oset 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 c