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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Adventures of a Bear + And a Great Bear too + +Author: Alfred Elwes + +Illustrator: Harrison Weir + +Release Date: May 3, 2009 [EBook #28671] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF A BEAR *** + + + + +Produced by David Garcia and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + <h4>THE</h4> + + <h1>ADVENTURES OF A BEAR</h1> + + <h4>AND</h4> + + <h2>A GREAT BEAR TOO</h2> + + <h3>By ALFRED ELWES</h3> + + <h4>WITH NINE ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRISON WEIR.</h4> + + <p class="center">LONDON:<br /> + + ADDEY AND CO. 21 OLD BOND STREET.<br /> + + MDCCCLIII.<br /> +LONDON:<br /><br /> + +Printed by <span class="smcap">G. Barclay</span>, Castle St. Leicester Sq.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + + +<div class='centered'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" width="50%" cellspacing="0" summary="CONTENTS"> +<tr><td align='left'> </td><td align='right'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">At Home</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_1'><b>1</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Upon his Travels</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_10'><b>10</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Town Life</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_19'><b>19</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Prosperity</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_35'><b>35</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Reverses</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_44'><b>44</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Progress</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_56'><b>56</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Down Hill</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_66'><b>66</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">At Rest</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_74'><b>74</b></a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + + +<div class='centered'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" width="50%" cellspacing="0" summary="ILLUSTRATIONS"> +<tr><td align='left'> </td><td align='right'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Bears and Brothers</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_8'><b>8</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">A Close Embrace</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_17'><b>17</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Making an Impression</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_31'><b>31</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">A Very Great Bear</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_43'><b>43</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Three Throws a-Penny</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_54'><b>54</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Selling the Natives</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_63'><b>63</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Cheap Harmony</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_69'><b>69</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">The Last Lead</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_83'><b>83</b></a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Tailpiece</span></td><td align='right'><a href='#Page_84'><b>84</b></a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="AT_HOME" id="AT_HOME"></a>AT HOME.</h2> + + +<p>Yes, it is an "at home" to which I am going to introduce you; but not +the at-home that many of you—I hope <i>all</i> of you—have learnt to love, +but the at-home of a bear. No carpeted rooms, no warm curtains, no +glowing fireside, no pictures, no sofas, no tables, no chairs; no music, +no books; no agreeable, cosy chat; no anything half so pleasant: but +soft moss or snow, spreading trees, skies with ever-changing, tinted +clouds, some fun, some rough romps, a good deal of growling, and now and +then a fight. With these points of difference, you may believe the +<i>at-home</i> of a bear is not quite so agreeable a matter as the at-home of +a young gentleman or lady; yet I have no doubt Master Bruin is much more +at his ease in it than he would find himself if he were compelled to +conform to the usages of human society, and behave as a gentleman ought +to do.</p> + +<p>But there is a quality that is quite as necessary to adorn one home as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>the other, without which the most delightful mansion and the warmest +cavern can never be happy, and with which the simplest cottage and the +meanest den may be truly blest; and that one quality is, good temper. Of +what avail are comforts, or even luxuries, when there is no seasoning of +good temper to enjoy them with? How many deficiencies can there not be +overlooked, when good temper is present to cover them with a veil? +Perhaps you have not yet learnt what a valuable treasure this good +temper is; when you have read the history of my bear, you will be better +able to form an opinion.</p> + +<p>I cannot tell you when this bear was born, nor am I quite sure where; +bears are born in so many parts of the world now, that it becomes very +difficult to determine what country heard their first growl, and they +never think to preserve a memorandum of the circumstance. Let it suffice +that our bear was born, that he had a mamma and papa, and some brothers +and sisters; that he lived in a cavern surrounded by trees and bushes; +that he was always a big lump of a bear, invariably wore a brown coat, +and was often out of temper, or rather, was always <i>in</i> temper, only +that temper was a very bad one.</p> + +<p>No doubt his parents would have been very willing to cure this terrible +defect, if they had known how; but the fact is, they seemed always too +much absorbed in their own thoughts to attend much to their family. Old +Mr. Bruin would sit in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> his corner by the hour together sucking his paw; +and his partner, Mrs. Bruin, would sit in her corner sucking her paw; +whilst the little ones, or big ones, for they were growing up fast, +would make themselves into balls and roll about the ground, or bite one +another's ears by way of a joke, or climb up the neighbouring trees to +admire the prospect, and then slip down again, to the imminent +destruction of their clothes; not that a rent or two would have grieved +their mother very much, for she was a great deal too old, and too +ignorant besides, to think of mending them. In all these sports Master +Bruin, the eldest, was ever the foremost; but as certain as he joined in +the romps, so surely were uproar and fighting the consequence. The +reason was clear enough; his temper was so disagreeable, that although +he was quite ready to play off his jokes on others, he could never bear +to receive them in return; and being, besides, very fierce and strong, +he came at length to be considered as the most unbearable bear that the +forest had known for many generations, and in his own family was looked +on as quite a bug-bear.</p> + +<p>Now I privately think, that if a good oaken stick had been applied to +his shoulders, or any other sensitive part of his body, whenever he +displayed these fits of spleen, the exercise would have had a very +beneficial effect on his disposition; but his father, on such occasions, +only uttered his opinion in so low a growl that it was impossible to +make out what he said,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> and then sucked his paw more vigorously than +ever; and his mother was much too tender-hearted to think of mending his +manners in so rude a way: so Master Bruin grew apace, until his brothers +and sisters were wicked enough to wish he might some day go out for a +walk and forget to come home again, or that he might be persuaded by a +kind friend to emigrate, without going through the ceremony of taking +leave of his family.</p> + +<p>It began to be conjectured that some such event had occurred when, for +three whole days, he never made his appearance. The respectable family +of the Bruins were puzzled, but calm, notwithstanding, at this unusual +absence; it evidently made them thoughtful, though it was impossible to +guess what they thought about: if one could form an idea from the +attitudes of the different members, each of whom sat in a corner sucking +his right paw and his left paw alternately—it was a family habit, you +must know—I should say their thoughts were too deep for expression; but +before their meditations were converted from uncertainty into mourning, +the object of them made his appearance at the entrance of the cavern, +with his coat torn, limping in his gait, and with an ugly wound in his +head, looking altogether as disconsolate a brute as you can well +conceive. He did not condescend to say where he had been, nor what he +had been doing; perhaps no one made the inquiry: but it was very evident +he had been doing no good, and had got his reward accordingly. If, +however, this great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> bear's ill temper was remarkable before, judge what +it must have been with such a sore head!</p> + +<p>The experience of mankind has led to the opinion, that there are few +more disagreeable beings in creation than ill-nurtured bears,—bears +that have been ill-licked,—those great, fierce, sullen, cross-grained +and ill-tempered beasts, that are, unhappily, to be found in every part +of this various world; but when all these unhandsome qualities are found +in one individual of the species, and that one happens to have a sore +head into the bargain, it is easy to believe the <i>at home</i> which he +honours or dishonours with his presence can neither be very quiet nor +particularly comfortable.</p> + +<p>Habit makes many things supportable which at first would seem beyond our +powers of endurance. Mr. and Mrs. B., and, indeed, all the other B.'s, +male and female, had got so used to the tyranny of this ill-tempered +animal, that they put up with his moroseness almost without a growl; but +there is a limit to sufferance, beyond which neither men nor bears can +travel, and that boundary was at last attained with the B.'s. As what I +am now about to relate is, however, rather an important fact in my +biography, I must inform you how the matter occurred, and what were the +circumstances which led to it.</p> + +<p>You are, perhaps, aware that bears, being of rather an indolent +disposition, are not accustomed to hoard up a store of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> provision for +their wants in winter, but prefer—in their own country, at +least—sleeping through the short dreary days and long bitter nights, +and thus avoid the necessity of taking food for some weeks, although +they grow very thin during their lengthened slumbers. I forget what this +time is called in bears' language, but we give it the name of +hybernation. Now it happened that Mrs. Bruin had taken it into her head +to lay by this winter a nice little stock, which she very carefully +buried at a short distance from the mouth of the cavern, when she felt +the usual drowsiness of the season coming on, and having covered the +spot with a heap of dead leaves that she might know it again when she +woke up, she crawled into bed, and turning her back to her old partner, +who was already in a comfortable state of forgetfulness, went fast +asleep.</p> + +<p>The whole family rather overslept themselves, for the sun was quite +brilliant when they awoke, and it was very evident that they had been +dozing away for some months. The ill-tempered bear was the first on his +legs, and kicking his two nearest brothers as he got up, just to hint to +them that he was awake again, he opened his mouth to its whole +extent—and a very great extent it was, too—and stretching his limbs +one after another, and giving himself a hearty shake instead of washing, +shaving, and combing, he scuffled to the entrance of the cavern and +sniffed at the fresh air. He sniffed and sniffed, and the more he +sniffed, the more certainly did his nose whis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>per that there was +something else besides fresh air which he was inhaling. The smell of the +fresh air, too, or the <i>something else</i>, caused him a tremendous +appetite, which was every moment becoming greater; and then it entered +his bearish brain that where there was a smell there must be something +to occasion it. Whereupon, following that great nose of his—and he +could not have had a better guide—he scuffled out of the cavern and +down the path, till he reached a little mound of earth and leaves, +where, the odour being strongest, he squatted down. With his great paws +he soon demolished the entrance to his mamma's larder, and lost no time +in pulling out some of the dainties it contained, which, without more +ado, he set about devouring. Meanwhile his brothers, who had been +aroused by the affectionate conduct of the eldest, were by this time +also wide awake, and had quite as good appetites as Bruin himself; and +though on ordinary occasions they stood in great awe of that most +ill-tempered brute, it must be admitted that this was an +<i>extra</i>-ordinary occasion, and they acted accordingly. Just fancy being +months without anything to eat, and having appetites fierce enough to +devour one another!</p> + +<p>So they rushed to the spot where Bruin was making so excellent a meal, +and without any other apology than a short grunt or two, they seized +upon some of the hidden treasures, and with little ceremony crammed them +into their hungry<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> jaws. Bruin was thunderstruck! Never before had they +ever presumed to dip their paws into his dish, and now they were +actually before his face, converting the most delicate morsels to their +own use, and, as it were, taking the food out of his very mouth! After +an internal struggle of a few seconds, during which it seemed doubtful +whether his emotions or his greediness in filling his jaws so full would +choke him, he uttered a savage growl, and, with one stroke of his huge +paw, felled his younger brother to the ground. Then turning to the +second, he flew at him like a fury, and seemed resolved to make him +share a similar fate; but the other, who was not wanting in courage, and +who was strengthened by the idea that there was something still in the +larder worth fighting for, and which he would certainly lose if he ran +away, warded off his blows, and, by careful management, now dodging, now +striking, kept his brother at bay, and avoided coming to such close +quarters as to subject himself to Bruin's hug: for he knew, if he once +felt that embrace, there was not much chance of his having any appetite +left with which to complete his half-finished breakfast.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 479px;"> +<img src="images/ill-01.jpg" width="479" height="600" alt="BEARS AND BROTHERS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">BEARS AND BROTHERS.</span> +</div> + +<p>The noise of the combat had now, however, roused the family. Mrs. B. was +the first to make her appearance, and she was soon followed by the rest. +Explanations ensued, although the facts of the case were sufficiently +clear, and Bruin's character was well known. Old Ursus Major drew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +himself up, and, for once in his life, assumed a dignified demeanour. +The ill-tempered bear stood abashed before his parents, although he +moved his head to and fro in an obstinate manner, as though rejecting +all interference.