Life and Perambulations of a Mouse | Page 7

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 into it, which we easily effected,
as it was most deliciously nice, and not at all hard to our teeth.
Brighteyes, who had not before partaken of the bird-seed, was
overjoyed at the sight. He almost forgot the pain of his foot, and soon
buried himself withinside the cake; whilst I, who had pretty well
satisfied my hunger before, only ate a few of the crumbs, and then went
to take a survey of the adjoining apartment. I crept softly under the
door of the closet into a room, as large as that which I had before been
in, though not so elegantly furnished; for, instead of being covered with
a carpet, there was only a small one round the bed; and near the fire
was a cradle, with a cleanly-looking woman sitting by it, rocking it
with her foot, whilst at the same time she was combing the head of a
little boy about four years old. In the middle of the room stood a table,
covered with a great deal of litter; and in one corner was the little girl
whom I had before seen with her mamma, crying and sobbing as if her
heart would break. As I made not the least noise at my entrance, no one
observed me for some time; so creeping under one of the beds, I heard
the following discourse:--
'It does not signify, miss,' said the woman, who I found was the
children's nurse, 'I never will put up with such behaviour: you know
that I always do everything for you when you speak prettily; but to be
ordered to dress you in such a manner, is what I never will submit to:
and you shall go undressed all day before I will dress you, unless you
ask me as you ought to do.' Nancy made no reply, but only continued

crying. 'Aye! you may cry and sob as much as you please,' said the
nurse; 'I do not care for that: I shall not dress you for crying and roaring,
but for being good and speaking with civility.' Just as she said these
words, the door opened, and in came the lady whom I before saw, and
whose name I afterwards found was Artless. As soon as she entered,
the nurse addressed her, saying, 'Pray, madam, is it by your desire that
Miss Nancy behaves so rudely, and bids me dress her directly, and
change the buckles in her shoes, or else she will slap my face? Indeed
she did give me a slap upon my hand; so I told her, that I would not
dress her at all; for really, madam, I thought you would not wish me to
do it, whilst she behaved so; and I took the liberty of putting her to
stand in the corner.' 'I do not think,' replied Mrs. Artless, 'that she
deserves to stand in the room at all, or in the house either, if she
behaves in that manner: if she does not speak civilly when she wants to
be assisted, let her go without help, and see what will become of her
then. I am quite ashamed of you, Nancy! I could not have thought you
would behave so; but since you have, I promise that you shall not be
dressed today, or have any assistance given you, unless you speak in a
very different manner.'
Whilst Mrs. Artless was talking, nurse went out of the room. Mrs.
Artless then took her seat by the cradle, and looking into it, found the
child awake, and I saw her take out a fine little girl, about five months
old: she then continued her discourse, saying, 'Look here, Nancy, look
at this little baby, see how unable it is to help itself; were we to neglect
attending to it, what do yon think would become of it? Suppose I were
now to put your