20-the history of whittington-第2章

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The　factor　jumped　for　joy；　he　remembered　poor

Whittington　and　his　cat；　and　told　the　King　he　had　a　creature

on　board　the　ship　that　would　despatch　all　these　vermin

immediately。　The　King's　heart　heaved　so　high　at　the

joy　which　this　news　gave　him　that　his　turban　dropped　off

his　head。　〃Bring　this　creature　to　me；〃　said　he；　〃vermin

are　dreadful　in　a　court；　and　if　she　will　perform　what　you

say　I　will　load　your　ship　with　gold　and　jewels　in　exchange

for　her。〃　The　factor；　who　knew　his　business；　took　this

opportunity　to　set　forth　the　merits　of　Miss　Puss。　He

told　his　Majesty　that　it　would　be　inconvenient　to　part

with　her；　as；　when　she　was　gone；　the　rats　and　mice　might

destroy　the　goods　in　the　shipbut　to　oblige　his　Majesty

he　would　fetch　her。　〃Run；　run；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃I　am

impatient　to　see　the　dear　creature。〃



Away　flew　the　factor；　while　another　dinner　was

providing；　and　returned　with　the　cat　just　as　the　rats　and

mice　were　devouring　that　also。　He　immediately　put

down　Miss　Puss；　who　killed　a　great　number　of　them。



The　King　rejoiced　greatly　to　see　his　old　enemies

destroyed　by　so　small　a　creature；　and　the　Queen　was　highly

pleased；　and　desired　the　cat　might　be　brought　near　that

she　might　look　at　her。　Upon　which　the　factor　called

〃Pussy；　pussy；　pussy！〃　and　she　came　to　him。　He　then

presented　her　to　the　Queen；　who　started　back；　and　was

afraid　to　touch　a　creature　who　had　made　such　havoc

among　the　rats　and　mice；　however；　when　the　factor

stroked　the　cat　and　called　〃Pussy；　pussy！〃　the　Queen

also　touched　her　and　cried　〃Putty；　putty！〃　for　she　had

not　learned　English。



He　then　put　her　down　on　the　Queen's　lap；　where　she；

purring；　played　with　her　Majesty's　hand；　and　then　sang

herself　to　sleep。



The　King；　having　seen　the　exploits　of　Miss　Puss；　and

being　informed　that　her　kittens　would　stock　the　whole

country；　bargained　with　the　captain　and　factor　for　the

whole　ship's　cargo；　and　then　gave　them　ten　times　as

much　for　the　cat　as　all　the　rest　amounted　to。　On　which；

taking　leave　of　their　Majesties　and　other　great　personages

at　court；　they　sailed　with　a　fair　wind　for　England；

whither　we　must　now　attend　them。



The　morn　had　scarcely　dawned　when　Mr。　Fitzwarren

arose　to　count　over　the　cash　and　settle　the　business　for

that　day。　He　had　just　entered　the　counting…house；　and

seated　himself　at　the　desk；　when　somebody　came；　tap；

tap；　at　the　door。　〃Who's　there？〃　said　Mr。　Fitzwarren。

〃A　friend；〃　answered　the　other。　〃What　friend　can　come

at　this　unseasonable　time？〃　〃A　real　friend　is　never

unseasonable；〃　answered　the　other。　〃I　come　to　bring　you

good　news　of　your　ship　Unicorn。〃　The　merchant

bustled　up　in　such　a　hurry　that　he　forgot　his　gout；

instantly　opened　the　door；　and　who　should　be　seen　waiting

but　the　captain　and　factor；　with　a　cabinet　of　jewels；　and

a　bill　of　lading；　for　which　the　merchant　lifted　up　his　eyes

and　thanked　heaven　for　sending　him　such　a　prosperous

voyage。　Then　they　told　him　the　adventures　of　the　cat；

and　showed　him　the　cabinet　of　jewels　which　they　had

brought　for　Mr。　Whittington。　Upon　which　he　cried　out

with　great　earnestness；　but　not　in　the　most　poetical

manner：



　　〃Go；　send　him　in；　and　tell　him　of　his　fame；

　　And　call　him　Mr。　Whittington　by　name。〃





It　is　not　our　business　to　animadvert　upon　these　lines；

we　are　not　critics；　but　historians。　It　is　sufficient　for　us

that　they　are　the　words　of　Mr。　Fitzwarren；　and　though

it　is　beside　our　purpose；　and　perhaps　not　in　our　power　to

prove　him　a　good　poet；　we　shall　soon　convince　the　reader

that　he　was　a　good　man；　which　was　a　much　better　character；

for　when　some　who　were　present　told　him　that　this

treasure　was　too　much　for　such　a　poor　boy　as　Whittington；

