s that if he attempted to run I should be at
once upon his back, and, I suppose, observing from my look that I was
only a Kitten after all, he came boldly towards me, and, just as I was
about to pounce upon him, he sprang, like a flash of lightning, at my
face, and made his sharp teeth meet in the most tender part of my nose.
In vain I shrieked and beat the terrible creature with all my strength
upon the roof; it was to no purpose that I fixed my sharp claws into
his sides, and tried to tear him from his hold; he would not let go, and
the pain was at last so great, that, squeezing him in my paws, I rolled
over and over in my agony. The roof was sloping, and slippery besides
with dew, so that, blinded with terror and not knowing what I did,
I gradually got near the edge, and at last tumbled over on to the party
below. I should probably have been much hurt by the fall, as I was not
yet clever enough to tumble on my feet, but that I came down plump upon
the back of a very stout Cat, who was standing a little aside quite
tired out with his exertions. Him I knocked completely over, sending him
flying, to his astonishment, a dozen paces off; the rat, detached from
my nose by the shock, was at once strangled by my brother; and the rest
of the party, running up to me, whom they thought dead, were not a
little surprised to find the daughter of their friend. My father himself
took the matter very quietly; I heard him exclaim, "I say, Tommy, how
came your sister here? There will be a fine noise at home when your
mother hears of this;" but I heard no more; I had fainted from loss of
blood, and I did not recover my senses till I found myself in my own
bed, with my mother's mild eyes, full of sorrow, looking down upon me.

Notwithstanding the great cause she had to feel anger at my conduct,
which was in direct opposition to her wishes and even to her commands,
so frequently expressed, I had little cause to fear a scolding while
I was still confined to the house and suffering pain. And even when
I recovered, her remarks upon the folly of my behaviour were made
with such tenderness that, while I could not help admitting their
truth, I felt that I loved my mother the better for her correction.
I promised,--oh! how warmly I promised her, while the smart was still
within my wound, and my face was yet swollen and inflamed, that I would
never more be guilty of an act of disobedience; that I would, from that
time, do only what I was sure must