stroy it (for I should not think a
tender-hearted boy would delight in such operations himself), I would
not have condemned you; but, to keep it hanging the whole weight of
its body upon its tail, to swing it about, and, by that, to hold it
terrifying over the cat's jaws, and to take pleasure in hearing it
squeak, and seeing it struggle for liberty, is such unmanly, such
detestable cruelty, as calls for my utmost indignation and abhorrence.
But, since you think pain so very trifling an evil, try. Charles, how
you like that,' said he, giving him at the same time some severe strokes
with his horsewhip. The boy then cried, and called out, 'I do not like
it at all, I do not like it at all.' 'Neither did the mouse,' replied
his father, 'like at all to be tied to a string, and swung about by
his tail: he did not like it, and told you so in a language which you
perfectly well understood; but you would not attend to his cries; you
thought it pleasure to hear it squeak, because you were bigger, and did
not feel its torture. I am now bigger than you and do not feel your
pain. I therefore shall not yet leave off; as I hope it will teach you
not to torment anything another time.' Just as he said these words, the
boy, endeavouring to avoid the whip, ran against the table on which I
was placed, and happily threw down the pan that confined me. I instantly
seized the opportunity, jumped down, and once more escaped to the little
hole by which I first entered. There I found my only brother waiting
for me, and was again under the dreadful necessity of paining his tender
heart with the recital of the sufferings which I had been witness to in
our dear Brighteyes, as well as the imminent danger I myself had been
exposed to. 'And, surely,' said I, 'we have again drawn this evil upon
ourselves by our disobedience to our mother's advice; she, doubtless,
intended that we should not continue in the same house long together;
whereas from the day of her leaving us, we have never been in any other
but this, which has occasioned us such heavy affliction. Therefore, upon
no account, let us continue another night under this roof; but, as
soon as the evening begins to grow dark enough to conceal us from the
observation of any one, we will set off, and seek a lodging in some
other place; and should any misfortune befall us on our passage, we
shall at least have the consolation of thinking that we were doing
our duty by following the advice of our parent.'