the life and perambulations of a mouse-第6部分

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stmas…boxes　to　give　to　you；　and　when　I　am　a　man；　I　will　give　you　a　great　deal　of　money。　　I　wish　you　were　a　lady；　and　not　so　poor。'　　'I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　my　dear；'　said　she；　'for　your　kind　good…wishes；　but；　indeed；　love；　I　am　very　well　contented　with　my　station：　　I　have　a　good　husband；　and　three　good　children；　and　that　is　more　than　many　a　lady　can　say；　and　riches；　Master　George；　unless　people　are　good；　and　those　one　lives　with　are　kind　and　obliging；　will　never　make　anybody　happy。　　What　comfort；　now；　do　you　think　a　body　could　ever　have　at　Squire　Stately's？　　I　declare；　if　it　was　put　to　my　choice；　I　would　rather　a　thousand　times　be　as　I　am。　　To　be　sure；　they　are　very　rich；　but　what　of　that？　they　cannot　eat　gold；　neither　can　gold　ease　their　hearts　when　they　are　bursting　almost　with　pride　and　ill…nature。　　They　say；　indeed；　that　Madam　Stately　would　be　kind　enough；　if　they　would　let　her　rest；　but　what　with　the　Squire's　drinking　and　swearing；　and　the　young　gentleman's　extravagance；　and　her　daughter's　pride　and　quarrelling；　she　is　almost　tired　out　of　her　life。　　And　so；　Master　George；　I　say　I　had　rather　be　poor　Betty　Flood；　with　honest　Abraham　for　my　husband；　than　the　finest　lady　in　the　land；　if　I　must　live　at　such　a　rate。　　To　be　sure；　nobody　can　deny　but　that　money　is　very　desirable；　and　people　that　are　rich　can　do　many　agreeable　things　which　we　poor　ones　cannot；　but　yet；　for　all　that；　money　does　not　make　people　happy。　　Happiness；　Master　George；　depends　greatly　upon　people's　own　tempers　and　dispositions：　　a　person　who　is　fretful　and　cross　will　never　be　happy；　though　he　should　be　made　king　of　all　England；　and　a　person　who　is　contented　and　good…humoured　will　never　be　wretched；　though　he　should　be　as　poor　as　a　beggar。　　So　never　fret　yourself；　love；　because　Betty　Flood　is　poor；　for　though　I　am　poor；　I　am　honest；　and　whilst　my　husband　and　I　are　happy　enough　to　be　blessed　with　health；　and　the　use　of　our　limbs；　we　can　work　for　our　living；　and　though　we　have　no　great　plenty；　still　we　have　sufficient　to　support　us。　　So　pray；　dear；　eat　your　cake　yourself；　for　I　would　not　take　it　from　you　for　ever　so　much。'　　They　then　disputed　for　some　time　who　should　have　it：　　at　last；　George　scuffled　away　from　her；　and　put　it　into　the　closet；　and　then；　nodding　his　head　at　her；　ran　away；　saying；　he　must　go　to　school　that　moment。

