the life and perambulations of a mouse-第4部分

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　the　same　time　the　utmost　of　his　strength　to　disengage　himself。　　But　in　such　a　position；　with　his　head　downward；　in　vain　were　all　his　efforts　to　procure　relief；　and　the　barbarous　monster　who　held　him　discovered　not　the　smallest　emotions　of　pity　for　his　sufferings。　　Oh！　how　at　that　moment　did　I　abhor　my　own　existence；　and　wish　that　I　could　be　endowed　with　size　and　strength　sufficient；　at　once　both　to　rescue　him；　and　severely　punish　his　tormentors。　　But　my　wish　was　ineffectual；　and　I　had　the　inexpressible　affliction　of　seeing　the　inhuman　wretch　hold　him　down　upon　the　hearth；　whilst；　without　remorse；　he　crushed　him　beneath　his　foot；　and　then　carelessly　kicked　him　into　the　ashes；　saying；　'There！　　The　cat　will　smell　it　out　when　she　comes　up。'　　My　very　blood　runs　cold　within　me　at　the　recollection　of　seeing　Softdown's　as　it　spurted　from　beneath　the　monster's　foot；　whilst　the　crunch　of　his　bones　almost　petrified　me　with　horror。　　At　length；　however；　recollecting　the　impossibility　of　restoring　my　beloved　brother　to　life；　and　the　danger　of　my　own　situation；　I；　with　trembling　feet　and　palpitating　heart；　crept　softly　back　to　my　remaining　two　brothers；　who　were　impatiently　expecting　me　behind　the　closet。　　There　I　related　to　them　the　horrid　scene　which　had　passed　before　my　eyes；　whilst　the　anguish　it　caused　in　their　gentle　bosoms　far　exceeds　my　power　to　describe。

After　having　mingled　our　lamentations　for　some　time；　I　thus　addressed　them：　　'We　have　this　night；　my　brothers；　tasted　the　severest　affliction　in　the　cruel　death　of　our　dear　brother；　companion；　and　friend；　let　us　not；　however；　only　mourn　his　loss；　but　also　gather　wisdom　from　our　misfortune；　and　return　to　that　duty　which　we　have　hitherto　neglected。　　Recollect；　my　dear　friends；　what　were　the　last　words　which　our　good　mother　spoke　to　us　at　parting。　　She　charged　us；　upon　no　account；　for　no　temptation　whatever；　to　return　frequently　to　the　same　place：　　if　we　did；　she　forewarned　us　that　death　and　ruin　would　certainly　await　us。　　But　in　what　manner　have　we　obeyed　this　her　kind　advice？　　We　have　not　even　so　much　as　once　recollected　it　since　she　left　us；　or；　if　we　thought　of　it　for　a　moment；　we　foolishly　despised　it　as　unnecessary。　　Now；　therefore；　we　sincerely　feel　the　consequence　of　our　disobedience；　and；　though　our　sufferings　are　most　distressing；　yet　we　must　confess　that　we　amply　deserve　them。　　Let　us　therefore；　my　brothers；　instantly　fly　from　a　place　which　has　already　cost　us　the　life　of　our　beloved　Softdown；　lest　we　should　all　likewise　fall　a　sacrifice　to　our　disobedience。'And　here　the　writer　cannot　help　observing　how　just　were　the　reflections　of　the　mouse　on　the　crime　which　they　had　been　guilty　of；　and　begs　every　reader　will　be　careful　to　remember　the　fatal　consequences　that　attended　their　disobedience　of　their　mother's　advice；　since　they　may　be　assured　that　equal　if　not　the　same　misfortune　will　always　attend　those　who　refuse　to　pay　attention　to　the　advice　of　their　parents。　　But；　to　return　to　the　history。

To　this　proposal　（continued　the　mouse）　my　brothers　readily　agreed；　and　we　directly　descended　to　the　place　we　were　in　when　we　discovered　the　crack　that　led　us　to　the　room　in　which　we　feasted　on　bird…seed。　　Here　we　determined　to　wait；　and　when　the　family　were　all　quiet　in　bed；　to　go　forth　in　search　of　provision；　as　we　began　to　be　rather　hungry；　not　having　eaten　anything　a　long　while。　　Accordingly　we　stayed　till　after　the　clock　struck　twelve；　when　peeping　out；　we　saw　that　the　room　was　empty：　　we　then　ventured　forth；　and　found　several　seeds；　though　not　enough　to　afford　a　very　ample　meal　for　three　of　us。

