the life and perambulations of a mouse-第2章

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ith　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；　therefore；　walked　toward　her；　in　order　to　be　by　his　favourite；　but；　upon　his　advancing　near　her；　she　suddenly　jumped　up；　without　considering　what　she　was　about；　overturned　the　water…urn；　the　hot　iron　of　which　rolling　out；　set　fire　to　her　clothes；　which　instantly　blazed　up；　being　only　muslin；　and　burnt　her　arms；　face；　and　neck；　most　dreadfully：　　she　was　so　much　hurt　as　to　be　obliged　to　be　put　immediately　to　bed；　nor　did　she　recover　enough　to　go　abroad　for　many　months。　　Now；　though　every　one　was　sorry　for　her　sufferings；　who　could　possibly　help　blaming　her　for　her　ridiculous　behaviour；　as　it　was　entirely　owing　to　her　own　folly　that　she　was　so　hurt？　When　she　was　talked　to　upon　the　subject；　she　pleaded　for　her　excuse；　that　she　was　so　frightened　she　did　not　know　what　she　did；　nor　whither　she　was　going；　but　as　she　thought　that　the　dog　was　coming　to　her　she　could　not　help　jumping　up；　to　get　out　of　his　way。　　Now　what　ridiculous　arguing　was　this！　Why　could　not　she　help　it？　　And　if　the　dog　had　really　been　going　to　her；　what　harm　would　it　have　done？　　Could　she　suppose　that　the　lady　whose　house　she　was　at；　would　have　suffered　a　beast　to　walk　about　the　house　loose；　and　go　into　company；　if　he　was　apt　to　bite　and　hurt　people？　　Or　why　should　she　think　he　would　more　injure　her；　than　those　he　had　before　passed　by？　　But　the　real　case　was；　she　did　not　think　at　all；　if　she　had　given　herself　time　for　that；　she　could　not　have　acted　so　ridiculously。　　Another　time；　when　she　was　walking；　from　the　same　want　of　reflection；　she　very　nearly　drowned　herself。　　She　was　passing　over　a　bridge；　the　outside　rails　of　which　were　in　some　places　broken　down：　　while　she　was　there；　some　cows；　which　a　man　was　driving；　met　her：　　immediately；　without　minding　whither　she　went；　she　shrieked　out；　and　at　the　same　time　jumped　on　one　side　just　where　the　rail　happened　to　be　broken；　and　down　she　fell　into　the　river；　nor　was　it　without　the　greatest　difficulty　that　she　was　taken　out　time　enough　to　save　her　life。　　However；　she　caught　a　violent　cold　and　fever；　and　was　again；　by　her　own　foolish　fears；　confined　to　her　bed　for　some　weeks。　　Another　accident　she　once　met　with；　which　though　not　quite　so　bad　as　the　two　former；　yet　might　have　been　attended　with　fatal　consequences。　　She　was　sitting　in　a　window；　when　a　wasp　happened　to　fly　toward　her；　she　hastily　drew　back　her　head；　and　broke　the　pane　of　glass　behind　her；　some　of　which　stuck　in　her　neck。　　It　bled　prodigiously；　but　a　surgeon　happily　being　present；　made　some　application　to　it；　which　prevented　its　being　followed　by　any　other　ill　effects　than　only　a　few　days　weakness；　occasioned　by　the　loss　of　blood。　　Many　other　misfortunes　of　the　like　kind　she　frequently　experienced；　but　these　which　I　have　now　related　may　serve　to　convince　you　how　extremely　absurd　it　is　for　people　to　give　way　to　and　indulge　themselves　in　such　groundless　apprehensions；　and；　by　being　afraid　when　there　is　no　danger；　subject　themselves　to　real　misfortunes　and　most　fatal　accidents。　　And　if　being　afraid　of　cows；　dogs；　and　wasps　（all　of　which；　if　they　please；　can　certainly　hurt　us）　is　so　ridiculous；　what　must　be　the　folly　of　those　people　who　are　terrified　at　a　little　silly　mouse；　which　never　was　known　to　hurt　anybody？'

Here　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　some　gentlemen　and　ladies；　and　we　having　enjoyed　a　very　fine　repast　under　one　of　the　chairs　during　the　time　that　the　mother　and　daughter　had　held　the　above　discourse；　on　the　chairs　being　removed　for　some　of　the　visitors　to　sit　upon；　we　thought　it　best　to　retire：　　highly　pleased　with　our　meal；　and　not　less　with　the　kind　goodwill　which　the　lady　had；　we　thought；　expressed　towards　us。　　We　related　to　our　brother　Brighteyes　all　that　had　passed；　and　assured　him　he　had　no　reason　to　apprehend　any　danger　from　venturing　himself　with　us。　　Accordingly　he　promised；　if　such　was　the　case；　that　the　next　time　we　went　and　found　it　safe；　if　we　would　return　back　and　call　him；　he　would　certainly　accompany　us。　　'In　the　mean　time；　do　pray；　Nimble；'　said　he；　addressing　himself　to　me；　'come　with　me　to　some　other　place；　for　I　long　to　taste　some　more　delicate　food　than　our　mother　has　provided　for　us：　　besides；　as　perhaps　it　may　be　a　long　while　before　we　shall　be　strong　enough　to　bring　anything　away　with　us；　we　had　better　leave　that；　in　case　we　should　ever　be　prevented　from　going　abroad　to　seek　for　fresh　supplies。'　　'Very　true；'　replied　I；　'what　you　say　is　quite　just　and　wise；　therefore　I　will　with　all　my　heart　attend　you　now；　and　see　what　we　can　find。'　　So　saying；　we　began　to　climb；　but　not　without　difficulty；　for　very　frequently　the　bits　of　mortar　which　we　stepped　upon　gave　way　beneath　our　feet；　and　tumbled　us　down　together　with　them　lower　than　when　we　first　set　off。　　However；　as　we　were　very　light；　we　were　not　much　hurt　by　our　falls；　only　indeed　poor　Brighteyes；　by　endeavouring　to　save　himself；　caught　by　his　nails　on　a　rafter；　and　tore　one　of　them　from　off　his　right　fore…foot；　which　was　very　sore　and　inconvenient。　　At　length　we　surmounted　all　difficulties；　and；　invited　by　a　strong　scent　of　plum…cake；　entered　a　closet；　where　we　found　a　fine　large　one；　quite　whole　and　entire。　　We　immediately　set　about　making　our　way　in