Betty　Flood　then　ate　her　breakfast；　and　we　heard　her　say　something　about　the　nasty　mice；　but　what　we　could　not　make　out；　as　she　muttered　softly　to　herself。　　She　then　came　to　the　trunk　behind　which　we　lay；　and　taking　out　of　it　a　roll　of　new　linen；　sat　down　to　needlework。　　At　twelve　o'clock　her　husband　and　son　returned；　so　moving　her　table　out　of　the　way；　she　made　room　for　them　at　the　fire；　and；　fetching　the　frying　pan；　dressed　some　rashers　of　the　nice　bacon　we　had　before　tasted　in　the　cupboard。　　The　boy；　in　the　mean　time；　spread　a　cloth　on　the　table；　and　placed　the　bread　and　cold　pudding　on　it　likewise：　　then；　returning　to　the　closet　for　their　plates；　he　cried　out；　'Lauk！　father；　here　is　a　nice　hunch　of　plum…cake；　can　you　tell　how　it　came？'　　'Not　I；　indeed；　Tom；'　replied　his　father；　'I　can　tell　no　more　than　the　carp　at　the　bottom　of　the　squire's　fish…pond。'　　'Oh；　I　will　tell　you。'　said　Mrs。　Flood；　'I　know　how　it　came。　　Do　you　know；　that　dear　child；　Master　George　Kendall；　brought　it　for　me；　he　called　as　he　went　to　school　this　morning。　　I　told　him　I　would　not　have　it；　but　the　dear　little　soul　popped　it　into　the　cupboard；　and　ran　away　without　it。　　Bless　his　little　heart！　　I　do　think　he　is　the　sweetest　child　that　ever　was　born。　　You　may　laugh　at　me　for　saying　so；　but　I　am　sure　I　should　have　thought　the　same　if　I　had　not　nursed　him　myself。'　　'Indeed；'　replied　her　husband；　'I　do　not　laugh　at　you　for　saying　so；　for　I　think　so　too；　and　so　must　everyone　who　knows　him；　for　when　young　gentlemen　behave　as　he　does；　everybody　must　love　and　admire　them。　　There　is　nothing　I　would　not　do　to　help　and　serve　that　child；　or　any　of　his　family；　they　always　are　so　kind；　and　speak　as　civilly　to　us　poor　folk　as　if　we　were　the　first　lords　or　ladies　in　the　land。　　I　am　sure；　if　it　were　needful；　I　would　go　through　fire　and　water　for　their　sakes；　and　so　would　every　man　in　the　parish；　I　dare　say。　　But　I　wonder　who　would　do　as　much　to　help　Squire　Stately　or　any　of　his　family；　if　it　was　not　that　I　should　think　it　my　duty　（and　an　honest　man　ought　always　to　do　that；　whether　he　likes　it　or　not）；　but　I　say；　if　it　was　not　that　it　would　be　my　duty　to　help　my　fellow…creature；　I　would　scarcely　be　at　the　trouble　of　stepping　over　the　threshold　to　serve　them；　they　are　such　a　set　of　cross；　good…for…nothing　gentry。　　I　declare；　it　was　but　as　we　came　home　to　dinner　now；　that　we　saw　Master　Sam　throwing　sticks　and　stones　at　Dame　Frugal's　ducks；　for　the　sake　of　seeing　them　waddle；　and　then；　when　they　got　to　the　pond；　he　sent　his　dog　in　after　them　to　bark　and　frighten　them　out　of　their　wits。　　And　as　I　came　by；　nothing　would　serve　him　but　throwing　a　great　dab　of　mud　all　over　the　sleeve　of　my　coat。　　So　I　said；　〃Why；　Master　Sam；　you　need　not　have　done　that；　I　did　nothing　to　offend　you；　and　however　amusing　you　may　think　it　to　insult　poor　people；　I　assure　you　it　is　very　wicked；　and　what　no　good　person　in　the　world　would　be　guilty　of。〃　　He　then　set　up　a　great　rude　laugh；　and　I　walked　on　and　said　no　more。　　But　if　all　gentlefolk　were　to　behave　like　that　family；　I　had　rather　be　poor　as　I　am；　than　have　all　their　riches；　if　that　would　make　me　act　like　them。'　　'Very　true；　Abraham；'　replied　his　wife；　'that　is　what　I　say；　and　what　I　told　Master　George　this　morning；　for　to　be　poor；　if　people　do　not　become　so　through　their　own　extravagance；　is　no　disgrace　to　any　body：　　but　to　be　haughty；　cruel；　cross；　and　mischievous；　is　a　disgrace　to　all　who　are　so；　let　their　rank　be　as　exalted　as　it　may。'

Here　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　a　man；　who　begged　Mr。　Flood　to　assist　him　in　unloading　his　cart　of　flour；　as　his　man　was　gone　out；　and　he　could　not　do　it　by　himself。　　'Well；　I　will　come　and　help　you；　with　all　my　heart；'　said　Flood；　'and　so　shall　Tom　too：　　will　you；　my　lad？　　I　cannot　live　without　help　myself；　and　if　I　do　not　assist　others；　I　am　sure　I　shall　not　deserve　any　when　I　want　it。'　　So　saying；　he　left　his　house；　and　his　wife；　after　cleaning　and　putting　in　their　proper　places　those　things　which　had　been　used　at　dinner；　again　sat　down　to　her　sewing。