After　we　had　cleared　the　room；　we　again　returned　to　our　hiding…place；　where　we　continued　till　after　the　family　had　finished　their　breakfast。　　They　all　then　went　to　take　a　walk　in　the　garden；　and　we　stepped　out　to　pick　up　the　crumbs　which　had　fallen　from　the　table。　　Whilst　we　were　thus　employed；　at　a　distance　from　our　place　of　retreat；　we　were　alarmed　by　the　entrance　of　two　boys；　who　appeared　to　be　about　twelve　or　thirteen　years　of　age。　　We　directly　ran　towards　the　crack；　but　alas！　we　were　not　quick　enough　to　escape　their　observation；　for；　seeing　us；　they　both　at　once　exclaimed；　'Some　mice！　some　mice！'　and　at　the　same　time　took　off　their　hats；　and　threw　at　us。　　Longtail　happily　eluded　the　blow；　and　safely　got　home；　but　poor　Brighteyes　and　myself　were　less　fortunate；　and　though　we　for　a　considerable　time；　by　our　quickness；　prevented　their　catching　us；　at　length；　being　much　disabled　by　a　blow　that　one　of　them　gave　me　with　a　book　which　he　threw　at　me；　I　was　unable　any　longer　to　run；　and　hobbling　very　slowly　across　the　room；　he　picked　me　up。　　At　the　same　moment　Brighteyes　was　so　entangled　in　a　handkerchief　which　the　other　boy　tossed　over　him；　that　he　likewise　was　taken　prisoner。　　Our　little　hearts　now　beat　quick　with　fear　of　those　tortures　we　expected　to　receive；　nor　were　our　apprehensions　lessened　by　hearing　the　boys　consult　what　they　should　do　with　us；　'I；'　said　one；　'will　throw　mine　into　the　pond；　and　see　how　he　will　swim　out　again。'　　'And　I；'　said　the　other；　'will　keep　mine　and　tame　it。'　　'But　where　will　you　keep　it？'　inquired　his　companion。　　'Oh；'　replied　he；　'I　will　keep　it　under　a　little　pan　till　I　can　get　a　house　made　for　it。'　　He　then；　holding　me　by　the　skin　at　the　back　of　my　neck；　ran　with　me　into　the　kitchen　to　fetch　a　pan。　　Here　I　was　not　only　threatened　with　death　by　three　or　four　of　the　servants；　who　all　blamed　Master　Peter　for　keeping　me；　but　likewise　two　or　three　cats　came　round　him；　rubbing　themselves　backward　and　forward　against　his　legs；　and　then　standing　upon　their　hind　feet　to　endeavour　to　make　themselves　high　enough　to　reach　me。　　At　last；　taking　a　pan　in　his　hand；　he　returned　to　his　brother　with　one　of　the　cats　following　him。　　Immediately　upon　our　entrance；　the　boy　exclaimed；　'Oh；　now　I　know　what　I　will　do：　　I　will　tie　a　piece　of　string　to　its　tail；　and　teach　the　cat　to　jump　for　it。'　　No　sooner　did　this　thought　present　itself　than　it　was　put　into　practice；　and　I　again　was　obliged　to　sustain　the　shocking　sight　of　a　brother　put　to　the　torture。　　I；　in　the　mean　time；　was　placed　upon　the　table；　with　a　pan　put　over　me；　in　which　there　was　a　crack；　so　that　I　could　see　as　well　as　hear　all　that　passed：　　and　from　this　place　it　was　that　I　beheld　my　beloved　Brighteyes　suspended　at　one　end　of　a　string　by　his　tail；　one　while　swinging　backward　and　forward；　at　another　pulled　up　and　down；　then　suffered　to　feel　his　feet　on　the　ground；　and　again　suddenly　snatched　up　as　the　cat　advanced；　then　twisted　round　and　round　as　fast　as　possible　at　the　full　length　of　the　string：　　in　short；　it　is　impossible　to　describe　all　his　sufferings　of　body；　or　my　anguish　of　mind。　　At　length　a　most　dreadful　conclusion　was　put　to　them；　by　the　entrance　of　a　gentleman　booted　and　spurred；　with　a　whip　in　his　hand。　　'What　in　the　world；　Charles！'　said　he；　as　he　came　in；　'are　you　about？　　What　have　you　got　there？'　　'Only　a　mouse；　sir；'　replied　the　boy。　　'He　is　teaching　the　cat　to　jump；　sir；'　said　Peter；　'that　is　all。'

