the life and perambulations of a mouse-第4章

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　a　week；　when；　one　evening；　as　we　were　as　usual　hastening　to　find　our　suppers；　Softdown；　who　happened　to　be　first；　ran　eagerly　to　a　piece　of　cheese；　which　he　saw　hanging　before　him。　　'Come　along；'　said　he；　'here　is　some　nice　cheese；　it　smells　most　delightfully　good！'　　Just　as　he　spoke　these　words；　before　any　of　us　came　up　to　him；　a　little　wooden　door　on　a　sudden　dropped　down；　and　hid　him　and　the　cheese　from　our　sight。

It　is　impossible　to　describe　our　consternation　and　surprise　upon　this　occasion；　which　was　greatly　increased　when　we　advanced　near　the　place；　at　seeing　him　（through　some　little　wire　bars）　confined　in　a　small　box；　without　any　visible　way　for　him　to　get　out；　and　hearing　him　in　the　most　moving　accents　beg　us　to　assist　him　in　procuring　his　liberty。　　We　all　ran　round　and　round　his　place　of　confinement　several　times；　but　not　the　least　crack　or　opening　could　we　discover；　except　through　the　bars；　which　being　of　iron；　it　was　impossible　for　us　to　break　or　bend。　　At　length　we　determined　to　try　to　gnaw　through　the　wood…work　close　at　the　edge；　which　being　already　some　little　distance　from　one　of　the　bars；　we　hoped；　by　making　the　opening　a　little　wider；　he　would　escape：　　accordingly　we　all　began；　he　on　the　inside；　and　we　all　on　the　out；　and　by　our　diligence　had　made　some　very　considerable　progress；　when　we　were　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Mrs。　Nurse　with　the　child　in　her　arms。

Upon　the　sight　of　her；　though　much　grieved　to　leave　our　brother　in　his　distress；　yet　fearing　instant　death　would　be　the　fate　of　all　of　us　if　we　stayed；　to　preserve　our　own　existence；　we　retired　as　quick　as　possible；　but　not　without　her　seeing　some　of　us；　for　we　heard　her　say　to　herself；　or　to　the　babe　in　her　arms；　'I　declare；　this　closet　swarms　with　mice；　they　spoil　everything　one　puts　here。'　　Then　taking　up　the　box　in　which　was　poor　Softdown　（and　which　I　afterwards　learned　was　called　a　trap）　she　carried　it　intO　the　room。　　I　crept　softly　after　her；　to　see　what　would　be　the　fate　of　my　beloved　brother。　　But　what　words　can　express　my　horror；　when　I　saw　her　holding　it　in　one　hand　close　to　the　candle；　whilst　in　the　other　she　held　the　child；　singing　to　her　with　the　utmost　composure；　and　bidding　her　to　look　at　the　mousy！　mousy！

What　were　the　actions　or　sensations　of　poor　Softdown　at　that　dreadful　moment　I　know　not：　　but　my　own　anguish；　which　it　is　impossible　to　describe；　was　still　augmented　every　moment　by　seeing　her　shake　the　trap　almost　topsy…turvy；　then　blow　through　the　trap　at　one　end；　at　which　times　I　saw　the　dear　creature's　tail　come　out　between　the　wires　on　the　contrary　side；　as　he　was　striving；　I　suppose；　to　retreat　from　her。　　At　length；　after　she　had　thus　tortured　him　for　some　time；　she　set　the　trap　on　the　table；　so　close　to　a　large　fire；　that　I　am　sure　he　must　have　been　much　incommoded　by　the　heat；　and　began　to　undress　her　child。