</p> + +<p>It is a pity I cannot relate to you what was said upon this occasion, +for Old Bruin is reported to have made a very eloquent discourse on the +horrible effects of ill-temper and greediness; and good advice is worth +having, whether uttered by a bear or any other animal. Suffice it, that +after lecturing his son on the enormity of his offences,—which probably +he was himself partly the cause of, through not punishing many of his +previous errors,—he bid him quit for ever his paternal roof, and seek +his fortune elsewhere; cautioning him at the same time, that if he ever +expected to get through the world with credit to his name, and even +comfort to his person, he must be honest, good-tempered, and forbearing.</p> + +<p>Bruin took this advice in most ungracious part; and without exchanging a +word with any of the family, although it was evident his poor old mother +longed to hug him in her arms, he growled out some unintelligible words, +and set forth upon his travels.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="UPON_HIS_TRAVELS" id="UPON_HIS_TRAVELS"></a>UPON HIS TRAVELS.</h2> + + +<p>There is no denying that when Bruin had got clear of the old familiar +path, and lost sight of the dwelling where he had hitherto spent his +days, he felt most particularly uncomfortable; and if he had had the +power of recalling the past, he would, in his present state of feeling, +no doubt have done so. For the first time in his life, the sense of his +ill-temper struck him in all its ugliness; and as he sat down on a huge +tree which was lying across his road, he looked such a picture of +disconsolateness, that it was evident he would have felt great relief if +he could have shed some tears. Alas, how much does Bruin's condition +remind us of little scenes among ourselves! We give way to our bad +tempers and our selfishness; we make ourselves disagreeable, and our +friends unhappy; we quarrel, if we do not actually fight; and when we +meet the reward of our waywardness, and find ourselves abandoned by +those who would have loved us had we acted differently, we then moan<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +over our fate, and bitterly regret what we might have avoided. Alas, +poor human nature! alas, poor bear!</p> + +<p>I am truly sorry to observe that no act of repentance followed Bruin's +sense of desolation. His first feeling of sorrow over, he felt indignant +that he should have been so treated; but, more than that, as he was +still hungry, he felt regret at being denied a closer search into his +old mother's larder.</p> + +<p>Whilst engaged in his various reflections he happened to cast his eyes +up to a neighbouring hollow tree, where, at some height from the ground, +a number of bees were flying in and out a great hole, with all the +bustle and buzzing usual to those busy people. Now, it is well known +that bears are mightily fond of honey, and will run great risks in order +to obtain this dainty, and Bruin was very far from being an exception to +his tribe. He was too ignorant to reflect that it was a great deal too +early in the season to hope for any store, but, consulting only his own +inclinations, he lost no time in climbing up the tree; and when he had +reached the spot where the now angry bees were hurrying to and fro more +vigorously than ever, he thrust his great paw into a hole with the hope +of drawing forth a famous booty. But the indignant insects now came out +in a swarm, and attacked him with the utmost fury; three of them settled +on his nose, and pricked him most unmercifully; a dozen or two planted +themselves on a great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> patch behind, where his trousers were worn thin; +and a whole troop fastened on to the sore place in his head—for it was +not quite healed up—and so stung him, that, roaring with pain and rage, +he threw himself, rather than descended, from the tree, and went flying +through the wood to get rid of his determined little enemies: they stuck +fast, however, to their points of attack, nor did Bruin get clear of his +tormentors till he dashed himself into a pool of water and buried his +head for a moment or two under the surface.</p> + +<p>It was with some degree of trepidation that he raised his nose above +water and peeped about him; the bees were all gone, so he crawled out of +the mud, and after an angry shake or two, for his coat was quite wet, he +resumed his journey.</p> + +<p>Bruin now travelled on till noon; and what with hunger and his long +walk, you may believe his temper was not improved. A rustling noise on +the left, accompanied every now and then with a short, contented kind of +grunt, attracted his attention, and looking through some brambles, he +descried in an open space a very large boar, with two most formidable +tusks protruding from his jaws, busily engaged in rooting up the ground, +from which he had extracted a curious variety of roots and other +edibles, the sight of which made Bruin's mouth water. For the first time +in his life he felt the necessity of civility; for though he had never +made any personal<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> acquaintance with the tribe to which the animal +before him belonged, there were many tales current in his family of +their ferocity when provoked; and the few reasoning powers he possessed +were sufficient to assure him, that not even his rough paws or burly +strength would secure him from those glistening tusks if directed +angrily against him. So Bruin resolved to try and be civil; and with +this determination walked into the stranger's domain, and accosted him +in as polite a way as his rude nature would permit him to assume.</p> + +<p>The animal, who was known in his neighbourhood as Wylde Boare, Esquire, +on account of the extent of his property, received Bruin's advances with +great caution, for he was naturally of a suspicious temper, his bright +reddish eyes twinkling in a very unpleasant manner; perceiving, however, +that his unexpected visitor was but a mere youngster, and that he looked +very hungry and tired, he grunted out a surly sort of welcome, and, +jerking his snout in the direction of the heap of provisions, bade him +squat down and make a meal. Bruin did not wait for a second invitation, +but, stretching out his huge legs, picked up the fresh vegetables, which +he thrust into his capacious jaws with every appearance of relish.</p> + +<p>When his repast came to an end—and this did not happen till there was +an end of the food—he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm, and +looked at the boar; and the boar, who had said nothing during the +disappearance of the fruits of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> his morning's work, but had contented +himself with uttering a grunt or two, looked at Bruin. At length he +observed,——</p> + +<p>"Hurgh, you have a famous appetite!"</p> + +<p>"Ah," answered the bear, "and so would you, if you had not eaten +anything for the last few weeks!"</p> + +<p>After a pause:——</p> + +<p>"Hurgh, hurgh!" said Mr. Boare, in a guttural voice; "I never tried; but +a big fellow like you ought to be able to get through a deal of work."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so," observed the surly bear; "but I don't intend to make the +experiment."</p> + +<p>After another pause:——</p> + +<p>"Hurgh, an idle fellow, I'm afraid!" said Mr. Boare, half aside; "and +not quite so civil as before his breakfast." Then he exclaimed aloud, +"I suppose you will make no objection to help me dig up some more food, +seeing that you have made away with my dinner, hurgh?"</p> + +<p>"Who do you take me for?" said the ungrateful beast, springing to his +legs, and eyeing his entertainer with one of his furious looks.</p> + +<p>"Who do I take you for, hurgh, you graceless cub?" exclaimed Mr. Boare, +in a rage, for he was rather hasty in his manner, and his red eyes +twinkled, and his back began to get up in a way which showed his +agitation; "who do I take you for? Why, I did take you for one who would +be at least<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> thankful for food given you when almost starving: but I now +perceive you are only an ugly lump of a bear. Out of my sight this +instant, or, from want of my own dinner, which you have devoured, I +shall, perchance, make a meal of you!—hurgh, hurgh!"</p> + +<p>As he said these words the bristles on his back started up so furiously, +and his tusks glistened so horridly in a little ray of sunlight, which +was peeping in to see what was the matter, that Master Bruin felt +thoroughly frightened, and made a precipitate retreat, turning round at +every few steps to observe whether he were followed, and if it would be +necessary to take refuge in one of the trees; but Wylde Boare, Esq. only +grunted out his favourite expression, which, in this case, was mixed +with a great deal of contempt, and recommenced digging for his dinner as +if nothing had occurred to disturb his usual contented state of mind.</p> + +<p>Bruin now travelled on till he reached a stream, which came bounding +through this part of the wood at a very rapid pace, and making a +terrible fuss because sundry large stones in the middle of its course +rather impeded its progress. The noise it made, and the anger it showed, +seemed to please our sulky bear mightily, so he sat down on the bank +with his toes in the water to enjoy the spectacle. The scene was a very +striking one, and was fitted to charm the most indifferent eye; and +Bruin, bear as he was, could not help being attracted by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> it. Whatever +his meditations, however, it was not destined that he should pursue them +long without interruption; for his quick ear soon detected the sharp, +quick bark of several dogs—a sound that was carried along by a breeze +which swept by him at intervals. He raised his head with his huge nose +in the air to sniff out any possible danger, and did not seem at all +pleased with the result of his observations; for he drew first one foot +and then the other out of the water, and raised himself to his full +height. As he did so, a more than usual commotion in the stream drew his +attention, when he perceived the round head of a large otter appear +above the surface, whilst two bright eyes gave a hasty look all round. +On observing Bruin, the head immediately disappeared, and at the same +moment a whole pack of terriers, in hot haste, came sweeping round a +bank hard by, but stopped short on finding themselves in presence of +such a formidable creature.</p> + +<p>Bruin perceived that he had made an impression, and his usual insolence +returned; for he had at first been startled, and he attributed the pause +of the terriers to fear, when, in fact, it was only the result of +surprise. If he had been a little better physiognomist, he would have +observed a certain air of determination about the little fellows, which +sufficiently showed that it was prudence or a sense of duty which stayed +them, and not a lack of courage: they had been sent out to procure an +otter, and they were now deliberating among themselves<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> whether it +would be wise to spend their time in quarrelling with a bear.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 472px;"> +<img src="images/ill-02.jpg" width="472" height="600" alt="A CLOSE EMBRACE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">A CLOSE EMBRACE.</span> +</div> + +<p>After a short consultation, one who appeared to have the guidance of the +pack uttered a decided little bark, and turning a little aside, +endeavoured to pass between Bruin and the stream, but sufficiently near +to show that he was not afraid to come into contact with him, followed +by his companions. This evidently contemptuous mode of treating him, +aroused all our ill-tempered hero's bad humour; so, without considering +the consequences of the action, he raised his big paw and knocked the +leader down. The sturdy little fellows wanted no further provocation; as +if influenced by a single will, they turned upon him, and attacked him +in front, flank, and rear, with an impetuosity which was at first +irresistible, because unexpected. Finding that those behind him were his +greatest and most successful tormentors, he very prudently sat himself +down, crushing one or two of them in his descent; then springing to his +legs, and as he did so catching several more in his arms, he hugged them +till they had no more breath in their bodies, when he dropped them, and +took up a fresh supply. One of the pack, however, more alert than his +fellows, sprang up and seized him by the nose, making his teeth meet in +that prominent feature, and caused Bruin such intense pain, that, +forgetting all his strategy, he tried to beat down his determined little +foe with his paws, and ran off howling in a most<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> terrific manner, +pursued by the remainder of the pack, who bit at his hind legs, tore his +already ragged coat till it hung in ribbons; and when Bruin, who, having +at length got rid of the bold little fellow that had fastened to his +nose, climbed up a tree, they stood yelping at the foot of it, till +evening had completely set in, when they slowly retired.</p> + +<p>And what were our ill-natured hero's thoughts, as he sat upon an +elevated branch, and gently rubbed his wounded snout? Why, unfortunately +for his own happiness, he laid the blame of his mishap on any one or any +thing, rather than the right being or circumstance. It was the otter's +fault, or the dogs' fault—those dogs were always so quarrelsome; or it +was his father's fault in driving him away from home: in fact, every one +was in error rather than himself and his own disagreeable disposition. +And here we may observe, that they are such characters as Bruin who +bring disrepute on a whole tribe; for we are too apt to form our +opinions of a nation by the few individuals we may happen to fall in +with, although, probably, no conclusions can be falser. Let us, +therefore, be careful ere we form our judgments, and let us not believe +that all Bruin's kindred and compatriots were sulky and ill-tempered +because he himself was such a disagreeable lump of a bear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="TOWN_LIFE" id="TOWN_LIFE"></a>TOWN LIFE.</h2> + + +<p>Bruin woke up next morning with so uncomfortable a feeling of soreness +from the rough treatment he had received, that it was with some +difficulty he was enabled to move his heavy limbs; and he found sitting +so unpleasant a posture, that he lay stretched across two or three +branches for several hours, and in a very ill-humour, indeed, watched +the activity displayed beneath and around him. Now a stealthy fox, upon +some foraging expedition, would come creeping along, his foot-fall +scarcely heard on the withered leaves and dead branches; now a timid +mouse would leap nimbly by, and, at the least signal of danger, would +disappear as if by enchantment; then a frolicsome squirrel, vaulting as +fearlessly from bough to bough as if he were not fifty feet from the +ground, would arouse him for a minute from his sulky mood, and light up +his fierce eye with an expression of interest which it was very clear +had no higher source than a hope that the little tumbler might fall down +and break his neck, for daring to be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> in such a good humour. But the +birds, above all, excited his anger; for seeing them flying about gaily +in the sun, which tinged the tops of the trees so gloriously, Bruin +actually growled with indignation—a sound which nearly caused that +accident to Master Squirrel that our ungracious hero had desired for +him, so terribly was he frightened.