he　said：　〃God　forbid　that　I　should　deprive　him　of

a　penny；　it　is　his　own；　and　he　shall　have　it　to　a　farthing。〃

He　then　ordered　Mr。　Whittington　in；　who　was　at　this

time　cleaning　the　kitchen　and　would　have　excused　himself

from　going　into　the　counting…house；　saying　the　room

was　swept　and　his　shoes　were　dirty　and　full　of　hob…nails。

The　merchant；　however；　made　him　come　in；　and　ordered

a　chair　to　be　set　for　him。　Upon　which；　thinking　they

intended　to　make　sport　of　him；　as　had　been　too　often　the

case　in　the　kitchen；　he　besought　his　master　not　to　mock

a　poor　simple　fellow；　who　intended　them　no　harm；　but

let　him　go　about　his　business。　The　merchant；　taking

him　by　the　hand；　said：　〃Indeed；　Mr。　Whittington；　I　am

in　earnest　with　you；　and　sent　for　you　to　congratulate

you　on　your　great　success。　Your　cat　has　procured　you

more　money　than　I　am　worth　in　the　world；　and　may　you

long　enjoy　it　and　be　happy！〃



At　length；　being　shown　the　treasure；　and　convinced

by　them　that　all　of　it　belonged　to　him；　he　fell　upon　his

knees　and　thanked　the　Almighty　for　his　providential　care

of　such　a　poor　and　miserable　creature。　He　then　laid　all

the　treasure　at　his　master's　feet；　who　refused　to　take　any

part　of　it；　but　told　him　he　heartily　rejoiced　at　his

prosperity；　and　hoped　the　wealth　he　had　acquired　would　be　a

comfort　to　him；　and　would　make　him　happy。　He　then

applied　to　his　mistress；　and　to　his　good　friend　Miss　Alice；

who　refused　to　take　any　part　of　the　money；　but　told　him

she　heartily　rejoiced　at　his　good　success；　and　wished　him

all　imaginable　felicity。　He　then　gratified　the　captain；

factor；　and　the　ship's　crew　for　the　care　they　had　taken　of

his　cargo。　He　likewise　distributed　presents　to　all　the

servants　in　the　house；　not　forgetting　even　his　old　enemy

the　cook；　though　she　little　deserved　it。



After　this　Mr。　Fitzwarren　advised　Mr。　Whittington　to

send　for　the　necessary　people　and　dress　himself　like　a

gentleman；　and　made　him　the　offer　of　his　house　to　live

in　till　he　could　provide　himself　with　a　better。



Now　it　came　to　pass　when　Mr。　Whittington's　face　was

washed；　his　hair　curled；　and　he　dressed　in　a　rich　suit　of

clothes；　that　he　turned　out　a　genteel　young　fellow；　and；

as　wealth　contributes　much　to　give　a　man　confidence；　he

in　a　little　time　dropped　that　sheepish　behavior　which　was

principally　occasioned　by　a　depression　of　spirits；　and　soon

grew　a　sprightly　and　good　companion；　insomuch　that

Miss　Alice；　who　had　formerly　pitied　him；　now　fell　in　love

with　him。



When　her　father　perceived　they　had　this　good　liking

for　each　other　he　proposed　a　match　between　them；　to

which　both　parties　cheerfully　consented；　and　the　Lord

Mayor；　Court　of　Aldermen；　Sheriffs；　the　Company　of

Stationers；　the　Royal　Academy　of　Arts；　and　a　number

of　eminent　merchants　attended　the　ceremony；　and　were

elegantly　treated　at　an　entertainment　made　for　that　purpose。



History　further　relates　that　they　lived　very　happy；　had

several　children；　and　died　at　a　good　old　age。　Mr。

Whittington　served　as　Sheriff　of　London　and　was　three　times

Lord　Mayor。　In　the　last　year　of　his　mayoralty　he

entertained　King　Henry　V　and　his　Queen；　after　his

conquest　of　France；　upon　which　occasion　the　King；　in

consideration　of　Whittington's　merit；　said：　〃Never　had

prince　such　a　subject〃；　which　being　told　to　Whittington

at　the　table；　he　replied：　〃Never　had　subject　such　a　king。〃

His　Majesty；　out　of　respect　to　his　good　character；

conferred　the　honor　of　knighthood　on　him　soon　after。



Sir　Richard　many　years　before　his　death　constantly　fed

a　great　number　of　poor　citizens；　built　a　church　and　a　college

to　it；　with　a　yearly　allowance　for　poor　scholars；　and　near

it　erected　a　hospital。



He　also　built　Newgate　for　criminals；　and　gave　liberally

to　St。　Bartholomew's　Hospital　and　other　public　charities。