the life and perambulations of a mouse-第1章

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The　Life　and　Perambulations　of　a　Mouse

by　Dorothy　Kilner





INTRODUCTION

During　a　remarkably　severe　winter；　when　a　prodigious　fall　of　snow　confined　everybody　to　their　habitations；　who　were　happy　enough　to　have　one　to　shelter　them　from　the　inclemency　of　the　season；　and　were　hot　obliged　by　business　to　expose　themselves　to　its　rigour；　I　was　on　a　visit　to　Meadow　Hall；　where　had　assembled　likewise　a　large　party　of　young　folk；　who　all　seemed；　by　their　harmony　and　good　humour；　to　strive　who　should　the　most　contribute　to　render　pleasant　that　confinement　which　we　were　all　equally　obliged　to　share。　　Nor　were　those　further　advanced　in　life　less　anxious　to　contribute　to　the　general　satisfaction　and　entertainment。

After　the　more　serious　employment　of　reading　each　morning　was　concluded；　we　danced；　we　sung；　we　played　at　blind…man's…buff；　battledore　and　shuttlecock；　and　many　other　games　equally　diverting　and　innocent；　and　when　tired　of　them；　drew　our　seats　round　the　fire；　while　each　one　in　turn　told　some　merry　story　to　divert　the　company。

At　last；　after　having　related　all　that　we　could　recollect　worth　reciting；　and　being　rather　at　a　loss　what　to　say　next；　a　sprightly　girl　in　company　proposed　that　every　one　should　relate　the　history　of　their　own　lives；　'and　it　must　be　strange　indeed；'　added　she；　'if　that　will　not　help　us　out　of　this　difficulty；　and　furnish　conversation　for　some　days　longer；　and　by　that　time；　perhaps；　the　frost　will　break；　the　snow　will　melt；　and　set　us　all　at　liberty。　　But　let　it　break　when　it　will；　I　make　a　law；　that　no　one　shall　go　from　Meadow　Hall　till　they　have　told　their　own　history：　　so　take　notice；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　take　notice；　everybody；　what　you　have　to　trust　to。　　And　because；'　continued　she；　'I　will　not　be　unreasonable；　and　require　more　from　you　than　you　can　perform；　I　will　give　all　you　who　may　perhaps　have　forgotten　what　passed　so　many　years　ago；　at　the　beginning　of　your　lives；　two　days　to　recollect　and　digest　your　story；　by　which　time　if　you　do　not　produce　something　pretty　and　entertaining；　we　will　never　again　admit　you　to　dance　or　play　among　us。'　　All　this　she　spoke　with　so　good…humoured　a　smile；　that　every　one　was　delighted　with　her；　and　promised　to　do　their　best　to　acquit　themselves　to　her　satisfaction；　whilst　some　（the　length　of　whose　lives　had　not　rendered　them　forgetful　of　the　transactions　which　had　passed）　instantly　began　their　memoirs；　as　they　called　them：　　and　really　some　related　their　narratives　with　such　spirit　and　ingenuity；　that　it　quite　distressed　us　older　ones；　lest　we　should　disgrace　ourselves　when　it　should　fall　to　our　turns　to　hold　forth。　　However；　we　were　all　determined　to　produce　something；　as　our　fair　directress　ordered。　　Accordingly；　the　next　morning　I　took　up　my　pen；　to　endeavour　to　draw　up　some　kind　of　a　history；　which　might　satisfy　my　companions　in　confinement。　　I　took　up　my　pen；　it　is　true；　and　laid　the　paper　before　me；　but　not　one　word　toward　my　appointed　task　could　I　proceed。　The　various　occurrences　of　my　life　were　such　as；　far　from　affording　entertainment；　would；　I　was　certain；　rather　afflict；　or；　perhaps；　not　interesting　enough　for　that；　only　stupefy；　and　render　them　more　weary　of　the　continuation　of　the　frost　than　they　were　before　I　began　my　narration。　　Thus　circumstanced；　therefore；　although　by　myself；　I　broke　silence　by　exclaiming；　'What　a　task　his　this　sweet　girl　imposed　upon　me！　　One　which　I　shall　never　be　able　to　execute　to　my　own　satisfaction　or　her　amusement。　　The　adventures　of　my　life　（though　deeply　interesting　to　myself）　will　be　insipid　and　unentertaining　to　others；　especially　to　my　young　hearers：　　I　cannot；　therefore；　attempt　it。''Then　write　mine；　which　may　be　more　diverting；'　said　a　little　squeaking　voice；　which　sounded　as　if　close　to　me。　　I　started　with　surprise；　not　knowing　any　one　to　be　near　me；　and　looking　round；　could　discover　no　object　from　whom　it　could　possibly　proceed；　when　casting　my　eyes　upon　the　ground；　in　a　little　hole　under　the　skirting…board；　close　by　the　fire；　I　discovered　thehead　of　a　mouse　peeping　out。　　I　arose　with　a　design　to　stop　the　hole　with　a　cork；　which　happened　to　lie　on　the　table　by　me；　and　I　was　surprised　to　find　that　it　did　not　run　away；　but　suffered　me　to　advance　quite　close；　and　then　only　retreated　a　little　into　the　hole；　saying　in　the　same　voice　as　before；　'Will　you　write　my　history？'　　You　may　be　sure　that　I　was　much　surprised　to　be　so　addressed　by　such　an　animal；　but；　ashamed　of　discovering　any　appearance　of　astonishment；　lest　the　mouse　should　suppose　it　had　frightened　me；　I　answered　with　the　utmost　composure；　that　I　would　write　it　willingly　if　it　would　dictate　to　me。　　'Oh；　that　I　will　do；'　replied　the　mouse；　'if　you　will　not　hurt　me。''Not　for　the　world；'　returned　I；　'come；　therefore；　and　sit　upon　my　table；　that　I　may　hear　more　distinctly　what　you　have　to　relate。'　　It　instantly　accepted　my　invitation；　and　with　all　the　nimbleness　of　its　species；　ran　up　the　side　of　my　chair；　and　jumped　upon　my　table；　when；　getting　into　a　box　of　wafers；　it　began　as　follows。