</p> + +<p>A few days thus spent sufficiently recovered him to render him capable +of moving, when he descended from his temporary hospital, and, with the +aid of a thick staff, which he had provided himself for the purpose, set +off once more, supplying his wants in the way of food with such edibles +as fell in his way, a bear not being remarkably particular concerning +its quality or kind. One only thought now possessed him,—that of +quitting the wooded ground where his life had hitherto been passed, and +reaching one of those spots where, as he had heard his parents relate, +animals of various kinds congregate together, and live in habitations +raised by their own ingenuity; in fact, a city.</p> + +<p>"At least," he thought, "if what I have heard of such places be true, +and that merit of every kind is certain there to meet its reward, and be +properly appreciated, I shall stand a better chance than my neighbours." +With this reflection, he shuffled on a little quicker; and the reader, +who has been thus allowed a private view of his motives, will observe +that modesty was not among Bruin's list of virtues.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<p>After a day's march, with sundry restings by the way—for he was not in +good travelling order—he reached the outskirts of the wood; and when he +got beyond it, he stood still to mark the prospect, which was, in sooth, +a very charming one, and the more striking to him as being so entirely +novel. As he stood on a rising ground, the scene lay beneath; and the +sun, which was nearing the horizon, darted his level beams through a +gentle mist that was beginning to rise from the valley, and made a +wondrous golden haze, shedding beauty over every object within its +influence. A silvery brook ran from some distant hills, and, after +numerous windings, spread into a broad pond; then narrowing again, with +an abrupt fall or two, which made its pace the faster, it ran +noiselessly through some green meadows, where cattle and horses were +grazing, then made a bend into the wood, where it was lost to view. +Bruin's quick eye scarcely, however, watched its course, for his whole +attention was rivetted on what to him was of more interest,—the city to +which his weary steps were directed. It stood upon the margin of the +rivulet, just before its waters expanded into the little lake, and +seemed to occupy a considerable extent of ground. It was neither +handsomely nor regularly built, yet it had an imposing effect as a +whole, and in Bruin's eyes seemed to need nothing in the way of +architecture. Its inhabitants, I may observe in passing, were +principally descendants of canine tribes, with a few<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> pussies, who, for +some worldly advantage, had overcome their prejudices to such society; +and a flock or two of birds: as the latter, however, were of a volatile +disposition, and were constantly on the move, they resided principally +in the higher portions of the city, so that they might come and go +without interfering with the steadier habits of the animal population. +Several horses and black cattle resided in the environs, but, with the +exception of a donkey or two, rarely entered the town, for they found +few inducements in the noisy streets to compensate them for the charm +and tranquillity of a rural life.</p> + +<p>After contemplating the scene for some time, Bruin slowly descended the +hill, his confidence in his own powers somewhat weakened now he was in +sight of the spot where they were to be called into action; one reason +for this slight depression of his spirits arising, probably, from his +ignorance of the dwellers in the great city, for the intelligence just +communicated to the reader was at that time totally unknown to him. The +strange appearance, also, of every creature he now met, contributed to +abash him; for every one who had any pretensions to respectability wore +over the coats with which nature had provided them, clothes of a cut +that looked wonderful in the eyes of the untutored Bruin. His own aspect +was, meanwhile, not less odd in the opinion of the more civilised +animals. His untrimmed hair and beard, his ragged coat, his queer gait, +and the unrestrained gape of wonder with which he stared around<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> him, +were sufficient to excite the attention of the most indifferent, and it +was with a tolerably large train at his heels that he reached the +entrance to the principal street. Here crowds of well-dressed dogs, both +male and female (the latter always well-attended), were walking about or +idling the time away; town-bred puppies, with insolent stare, were +lounging at every turn, their delicate paws proving how little they were +used to labour. On one side Bruin observed a gracefully-proportioned +white cat, veiled, gliding demurely along, whilst a strong tabby, her +nurse, purred behind, with three little kittens in her arms, mewing to +their hearts' content; and on the other several huge mastiffs, stalking +gravely in a row, like policemen in our London streets going to their +beats, the animals to which they have been compared being bound on a +similar errand.</p> + +<p>These various sights proved to Bruin that there must be a different +agency at work to that which existed in his native forest. He was wise +enough to perceive that mere animal force was not likely to succeed +here, or hold the same position as it did in the land where he was born +and had spent his earlier years. The appearances of wealth on one hand, +the evidences of a soldier-like discipline and order on the other, +convinced him that this was no place to vent his ill-humour by an +exhibition of brute strength, for that it was sure to meet more than its +match; whilst the uncertainty of the punishment which would attend such +outbreak, provided it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> were indulged in, made him resolve, at least, to +put a curb upon his public conduct. This was the first great step in +Bruin's education; a step, alas! merely taught him by his fears. Had it +sprung from higher sources, there would have been a chance of its doing +permanent good; but what solid benefit can be reckoned on or attained +which arises from such a motive?</p> + +<p>The attention that the rough stranger from a distant country met with +from the civilised population of Caneville (for that, or something like +it, was the name of the city), was beginning to be rather irksome to +him. Every lady-dog, as she passed him, seemed anxious to allow him +plenty of room; the three kittens in arms, at sight of him set up a +chorus of cries, which their nurse tried in vain to appease; a mastiff, +who was on guard on the opposite side of the way, seemed very much +inclined to interfere for the preservation of public peace; whilst a +couple of puppies, touched off in the extreme of the then prevailing +fashion at Caneville, turned up their noses and their tails in a way +which seemed to render it perfectly marvellous how they kept upon their +legs. All this was sufficiently irritating, even to the most +good-natured of beings, and Bruin found it especially hard to bear; he +was assisted, however, in his prudential resolution to abstain from any +outward exhibition of wrath by a sound which was as new to his ear as it +was exciting to his feelings. It came from the upper end of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> the street, +where a crowd had assembled; and as every one in his neighbourhood +seemed to think the amusement it promised would be of a more interesting +kind than baiting a bear, and had hastened in the direction whence it +proceeded, Bruin thought he could not do better than follow their +example.</p> + +<p>On reaching the spot, his great height enabled him to get a view of what +was going on; and as he pressed forward, the animals with which he came +in contact gladly made way at his approach, so that in a few seconds he +stood in the front row of a large circle, the centre of which was +occupied by a fat, overgrown pig, with an astonishingly long snout, and +a couple of rings through it by way of ornament; two equally long ears, +that had evidently been submitted to some curious operation, for they +were slit in various places, and hung down from his head like uncombed +locks of hair; and a pair of very sharp little eyes, which seemed to +have the unpleasant power of piercing right through you, if in their +incessant wanderings they chanced to catch a look from your own. It was +very evident that this animal, who was quite a <i>savant</i>, or, as we +should say, a learned pig, enjoyed a high reputation in the community of +Caneville, where he had been settled some time; and whenever, as now, he +chose to make an outdoor exhibition of himself and his powers, he was +certain of a very full audience.</p> + +<p>Behind him stood a punchy little bull-dog, with an inflamed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +countenance, evidently caused by too close application to a mouth-organ, +arranged in such a way as to be at a convenient distance from his +capacious muzzle; and before him was a drum, an article on which Bruin +looked with a curious and most ludicrous expression of physiognomy. As +he was now in the foremost van, he gradually edged near and nearer to +the object of his attraction, whilst the learned beast was making +preparations for a grand display; and just as Bruin had reached the +place where the drummer had taken his stand, Herr Schwein (so was he +called) gave orders for a flourish of music by way of opening the +performance. But how describe the effect which the sound produced on our +bear? At the first stroke of the stick on the drum, he leaped from the +ground as if he had been shot; then giving utterance to a prolonged +howl, he began dancing about in a way which would have been irresistibly +funny, if the audience had not been too frightened to stop and witness +it. As it happened, a general panic seized the multitude, and off went +good part of the population of Caneville, howling, screaming, and +yelping to their various homes, where they, of course, each gave a +different version of the story. The learned pig alone, and his faithful +Tom, who would not run away for any body, were the only creatures who +stood their ground; the former, because he had travelled much and was +acquainted with the peculiarities of bears; and the latter, partly for +the reason just<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> given, and in part because he was so fixed to the drum +that to go away without it was impossible; and to go away with it, +without previous packing, would have been equally difficult, so he stood +his ground and watched the proceedings.</p> + +<p>On the ceasing of the music and dispersing of the crowd our hero also +stood still, as much surprised as any of the former spectators at the +effect he had produced; and then feeling still more sensibly the effects +of his fatigues, he sat down panting and exhausted. The pig, who had +been quietly watching him, and had evidently been revolving some +interesting thoughts in his contemplative brain, shortly after rose, and +gathering up the things which were to have figured in his evening's +performance, and assisting to pack the drum comfortably on Tom's back, +beckoned to the bear, and waddled gently off in an opposite direction of +the city to that where Bruin had entered. Our interesting brute +hesitated a moment; but being nudged by Tom, who uttered at the same +time a word or two of encouragement, which, to render intelligible, may +be translated by "Come along, stupid!" he mechanically followed this +fast young dog, and they all reached the pig's habitation just as +evening was falling.</p> + +<p>After the bear had been regaled with a most hearty supper—for pigs, it +may be remarked by the way, are famous caterers—his learned host +unfolded to him his plans. He explained the nature of his own +avocations; how that he had supported himself, and saved a nice little +store besides, through telling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> the fortunes and relating the age of the +lady-dogs and doglets of Caneville; and how he performed sundry +conjuring tricks, which, though easy enough when found out, had earned +for him an astonishing reputation among the simple animals of the city, +who never <i>had</i> penetrated the secret. He explained, besides, that there +were many more he could perform if his figure were more slim and his +movements as active as they had been some years ago, before time, by +increasing his rotundity, had lessened the ease of his motions; but that +if Bruin would undertake to learn them, his fortune was as good as made: +for he, Herr Schwein, would not only teach him all he knew, but would +reward him with half the profits derived from his performance, when he +should have mastered his studies. This proposal so jumped with Bruin's +humour, that he consented without further solicitation, and it was +agreed that his engagement should commence from the following day.</p> + +<p>With the morning's sun did our hero's lessons begin; and as Nature had +not added stupidity to his various weaknesses, he made really rapid +progress. But poor Piggy found it dreadfully hard work, and more than +once repented his bargain; for though reflection and circumstances had +made him a philosopher, and travelling had taught him experience, it +required all his philosophy and his utmost skill to support the weight +of Bruin's unhandsome temper and prevent an utter breach between them. +Pride, however, and a natural wish to reap the harvest which he had sown +at the cost of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> so much pains and labour, induced him to persevere, and +the day at length arrived when Bruin was to make his next appearance in +public. Since the first evening of his arrival he had kept strictly +within his employer's grounds, and had familiarised his mind with the +mouth-organ and the drum. But now the sun had risen that was to shine on +him again abroad; he felt considerably elated; the idea of sporting a +handsome pair of silk drawers, and a medal with a ribbon round his neck, +and a silver anklet, contributing not a little to produce the feeling.</p> + +<p>The pig, who knew the value of notoriety in such cases, had, from early +morning, kept Tom parading the streets with a large placard over his +shoulders, announcing</p> + +<p class="center"> +THE ARRIVAL<br /> +<span class="smcap">of a</span><br /> +DISTINGUISHED FOREIGNER!<br /> +ENGAGED BY HERR SCHWEIN AT A RUINOUS EXPENSE!!<br /> +FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIONS,<br /> +<span class="smcap">to perform</span><br /> +HIS EXTRAORDINARY AND INTENSELY INTERESTING FEATS<br /> +<span class="smcap">before the</span><br /> +HIGHLY-DISCRIMINATING PUBLIC<br /> +OF CANEVILLE!!!<br /> +</p> + +<p>The highly-discriminating being thus prepared, assembled in the great +square, the place chosen for the exhibition, long<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> before the appointed +hour. The ladies were arranged in the foremost rank, with a politeness +that was perfectly edifying, whilst knots of fashionable dogs and cats +got as near as possible to the reigning favourites; curs of inferior +degree occupied the outermost ranks, and a bird or two got gallery +places above the heads of the animal spectators. It was when expectation +was raised to that pitch which usually finds vent in the most discordant +cries, that Bruin, carrying a bag, followed by Tom with the drum, made +his appearance,—a sight which caused universal approbation. Some +praised his evident strength, others admired his dress, and some again +criticised his figure; but when he drew out from his bag a quantity of +singular objects, and Tom struck up an extraordinary extempore air with +variations on the pipes, accompanied by sundry vicious blows on the +drum, public curiosity was strained to the utmost.