资源描述:
《THE LIFE AND PERAMBULATIONS OF A MOUSE(小耗子游记) 》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、THELIFEANDPERAMBULATIONSOFAMOUSE(1783-1784)THELIFEANDPERAMBULATIONSOFAMOUSE(1783-1784)byDorothyKilner1THELIFEANDPERAMBULATIONSOFAMOUSE(1783-1784)INTRODUCTIONDuringaremarkablyseverewinter,whenaprodigiousfallofsnowconfinedeverybodytotheirhabitations,whowerehap
2、pyenoughtohaveonetoshelterthemfromtheinclemencyoftheseason,andwerehotobligedbybusinesstoexposethemselvestoitsrigour,IwasonavisittoMeadowHall;wherehadassembledlikewisealargepartyofyoungfolk,whoallseemed,bytheirharmonyandgoodhumour,tostrivewhoshouldthemostcont
3、ributetorenderpleasantthatconfinementwhichwewereallequallyobligedtoshare.Norwerethosefurtheradvancedinlifelessanxioustocontributetothegeneralsatisfactionandentertainment.Afterthemoreseriousemploymentofreadingeachmorningwasconcluded,wedanced,wesung,weplayedat
4、blind-man's-buff,battledoreandshuttlecock,andmanyothergamesequallydivertingandinnocent;andwhentiredofthem,drewourseatsroundthefire,whileeachoneinturntoldsomemerrystorytodivertthecompany.Atlast,afterhavingrelatedallthatwecouldrecollectworthreciting,andbeingra
5、theratalosswhattosaynext,asprightlygirlincompanyproposedthateveryoneshouldrelatethehistoryoftheirownlives;'anditmustbestrangeindeed,'addedshe,'ifthatwillnothelpusoutofthisdifficulty,andfurnishconversationforsomedayslonger;andbythattime,perhaps,thefrostwillbr
6、eak,thesnowwillmelt,andsetusallatliberty.Butletitbreakwhenitwill,Imakealaw,thatnooneshallgofromMeadowHalltilltheyhavetoldtheirownhistory:sotakenotice,ladiesandgentlemen,takenotice,everybody,whatyouhavetotrustto.Andbecause,'continuedshe,'Iwillnotbeunreasonabl
7、e,andrequiremorefromyouthanyoucanperform,Iwillgiveallyouwhomayperhapshaveforgottenwhatpassedsomanyyearsago,atthebeginningofyourlives,twodaystorecollectanddigestyourstory;bywhichtimeifyoudonotproducesomethingprettyandentertaining,wewillneveragainadmityoutodan
8、ceorplayamongus.'Allthisshespokewithsogood-humouredasmile,thateveryonewasdelightedwithher,andpromisedtodotheirbesttoacquitthemselvestohersatisfaction;whilstsome(thelengthofwhoseliveshadnotrender