he　paid　no　attention；　and　whilst　he　was　so　employed；　two　men；　Simon　and　John；　entered　the　barn。

'Why；　how　now；　Master　Billy；'　said　Simon；　'what　are　you　about？　What　business　have　you　to　be　here？　　You　are　always　doing　some　mischief　or　other！　　I　wish；　with　all　my　heart；　that　you　were　kept　chained　like　a　dog；　and　never　suffered　to　be　at　liberty；　for　you　do　more　harm　in　an　hour；　than　a　body　can　set　right　again　in　a　month！'　　Will　then　took　up　hats　full　of　the　corn　and　chaff；　and　threw　it　in　the　two　men's　faces；　afterwards　taking　up　a　flail；　he　gave　Simon　a　blow　across　his　back；　saying；　at　the　same　time；　'I　will　show　you　the　way　to　thresh；　and　separate　the　flesh　from　the　bones。'　　'O！　will　you　so；　young　squire？'　said　John；　'I　will　show　you　the　way　to　make　naughty　boys　good。'　　He　then　left　the　barn；　but　presently　returned　accompanied　by　a　gentleman；　upon　the　sight　of　whom　Will　let　fall　the　flail；　which　he　was　till　then　brandishing　over　Simon's　head；　and　was　going　away；　when　the　gentleman　taking　hold　of　his　hand；　said；　'You　do　not　stir　from　this　place；　Master　William；　nor　have　one　mouthful　of　breakfast；　till　you　have　asked　the　men　pardon　for　your　behaviour；　and　likewise　sifted　every　grain　of　corn　from　the　chaff　which　you　have　mixed　with　it。　　When　you　have　done　that；　you　may　have　some　food；　but　not　before；　and　afterward　you　may　spend　the　rest　of　the　day　in　threshing；　then　you　will　be　a　better　judge；　my　boy；　of　the　fatigue　and　labour　of　it；　and　find　how　you　should　like；　after　working　hard　all　day；　to　have　it　rendered　useless　by　a　mischievous　boy。　　Remember；　William；　what　I　have　now　said　to　you；　for　I　do　insist　upon　being　minded；　and　I　promise　you；　that　if　you　offer　to　play；　or　do　anything　else　today；　you　shall　be　punished　very　severely。'　　The　gentleman　then　went　away。　　Will　muttered　something；　I　could　not　exactly　hear　what；　began　to　sift　the　corn；　and　so　much　had　he　mixed　together；　that　he　did　not　go　in　for　his　breakfast　till　after　I　had　heard　the　church　clock　strike　one；　though　it　was　before　eight　when　he　came　into　the　barn。　　In　about　an　hour　he　returned；　and　the　other　boy　with　him；　who　addressed　him；　saying；　'Ah！　Will；　you　had　better　have　taken　my　advice；　and　not　have　done　so：　　I　thought　what　you　would　get　by　your　nice　fun　as　you　called　it。　　I　never　knew　any　good　come　of　mischief；　it　generally　brings　those　who　do　it　into　disgrace；　or　if　they　should　happen　to　escape　unpunished；　still　it　is　always　attended　with　some　inconvenience：　　it　is　an　ill…natured　disposition　which　can　take　pleasure　in　giving　trouble　to　any　one。'　　'Do　hold　your　tongue；　James；'　replied　Will；　'I　declare　I　have　not　patience　to　hear　you　preach；　you　are　so　prodigiously　wise；　and　prudent；　and　sober；　you　had　better　go　indoors　and　sew　with　your　mamma；　for　you　talk　just　as　if　you　were　a　girl；　and　not　in　the　least　like　a　boy　of　spirit。'　　'Like　a　girl！'　resumed　James。　　'Are　girls　then　the　only　folk　who　have　any　sense；　or　good　nature？　　Or　what　proof　does　it　shew　of　spirit　to　be　fond　of　mischief；　and　giving　people　trouble？　　It　is　like　a　monkey　of　spirit　indeed；　but　I　cannot　say；　that　I　see　either　spirit　or　sense　in　making　the　clean　clothes　fall　into　the　dirt；　or　mixing　the　corn　and　chaff；　for　the　sake　of　making　the　poor　servants　do　them　all　over　again：　　if　these　things　are　a　sign　of　any　spirit。　　I　am　sure　it　is　of　an　evil　one；　and　not　at　all　such　as　I　wish　to　possess；　though　I　no　more　want　to　sit　still；　or　work　with　a　needle；　than　you　do；　but　I　hope　there　are　other　ways　of　showing　my　spirit；　as　you　call　it；　than　by　doing　mischief；　and　being　ill…natured。　　I　do　not　think　my　papa　ever　seems　to　be　effeminate；　or　want　sufficient　spirit；　but　he　would　scorn　to　give　unnecessary　trouble　to　anybody：　　and　so　will　Tom　Vaulter；　though　no　boy　in　the　world　loves　play　better　than　he　does；　he　plays　at　cricket　the　best　of　any　boy　in　the　school；　and　I　am　sure　none　can　beat　him　at　tennis；　and　as　for　skipping；　I　never　saw　a　boy　skip　so　well　in　all　my　life；　and　I　am　sure　he　would　beat　you；　with　all　your　spirit；　out　and　out　twenty　times；　either　at　running；　or　sliding；　or　swimming；　or　climbing　a　tree。　　And　yet　he　never　gives　trouble　to　anybody　for　the　sake　of　fun；　he　is　one　of　the　best…tempered　boys　in　the　world；　and　whether　it　is　like　a　girl　or　not；　he　always　does　what　he　knows　to　be　right　and　kind；　and　if　that　is　being　like　girls；　why；　with　all　my　heart；　I　like　girls　well　enough；　and　if　they　behave　well　I　do　not　see　why　you　should　speak　so　contemptuously　of　them。　　My　papa　always　says　that　he　loves　girls　just　as　well　as　boys；　and　none　but　foolish　and　naughty　boys　despise　and　tease　them。'　　Just　as　he　said　these　words；　Simon　and　John　entered　the　barn；　and　seeing　Will　stand　idle；　'Come；　come；　young　gentleman；'　said　John；　'take　up　your　flail　and　go　to　work；　sir；　to　work！　to　work！　night　will　be　here　presently；　and　you　have　done　nothing　yet。'　　Presently　after　the　gentleman　returned；　and　enforced　John's　advice　for　him　to　mind　his　work。

After　Master　Will　had　continued　his　employment　some　little　time；　he　began　to　cry；　saying；　his　arms　ached　ready　to　drop　off；　and　his　hand　was　so　sore　he　could　not　bear　it。　　'Then　doubtless；'　replied　his　father；　'you　would　prodigiously　like；　after　you　have　been　labouring　all　day；　to　have　your　work　to　do　over　again；　for　the　sake　of　diverting　a　foolish　boy。　　But　go　on；　William；　I　am　determined　that　you　shall；　for　one　day；　know　what　it　is　to　work　hard；　and　thereby　be　taught　to　pity；　and　help；　not　add　to　the　fatigue　of　those　who　do。'　　The　boy　then　went　on　with　his　business；　though　not　without　making　great　complaints；　and　shedding　many　tears。　　At　length；　however；　evening　came；　and　the　gentleman；　his　son；　and　the　two　men；　all　went　away；　leaving　Longtail　and　myself　to　enjoy　our　abundance。　　We　passed　another　night　in　the　sweetest　undisturbed　repose；　and　in　the　day　had　nothing　to　alarm　our　fears。　　In　short；　our　situation　was　every　way　so　perfectly　happy　and　desirable；　that　we　thought；　although　our　mother　had　charged　us　not　to　return　frequently