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 449px;"> +<img src="images/ill-03.jpg" width="449" height="600" alt="MAKING AN IMPRESSION." title="" /> +<span class="caption">MAKING AN IMPRESSION.</span> +</div> + +<p>When the music ceased, Bruin imperatively waved the spectators back, and +the performance began. He handled a pair of knives in a way which made +the beholders tremble; for those implements were swallowed and appeared +again at the tips of his paws or the end of his nose, without doing him +any injury, and they were forced into his arms and drawn furiously +across his throat without causing the slightest wound; and then they +were tucked into his waistband, and after sundry contortions and leaps, +and affected attitudes, they were pulled from out his capacious jaws, +where they had stuck fast, to the wonder and delight of the spectators. +Then he took up three balls of polished brass, which seemed too heavy +for any fashionable puppy present to lift, and commenced a wonderful +series of exploits with them. Now they leaped a great height into the +air, one after another, with a rapidity which made the crowd's eyes +water; then they ran over his shoulders, and down his back, and between +his legs, and over his shoulders again in a continuous stream; and then +they went bumping over every projecting part of his body, leaping here, +jumping there, now on the top of his head, now on the tip of his nose, +and never falling to the ground, and always going this game with such +wondrous swiftness, as though there were thirty balls instead of three. +But the feat which pleased them most, and which may be called the +crowning effort of the display, was when Bruin balanced a short stick on +his forehead with a pewter plate on the top of it, which, by some +mysterious agency, was made to spin round and round, and dazzle the +optics of the crowd as it glittered in the sun. At this marvellous sight +there was a burst of admiration! Tom blew at his pipes and hammered at +his drum with the utmost energy. Two well-dressed young dogs, who had +been paying particular attention to a tall young lady with a long +sentimental nose, over which a veil dropped gracefully (she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> was +evidently one of the aristocratic greyhound family), gaped with wonder +as they stared at the whirling pewter; the young lady herself looked on +with a gaze where surprise and admiration were singularly mingled; and +the curs, who are less accustomed to restrain their feelings, gave vent +to them in vigorous howls. The success was, indeed, complete; and when +Tom went round with the plate, a rich harvest amply repaid the pains +which had been bestowed on the rehearsals.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PROSPERITY" id="PROSPERITY"></a>PROSPERITY.</h2> + + +<p>Herr Schwein, that very learned pig, who had stationed himself in an +unobserved corner of the throng, in order that he might witness the +behaviour of his pupil, was delighted, though not astonished, at his +success, and gave vent to his feelings in as marked a manner as a +philosopher and an animal of his peculiar temperament could be expected +to betray. He even went so far as to beg Bruin to embrace him—an +experiment he was not likely to desire repeated, for that malicious +beast gave him so severe a squeeze, as to cause him an indigestion for +several days after. Piggy's calculations, and the joy which he built on +them, would not have been of so solid a kind, if he had known a little +more of Bruin's disposition; but, though an animal of experience and +knowledge of the world, he was in this case too blinded by his pride to +form his usually correct judgment. He only considered what the bear owed +to him in the way of gratitude for clothing, feeding, and civilising; he +grunted with satisfaction as he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> revolved in his thoughts the goodly +treasure which Bruin might be the means of his acquiring; for, +philosopher and animal of the world as he was, he had not been able to +divest himself of two grand vices,—gluttony and avarice. The former +belonged to his tribe, the latter to himself; and though at first sight +they would seem in contradiction with each other, he managed somehow to +permit, in his own proper person, that both should have equal sway; and +the older he grew, the larger and firmer-rooted did these two passions +become. He was getting also so unwieldy, that indolence was, to a +certain extent, forced upon him; and this was another powerful +consideration which induced him to look on the accession of Bruin as a +real benefit.</p> + +<p>Unhappy, however, the lot of that animal who should repose any degree of +confidence in good to be derived from such a temper and disposition! As +day by day developed some new feature which helped to betray a character +singularly unamiable and unattractive, so day by day did Herr Schwein's +habitation resound with growls and grunts of anger, where formerly +reigned the completest calm. Bruin's performances also lacking novelty, +began to pall upon the public taste; and though Tom trudged about with +his placards more vigorously than ever, and wore the soles of his poor +paws thin with the exercise, the novelty was dying out, and the +fashionable puppies began to be witty in their whispered remarks upon +the person<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> of the bearer. The bear had got a great deal too lazy to +learn any fresh exploits; and the pig, indeed, was almost too much out +of spirits to teach them. Besides this, Bruin had acquired habits of +rather an expensive kind, to indulge which required a good deal of +money; and, as Herr Schwein suspected that his due half of the now +diminished receipts was withheld from him, quarrels not unnaturally +ensued.</p> + +<p>These various annoyances produced a great change in poor Piggy, who, +perhaps, felt more deeply the overthrow of his pet projects, than the +actual loss his bargain had entailed on him; though the loss itself was +not trifling, for Bruin's enormous appetite, which he indulged to a +frightful extent, went considerably beyond the income that his +diminished exertions produced, and there was a chance, as matters stood, +that this resource would soon fail altogether. It is not surprising, +then, if the Herr should contemplate breaking off his engagement, and +terminating at once the difficulties which seemed to threaten him, by +turning the great bear adrift upon the world. But a stronger power than +a pig's was about to settle the question, a power to which all animals +are equally amenable: and thus was it brought into action.</p> + +<p>It was evening; Bruin and Tom, the former in excessively ill-humour, the +latter much as usual, though sulky, returned home, where the Herr +awaited them with impatience. It did<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> not require a very great amount of +sagacity to learn that they had been unsuccessful, for disappointment +was plainly visible on the features of both. From Bruin nothing could be +obtained in the way of information, for he had thrown himself on the +ground, and stuffed his wide jaws with some delicacies Piggy had +reserved for his own supper, so it was to Tom his master's eyes were +directed for an explanation. Now that valuable servant's <i>fort</i>, never +lay in making an eloquent discourse, or even in describing the most +ordinary facts in a plain and intelligible manner; and in this instance, +as his feelings interfered with the relation of facts, a tolerably large +stock of patience, and some cleverness to boot, were needed to +understand the account.</p> + +<p>This was, after cross-examination, what Herr Schwein managed to +comprehend. They had gone to the marketplace as usual, and, to their +delight, found it crowded, immediately jumping to the conclusion that +the public mind of Caneville was not so utterly degraded as they had +begun to fancy it. The innocent conjecture was soon, however, disabused; +for on their drawing nearer they observed that faithless population +gathered about "<span class="smcap">Another Distinguished Foreigner</span>," with a remarkably long +beard and a fierce pair of horns, who proclaimed himself a magician from +beyond the land where the sun rose, and rejoiced in the name of Doctor +Capricornus, A.V.G.T., and M.U.H.S., which the great learning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> of Herr +Schwein interpreted by A Very Great Traveller, or Thief, and Member of +the Universal Herbage or Humbug Society. Now, the feats displayed by +this new candidate for public favour were of the stupidest order +(remember, this is not the statement of a disinterested party), +consisting merely in pointing out any pebble on the ground that any one +of the crowd should have previously fixed on, and mounting to the top of +a little ladder and balancing himself on the tips of his horns at the +upper round; yet it was enough to excite the enthusiasm of the +lookers-on: nor could all the cries of Bruin, bidding them come and see +what true genius really was; nor all the dulcet notes of Tom, though he +blew at his pipes till he was black in the face, and thrashed his drum +till he beat in its crown, procure them a single spectator. Thoroughly +disgusted, they quitted the spot and returned home, Bruin getting into a +dispute with one of the City police by the way for comporting himself +bearishly towards a richly-dressed and genteel-looking cat, who was +quietly serenading his mistress, seated at a balcony.</p> + +<p>As Tom finished his relation, a slight squeak issued from the pig's +throat, but from its profoundest depths, as if it came from the bottom +of his heart. Once or twice, indeed, he turned his snout to the place +where the bear, who had finished his employer's supper, lay at his full +length asleep, as though he intended to arouse him; but his philosophy +or his physical<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> weakness made him change his resolution, and, making a +motion to Tom to lend him some assistance, he tottered off with +difficulty to bed, where he cast himself down as if he were tired of the +world and its struggles. At least his manner so far affected Tom that he +could not prevail on himself to quit his master's side; but after +watching him with interest for a full hour, and observing him in a deep +sleep, he stretched his body upon some clean straw, instead of seeking +his own crib, and was soon likewise in a state of forgetfulness.</p> + +<p>It must have been about midnight that Tom was aroused by a suppressed +grunting; he started up, and, by the aid of the moon, beheld Herr +Schwein lying on his back, and convulsively kicking his legs in the air. +He ran to his head and tried to raise him up, but his weight was more +than he could manage, so he called out in his loudest voice for the +assistance of Bruin. That ungracious beast, however, though waked by the +noise, felt no inclination to have his repose disturbed; so bid him hold +his peace, and let honest folks go to sleep. Tom was a thoroughly +faithful creature at heart, though a rough and untutored one. The want +of feeling displayed by the bear, and his ingratitude in thus allowing +his master to struggle without even lending him a paw, aroused all the +indignation of his honest nature; so, flying at Master Bruin, he caught +hold of the tip of his ear and bit it till the great beast roared with +pain, and, effectually roused, followed his adversary about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> the place +in order to punish him for his insolence. In his awkward evolutions he +caught one of his legs in a heap of straw, and fell full sprawl over +poor Herr Schwein. A small grunt, like a sigh with a bad cold, escaped +the learned Pig: it was his last! for, when Bruin raised himself up, he +found his late employer perfectly motionless; nor did all his efforts, +such as pulling his snout, and shaking his trotters, and twisting his +tail, succeed in producing the slightest impression. The bear was +puzzled. He squatted down beside his old master, and, sucking his right +paw, whilst he scratched his pate with his left, gazed long at the +prostrate body. Meanwhile Tom drew nigh, and guessing at the truth from +his companion's attitude and the pig's breathless quiet, raised his nose +to the roof of the dwelling and uttered a long and dismal howl of +sorrow. Again and again, at brief intervals, did the faithful servant +thus deplore his master's fate, till Bruin, angered by the noise, threw +the broken drum at the unconscious mourner, with such effect, indeed, +that the shattered extremity alighted on his crown, and for the time +completely buried him, his voice sounding singularly sepulchral from the +depths of the hollow instrument. It effectually stopped the current of +his grief by creating a flood of irritation, which only respect for the +dead prevented his giving vent to, for he would otherwise have little +heeded either the strength or ferocity of his antagonist.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>Bruin, who had betrayed no feeling of any kind at the sight of his late +benefactor thus converted into pork, now returned to his own bed, and +was soon again in a comfortable snore; but the faithful Tom still sat +beside the body of his master, and patiently watched there till +daylight.</p> + +<p>The sun rose, and many neighbours, apprised of the event, made their +appearance; some urged by curiosity to see how a dead pig looked, some +stimulated by avarice, hoping there might be a trifle or two to pick up, +and a few from a higher motive—the wish, namely, to show respect for +the memory of the deceased, by assisting, if necessary, his survivors. +Herr Schwein, however, had come amongst them alone, nor was it thought +that he had kith or kin; for no mention of any amiable <i>frau</i>, or sow, +no syllable of any interesting piglet, had ever issued from his learned +jaws. He died as he had lived, among strangers; and, alas! all the +learning he had acquired was destined to perish with him: for, with one +exception, Herr Schwein had never committed any of his thoughts or +experiences to writing. I have said, with <i>one</i> exception; for the +occasion is worth noting, as it was on a matter interesting, indeed, to +every epicure in the universe. The subject which then engaged his pen +bore the following title:—"<i>Signs by which the most unobservant may +detect in the soils of the world the existence of Truffles; together +with an Essay on the most effectual mode of cultivating them.</i>" And it +may well be conjectured, from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> the great learning and fitness of the +writer to deal with such a subject, how much new light must have been +thrown upon it. Unfortunately for the tribes of gourmands, and poor +Piggy's fame, this valuable paper was never destined to electrify the +world; for, cast into the street by Bruin among other articles, +considered, alas! of no value, it was picked up by some ignorant puppy +passing by, who, seeing it written in German character, and not +understanding a word of it, tore up the priceless document to make +lights for his cigars.