Soon　after　the　clock　had　struck　six；　the　man　and　his　son　returned；　and；　sitting　round　the　fire；　they　passed　the　evening　in　social　conversation；　till　they　went　to　bed；　which　was　a　little　after　eight；　and　they　convinced　me；　by　their　talk　and　behaviour；　that　happiness　in　this　world　depends　far　more　upon　the　temper　and　disposition　of　the　heart；　than　upon　any　external　possessions；　and　that　virtue；　and　a　desire　to　be　useful　to　others；　afford　far　greater　satisfaction　and　peace　of　mind　than　any　riches　and　grandeur　can　possibly　supply　without　such　necessary　qualifications。　　After　they　were　all　fallen　asleep；　we　crept　out；　and；　leaving　the　candle　unmolested；　which　was　again　placed　on　the　tinder…box　by　the　bed…side；　we　hastened　into　the　closet；　where　we　regaled　heartily；　and　devoured　that　part　of　the　plum…cake　which　Tom　had　very　generously　left　for　his　sister　Polly；　who　we　found　was　expected　home　the　next　day。

We　then　retired　to　our　safe　retreat；　and　thought　we　might　venture　to　stay　for　one　more　night's　provisions　without　running　any　danger　from　our　too　frequent　return　to　the　same　place。　　But　in　the　morning　we　found　our　scheme　frustrated；　for；　on　the　woman's　going　to　the　closet　to　get　her　breakfast；　she　observed　the　robbery　which　we　had　committed；　and　exclaimed；　'Some　teasing　mice　have　found　their　way　into　the　closet：　　I　will　borrow　neighbour　Savewell's　trap　to…night；　and　catch　some　of　the　little　toads；　that　I　will！'　After　hearing　this；　it　would　have　been　madness　to　make　any　further　attempts：　　we　therefore　agreed　to　watch　for　an　opportunity；　and　escape　on　the　very　first　that　offered。　　Accordingly；　about　noon；　when　Mrs。　Flood　was　busily　employed　in　making　some　pancakes；　we　slipped　by　her　unobserved；　and　crept　out　at　the　same　hole　by　which　we　first　entered。　　But　no　sooner　were　we　in　the　open　road；　than　we　repented　our　haste；　and　wished　that　we　had　continued　where　we　were　till　the　darkness　of　the　night　might　better　have　concealed　us　from　the　observation　of　anyone。　　We　crept　as　close　to　the　wall　of　the　house　（as　far　as　it　reached；　which　was　but　a　few　paces）　as　we　possibly　could；　and　then　stepped　into　a　little　ditch；　which　we　were　soon　obliged　to　leave　again；　as　the　water　ran　in　some　parts　of　it　almost　up　to　the　edge。

At　length　we　reached　a　little　cottage；　which　we　were　just　entering；　when　a　cat　that　was　sleeping　unnoticed　by　us　upon　a　chair；　jumped　down；　and　would　certainly　have　destroyed　me　（who　happened　to　go　first）　had　she　not　at　the　same　moment　tried　to　catch　my　brother；　and　by　that　means　missed　her　aim；　and　so　given　us　both　an　opportunity　to　escape；　which　we　did　by　scrambling　behind　a　brick　that　a　child　had　been　playing　with　by　the　side　of　the　door。　　Fortunately；　the　brick　lay　too　close　to　the　house　for　the　cat　to　get　her　paw　behind　it；　so　as　to　be　able　to　reach　us；　though　to　avoid　it　we　were　obliged　to　use　the　greatest　precaution；　as　she　could　thrust　it　in　a　little　way；　so　that　if　we　had　gone　one　inch　too　near　either　end；　she　would　certainly　have　dragged　us　out　by　her　talons。　　In　this　dreadful　situation　did　we　spend　some　hours；　incessantly　moving　from　one　end　of　the　brick　to　the　other；　for　the　moment　she　had；　by　the　entrance　of　her　paw　at　one　end；　driven　us　to　the　other；　she　stepped　over；　and　again　made　us　retreat。　　Think　with　what　dreadful　terror　our　little　hearts　must　have　been　oppressed；　to　see　our　mortal　enemy　so　closely　watching　us；　expecting　every　moment　when　she　shook　the　brick　with　her　two　forepaws　in　searching；　and　with　her　mouth　endeavoured　to　lift　it　up；　that　she　would　be　so　far　able　to　effect　her　purpose；　as　to　make　it　impossible　for　us　to　escape　her　jaws。　　But；　happily　for　us；　it　had　somehow　or　other　got　so　wedged　that　she　could　not　move　it　to　any　distance；　though　it　kept　momentarily　increasing　our　terrors；　by　shaking　as　she　strove　to　turn　it。

From　this　state　of　horror；　however；　we　were　at　length　delivered　by　a　little　boy　of　about　two