20-the history of whittington-第1章

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THE　HISTORY　OF　WHITTINGTON





DICK　WHITTINGTON　was　a　very　little　boy　when　his

father　and　mother　died；　so　little；　indeed；　that　he　never

knew　them；　nor　the　place　where　he　was　born。　He

strolled　about　the　country　as　ragged　as　a　colt；　till　he　met

with　a　wagoner　who　was　going　to　London；　and　who　gave

him　leave　to　walk　all　the　way　by　the　side　of　his　wagon

without　paying　anything　for　his　passage。　This　pleased

little　Whittington　very　much；　as　he　wanted　to　see　London

sadly；　for　he　had　heard　that　the　streets　were　paved　with

gold；　and　he　was　willing　to　get　a　bushel　of　it；　but　how

great　was　his　disappointment；　poor　boy！　when　he　saw

the　streets　covered　with　dirt　instead　of　gold；　and　found

himself　in　a　strange　place；　without　a　friend；　without　food；

and　without　money。



Though　the　wagoner　was　so　charitable　as　to　let　him

walk　up　by　the　side　of　the　wagon　for　nothing；　he　took

care　not　to　know　him　when　he　came　to　town；　and　the

poor　boy　was；　in　a　little　time；　so　cold　and　hungry　that

he　wished　himself　in　a　good　kitchen　and　by　a　warm　fire

in　the　country。



In　his　distress　he　asked　charity　of　several　people；　and

one　of　them　bid　him　〃Go　to　work　for　an　idle　rogue。〃

〃That　I　will；〃　said　Whittington；　〃with　all　my　heart；　I

will　work　for　you　if　you　will　let　me。〃



The　man；　who　thought　this　savored　of　wit　and　impertinence

（though　the　poor　lad　intended　only　to　show　his

readiness　to　work）；　gave　him　a　blow　with　a　stick　which

broke　his　head　so　that　the　blood　ran　down。　In　this　situation；

and　fainting　for　want　of　food；　he　laid　himself　down

at　the　door　of　one　Mr。　Fitzwarren；　a　merchant；　where　the

cook　saw　him；　and；　being　an　ill…natured　hussy；　ordered

him　to　go　about　his　business　or　she　would　scald　him。

At　this　time　Mr。　Fitzwarren　came　from　the　Exchange；

and　began　also　to　scold　at　the　poor　boy；　bidding　him　to

go　to　work。



Whittington　answered　that　he　should　be　glad　to　work

if　anybody　would　employ　him；　and　that　he　should　be

able　if　he　could　get　some　victuals　to　eat；　for　he　had　had

nothing　for　three　days；　and　he　was　a　poor　country　boy；

and　knew　nobody；　and　nobody　would　employ　him。



He　then　endeavored　to　get　up；　but　he　was　so　very　weak

that　he　fell　down　again；　which　excited　so　much　compassion

in　the　merchant　that　he　ordered　the　servants　to

take　him　in　and　give　him　some　meat　and　drink；　and　let

him　help　the　cook　to　do　any　dirty　work　that　she　had　to

set　him　about。　People　are　too　apt　to　reproach　those　who

beg　with　being　idle；　but　give　themselves　no　concern　to

put　them　in　the　way　of　getting　business　to　do；　or　con…

sidering　whether　they　are　able　to　do　it；　which　is　not

charity。



But　we　return　to　Whittington；　who　could　have　lived

happy　in　this　worthy　family　had　he　not　been　bumped

about　by　the　cross　cook；　who　must　be　always　roasting

and　basting；　or　when　the　spit　was　idle　employed　her

hands　upon　poor　Whittington！　At　last　Miss　Alice；　his

master's　daughter；　was　informed　of　it；　and　then　she　took

compassion　on　the　poor　boy；　and　made　the　servants　treat

him　kindly。



Besides　the　crossness　of　the　cook；　Whittington　had

another　difficulty　to　get　over　before　he　could　be　happy。

He　had；　by　order　of　his　master；　a　flock…bed　placed　for

him　in　a　garret；　where　there　was　a　number　of　rats　and

mice　that　often　ran　over　the　poor　boy's　nose　and

disturbed　him　in　his　sleep。　After　some　time；　however；

a　gentleman　who　came　to　his　master's　house　gave

Whittington　a　penny　for　brushing　his　shoes。　This　he　put

into　his　pocket；　being　determined　to　lay　it　out　to　the

best　advantage；　and　the　next　day；　seeing　a　woman　in

the　street　with　a　cat　under　her　arm；　he　ran　up　to　know

the　price　of　it。　The　woman　（as　the　cat　was　a　good

mouser）　asked　a　deal　of　money　for　it；　but　on　Whittington's

telling　her　he　had　but　a　penny　in　the　world；　and

that　he　wanted　a　cat　sadly；　she　let　him　have　it。



This　cat　Whittington　concealed　in　the　garret；　for　fear

she　should　be　beat　about　by　his　mortal　enemy　the　cook；