</p> + +<p>Two mastiffs, who had been informed of the death, kept watch meanwhile +without the house; and when night again came on they were joined by a +couple of ugly curs, whose business it was to convey the body to its +last resting-place without the city; for the dogs, with great good +sense, had an intense dislike to bury the dead among the living. The +mortal remains of Herr Schwein being placed upon a kind of sledge, were +drawn slowly down to the little lake, followed by Tom, as chief and only +mourner, for Bruin was so devoid of feeling as to refuse even this last +tribute to the memory of one who had been his best friend; and when the +funeral procession reached the water, the body was gently let down into +the current, which bore it gradually away. Poor Tom sent after it a +prolonged and melancholy howl, the last sad adieu of a simple but +faithful heart; and then turning his steps, which were mechanically +leading him towards his late home, in quite<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> an opposite direction, he +set off upon a lonely pilgrimage, resolving in his own mind that many a +scene should be traversed ere he again gazed on his native city of +Caneville.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Bruin, who felt not the least alarm at Tom's continued +absence, found himself suddenly in a position of the highest prosperity. +As no one was there to claim the property of the deceased, he took +possession of it as his right. Every corner was ransacked, every +hiding-place examined, and a large store of costumes, and things of +every kind, gathered in the course of the late Herr's wanderings in +different lands, were dragged from their obscurity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 467px;"> +<img src="images/ill-04.jpg" width="467" height="600" alt="A VERY GREAT BEAR." title="" /> +<span class="caption">A VERY GREAT BEAR.</span> +</div> + +<p>His present habitation did not, however, suit his change of fortune: he +must have a house in the most fashionable quarter of the town. When this +was obtained, not satisfied with the simple name his fathers had +honestly borne for so many generations, he resolved to dub himself a +nobleman, which he could the more easily do in a place where his +connexions were unknown, so styled himself Count von Bruin forthwith. +The wardrobe of his late learned employer furnished him with a suit of +astonishingly fine clothes, which fitted him to a nicety; so on every +fine morning, dressed therein, with hat cocked upon his crown, his paws +grasping a cane, and placed under his coat-tails, so as to show off all +the glory of his waistcoat, frill, and splendid jewellery, he marched +into the streets. He made so imposing a figure in his new dress, and +assumed such an air of pomposity, that it was no wonder the uninitiated +should have been deceived, and have taken him for a lion of the very +first nobility; nor can we be surprised that a poor cur, almost in a +state of nudity, should, in the most abject manner, supplicate a trifle +from "His Lordship;" that an ignorant cat, in passing, should take off +his cap and make a profound bow; or a kitten, just behind, cross its +paws as though it stood in the presence of a superior. There was one, +however, who penetrated through all his disguise; one who had watched +him with interest when he made his <i>debut</i> in the public square and drew +down such abundant admiration, and who, by some feeling for which she +could not account, had followed his varying fortunes till she saw him +thus rich, superbly dressed, and strutting down the street, as though +Caneville were too small to hold him,—and that one was the Hon. Miss +Greyhound.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="REVERSES" id="REVERSES"></a>REVERSES.</h2> + + +<p>Solitary as were Bruin's habits by nature, he had felt, since his +residence in a town, a change stealing gradually over him, and the +necessity of companionship becoming every day more sensibly experienced. +In his late position, he had had the constant companionship of Tom and +the learned society of his master, which, indeed, he was but little +capable of appreciating, besides the acquaintance of some inferior +animals whom he had managed to fall in with during his idle hours; +though that these must have been of the very lowest class, the reader, +who is aware of the character of that great beast, will readily suppose. +Tom was, however, now gone; poor Schwein, too, had departed; and Bruin's +fine clothes and altered condition entirely precluded at present a +return to his former associates. Society, he felt, he must have, and +upon his choice now depended his future fortunes. It was whilst this +necessity was pressing on his brain that one morning, when lolling in +all the indolence of ignorance allied to wealth,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> he was surprised at +the appearance of a diminutive spaniel, admitted by his porter, who, +dressed in a rich scarlet livery, bore a letter in his belt, which he +presented with a certain fawning grace to our hero, and hastily +departed. This was the first epistle that worthy had ever held in his +own paws, so it may well be judged he was but little prepared to +investigate its contents. He turned it over and over, and then put it to +his nose, for the scent which it emitted was pleasant to his sense of +smell; but still this gave him no hint at its meaning. Never before had +he felt the annoyance which a want of education inevitably causes; but +now that it did strike him, instead of arousing his energies to cure so +serious a defect,—a cure, too, which he could under present +circumstances so easily accomplish,—it only moved his anger to think +that the little scrap of paper which he held in his paw, and which he +could without the slightest effort crush into nothingness, withheld its +secrets from him, whilst every mincing puppy in the streets could +command its every word. Ah, Master Bruin! Master Bruin! you are not the +first to make the discovery that knowledge is superior to brute force. +Angry or not, he wished to know the meaning of the note; and summoning +to his presence one who had managed to procure the chief place in his +household, cunning Fox as he was, he commanded that worthy to read its +contents aloud. Fox obeyed, not at all displeased that he should be +selected for this duty, as he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> foresaw, from the so-called Count's +ignorance, that he would be able at a future period to turn his intimate +knowledge of his master's secrets to good account. He, therefore, read +as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"You may believe I must be actuated by a strong feeling in your +favour, when I thus forget what is due to my sex and rank, and +overcome all the prejudices which canine society builds up as a +barrier to intercourse with foreigners. I confess it; the feeling +<i>is</i> a strong one: but I rely on your honour to save me from the +ill effects my imprudence might otherwise lay me open to. If you +are willing to know farther, and are the animal I take you for, you +will be in waiting tomorrow evening after sunset, at the extremity +of the mews in the cats' quarter of the city." </p></div> + +<p>This missive, written in bold but feminine characters, was without a +signature; and when Fox had retired, with a cunning leer upon his sharp +features, and Bruin was left alone to meditate upon the singularity of +the adventure, that great beast lost himself in conjectures as to the +writer, and figured to his imagination a creature very different, no +doubt, to the being actually in question. His impatience, however, to +get over the interval of time which must elapse ere his curiosity could +be gratified, was sensibly felt by every inmate of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> mansion. Nothing +seemed to go right; the soup was tasteless, the viands were overdone, +and the vegetables raw. Never was there so fastidious a bear; the cook +more than once contemplated some rash act; the poor little turnspits +crept into corners with their tails between their legs, fully expecting +to be sacrificed in some moment of wrath; whilst the various +house-servants, pussies of doubtful reputation, seemed to creep about +the place as though they were every moment in dread of being accused of +purloining certain savoury made-dishes, reserved especially for cook's +private friends. Fox, too, the steward and factotum of the +establishment, appeared not to possess his usual sleek and quiet ease, +but, as the evening drew near, got restless and fidgetty, though he +tried to be calm, and even more jocose than usual. He had been absent +half the morning, no one knew for what purpose; not that he ever +condescended to divulge the causes of his movements, but there was a +slyer look in his eyes, and a sharper appearance about his clever, +pointed nose, than ordinarily animated those features.</p> + +<p>The hour drew nigh. The sun was going down when the Count von Bruin, +most superbly dressed, sallied forth from his dwelling. His demeanour +was observed and criticised by every domestic in his household, who, +crowding to the windows, watched that great bear go forth,—as he +fancied, to conquer. Fox allowed him to turn the corner; then, +en<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>veloped in a cloak which completely hid his figure, he let himself +out and glided after his master.</p> + +<p>Bruin, meanwhile, strutted on till he reached the quarter of the city +inhabited by the descendants of the feline race; and as he had never +before been in that part of the town, he was at first utterly confounded +by the discordant cries. Instead, too, of the order prevailing in the +canine portions, the inhabitants seemed to take delight in the wildest +gymnastic demonstrations, and certainly seemed to prefer the house-tops +to any other lounging-place. Kittens, in horrible abundance, were +frisking about in every direction, and the scene was altogether of a +character which seemed to justify the wisdom of the magnates of +Caneville in obliging this singular people to dwell in a distinct part +of the town; a rule which, with a few exceptions, was strictly carried +out.</p> + +<p>On reaching the mews, a place so called at the outskirts of the city in +this direction, and sufficiently removed from the noisy streets as to +make the spot a very solitary one, Bruin perceived he was alone at the +rendezvous; so, to while away the time, he strutted to and fro, and +meditated, in his usual style, on his own self-importance. He was +aroused from his reverie by a slight bark, or cough; and raising his +head, he perceived in the dim light a tall and graceful figure deeply +veiled.</p> + +<p>He hastily advanced, his rough nature for the first time touched at this +proof of confidence, and his vanity suddenly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> rising to a dangerous +height, and taking the delicate white paw, which drooped gracefully from +a mantle, within his own, he unclosed his jaws to make some tender +speech. But before he had time to commit himself by his ignorance, the +young lady uttered an aristocratic squeak, and darted away with the +utmost swiftness, and Bruin at the same instant found himself seized by +a strong grip from behind. He turned round with a violence which threw +his assailant a dozen paces off, into a pool of stagnant water, his own +coat being slit right up the back by the movement; but he was at once +attacked by half-a-dozen others, who seemed bent on his destruction. +Bruin's great strength, however, served him in good stead; with his back +against an old wall, he received the assaults of his adversaries with +all his wonted ferocity: so that after ten minutes' fighting they drew +off, leaving two of their number motionless on the ground, and a third +struggling in vain to escape from the unsavoury hole where the whisk of +Bruin's coat-tails had cast him. To this spot Bruin now proceeded; and +sitting himself down on the edge, told the struggling dog he would help +him out if he would divulge the meaning of this unexpected attack on +him. The half-drowned cur, having supplicated the bear in vain to let +him out before he commenced his narration, in accents sadly interrupted +by his throat getting at intervals choked with dirty water, explained +that himself and the others of his assailants were the attend<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>ants of +one of the most noble families in Caneville; and that their master, +learning from some member of Count von Bruin's household that he (the +Count) intended meeting the eldest daughter at this spot to-night, had +commanded a body of his servitors to be in readiness to fall upon him, +and if possible take him prisoner, for presuming to raise or lower his +eyes to a damsel of such standing.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had Bruin heard this communication to an end, than, despite his +promise and the poor dog's cries, he caught up a huge clod of earth and +dropped it upon the devoted head of the struggling animal beneath. There +was a great splash; a bubble or two came to the surface of the horrid +pool, and the brutal deed was consummated. Yet at the same moment Bruin +regretted he had been so precipitate, for he had not learnt <i>which</i> +member of his household had played the spy. As he slowly left the place, +he revolved this subject in his mind, but could come to no satisfactory +conclusion; for though Fox appeared the most likely to be guilty, that +worthy animal had made himself so useful to his master, that he could +not well manage without him. He resolved, nevertheless, to watch him +closely, and with this prudent resolve he reached his own door.</p> + +<p>Very different was his appearance now to that which it presented on his +issuing from the mansion. His coat torn to ribbons, his hat without a +crown, his majestic frill rumpled<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> and bloody, and his waistcoat without +a single button left wherewith to restrain the exuberance of his linen. +All his domestics were eager in their inquiries and offers of service; +and Fox was so overpowering in his expressions of regret, that all +suspicion vanished from Bruin's brain at once; and he attributed his +informant's tale to some malicious calumny, invented to save his life +and conceal the true cause of the attack upon him.</p> + +<p>Our hero, finding that the paths of gallantry were filled with so much +unpleasantness, resolved, like a prudent animal, to avoid them carefully +in future; but as his desire for an introduction to society continued, +he availed himself of the offer of his steward, who promised to procure +him introductions to youth of the best families. The class with which +Fox managed to bring him into connexion was the most worthless in +Caneville, consisting of fast young dogs, who had a singular knack of +reversing the order of nature, and going to bed when other animals were +getting up, and thinking of rising when the discreet part of the world +deemed it time to retire to rest. They had formed themselves into a sort +of club, which they called the "Hard and Fast;" and, indeed, no terms +could better express the habits of the members; for they gamed hard, +drank hard, and talked hard, and lived so uncommonly <i>fast</i>, that it was +not surprising that, though quite young, they should have many of the +infirmities of age. To these worthies<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> Bruin was an acquisition; for he +was rich, ignorant, and gullible, whilst they were poor, grasping, and +unscrupulous. At the very first interview, all parties were equally +delighted with each other; the ease of his new companions' manners was +perfectly charming to Bruin, who considered it as a proof of their +breeding, and every following day strengthened the connexion. Riotous +parties of pleasure were constantly projected, for which their friend +Von Bruin paid; banquets of the most expensive kind were always spread +upon his table, at which his "dear fellows of the club" +assisted—themselves; and, indeed, so closely were the bonds of union +drawn, that after some time many of them could not bear to separate from +their esteemed Count; and, therefore, took up their residence with him +altogether.