Then　hearing　somebody　go　by　the　door；　she　cried　out；　'Who　is　there？　is　it　you；　Betty？　if　it　is；　I　wish　you　would　come　and　take　down　the　mouse…trap；　for　I　have　caught　a　mouse。'　　Betty　instantly　obeyed　her　call；　and　desired　to　know　what　she　wanted。　　'I　want　you　to　take　down　the　mouse…trap；'　she　replied；　'for　I　cannot　leave　the　child。　　I　am　glad　that　I　have　got　it；　I　am　sure；　for　the　closet　swarms　so；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　bearing　it。　　They　devour　everything：　　I　declare　they　have　eaten　up　a　whole　pound　of　sugar；　which　cost　me　elevenpence；　sugar　is　now　so　monstrously　dear！　indeed　the　man　made　a　favour　to　let　me　have　it　for　that；　only；　he　said；　as　our　family　were　good　customers；　and　I　was　but　a　servant；　he　would　take　no　more。　　And　enough　too　I　thought　it　was；　to　have　only　a　penny　back　in　change　out　of　a　whole　shilling　for　one　pound　of　sugar：　　and　then　to　think　of　the　poison　mice　to　have　it　all；　but　I　will　break　their　filthy　necks。　　Do；　Betty；　pray　take　the　trap　down；　and　return　with　it　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　I　will　set　it　again：　　for　I　dare　say　I　shall　catch　another　before　I　go　to　bed；　for　I　heard　some　more　rustling　among　the　things。'　　'O　lauk！'　replied　Betty；　'yon　do　not　think　that　I　will　take　down　the　trap；　do　you？　I　would　not　touch　it　for　twenty　pounds。　　I　am　always　frightened；　and　ready　to　die　at　the　sight　of　a　mouse。　　Once；　when　I　was　a　girl；　I　had　one　thrown　in　my　face；　and　ever　since　I　have　always　been　scared　out　of　my　wits　at　them；　and　if　ever　I　see　one　running　loose；　as　I　did　one　night　in　the　closet　below　stairs；　where　the　candles　are　kept；　I　scream　as　if　I　was　being　killed。'　　'Why　then；'　answered　Nurse；　'I　think　you　behave　like　a　great　fool；　for　what　harm　could　a　mouse　do　to　you？'　　'O　la！　I　hate　them；'　returned　she；　and　then　ran　away　without　the　trap。　　Greatly　was　I　rejoiced　at　her　departure；　as　I　hoped　that；　by　some　means；　Softdown　might　still　be　able　to　make　his　escape。　　But；　alas！　no　such　good　fortune　attended　him。　　Some　person　again　passing　the　door；　Nurse　once　more　called　out；　'Who　is　there？　John　is　it　you？'　　'Yes；'　replied　a　man's　voice。　　'Then　do　you　step　in；　will　you；　for　a　moment？'　rejoined　Mrs。　Nurse：　　and　instantly　entered　a　man　whom　I　had　never　before　seen。　　'What　do　you　want；　Nurse？'　said　he。　　'I　only　want　to　get　rid　of　a　mouse；'　returned　she；　'and；　do　you　know；　Betty　is　such　a　fool　that　she　is　afraid　of　taking　it；　and　I　want　the　trap　to　set　it　again；　for　they　swarm　here　like　bees　in　a　hive；　one　can　have　no　peace　for　them：　　they　devour　and　spoil　every　thing；　I　say　sometimes　that　I　believe　they　will　eat　me　up　at　last。'　　While　she　was　saying　this；　John　took　the　trap　in　his　hand；　held　it　up　once　more　to　the　candle；　then　taking　a　piece　of　thread　out　of　a　paper；　that　lay　bound　round　with　a　dirty　blue　ribbon　upon　the　table；　he　shook　the　trap　about　till　he　got　my　brother's　tail　through　the　wires；　when　catching　hold　of　it；　he　tied　the　thread　tight　round　it　and　dragged　him　by　it　to　the　door　of　the　trap；　which　he　opened；　and　took　him　out；　suspending　the　weight　of　his　body　upon　his　tail。

Softdown；　who　till　the　thread　was　tied　had　patiently　continued　perfectly　quiet；　could　no　longer　support　the　pain　without　dismal　cries　and　anguish：　　he　squeaked　as　loud　as　his　little　throat　would　let　him；　exerting　at　the　same　time　the　utmost　of　his　strength　to　disengage　himself。　　But　in　such　a　position；　with　his　head　downward；　in　vain　were　all　his　efforts　to　procure　relief；　and　the　barbarous　monster　who　held　him　discovered　not　the　smallest　emotions　of　pity　for　his　sufferings。　　Oh！　how　at　that　moment　did　I　abhor　my　own　existence；　and　wish　that　I　could　be　endowed　with　size　and　strength　sufficient；　at　once　both　to　rescue　him；　and　severely　punish　his　tormentors。　　But　my　wish　was　ineffectual；　and　I　had　the　inexpressible　affliction　of　seeing　the　inhuman　wretch　hold　him　down　upon　the　hearth；　whilst；　without　remorse；　he　crushed　him　beneath　his　foot；　and　then　carelessly　kicked　him　into　the　ashes；　saying；　'There！　　The　cat　will　smell　it　out　when　she　comes　up。'　　My　very　blood　runs　cold　within　me　at　the　recollection　of　seeing　Softdown's　as　it　spurted　from　beneath　the　monster's　foot；　whilst　the　crunch　of　his　bones　almost　petrified　me　with　horror。　　At　length；　however；　recollecting　the　impossibility　of　restoring　my　beloved　brother　to　life；　and　the　danger　of　my　own　situation；　I；　with　trembling　feet　and　palpitating　heart；　crept　softly　back　to　my　remaining　two　brothers；　who　were　impatiently　expecting　me　behind　the　closet。　　There　I　related　to　them　the　horrid　scene　which　had　passed　before　my　eyes；　whilst　the　anguish　it　caused　in　their　gentle　bosoms　far　exceeds　my　power　to　describe。

After　having　mingled　our　lamentations　for　some　time；　I　thus　addressed　them：　　'We　have　this　night；　my　brothers；　tasted　the　severest　affliction　in　the　cruel　death　of　our　dear　brother；　companion；　and　friend；　let　us　not；　however；　only　mourn　his　loss；　but　also　gather　wisdom　from　our　misfortune；　and　return　to　that　duty　which　we　have　hitherto　neglected。　　Recollect；　my　dear　friends；　what　were　the　last　words　which　our　good　mother　spoke　to　us　at　parting。　　She　charged　us；　upon　no　account；　for　no　temptation　whatever；　to　return　frequently　to　the　same　place：　　if　we　did；　she　forewarned　us　that　death　and　ruin　would　certainly　await　us。　　But　in　what　manner　have　we　obeyed　this　her　kind　advice？　　We　have　not　even　so　much　as　once　recollected　it　since　she　left　us；　or；　if　we　thought　of