and　here　she　soon　killed　or　frightened　away　the　rats　and

mice；　so　that　the　poor　boy　could　now　sleep　as　sound　as　a

top。



Soon　after　this　the　merchant；　who　had　a　ship　ready

to　sail；　called　for　his　servants；　as　his　custom　was；　in

order　that　each　of　them　might　venture　something　to　try

their　luck；　and　whatever　they　sent　was　to　pay　neither

freight　nor　custom；　for　he　thought　justly　that　God

Almighty　would　bless　him　the　more　for　his　readiness　to　let

the　poor　partake　of　his　fortune。



All　the　servants　appeared　but　poor　Whittington；　who；

having　neither　money　nor　goods；　could　not　think　of　sending

anything　to　try　his　luck；　but　his　good　friend　Miss

Alice；　thinking　his　poverty　kept　him　away；　ordered　him

to　be　called。



She　then　offered　to　lay　down　something　for　him；　but

the　merchant　told　his　daughter　that　would　not　do；　it

must　be　something　of　his　own。　Upon　which　poor　Whittington

said　he　had　nothing　but　a　cat　which　he　bought

for　a　penny　that　was　given　him。　〃Fetch　thy　cat；　boy；〃

said　the　merchant；　〃and　send　her。〃　Whittington　brought

poor　puss　and　delivered　her　to　the　captain；　with　tears　in

his　eyes；　for　he　said　he　should　now　be　disturbed　by　the

rats　and　mice　as　much　as　ever。　All　the　company　laughed

at　the　adventure　but　Miss　Alice；　who　pitied　the　poor

boy；　and　gave　him　something　to　buy　another　cat。



While　puss　was　beating　the　billows　at　sea；　poor

Whittington　was　severely　beaten　at　home　by　his　tyrannical

mistress　the　cook；　who　used　him　so　cruelly；　and　made

such　game　of　him　for　sending　his　cat　to　sea；　that　at　last

the　poor　boy　determined　to　run　away　from　his　place；　and

having　packed　up　the　few　things　he　had；　he　set　out　very

early　in　the　morning　on　All…Hallows　day。　He　traveled

as　far　as　Holloway；　and　there　sat　down　on　a　stone　to

consider　what　course　he　should　take；　but　while　he　was　thus

ruminating；　Bow　bells；　of　which　there　were　only　six；

began　to　ring；　and　he　thought　their　sounds　addressed

him　in　this　manner：



　　〃Turn　again；　Whittington；

　　Thrice　Lord　Mayor　of　London。〃





〃Lord　Mayor　of　London！〃　said　he　to　himself；　〃what

would　not　one　endure　to　be　Lord　Mayor　of　London；　and

ride　in　such　a　fine　coach？　Well；　I'll　go　back　again；　and

bear　all　the　pummelling　and　ill…usage　of　Cicely　rather

than　miss　the　opportunity　of　being　Lord　Mayor！〃　So

home　he　went；　and　happily　got　into　the　house　and　about

his　business　before　Mrs。　Cicely　made　her　appearance。



We　must　now　follow　Miss　Puss　to　the　coast　of　Africa。

How　perilous　are　voyages　at　sea；　how　uncertain　the　winds

and　the　waves；　and　how　many　accidents　attend　a　naval

life！



The　ship　that　had　the　cat　on　board　was　long　beaten　at

sea；　and　at　last；　by　contrary　winds；　driven　on　a　part　of

the　coast　of　Barbary　which　was　inhabited　by　Moors

unknown　to　the　English。　These　people　received　our

countrymen　with　civility；　and　therefore　the　captain；

in　order　to　trade　with　them；　showed　them　the　patterns

of　the　goods　he　had　on　board；　and　sent　some　of　them　to

the　King　of　the　country；　who　was　so　well　pleased　that

he　sent　for　the　captain　and　the　factor　to　come　to　his

palace；　which　was　about　a　mile　from　the　sea。　Here　they

were　placed；　according　to　the　custom　of　the　country；

on　rich　carpets；　flowered　with　gold　and　silver；　and　the

King　and　Queen　being　seated　at　the　upper　end　of　the

room；　dinner　was　brought　in；　which　consisted　of　many

dishes；　but　no　sooner　were　the　dishes　put　down　but　an

amazing　number　of　rats　and　mice　came　from　all　quarters

and　devoured　all　the　meat　in　an　instant。



The　factor；　in　surprise；　turned　round　to　the　nobles　and

asked　if　these　vermin　were　not　offensive。　〃Oh！　yes；〃

said　they；　〃very　offensive；　and　the　King　would　give　half

his　treasure　to　be　freed　of　them；　for　they　not　only

destroy　his　dinner；　as　you　see；　but　they　assault　him　in　his

chamber；　and　even　in　bed；　so　that　he　is　obliged　to　be

watched　while　he　is　sleeping；　for　fear　of　them。〃



The　factor　jumped　for　joy；　he　remembered　poor

Whittington　and　his　cat；　and　told　the　King　he