</p> + +<p>If disorder were running such a race in company with the chief of the +establishment, it may be conjectured that but little prudence or economy +was displayed by the domestics. Extravagance of every kind ran riot +amongst them as wildly as with their master, and they scrupled not at +all sorts of petty pilfering, where there were none to censure or +restrain. Fox, it is true, had the right, and possessed the influence +requisite to do so; but, for some evil design of his own, possibly that +his private peccadilloes might escape unnoticed, he seemed tacitly to +submit to such a state of things, and in some instances actually +encouraged it. And what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> could be the only result of such a life of +dissipation, unchecked by a single effort of discretion? Why, nothing +but the most irretrievable ruin; and ruined the bear was after three +months' trial. And when, following a banquet of several days' duration, +the clouded intellects of the beast were made sensible of the fact; when +he found his table cleared for the last time both of servants and +guests; when he traversed the various apartments of his mansion, and +observed all stripped, destroyed, and echoing only to the sounds of his +own footsteps; when, in fine, he discovered that he was again alone in +the world, without any portion of that wealth which he had so sadly +abused, and with many new and vicious tastes which he had no longer the +means to gratify; bitter, indeed, were his lamentations, shocking his +fits of anger. These over, and they lasted long, long days, he seriously +examined the state of his affairs. With the exception of the clothes +upon his back, and a little change in his pocket, he possessed +absolutely nothing, so effectually had his kind friends and faithful +servants stripped him of his means: it was, therefore, with no enviable +feelings he left the house, his house no longer, to seek a shelter for +his head, and a crust to appease his hunger.</p> + +<p>He carefully avoided all his former resorts, and directed his steps to +those parts of the town where poverty and vice were accustomed to +assemble, strong in their numbers and their misery. Among them he now +strove to bury his griefs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> and acquire consolation; but, alas, it was at +the cost of every hope of virtue which might yet lurk in his nature! +Characters like Bruin's, that are ever more apt to imitate the evil than +the good which is around them, can only acquire some fresh stain from +every contact with the wicked; and thus our bear sunk lower and lower in +the scale of beasts, till many even of his new associates at last shrunk +from him.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 478px;"> +<img src="images/ill-05.jpg" width="478" height="600" alt="THREE THROWS A-PENNY." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THREE THROWS A-PENNY.</span> +</div> + +<p>Some months after Bruin's being turned out of his splendid home there +was a great fair held, just without the town of Caneville; and, as is +usual in such cases, the lowest orders of the population assembled +there. The Hon. Miss Greyhound, who had been a prey to feelings of a +very mixed nature since her interrupted interview with Bruin, had joined +a party of fashionables in an unusually long walk, and on their return +to the city by a different route they came upon the fair. They stopped +on a rising ground at some little distance to view the sports; then +observing a group with a tall ungainly figure in the centre, a little to +the right, they drew nearer to observe the proceedings. The great beast +in the centre had his back to them, so they could not observe his +features; but they saw that his clothes were ragged, his whole +appearance very dirty, and his hat a particularly bad one. A dozen of +heavy sticks were at his feet, and a couple were under his arm; whilst +at some twenty paces distant two wands, with an ornament or trinket at +the top of each, were stuck upright in a straw bag,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> ready to be +thrown at by any adventurous puss or puppy who had a coin at his +disposal. A couple of cats were lovingly walking at some distance, +another was climbing a large tree which overhung the place, and a fourth +was lazily seated high above; whilst, in the neighbourhood of the animal +who was presiding over the scene, were several dogs and a cat or two +waiting for their turn. The tall beast now altered his position, and the +strongly-marked features of a bear became plainly visible to the party; +at the same time he caught sight of the fashionable group, and, with a +fierce expression in his eye, surlily invited the well-dressed males to +take their chance at "Three throws a-penny!"</p> + + + +<p>A gentle howl from Miss G. was the only reply, as the party hastily +retreated; for she recognized in the dirty, degraded beast, who was +presiding over this vulgar sport, the object she had once looked on with +affection, the once wealthy Count von Bruin.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PROGRESS" id="PROGRESS"></a>PROGRESS.</h2> + + +<p>The fair of Caneville was like fairs in most other parts of the world, +and contained the usual elements of fun and wickedness, toys and dirt, +sweets and other messes. As all these various ingredients looked best at +night, when the broad sun was withdrawn and an artificial light very +feebly supplied its place, it was towards evening that the fair began to +fill, and doubtful characters to ply their various vocations. It was +matter of remark that there was much more quarrelling and ill-humour in +the fair this particular year, than there had been for several previous +periods; and it was also observed that a tall and powerful bear—no +other than our hero Bruin—was ever in the midst of it, either as an +instigator or a principal. This circumstance made the authorities more +than usually alert, and caused Master Bruin to be closely watched.</p> + +<p>It was at the close of the last day, after many scenes of evil which it +is not necessary to describe, that a serious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> disturbance arose in the +part of the field where Bruin had his stand. Blows soon followed angry +words; the contending parties flew at each other with great ferocity; +growl followed growl, and bite succeeded bite, so that a good deal of +blood was shed—ill blood; so, perhaps, better out than in;—and as +Bruin's sticks were conveniently at hand as weapons of offence, they +were soon seized upon, and used so indiscriminately, that almost every +throw told. Many were stretched on the ground, and one of the +mastiff-police was thought to be killed. This was a serious offence, +indeed, and those who knew the penalty attending such a calamity +instantly took to flight. They were as instantly pursued; and when about +to be captured, with one voice denounced Bruin as the culprit; though, +in fact, it was not he who had struck the blow, and they knew it: but +such was his known ferocity and ill-temper, that to shield themselves +they were ready to give up the wrong beast, whom no one loved, and whom +every one would have suspected as the author of the calamity. So the +bear, in spite of his protestations of innocence, and in spite too of a +most furious resistance, in the course of which he got more than one +savage bite from some small animal he had injured, he was dragged off to +prison.</p> + +<p>The place used for this purpose was a portion of a ruined castle, +standing in the centre of the town, on the banks of the rivulet before +spoken of; the ruin itself being of great anti<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>quity, and having been +evidently erected by a very different class of beings to that which +formed the present population of Caneville. Several compartments were +adapted for the purpose, all more or less secure; but the square stone +chamber into which Bruin was thrust was the strongest of them all. The +door opening outwards was closed on him, and secured by a heavy mass of +rock, which the united efforts of several of the police rolled against +it; and having thus deposited the prisoner in safety, a couple mounted +guard at the entrance, in case by any chance the great strength of the +bear should succeed in removing the fastening. Bruin seemed, however, in +no humour to make the experiment. Sore and worn out, he crawled into a +corner and was soon fast asleep, resuming in his dreams some of his old +avocations. He woke at daylight, and immediately rose to examine his +prison. The door he sniffed at, but passed by; the window was at so +great a height from the floor that he could not reach it upon tiptoe, +but he remarked that a very delicious puff of fresh air came down an +aperture originally used as a chimney. He moved hastily towards it, and +many feet above observed the blue sky, and the large branch of a tree +waving over the aperture. Had Messieurs the Police been aware of Bruin's +climbing propensities, they would scarcely have left this point +unguarded; as it was, the bear proceeded immediately to take advantage +of it. With a spring he caught hold of an opening formed by a missing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +stone, and drawing his body up to his paw, he stuck his foot into the +hole and pressed his broad back against the opposite side; a projecting +brick gave him a second hold, and then the difficulty was over, for the +chimney narrowing he managed to get up by the simple pressure of his +knees and back, and the use of his broad and muscular paws. A few +seconds sufficed for him to reach the top, on which he sat with his +heels dangling in the air, to enjoy the prospect and take breath, while +he deliberated on his farther proceedings.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile an inquiry had been entered upon by the authorities of +Caneville concerning the riot, in which one of the police was alleged to +have been killed, but as the object of the inquiry limped into the +assembly during the sitting, it was not considered worth while to hear +evidence as to the authors of his death; and as he, moreover, distinctly +stated that the beast who struck the blow was not a bear, it was ordered +that the bear who was in custody on the charge should be liberated +forthwith. Great was the surprise of his guards, however, on proceeding +to his prison, to find that he had anticipated the verdict and had taken +the liberty of setting himself free; in what way was pretty clear, as, +on looking up the chimney, they were no less amused than astonished to +see him just in the act of swinging himself on to the projecting branch +of the tree and disappear from their view. They ran<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> round into the +court to mark the end of Bruin's manœuvres, but he had been too quick +for them; not knowing of his being again a free bear, and apprehensive +of being pursued, he had descended the tree with the utmost velocity, +climbed over a ruined wall, and dropping, not lightly, into the stream, +with a few bold strokes reached the opposite shore, where he immediately +climbed a leafy oak, with the intention of waiting till the hue and cry +was over.</p> + +<p>He kept his position very quietly all day, rather surprised that no +commotion should be visible in and about the prison, of which he +commanded a good view; and as evening was falling he resolved to +descend, and, recrossing the stream higher up, seek refuge in some one +of his late haunts. Just as he was about putting this resolution into +effect he heard voices beneath the tree, and lay quite still to listen. +But what was his astonishment, as they drew nearer, to perceive that one +of the two foxes from whom the sounds proceeded, was his former steward +and factotum! His interest in their movements was of course increased, +and he listened, with his ears and eyes bent down, to catch their every +syllable and look. The stranger fox, it appeared, was about crossing the +brook to the city, and the other one had accompanied him thus far, but +refused to enter the town. On this, the following words reached Bruin's +ear:—</p> + +<p><i>Stranger.</i>—I have noticed more than once, cousin, that you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> avoid the +town; and yet I have known you to declare that no one but a cow could +live in the country.</p> + +<p><i>Fox.</i>—True enough, my dear fellow; but since I left <i>his</i> service, you +know, I don't care to run the risk of meeting him.</p> + +<p><i>Stranger.</i>—Ha! ha! I see. You are rather apprehensive he should seize +you by the throat, and exclaim, "<i>My</i> money or <i>your</i> life!"</p> + +<p><i>Fox.</i>—Hush! hush! who knows what ears may be listening? Enough that I +have a comfortable competency, and don't choose to run the risk of +losing it.</p> + +<p><i>Stranger.</i>—Well, well, cousin, I say no more; but remember, your +grandfather and mine never left his home for fear of meeting with a wolf +who owed him a grudge, and was found dead in his bed, having been +murdered by the very wolf after all. Come! you needn't look so down +about it, old fellow; nothing half so bad, I hope, will come to +you.—Ta! ta!</p> + +<p>So saying, the stranger fox took leave of his cousin, and was soon on +the opposite shore.</p> + +<p>Fox waited till he saw him land, and then slowly turned to retrace his +steps.</p> + +<p>Scarcely, however, had he taken half-a-dozen paces, than a rushing noise +smote his ears; and before he could raise his head a heavy body struck +him between the shoulders, with a violence which dashed him flat on to +the ground. He neither moved nor uttered a cry: his neck was broken. +With a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> savage howl, Bruin—for it is easy to guess that it was he—put +his heavy paw upon the other's chest; but finding all still, he examined +his clothes, whence he took all the valuables. He paused in his work to +chide his own precipitancy; for had he followed the Fox he might, +perhaps, have learnt his dwelling and regained great part of his +property. It was too late now; so, giving a savage kick on the face of +the unfortunate animal, he heaped it over with leaves, and pursued his +original intention of regaining the city, and before night was once more +beneath the roof of a late associate.</p> + +<p>He remained for several days perfectly quiet and inactive; but finding +no search was instituted for him, he, little by little, resumed his old +habits, and, as many knew to their cost, his old overbearing temper.</p> + + +<p>Among the tastes prevailing to an immense extent in the community of +Caneville, a great love for those dainties which we call oysters had +always been remarkable. It occurred to Bruin, as he had now some +trifling capital, that he would invest a portion in such articles as +made up the fixtures and stock-in-trade of an oyster-merchant: the +former expression is, however, a misnomer, for the stall and tubs +included under the term fixtures would be more properly described as +moveables. This was soon effected; and Bruin having chosen a +semi-respectable thoroughfare, where he would have a chance of a +customer or two from the upper, and would not be too<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> far removed from +the lower class of Caneville society, he planted his stall, arranged his +tubs, spruced up his own person with the addition of a most formidable +collar and a most doubtfully clean apron, and vociferated his "Penny a +lot, pups! penny a lot!" in a way which greatly edified the bystanders. +The bystanders were, however, soon induced to become purchasers, for +very few of them could resist oysters, if they had the wherewithal to +purchase them; and Bruin's natives were so fine and fresh, and he had so +clever a knack of opening them, that it was really worth the money to +see him do that, and many actually went there for the purpose: so that +it really seemed he had at last hit upon a business for which he was +entirely suited, which met also the public views, and that a short time +would enable him, with prudence, to save provision for his old age.