Brighteyes　then　gave　a　fresh　squeak　from　the　violence　of　his　pain。　　The　gentleman　then　turning　hastily　round；　exclaimed　eagerly；　'What；　is　it　alive？'　　'Yes；　sir；'　said　the　boy。　　'And　how　can　you；　you　wicked；　naughty；　cruel　boy；'　replied　the　gentleman；　'take　delight　in　thus　torturing　a　little　creature　that　never　did　you　any　injury？　　Put　it　down　this　moment；'　said　he；　at　the　same　time　giving　him　a　severe　stroke　with　his　horse…whip　across　that　hand　by　which　he　held　my　brother。　　'Let　it　go　directly；'　and　again　repeated　the　blow：　　the　boy　let　go　the　string；　and　Brighteyes　fell　to　the　ground；　and　was　instantly　snapped　up　by　the　cat；　who　growling；　ran　away　with　him　in　her　mouth；　and；　I　suppose；　put　a　conclusion　to　his　miseries　and　life　together；　as　I　never　from　that　moment　have　heard　any　account　of　him。

As　soon　as　he　was　thus　taken　out　of　the　room；　the　gentleman　sat　down；　and；　taking　hold　of　his　son's　hand；　thus　addressed　him：　　'Charles；　I　had　a　much　better　opinion　of　you；　than　to　suppose　you　were　capable　of　so　much　cruelty。　　What　right；　I　desire　to　know；　have　you　to　torment　any　living　creature？　　If　it　is　only　be　cause　you　are　larger；　and　so　have　it　in　your　power；　I　beg　you　will　consider；　how　you　would　like；　that　either　myself；　or　some　great　giant；　as　much　larger　than　you　as　you　are　bigger　than　the　mouse；　should　hurt　and　torment　you？　　And　I　promise　you；　the　smallest　creature　can　feel　as　acutely　as　you；　nay；　the　smaller　they　are；　the　more　susceptible　are　they　of　pain；　and　the　sooner　they　are　hurt：　　a　less　touch　will　kill　a　fly　than　a　man；　consequently　a　less　wound　will　cause　it　pain；　and　the　mouse　which　you　have　now　been　swinging　by　the　tail　over　the　cat's　mouth；　has　not；　you　may　assure　yourself；　suffered　less　torment　or　fright　than　you　would　have　done；　had　you　been　suspended　by　your　leg；　either　over　water；　which　would　drown　you；　or　over　stones；　where　if　you　fell　you　must　certainly　be　dashed　to　pieces。　　And　yet　you　could　take　delight　in　thus　torturing　and　distressing　a　poor　inoffensive　animal。　　Fie　upon　it；　Charles！　fie　upon　it！　　I　thought　you　had　been　a　better　boy；　and　not　such　a　cruel；　naughty；　wicked　fellow。'　　'Wicked！'　repeated　the　boy；　'I　do　not　think　that　I　have　been　at　all　wicked。'　　'But　I　think　you　have　been　extremely　so；'　replied　his　father；　'every　action　that　is　cruel；　and　gives　pain　to　any　living　creature；　is　wicked；　and　is　a　sure　sign　of　a　bad　heart。　　I　never　knew　a　man；　who　was　cruel　to　animals；　kind　and　compassionate　towards　his　fellow…creatures：　　he　might　not　perhaps　treat　them　in　the　same　shocking　manner；　because　the　laws　of　the　land　would　severely　punish　him　if　he　did；　but　if　he　is　restrained　from　bad　actions　by　no　higher　motive　than　fear　of　present　punishment；　his　goodness　cannot　be　very　great。　　A　good　man；　Charles；　always　takes　delight　in　conferring　happiness　on　all　around　him；　nor　would　he　offer　the　smallest　injury　to　the　meanest　insect　that　was　capable　of　feeling。　　'I　am　sure；'　said　the　boy；　'I　have　often　seen　you　kill　wasps；　and　spiders　too；　and　it　was　but　last　week　that　you　bought　a　mouse…trap　yourself　to　catch　mice　in；　although　you　are　so　angry　now　with　me。'　　'And　pray；'　resumed　his　father；　'did　you　ever　see　me　torment　as　well　as　kill　them？　　Or　did　I　ever　keep　them　in　pain　one　moment　longer　than　ne