it into the room. I crept softly after her, to see what would
be the fate of my beloved brother. But what words can express my horror,
when I saw her holding it in one hand close to the candle, whilst in the
other she held the child, singing to her with the utmost composure, and
bidding her to look at the mousy! mousy!

What were the actions or sensations of poor Softdown at that dreadful
moment I know not: but my own anguish, which it is impossible to
describe, was still augmented every moment by seeing her shake the trap
almost topsy-turvy, then blow through the trap at one end, at which
times I saw the dear creature's tail come out between the wires on the
contrary side, as he was striving, I suppose, to retreat from her. At
length, after she had thus tortured him for some time, she set the trap
on the table, so close to a large fire, that I am sure he must have been
much incommoded by the heat, and began to undress her child.

Then hearing somebody go by the door, she cried out, 'Who is there?
is it you, Betty? if it is, I wish you would come and take down the
mouse-trap, for I have caught a mouse.' Betty instantly obeyed her
call, and desired to know what she wanted. 'I want you to take down the
mouse-trap,' she replied, 'for I cannot leave the child. I am glad that
I have got it, I am sure, for the closet swarms so, there is no such
thing as bearing it. They devour everything: I declare they have eaten
up a whole pound of sugar, which cost me elevenpence, sugar is now so
monstrously dear! indeed the man made a favour to let me have it for
that; only, he said, as our family were good customers, and I was but a
servant, he would take no more. And enough too I thought it was, to have
only a penny back in change out of a whole shilling for one pound of
sugar: and then to think of the poison mice to have it all; but I will
break their filthy necks. Do, Betty, pray take the trap down, and return
with it as soon as you can, and I will set it again: for I dare say I
shall catch another before I go to bed, for I heard some more rustling
among the things.' 'O lauk!' replied Betty, 'you do not think that I
will take down the trap, do you? I would not touch it for twenty pounds.
I am always frightened, and ready to die at the sight of a mouse. Once,
when I was a girl, I had one thrown in my face, and ever since I have
always been scared out of my wits at them; and if ever I see one running
loose, as I did one night in the cl