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 467px;"> +<img src="images/ill-06.jpg" width="467" height="600" alt="SELLING THE NATIVES." title="" /> +<span class="caption">SELLING THE NATIVES.</span> +</div> + + +<p>But, alas, the perversity of bears! No sooner did anything like a smile +from Fortune's face alight upon him, than he seemed resolved, by his +uncompromising temper, to turn it to a frown! As long as the business +was new to him, he took pleasure in performing the duties belonging to +it in a proper manner; a little roughly, it may be, but still—properly. +Directly it grew familiar, he became careless; and he had a most wilful +habit of aggravating his customers, which could not, of course, continue +without seriously injuring his trade. For instance, when some pert young +puppy would come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> forward, and civilly enough request his "one or two +penn'orth of natives," Bruin would first insist on having the money paid +down, and would then tantalise his customer by offering him the opened +oyster and hastily withdrawing it just as the impatient jaws were about +to close on the desired morsel, and so on to the end, to the vast +irritation of many an irascible little animal.</p> + +<p>And a day came when this same spirit caused the upset of his trade, and +set a veto upon his "selling the natives," at least in Caneville, for +the future. A fox and a young terrier had both paid their money, and +were eagerly waiting for their oysters, disturbing by their clamour a +grave old dog who was licking the shell of his last penn'orth, when a +domestic from a wealthy family, arrayed in a superb livery cloak, came +up to order a lot for his master. The usual game—if it can be called +so, when all the fun was on one side, was being played—three distinct +efforts had been made by Terrier to get his second instalment, when, in +the struggle which ensued, the vinegar-bottle was knocked over, the cork +came out, and the perfidious liquid, highly adulterated with vitriol +(for, to their shame be it spoken, the dogs of distillers did not +hesitate to endanger the lives of the inhabitants by such practices), +poured in full volume over the rich livery-cloak of the servant, which +was completely spoiled. The master, who was as powerful as he was +avaricious, made a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> formal complaint against Bruin and his stall as a +nuisance; and as it was impossible even in Caneville to obtain perfect +justice, the report, without other inquiry, was taken as correct, and +Bruin, boiling with rage, had the mortification of seeing his tubs +smashed, his stall destroyed, and his "natives" scattered all abroad +without being able to strike a blow in their defence.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="DOWN_HILL" id="DOWN_HILL"></a>DOWN HILL.</h2> + + +<p>Bruin, that great animal, was seated on a bank overhanging the river, +which, being shallow at this spot, brawled loudly over its pebbly bed, +some parts of which were dry. It was at such a distance from the city, +that all the noises common to its streets were united into one buzz or +hum, and the whole scene was well adapted to suggest meditations upon +private matters, or the affairs of the world in general. Yet Bruin did +not seem influenced by any such reflections: if one might venture a +guess from the appearance of his physiognomy, one would say that nothing +in particular occupied his brains; true, his looks were black, his head +was cast down, his eyes, as usual, were cunning and ferocious, but then +they were always so, and consequently presented no index of what was +passing within.</p> + +<p>Suddenly his features brightened, his face assumed an expression of +interest, and he put his paw gently behind him to secure a stone, whilst +his gaze was intently fixed on a dry spot of the bed below. Following +the direction of his look, one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> might have perceived an uncommonly fat +frog pulling with all his strength at the leg of another one whose body +was hidden behind a heap of pebbles, and certainly the sight was one to +amuse a wiser head than a bear's. The standing-place of the paunchy +little animal being very green and slippery, and the leg which he so +tightly clasped belonging to a fellow creature of no ordinary +robustness, the struggle was diversified every few seconds by the fat +fellow toppling on to his nose or back, or being dragged behind the +heap, and then suddenly reappearing, still holding with passionless +determination to that devoted leg, and tumbling about without uttering a +syllable. It was when the greater part of his body was exposed to view +in a position more comical than dignified, so great were his exertions, +that Bruin's stone, cast with unerring aim, descended upon the +unfortunate frog. It hit him upon the softest and most projecting part +of his back, and had the effect of raising him instantly into a +perpendicular position, when looking round and observing the huge beast +above about to repeat the application, he clapped his broad hand over +the wounded place, and limped hastily away; nor could all the +enticements of the bear, conveyed, it is true, in very unflattering +language, induce him to expose his person to the chances of a second +throw.</p> + +<p>Bruin's attention was shortly after aroused anew, by observing a +wretched old dog tottering under the weight of a large bundle, strapped +upon his back, which he was conveying<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> to the city. He came within a few +feet of the bear, whom he knew slightly, and casting down his load, +which he seemed to have brought from a distance, wiped his face with his +ragged tail. Bruin was the first to speak.</p> + +<p><i>Bruin</i> (with a grunt).—Hard at work as usual, eh! Flip?</p> + +<p><i>Flip.</i>—Yes, Master Bruin, these are hard times; no bone to pick +without it, you know.</p> + +<p><i>Bruin</i> (with a very emphatic grunt).—That depends; some have lots of +bones, and fine clothes, and warm beds, without doing anything harder +for them than picking the one, putting on the other, and sleeping on the +third;—but never mind that; what have you got there in your bundle, old +fellow?</p> + +<p><i>Flip.</i>—Why, songs, Master Bruin; and you, who are fond of music, might +make mints of money by selling 'em, if you'd only choose to do it.</p> + +<p><i>Bruin</i> (pricking up his ears).—Ah, Master Flip! and in what way?</p> + +<p><i>Flip.</i>—Why, here are all the new songs that have been sung for the +last ten seasons by the Caterwaullic Society at their new Hall, and a +lot more besides, printed in half-a-dozen columns three times as long as +my tail, and all for a penny. Why, the very names of them are worth +double the money. I'm going to take this package to old Powtry the +bookseller, and, if you're in want of a job, I'll recommend you to him +as one of the venders.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 470px;"> +<img src="images/ill-07.jpg" width="470" height="600" alt="CHEAP HARMONY." title="" /> +<span class="caption">CHEAP HARMONY.</span> +</div> + +<p>The proposal in Bruin's state of finance was not to be despised, for +since his forced retirement from business, he had found his stomach and +his pockets, by a very natural sympathy, suffering from precisely the +same complaint—a degree of emptiness, namely—which there seemed no +chance of finding a remedy for; but he had sundry doubts as to his +capabilities for the new employment he was about seeking, particularly +as he was aware his reputation was more notorious than favourable. To +his surprise, however, though his person was well known to the +individual Powtry, not the slightest objection seemed to be made on the +score of anything. The terms of his agreement, alas! not remarkably +liberal, were arranged; Bruin spent a couple of days in conning over his +task, and forgetting to thank the poor dog who had procured him his +situation, he once more entered the busy streets of Caneville to add his +bass voice to the other cries of that populous city. His appearance, +as he made his way into the centre of the most active thoroughfare, +holding in one paw his lists of songs—longer than most of the +inhabitants—whilst his other was thrust into his trowsers' pocket; the +impudent leer upon his face, as he surveyed his audience, and the +careless set of his clothes, which, big as he was, seemed a size too +capacious for him,—immediately attracted a crowd. A butcher's dog, who +had been ordered to make all speed to No. 10 in this same street with a +leg of mutton in his basket, stayed to gape<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> and listen, although he was +standing opposite No. 9. A young pup from a neighbouring alley ran out +at the sound of his voice to learn the news. A spaniel, with long curly +hair and medicine-basket on his arm, could not resist the temptation of +just stopping to hear, though three servants of one of his master's +patients were scouring the streets in search of him; nor could an +eminent vocalist of the feline tribe, la Signorina Pussetta +Scracciolini, pass by without lending an ear to the wonderful list of +melodies. There was another figure, too, who slackened her pace as she +was passing the group, and by an irresistible impulse seemed compelled +to draw near and listen; she was richly dressed in mantle and hood, +which, thrown gracefully back, displayed a head and neck of aristocratic +proportions; she seemed ill, however, and weak, for her delicate paws +were resting on a stick, as though such aid were requisite, whilst her +short breathing seemed to hint that her sorrows were bringing her nearer +to her doom. She must have been once possessed of considerable beauty, +and even now there was enough remaining to distinguish the Hon. Miss +Greyhound.</p> + +<p>Thus surrounded, Bruin vociferated with all the power of his lungs,—</p> + +<p>"O ... O ... O ... O ... O ... Y ........... A! Never were such times! +Here you are! only look! Double your own length of songs for one penny! +Enough paper to make yourselves a coat to wrap yourselves in melody! +Only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> one penny! Five hundred of the choicest songs of the Caterwaullic +and Puppeeyan Amalgamated Harmonic Societies; and upwards of five +hundred more of the most popular ditties of Caneville, and all for one +penny!!"</p> + +<p>And then he croaked forth the following doggerel (the most acceptable +poetry, by the way, of the city), in which the titles of the songs were +dragged in, without any regard to order, to make up a rhyme:</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">"Here's 'What's a Clock?'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And 'Like a rock</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">He stood upon his dignity;'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">With 'Pups alive,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And 'We are Five,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">And dozens more. Who'll buy? who'll buy?</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Here's 'Puss was out,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And 'Piggy's snout</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">Was longer far than I can tell;'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">With 'Merry Dogs,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And 'Yellow Frogs'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">In scores, I'm ready here to sell.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Here's 'Burning sighs,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And, 'Ah! those eyes!'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">And 'Songs for kittens newly born;'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">With 'Stay, oh, stay!'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And 'Don't say nay,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">And some no worse for being worn.</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Here's 'Love's an ass!'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">And 'Pass the glass,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">And 'Jocky is the dog for me;'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">Here's 'Did you ever?'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 3em;">'No, I never!'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">And 'I hope it yet may be,'</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 4em;">And all for one penny!"</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<p>And thus he went down the street disposing of his wares with wonderful +rapidity, and producing sundry forced accompaniments to his own wretched +song by treading on the toes of all the pups who were attracted by +curiosity to his vicinity.</p> + +<p>A second and a third supply was exhausted before the canine and feline +public of Caneville got tired of purchasing their own measure of song; +whether a fourth would have been successful there was no chance of +discovering, for Old Powtry looked in vain for Bruin with the proceeds +of the last lot. Day after day passed by and still he was absent, until +it was deemed necessary to have a search after him. For some time he +eluded all inquiries, as he well knew his fate if his hiding-place were +discovered; for having appropriated the money of his master to his own +use, he was fully aware that his person would have to pay the penalty of +his transgression. He skulked about the lowest purlieus of the city, +among curs of the most degraded character, as dirty and negligent in +body as they were debased in mind, until, in hourly fear of being +betrayed, he felt that the worst certainty would be preferable to such a +state of suspense and alarm, so resolved to deliver himself up and brave +the worst. He was again cast into prison: for that he was prepared; but +he was <i>not</i> prepared for the wretched place of confinement to which he +was now condemned. On being first thrust into it, he could not behold +all its horror; but when his eyes got accustomed to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> the semi-darkness, +he found himself in a dismal cell under ground, half full of water from +the overflowing of the river, and teeming with numerous crawling, slimy +things. A little hole, half choked with earth and stones, let in all the +place possessed of light and air; and as the only air which could ever +visit the place had to pass over a bed of stagnant mud ere it reached +the spot, it possessed but few refreshing properties.</p> + +<p>Bruin, who had in his despair given himself quietly up to the +authorities, thinking probably that by the very act he might procure +some mitigation of his sentence, now that he perceived his doom, gave +way to one of those fearful bursts of rage which no experience had +succeeded in teaching him to curb. He howled till the dirt sticking +about the vaulted ceiling, and the earth choking up the air-hole, +dropped piecemeal to the ground, and every insect that had ears covered +them up the best way it could to prevent its becoming instantaneously +deafened by the horrid sound; then tearing round and round and round the +confined space of his cell, till there seemed to him fifty windows +instead of one, and the single door appeared suddenly placed in every +part of the miserable vault,—he struck his head against the rugged wall +of his prison, and toppled over senseless on to the ground.