But；　before　I　proceed　to　relate　my　new　little　companion's　history；　I　must　beg　leave　to　assure　my　readers　that；　in　earnest；　I　never　heard　a　mouse　speak　in　all　my　life；　and　only　wrote　the　following　narrative　as　being　far　more　entertaining；　and　not　less　instructive；　than　my　own　life　would　have　been：　　and　as　it　met　with　the　high　approbation　of　those　for　whom　it　was　written；　I　have　sent　it　to　Mr。　Marshall；　for　him　to　publish　it；　if　he　pleases；　for　the　equal　amusement　of　his　little　customers。



PART　I。

Like　all　other　newborn　animals；　whether　of　the　human；　or　any　other　species；　I　can　not　pretend　to　remember　what　passed　during　my　infant　days。　　The　first　circumstance　I　can　recollect　was　my　mother's　addressing　me　and　my　three　brothers；　who　all　lay　in　the　same　nest；　in　the　following　words：…'I　have；　my　children；　with　the　greatest　difficulty；　and　at　the　utmost　hazard　of　my　life；　provided　for　you　all　to　the　present　moment；　but　the　period　is　arrived；　when　I　can　no　longer　pursue　that　method：　　snares　and　traps　are　everywhere　set　for　me；　nor　shall　I；　without　infinite　danger；　be　able　to　procure　sustenance　to　support　my　own　existence；　much　less　can　I　find　sufficient　for　you　all；　and；　indeed；　with　pleasure　I　behold　it　as　no　longer　necessary；　since　you　are　of　age　now　to　provide　and　shift　for　yourselves；　and　I　doubt　not　but　your　agility　will　enable　you　to　procure　a　very　comfortable　livelihood。　　Only　let　me　give　you　this　one　cautionnever　（whatever　the　temptation　may　be）　appear　often　in　the　same　place；　if　you　do；　however　you　may　flatter　yourselves　to　the　contrary；　you　will　certainly　at　last　be　destroyed。'　　So　saying；　she　stroked　us　all　with　her　fore　paw　as　a　token　of　her　affection；　and　then　hurried　away；　to　conceal　from　us　the　emotions　of　her　sorrow；　at　thus　sending　us　into　the　wide　world。

She　was　no　sooner　gone；　than　the　thought　of　being　our　own　directors　so　charmed　our　little　hearts；　that　we　presently　forgot　our　grief　at　parting　from　our　kind　parent；　and；　impatient　to　use　our　liberty；　we　all　set　forward　in　search　of　some　food；　or　rather　some　adventure；　as　our　mother　had　left　us　victuals　more　than　sufficient　to　supply　the　wants　of　that　day。　　With　a　great　deal　of　difficulty；　we　clambered　up　a　high　wall　on　the　inside　of　a　wainscot；　till　we　reached　the　story　above　that　we　were　born　in；　where　we　found　it　much　easier　to　run　round　within　the　skirting…board；　than　to　ascend　any　higher。

