the life and perambulations of a mouse-第7章

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　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　to　the　same　place；　yet　she　could　not　mean　that　we　should　not　take　up　our　abode　in　a　spot　so　secure　and　comfortable。　　We　therefore　determined　to　continue　where　we　were；　till　we　should　find　some　cause　for　removing。　　And　happy　had　it　been　for　us　if　we　had　kept　to　this　resolution；　and　remained　contented　when　we　had　everything　requisite　to　make　us　so。　　Instead　of　which；　after　we　had　thus；　free　from　care；　passed　our　time　about　seven　months；　like　fools　as　we　were；　we　began　to　grow　weary　of　our　retirement；　and　of　eating　nothing　but　the　same　food；　and　agreed　that　we　would　again　venture　forth　and　seek　for　some　other　lodging；　at　the　same　time　resolving；　in　case　we　could　find　no　habitation　that　suited　us；　to　return　to　the　barn　where　we　had　enjoyed　so　many　days　of　plenty　and　repose。

Accordingly；　one　fine　moonlight　Monday　night；　after　securing　our　supper　on　the　corn；　we　set　forth；　and　travelled　for　some　distance　without　any　further　molestation　than　our　own　natural　fears　created。　　At　length　we　came　to　a　brick　house；　with　about　five　or　six　windows　in　front；　and　made　our　way　into　it　through　a　small　latticed　window　which　gave　air　into　the　pantry；　but　on　our　arrival　here　we　had　no　opportunity　of　so　much　as　observing　what　it　contained；　for　on　our　slipping　down　a　cat　instantly　flew　at　us；　and　by　the　greatest　good　luck　in　the　world；　there　chanced　to　be　a　hole　in　one　of　the　boards　of　the　floor　close　to　the　spot　where　we　stood；　into　which　we　both　were　happy　enough　to　pop；　before　she　could　catch　us。　　Here　we　had　time　to　reflect；　and　severely　blame　ourselves　for　not　being　satisfied　with　our　state　in　the　barn。　　'When；'　said　I；　addressing　myself　to　my　brother；　'when　shall　we　grow　wise；　and　learn　to　know　that　certain　evil　always　attends　every　deviation　from　what　is　right。　　When　we　disobeyed　the　advice　of　our　mother；　and；　tempted　by　cakes　and　other　dainties；　frequently　returned　to　the　same　dangerous　place；　how　severely　did　we　suffer　for　it？　　And　now；　by　our　own　discontent；　and　not　being　satisfied　when　so　safely　though　more　humbly　lodged；　into　what　trouble　have　we　not　plunged　ourselves？　　How　securely　have　we　lived　in　the　barn　for　the　last　seven　months；　and　how　happily　might　we　still　have　continued　there；　had　it　not　been　for　our　restless　dispositions？　Ah！　my　brother；　we　have　acted　foolishly。　　We　ought　to　have　been　contented　when　we　were　at　peace；　and　should　have　considered　that　if　we　had　not　everything　we　could　wish　for；　we　had　every　thing　that　was　necessary；　and　the　life　of　a　mouse　was　never　designed　for　perfect　happiness。　　Such　enjoyment　was　never　intended　for　our　lot；　it　is　the　portion　only　of　beings　whose　capacities　are　far　superior　to　ours。　　We　ought　then　to　have　been　contented；　and　had　we　been　so；　we　should　have　been　as　happy　as　our　state　of　life　would　have　admitted　of。'　　'What　you　say　is　certainly　very　true；'　replied　Longtail；　'and　I　sincerely　wish　that　we　had　thought　of　these　things　before。　　But　what　must　we　now　do？　we　said　we　would　return　to　the　barn　in　case　of　difficulties；　but　that　is　now　impossible；　as；　if　we　attempt　to　retreat；　the　cat　that　drove　us　in　here；　will　certainly　destroy　us；　and　yet　in　proceeding；　what　difficulties　must　we　encounter；　what　dangers　may　we　not　run！　　Oh！　my　beloved　Nimble；'　continued　he；　'what　a　life　of　hazard　is　ours！　to　what　innumerable　accidents　are　we　hourly　exposed！　and　how　is　every　meal　that　we　eat　at　the　risk　of　our　very　existence！'

