the life and perambulations of a mouse(小耗子游记)-第19部分
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mean； and dishonourable yourself。 And only think how it would have
grieved your mamma and me； to find the next holidays； our dear little Tom；
instead of being that honest； open； generous…hearted boy he now is；
changed into a deceiver； a cheat； a liar； one whom we could place no trust
or confidence in； for； depend upon it； the person who will； when at play；
behave unfair； would not scruple to do so in even other action of his life。
And the boy who will deceive for the sake of a marble； or the girl who
would act ungenerously； for the sake of a doll's cap or a pin； will； when
grown up； be ready to cheat and over…reach in their trades； or any affairs
they may have to transact。 And you may assure yourselves that numbers
of people who are every year hanged； began at first to be wicked by
practising those little dishonourable mean actions； which so many children
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are too apt to do at play； without thinking of their evil consequences。
'I think； my dear；' said he； turning to his wife； 'I have heard you
mention a person who you were acquainted with when a girl； who at last
was hanged for stealing； I think； was not she？' 'No；' replied the lady； 'she
was not hanged； she was transported for one…and…twenty years。' 'Pray；
madam； how transported？ what is that？' inquired one of the children。
'People； my dear；' resumed the lady； 'are transported when they have
committed crimes； which； according to the laws of our land； are not
thought quite wicked enough to be hanged for； but still too bad to suffer
them to continue amongst other people。 So； instead of hanging them； the
judge orders that they shall be sent on board a ship； built on purpose to
hold naughty people； and carried away from all their friends； a great many
miles distant； commonly to America； where they are sold as slaves； to
work very hard for as many years as they are transported for。 And the
person your papa mentioned was sold for twenty…one years； but she died
before that time was out； as most of them do： they are generally used
very cruelly； and work very hard； and besides； the heat of the climate
seldom agrees with anybody who has been used to live in England； and so
they generally die before their time is expired； and never have an
opportunity of seeing their friends any more； after they are once sent away。
How should any of you； my dears； like to be sent away from your papa
and me； and your brothers and sisters； and uncles and aunts； and all your
friends； and never） never see us any more； and only keep company with
naughty； cross； wicked people； and labour very hard； and suffer a great
deal of sickness； and such a number of different hardships； you cannot
imagine？ Only think how shocking it must be！ How should you like it？'
'Oh'； not at all； not at all；' was echoed from everyone in the room。
'But such；' rejoined their mother； 'is the punishment naughty people
have； and such was the punishment the person your papa spoke of had；
who； when she was young； no more expected to come to such an end than
any of you do。 I was very well acquainted with her； and often used to
play with her； and she （like the boy Frank has been talking of） used to
think it a mark of cleverness to be able to deceive； and for the sake of
winning the game she was engaged in； would not scruple committing any
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little unfair action； which would give her the advantage。
'I remember one time； at such a trifling game as pushpin； she gave me
a very bad opinion of her； for I observed； instead of pushing the pin as she
ought to do； she would try to lift it up with her finger a little； to make it
cross over the other。
'And when we were all at cards； she would peep； to find out the
pictured ones； that she might have them in her own hand。
'And when we played at any game which had forfeits； she would try；
by different little artifices； to steal back her own before the time of crying
them came； or； if she was the person who was to cry them； as you call it；
she would endeavour to see whose came next； that she might order the
penalty accordingly。
'Or if we were playing at hide and seek； she would put what we had to
hide either in her own pocket； or throw it into the fire； so that it would be
impossible to find it； and then； after making her companions hunt for it for
an hour； till their patience was quite tired； and they gave out； she would
burst out in a loud laugh！ and say she only did it for fun。 But； for my part；
I never could see any joke in such kind of things： the meanness； the
baseness； the dish on our； which attended it always； in my opinion； took
off all degree of cleverness； or pleasure from such actions。
'There was another of her sly tricks which I forgot to mention； and that
was； if at tea； or any other time； she got first to the plate of cake or bread；
she would place the piece she liked best where she thought it would come
to her turn to have it： or if at breakfast she saw her sisters' basin have the
under crust in it； and they happened not to be by； or to see her； she would
take it out； and put her own； which she happened not to like so well； in the
stead。
'Only think； my dears； what frightful； sly； naughty tricks to be guilty of！
And from practising these； which she said there was no harm in； and she
only did them in play； and for a bit of fun； at last she came； by degrees； to
be guilty of greater。 She two or three different times； when she was not
seen； stole things out of shops； and one day； when she was upon a visit；
and thought she could do it cleverly； without being discovered； put a
couple of table spoons into her pocket。 The footman who was waiting
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happened to see her； but fearing to give offence； he took no notice of it till
after she was gone home； when he told his master； who； justly provoked at
being so ill…treated； by a person to whom he had shown every civility；
went after her； called in her own two maids； and his footman； as witnesses；
and then insisted upon examining her pockets； where he indeed found his
own two spoons。 He then sent for proper officers to secure her； had her
taken into custody； and for that offence it was that she was transported。
'Thus； my dear children； you see the shocking consequence of ever
suffering such vile habits to grow upon us； and I hope the example of this
unhappy woman （which I assure you is a true story） will be sufficient to
warn you for ever； for a single time； being guilty of so detestable a crime；
lest you should； like her； by degrees come to experience her fatal
punishment。'
Just as the lady said these words a bell rang； and all getting up together；
they went out of the room； the young one calling out； 'To dinner！ to dinner！
to dinner！ here we all go to dinner！'
And I will seek for one too； said I to myself； （creeping out as soon as I
found I was alone） for I feel very faint and hungry。 I looked and looked
about a long while； for I could move but slow； on account of the bruises I
had received in the shoe。 At last under the table； round which the family
had been sitting； I found a pincushion； which； being stuffed with bran；
afforded me enough to satisfy my hunger； but was excessively dry and
unsavoury； yet； bad as it was； I was obliged to be content at that time with
it； and had nearly done eating when the door opened； and in ran two or
three of the children。 Frightened out of my senses almost； I had just time
to escape down a little hole in the floor； made by one of the knots in the
wood slipping out； and there I heard one of the girls exclaim
'O dear！ who now has cut my pincushion？ it was you did it； Tom。'
'No； indeed I did not；' replied he。 'Then it was you； Mary。' 'No； I know
nothing of it；' answered she。 'Then it was you； Hetty。' 'That I am sure it
was not；' said she； 'I am sure； I am certain it was not me； I am positive it
was not。' 'Ah；' replied the other； 'I dare say it was。' 'Yes； I think it is
most likely；' said Mary。 'And so do I too；' said Tom。 'And pray why do
you all think so？' inquired Hetty； in an angry tone。 'Because；' said the
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owner of the pincushion； 'you are the only one who ever tells fibs； you told
a story； you know； about the fruit； you told a story too about the currant
jelly； and about putting your fingers in the butter； at breakfast； and
therefore there is