While　we　were　there；　our　noses　were　delightfully　regaled　with　the　scent　of　the　most　delicate　food　that　we　had　ever　smelt；　we　were　anxious　to　procure　a　taste　of　it　likewise；　and　after　running　round　and　round　the　room　a　great　many　times；　we　at　last　discovered　a　little　crack；　through　which　we　made　our　entrance。　　My　brother　Longtail　led　the　way；　I　followed；　Softdown　came　next；　but　Brighteyes　would　not　be　prevailed　upon　to　venture。　　The　apartment　which　we　entered　was　spacious　and　elegant；　at　least；　differed　so　greatly　from　anything　we　had　seen；　that　we　imagined　it　the　finest　place　upon　earth。　　It　was　covered　all　over　with　a　carpet　of　various　colours；　that　not　only　concealed　some　bird…seeds　which　we　came　to　devour；　but　also　for　some　time　prevented　our　being　discovered；　as　we　were　of　much　the　same　hue　with　many　of　the　flowers　on　the　carpet。　　At　last　a　little　girl；　who　was　at　work　in　the　room；　by　the　side　of　her　mamma；　shrieked　out　as　if　violently　hurt。　　Her　mamma　begged　to　know　the　cause　of　her　sudden　alarm。　　Upon　which　she　called　out；　'A　mouse！　a　mouse！　　I　saw　one　under　the　chair！'　　'And　if　you　did；　my　dear；'　replied　her　mother；　'is　that　any　reason　for　your　behaving　so　ridiculously？　　If　there　were　twenty　mice；　what　harm　could　they　possibly　do？　You　may　easily　hurt　and　destroy　then；；　but；　poor　little　things！　they　cannot；　if　they　would；　hurt　you。'　　'What；　could　they　not　bite　me？'　inquired　the　child。　　'They　may；　indeed；　be　able　to　do　that；　but　you　may　be　very　sure　that　they　have　no　such　inclination；'　rejoined　the　mother。　　'A　mouse　is　one　of　the　most　timorous　things　in　the　world；　every　noise　alarms　it：　　and　though　it　chiefly　lives　by　plunder；　it　appears　as　if　punished　by　its　fears　for　the　mischiefs　which　it　commits　among　our　property。　　It　is　therefore　highly　ridiculous　to　pretend　to　be　alarmed　at　the　sight　of　a　creature　that　would　run　from　the　sound　of　your　voice；　and　wishes　never　to　come　near　you；　lest；　as　you　are　far　more　able；　you　should　also　be　disposed　to　hurt　it。'　　'But　I　am　sure；　madam；'　replied　the　little　girl；　whose　name　I　afterwards　heard　was　Nancy；　'they　do　not　always　run　away；　for　one　day；　as　Miss　Betsy　Kite　was　looking　among　some　things　which　she　had　in　her　box；　a　mouse　jumped　out　and　ran　up　her　frock　sleeveshe　felt　it　quite　up　on　her　arm。'　　'And　what　became　of　it　then？'　inquired　the　mother。　　'It　jumped　down　again；'　replied　Nancy；　'and　got　into　a　little　hole　in　the　window…seat；　and　Betsy　did　not　see　it　again。'　　'Well；　then；　my　dear；'　resumed　the　lady；　'what　harm　did　it　do　her？　Is　not　that　a　convincing　proof　of　what　I　say；　that　you　have　no　cause　to　be　afraid　of　them；　and　that　it　is　very　silly　to　be　so？　　It　is　certainly　foolish　to　be　afraid　of　any　thing；　unless　it　threatens　us　with　immediate　danger；　but　to　pretend　to　be　so　at　a　mouse；　and　such　like　inoffensive　things；　is　a　degree　of　weakness　that　I　can　by　no　means　suffer　any　of　my　children　to　indulge。'　　'May　I　then；　madam；'　inquired　the　child；　'be　afraid　of　cows　and　horses；　and　such　great　beasts　as　those？'　　'Certainly　not；'　answered　her　mother；　'unless　they　are　likely　to　hurt　you。　　If　a　cow　or　an　horse　runs　after　you；　I　would　have　you　fear　them　so　much　as　to　get　out　of　the　way；　but　if　they　are　quietly　walking　or　grazing　in　a　field；　then　to　fly　from　them；　as　if　you　thought　they　would　eat　you　instead　of　the　grass；　is　most　absurd；　and　discovers　great　want　of　sense。　　I　once　knew　a　young　lady；　who；　I　believe；　thought　it　looked　pretty　to　be　terrified　at　everything；　and　scream　if　dog　or　even　a　mouse　looked　at　her：　　but　most　severely　was　she　punished　for　her　folly；　by　several　very　disagreeable　accidents　she　by　those　means　brought　upon　herself。

'One　day　when　she　was　drinking　tea　in　a　large　company；　on　the　door　being　opened；　a　small　Italian　greyhound　walked　into　the　drawing…room。　　She　happened　to　be　seated　near　the　mistress　of　the　dog；　who　was　making　tea：　　the　dog；　t