Chapter 5

Emily. Bless me, Henrietta, where did you get that pretty squirrel.

Henrietta. Ay, where now do you think I got that pretty squirrel? Why, Emily, if I was to tell you to guess a hundred times, you would never find it out. I found it in my cap yesterday morning, as I was going to dress.

Caroline. Where?

Emily. No, surely!

James and John. In your cap?

Henrietta. Yes, I did, I assure you. I was going to put it on, but I saw what was in it, and mamma was so kind as to buy me that nice cage. You cannot think how prettily he goes round. You shall see him presently.

Fanny. Oh dear, Henrietta, I have a sad tale to tell you. You know the pretty canary bird the baker gave me; well, what do you think William did? he cut off half its tail, and part of its wings.

Henrietta. Why, that was nothing to what my papa did. He is not in the room, so I can safely tell you; he cut off half my squirrel's tail with his scissars, as coolly as if he had been peeling an orange.

All the party. How cruel!

Henrietta. And all because he fell down, in endeavouring to get it.

Emily. And so he revenged himself on the Squirrel, that was not right.

Fanny. Right! indeed I think not; he deserved to have had his great toe cut off, and then he might have been better able to judge, by the pain he felt, how the squirrel liked the cutting off his tail. I think I never heard any thing so barbarous.

James. I say, Jack, let us have some fun with this lop-tail squirrel: while they are talking, they will not see us.

John. Ay, so we will.

They then proceeded to action. The young ladies were so busy, they did not see these two mischievous boys, till they had set me on Eliza's head; who giving a violent scream, alarmed the whole company. Emily, in getting up in a hurry, overturned Fanny, who was not sitting quite steadily in her chair; she gave her a blow, which Emily returned, and confusion was the word for near an hour; when peace was restored by the entrance of the alderman and his lady, who, after having in vain tried to learn the cause of the bustle, proposed a game at cards. James and Caroline desired to set out, so, while the rest of the company were at cards, they amused themselves by tormenting me. At last tired by constant exercise, and irritated by James, who pricked me with his toothpick whenever I attempted to rest, I waited for a good opportunity, and as he laid his finger close to my cage, (while he was talking to some of the card party) I gave him a bite he has remembered ever since, I dare say. It so exasperated him, that he pricked me now more than ever; and Caroline joined him in persecuting me. I had once or twice attempted to bite her, which she was aware of; but James dropping his toothpick into my cage, made me watch well, as I knew one of them would try to take it out. At last Caroline ventured, and just as she put her finger in, somebody spoke to her, and she forgot to take it out, till the pain she felt from one of my bites made her withdraw it rather hastily. The scream she gave so startled the alderman, that he overset the card table upon his lady; the girls jumped up, the boys laughed, I went round and caused a violent ringing: so that they, who before were so desirous that I should do it, were now more desirous I should stand still. The alderman often attempted to speak, but my ringing entirely drowned his voice; till at length enraged, he came to my cage, and having pulled me out, and flung me into a corner of the room, where I staid very quietly, he began to pull off the bells, which hung over the cage; which, when he had done, he tossed them, one by one, to the company, telling them, if they were fond of the noise they might make it themselves, and then the only difference would be, "it would be made by monkeys instead of squirrels." The alderman then went out of the room, Henrietta put me into my cage, and peace was once more restored.

And now all their proceedings were stopped, by the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Churchill, who were come to take their young folks home, and offer a place in the coach to the rest of the party. Away they went, to my great joy. Henrietta now bewailed the loss of her bells in such violent terms, that the alderman told her, if she did not cease, he would send the squirrel to Miss Lee. Upon which Mrs. Bumble started up in a rage, "It shall not be done:" said she, "it was a scandalous thing of you to break the bells, but I shall take care to send for new ones." "Not while the servants are mine," said the alderman. His lady made no reply, but rang the bell, a servant appeared. "John," said she, "take this where you bought it, and get new bells put on." "John," said the alderman, "if you do, you may as well take your wages in your hand. But you will receive them when you come back, so it is the same thing." John then went, and contrived to get it done by somebody else, so that he might oblige both master and mistress. The alderman having found out it had been done, got up one morning very early, packed me up in my cage, and sent me by the coach into Lincolnshire, to a Miss Huntley, one of his relations. Here I lived a short, but happy life; I was constantly fed, very seldom exercised contrary to my inclinations, and, in short, lived so happily, I thought it exceeded, if possible, the kind treatment I met with at the good Mrs. Greville's.