'It　undoubtedly　is；'　replied　I；　'but　with　all　its　troubles　we　still　are　very　desirous　of　preserving　it：　　let　us　not　then；　my　brother；　indulge　our　hearts　with　murmuring　and　finding　fault　with　that　life；　which；　notwithstanding　all　its　evils；　we　value　so　highly。　　Rather　let　us　endeavour　to　learn　experience；　and；　by　conducting　ourselves　better；　escape　many　of　those　troubles　which　we　now　suffer。'　　So　saving；　I　advised　him　to　follow　me：　　'for；'　added　I；　'it　is　impossible　for　us　to　exist　in　the　spot　in　which　we　are　at　present；　we　must　therefore　strive　to　work　our　way　into　some　other　house　or　apartment；　where　we　can　at　least　find　some　food。'　　To　this　Longtail　agreed；　the　rest　of　the　night；　and　all　the　next　day；　we　spent　in　nibbling　and　finding　our　way　into　a　closet　in　the　house；　which　richly　repaid　us　for　all　our　toil；　as　it　contained　sugar…plums；　rice；　millet；　various　kinds　of　sweetmeats；　and　what　we　liked　better　than　all　the　rest；　a　paper　of　nice　macaroons。　　On　these　we　feasted　most　deliciously　till　our　hunger　was　fully　satisfied；　and　then　creeping　into　a　little　hole；　just　big　enough　to　contain　us　both；　behind　one　of　the　jars　of　sweetmeats；　reposed　ourselves　with　a　nap；　after　our　various　and　great　fatigues　which　we　had　gone　through。　　I　never　was　a　remarkably　sound　sleeper；　the　least　noise　disturbs　me；　and　I　was　awakened　in　the　morning　by　the　servant…maid's　coming　into　the　room　to　sweep　it；　and　get　it　ready　for　the　reception　of　her　mistress　and　family；　who　soon　after　entered。　　As　I　wanted　to　know　from　whom　the　voices　I　heard　proceeded；　I　stepped　softly　from　behind　the　jar　and　just　peeped　under　the　door　into　the　room；　where　I　discovered　a　gentleman；　two　ladies；　and　a　little　boy　and　girl。

As　I　was　totally　unacquainted　with　all　places　of　retreat；　and　did　not　know　how　soon　any　of　them　might　have　occasion　to　open　the　closet　door；　I　instantly　returned　to　my　brother；　and；　awaking　him；　told　him　it　was　time　for　us　to　be　upon　our　guard；　as　the　family　were　all　up　and　about。

Whilst　we　were　thus　situated；　the　first　words　I　heard　distinctly　were　those　of　the　gentleman；　saying；　'No；　Frank；　I　can　never　have　a　good　opinion　of　him；　the　boy　who　could　once　deceive　may；　for　aught　I　know；　do　so　again；　he　has；　by　breaking　his　word；　forfeited　the　only　dependence　one　could　possibly　have　in　him。　　A　person　who　has　once　lost　his　honour　has　no　means　left　of　gaining　credit　to　his　assertions。　　By　honour；　Frank；　I　would　be　understood　to　speak　of　veracity；　of　virtue；　of　scorning　to　commit　a　mean　action；　and　not　that　brutish　sense　in　which　some　understand　it；　as　if　it　consisted　in　a　readiness　to　fight　and　resent　an　injury；　for　so　far　am　I　from　considering　such　behaviour　as　any　proof　of　honour；　that；　on　the　contrary；　I　look　upon　it　as　a　sure　sign　of　want　of　proper　spirit　and　true　honour。　　Fools；　bullies；　and　even　cowards；　will　fight；　whereas　none　but　men　of　sense　and　resolution　and　true　magnanimity　know　how　to　pardon　and　despise　an　insult。'　　'But；　indeed；　sir；'　replied　the　boy；　'at　school；　if　one　did　not　fight；　they　would　laugh　at　one　so；　there　would　be　no　such　thing　as　bearing　it。'　　'And　for　that　very　reason　it　is；　my　dear；　that　I　say；　to　pass　by　and　pardon　an　insult　requires　more　resolution　and　courage　than　mere　fighting　does。　　When　I　wish　you　to　avoid　quarrelling　and　fighting；　I　by　no　means　want　you　to　become　a　coward；　for　I　as　much　abhor　a　dastardly　spirit　as　any　boy　in　your　school　can　possibly　do；　but　I　would　wish　you　to　convince　them　that　you　merited　not　that　appellation；　by　showing　through　the　whole　of　your　behaviour；　a　resolution　that　despised　accidental　pain；　and　avoided　revenging　an　affront　for　no　other　reason　than　because　you　were　convinced　it　shewed　a　much　nobler　spirit　to　pardon　than　to　resent。　　And　you　may　b