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="AT_REST" id="AT_REST"></a>AT REST.</h2> + + +<p>It is not easy to say how long Bruin remained insensible, but it must +have been some time; for when he recovered himself, there was a feeling +of weakness about him as though he had been fasting long. His head, too, +felt sadly dizzy as he rose from his cold bed and pushed his nose +against the hole of a window to procure a little air. From this he +withdrew to pace his narrow cell; and as the turning round increased his +giddiness, on reaching the opposite wall he retraced his steps +backwards, and so continued for a full hour, gently moving his head +meanwhile to the right and left, as was his wont. Then getting into the +driest corner, he threw himself of a heap on the ground, and +mechanically resuming the old family practice of sucking his paw, tried +to bring his mind to bear upon his situation. But this was a matter of +no little difficulty, for the late events of his life had tended very +considerably to weaken an intellect that was never remarkable for +strength; and so he sat, and relapsed into a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> dozy state, where +forgetfulness, for the most part, presided. At times, it is true, he +would wake up, and the old fire lighting in his eyes, he would dash his +paw on the ground as he observed the prison-walls close around him; but +the feeling was momentary, and it was evident that the indulgence of his +evil passions had so far clouded his reason, that a few weeks' solitary +confinement would deprive him of all power of reflection for ever.</p> + +<p>Evening had come again, though it was dark night in Bruin's cell, and +had been so for hours; when suddenly he heard, or fancied he heard, his +name uttered in a loud whisper. A fear he had never before experienced, +an apprehension of he knew not what, stole over him; and it was not till +the voice, a little louder, exclaimed,—</p> + +<p>"Bruin! Bruin, I say!" that he dared venture a reply; when, after an +effort, he said,—</p> + +<p>"Who calls?"</p> + +<p>"A friend," was the ready answer.</p> + +<p>"A friend!" exclaimed Bruin, savagely; "then you can't be seeking <i>me</i>, +for I have got no friends."</p> + +<p>"Come, come, Bruin," said the voice again, "don't be testy; it's I, the +Captain, and you know I never played you false."</p> + +<p>Bruin now, indeed, recognised the voice as that of, perhaps, the most +desperate dog in Caneville. He was a bloodhound<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> of large size and +formidable strength, and such ferocity and daring, that few cared to +come into contact with him, lest by some chance they should be involved +in a quarrel which could only have a disastrous termination. Public +report fixed more than one deep crime upon this canine desperado; but +still, somehow, he escaped the power of the law. Bruin felt flattered at +his attention, and inquired what had brought him there.</p> + +<p>"Why," replied the Captain, "this is the third time I have been here +already; but though I have called out your name so loudly that I +expected to alarm the guard, I have got no answer till to-night. I +shouldn't have come back again, for I thought you were dead."</p> + +<p>"So I have been nearly, Captain," answered Bruin; "but I am not quite +gone yet, you hear. Now you <i>have</i> found me alive, though, what is it +you want; and how can I, shut up here, be of any interest to you?"</p> + +<p>"Listen to me, Bruin," said the Captain, as he squeezed his nose into +the tiny window, and dropped his voice to a low whisper; "if you were +out, and at liberty, would you feel inclined to join me and one or two +others in a job we intend to come off to-night?"</p> + +<p>Bruin hastened to reply, but the Captain interrupted him, saying,—</p> + +<p>"Don't be in a hurry to make a promise, until you know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> what it is; for, +shut up here as you are, you can't betray the secret if you would, so I +don't mind revealing it. Four of us mean to break into old Lord +Greyhound's house to-night, where we hear there's money enough to enrich +us for our lives; but as we're likely to have some hard work and stout +resistance, and think we are not strong enough yet for the business, we +should like you to join us, if you choose to do so."</p> + +<p>Bruin reflected a moment, where reflection was ruin. Had he at once and +scornfully rejected the horrible temptation, there would still have been +hope for him; but, besides the prospect of liberty, though he did not +yet know how that was to be effected, there was the chance of enriching +himself once again; and, above all, there was a prospect of revenge +against the dog who had once sought his life, because he had been +selected as an object of preference by his daughter. His meditations, +therefore, were at once brought to an end, by his resolution to accept +the proposal; but before he did so, the caution he had acquired by +associating with such beasts as the Captain made him say,—</p> + +<p>"Let us understand each other clearly. You said just now, 'if I were out +and at liberty;' have you, then, the power to set me free?"</p> + +<p>"Provided you will be of the party, and agree to our terms," answered +the Captain.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And how if I refuse?" pursued Bruin.</p> + +<p>"Why," replied the Captain, quickly and ferociously, "you'll stop there +till you starve."</p> + +<p>"I accept your offer," said Bruin, after the slightest possible pause; +"and I would have done so without the alternative, for private reasons +of my own: so let me out, old fellow, as fast as you like."</p> + +<p>"And you give your word?" said the Captain.</p> + +<p>"The word of a bear," replied Bruin.</p> + +<p>The other exclaimed,—</p> + +<p>"All right! I shall see you again in half an hour."</p> + +<p>Never did half hour seem so long. As minute after minute flew by, there +broke upon Bruin's misty brain a notion that, perhaps, this was only a +trick of the Captain's to get him to declare his willingness to join any +desperate deed in order to ruin him; but then, again, he could discover +no reason for such enmity, and could see no advantage accruing to that +individual by such a course. At the very idea, however, of such +betrayal, his teeth gnashed together, his eyes glared in that darkness +like two live coals, and he involuntarily crossed his huge paws over his +chest as though hugging some imaginary enemy. But he recovered his +self-possession on hearing a grating noise at the other side of the +cell, which gradually became louder, until at last a gust of air, which +revived his spirits, came whistling round the vault, and told that his +path was open.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> The Captain, too, was in an instant by his side to +confirm it. He passed through an aperture, caused by an open iron door, +preceded by his companion, who had, however, first cautiously reclosed +and fastened up the secret entrance; and as they traversed a damp and +dark tunnel, the Captain explained the mystery, by saying this place had +been known to him some time, though it was unsuspected by the +authorities; and that the exterior entrance was so covered up by +brambles, that no one ignorant of the spot could ever imagine what lay +behind, or would care to explore the threatening passage, if by any +chance they discovered it.</p> + +<p>As Bruin was exhausted for want of food, and it still wanted some hours +of the time appointed for their undertaking, they proceeded to one of +the old resorts and regaled most heartily, the sense of liberty after +his confinement raising the bear's spirits to the highest pitch. At +length the time agreed on arrived, and the party, prepared for their +desperate and wicked undertaking, set out.</p> + +<p>It has been mentioned in a previous part of this history, that Lord +Greyhound was one of the principal grandees in Caneville, both as +regarded fortune and family, and that he lived in a palace befitting his +condition. A crowd of domestics belonged to his household, but the +Captain was aware that their cribs were remote, and that but little in +the shape of resistance was to be feared from them, should they be +aroused.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> Still great caution was requisite, for if they did not bite +they could bark, and that would be equally as fatal to their success on +this occasion. The only difficulty to be got over was the vigilance of a +porter who slept below, whose fidelity to his master had been tried on +more than one occasion, although what made such attachment singular in +this instance was the fact that the said porter was one of the feline +tribe,—a cat, in fact, of large dimensions, and peculiarly savage +nature. Bruin, however, took upon himself the task of quieting this +servant and keeping watch below, whilst the others should ransack the +mansion, a place of rendezvous being appointed where they were to meet +in case of alarm.</p> + +<p>To avoid suspicion they proceeded alone to the scene of their intended +crime, and, favoured by darkness, they reached it unchallenged. Having +gently tried the fastenings in one or two places, they resolved to make +the attempt at a small door at the back, which seemed the most weakly +guarded. Bruin pushed it first quietly with his huge shoulder, and +finding it gradually yielding, without farther ado he placed his knee +against the lower panel, and, with less noise than might have been +expected, sent the door flying from its fastenings. He was the first to +enter, though the others were close behind; but he had not taken two +steps within the house than he saw, as he thought, two balls of fire on +the floor before him,—it was his last look of worldly things,—for at +the same moment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> the porter Cat, for it was he, sprang at the huge giant +like a fury, and dug his long and pointed talons into Bruin's eyes. With +a howl so dreadful, so awful in its intense agony and rage, that it +seemed to spring from a supernatural source, the affrighted beast rolled +over and over in his pain, crushing the Cat to death in his struggles; +then feeling, even amidst his suffering, the necessity of safety, he +rose to his feet, and ran on, on, on, he knew not whither, till he felt +himself in the midst of water and heard the rushing which it made. So +instantaneous had been the whole transaction that the truth was never +rightly known. The family—nay, the neighbourhood—aroused by the horrid +noise, rushed to the spot, to find the faithful porter dead, with every +bone shattered; the door was open, but no creature was there to tell the +tale. One alone suspected it—one to whom that cry of agony was the +death-blow; for, two days after the event, the Hon. Miss Greyhound +slept with her fathers, the victim of a misplaced and unworthy +attachment.</p> + +<p>And Bruin, where was he? Alas! poor beast! Three days after this event +he was discovered by the authorities, half dead with pain, and led back +to prison, which he had left with so little ceremony. His senses, +however, were so bewildered by his situation, that he could neither +explain how he had escaped from his dungeon, nor the cause of his +present deplorable condition; perhaps, too, he deemed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> it more prudent +to be silent on both these matters. His judges, nevertheless, taking +into consideration his now helpless state, and rightly thinking his +powers of mischief were much abated by the loss of his eyes, pardoned +his previous offence, and thrust him alone and helpless on the world.</p> + +<p>For many a long year did the ill-fated animal drag on his wearisome +existence, living on the charity—the scanty charity—of Caneville. +Deprived of sight, no longer able to acquire a livelihood by his labour, +weary, and full of remorse, he daily took his round through the public +streets, soliciting a penny for the "poor blind." A dog, induced for a +weekly trifle and the prospect of an extra bone or two thrown to him, +sometimes by the compassionate as they went their melancholy way, led +him in his wanderings. At first, however, either from ignorance or +carelessness, or a currish malice, he would often guide his helpless +master into positions of difficulty and danger, from which he could +scarce have extricated himself but for the assistance of some benevolent +passers-by; though his situation in such cases—be it said to the shame +of the inferior population of Caneville—too often excited derision and +laughter, instead of aid and consolation. Once, indeed, he was seriously +hurt by the wilful inattention of his guide; for, tottering along as +usual, one fine morning with his staff in one hand, the string attached +to the dog's collar in the other, and his head with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> the sightless +eyes raised sadly in the air, whilst he uttered his plaintive cry of +"Have pity on the poor blind!" the last word was suddenly converted from +a doleful whine to a howl of pain as his body came in contact with a +post which stood right across his path. Time, which cures all things, +brought at last an effectual remedy to his sufferings, and that remedy +was Death! Ere that great foe or friend relieved poor Bruin, he had +learnt to be repentant of his former life, and was often known to +reprove in others any tendency to those faults of temper or disposition +which had been his own ruin. If he could have recovered the use of his +eyes and have mingled once more with the business of life, it is a +question whether he would have acted up to the precepts which he now +inculcated; but as the experiment was never tried, nor could be, it is +but charitable to think the best.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 469px;"> +<img src="images/ill-08.jpg" width="469" height="600" alt="THE LAST LEAD." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE LAST LEAD.</span> +</div> + +<p>Months after he had departed this sinful world, a sturdy traveller, with +a particularly wide mouth and short address, entered the city of +Caneville. He stated that he was a native of the place, and had been +wandering far away in other lands. He made various inquiries concerning +former inhabitants of the town, and among others asked for Bruin. His +life, much as I have recounted it, was told to him, and long did the +stranger ruminate over the details. Many portions of it were, indeed, +known to him, for the traveller was no other than our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> old acquaintance +Tom; but all was interesting. When he had heard it to the end, he +uttered these only words, which might, indeed, serve for moral and poor +Bruin's epitaph:—</p> + +<p> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">"Ah! he was a Great Bear!"</span><br /> +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> +<img src="images/ill-09.jpg" width="450" height="310" alt="" title="endpiece" /> +</div> + + +<p class="center">London:—Printed by <span class="smcap">G. Barclay</span>, Castle St. Leicester Sq.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Adventures of a Bear, by Alfred Elwes + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ADVENTURES OF A BEAR *** + +***** This file should be named 28671-h.htm or 28671-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/6/7/28671/ + +Produced by David Garcia and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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