The first adventure that one meets with on entering the world is certain
to make a deeper impression on the memory than any of those which may
succeed it. Thus it was that I have a distinct recollection of our
meeting with Mr. Fox, described in the last Chapter, and all the minute
circumstances that attended the discovery of his treachery and his
punishment by Snub. But from that time, a confusion of objects and
events rushes into my brain when I attempt to think over the particulars
of my journey.
The beautiful pictures of Nature, which almost every turn on the road
presented to me, are however indelibly fixed in my memory, and I shall
never forget the loveliness of the sun rising from behind the grey
hills, and enriching the sober colours of the landscape with a tinge
of gold; or the splendid spectacle displayed from the summit of one of
those same hills at noonday, with a very world of beauties at my feet,
laid out in trees, and stream, and field, with a light breeze driving
the patches of cloud over the face of the hot sun, and shifting at every
moment the light and shade beneath; or, lovelier still, the calm repose
of evening, when that same sun had run his course and was sinking to his
rest amid the harmonious sounds of Nature, and surrounded by the glories
of piles and piles of golden and crimson clouds, which, as he sank lower
and lower down, gradually lost their splendour and faded almost
imperceptibly in colour, until all was grey, and the night-wind swept
over the landscape as if mourning at the day's departure! These things
cannot be forgotten while our memory exists at all, and the joy they
awoke in my breast at seeing them, was like that which I had felt when
my dead cousin used to sing some of her delightful songs,--it was all
music to me.
But the first sight of the sea was what filled me with wonder, delight,
and fear! The immense breadth of water,--at one time so calm as though
it were asleep; at another, moaning as if it grieved for the many brave
and good hearts it had engulfed; and on other occasions, fretting
against the rocks, or, when moved by some strong impulse, working itself
white with fury, and carrying all before it in its impetuous course. All
these various moods were matter to me of astonishment and awe, which no
familiarity could ever diminish; and I watched the waves roll in, and
throw shells or corks or pieces of smooth wood to my very feet, with the
same surprise after weeks of acquaintance, as I had done on the first
day of my beholding the ocean.
Our road had led through districts but little frequented by other
animals, and, with the exception of a stray fox or hare, we met scarcely
a single creature. We carefully avoided all intercourse with the former,
and the latter as carefully kept away from communication with ourselves;
for the sight of us appeared so to alarm the poor beasts, that they
would not even answer our questions, whether we were proceeding towards
the habitations of more civilized animals.
To tell the truth, I so thoroughly enjoyed this part of my journey, that
I felt little inclination to change it for the confinement and stiffness
of city life; and as I had no difficulty in procuring food or
lodging,--for mice and wild birds abounded, and any old tree gave me
shelter,--I could have been content to spend some months in this errant
mode of existence, and meditate in the half-solitude on the vanities of
animal life. But I reproved myself for my selfishness when I looked at
Snub. He, poor fellow, who had not been blessed with the same advantages
of education as myself, had little inclination to continue a course
which presented much to be endured and little to be enjoyed. The bold
bending of a bough of a tree, which I found so admirable, he considered
very inferior to the joint of some savoury bone; the wide expanse of
the waters was to him less charming than the confined limits of some
dish containing one of our favourite Caneville compounds. Nor could
it be expected that he should feel much enthusiasm at sight of a fine
prospect, when his head was aching with the weight of my luggage, and
his feet were sore with the burden they had had so long to support
over flinty, uneven ground. I confessed to myself the justice of this
reflection, and became at last as anxious as he for our arrival at some
city.
A few days after, various things convinced us that we were not far
removed from one. Heaps of rubbish lay strewn confusedly here and there,
which were uncomfortable to look at, and much more uncomfortable to
smell! The road was broader and harder, as if beaten down by many
feet. By-and-by a house or two appeared,--then two together,--then
three,--until at last we saw a whole street, with quantities of little
objects running in and out them. I would willingly have examined what
the animals were who occupied these dwellings, which were indeed
miserable enough. I learnt afterwards that they were inhabited by pigs;
and their huts, that were never too clean or neat, were called in the
language of the country _styes_, but so unpleasant an odour came from
them that I could not be prevailed on to go very near. The town itself
now came in sight, and, as I had never seen any other than Caneville,
my curiosity was aroused as I drew closer to make acquaintance with the
inhabitants, and see if they were at all like either of the tribes of
beasts between which my native place was divided. Snub was no less
delighted at the prospect of getting rid of his load and refreshing his
body upon some more savoury food than he had lately indulged in.
It was not at that time that I knew all the particulars which I
afterwards obtained concerning this foreign city; but I may as well
relate here all that I subsequently gleaned.
The place was called Norsarque, and was inhabited by animals of every
sort and size, who lived in houses large, small, middling, high, low,
miserable, and beautiful, just as their means or taste allowed them.
They were not, I found, the richest beasts who occupied the most costly
dwellings; on the contrary, I often discovered some very poor animals
who made a most splendid figure; for, curiously enough, although the
Norsarquians had a very great notion of their own wisdom, they often
believed the greatest nonsense which any creature chose to tell them,
provided the speaker wore a fine coat, and seemed to think a good deal
of himself.
I could write a history of the many funny and contradictory things
I met with in Norsarque; but perhaps nobody would read it if I did, so
I will go on with my own adventures, and only speak of such matters as
particularly concerned myself. I must however mention, as a circumstance
that had afterwards a great deal to do with causing my departure from
the town, that the place was governed by some superior, or thought to be
superior, animal, chosen from among the principal beasts; but that the
inhabitants generally were so discontented and fond of quarrelling,
that they had scarcely elected him King, than they began to find fault
with him and with everything he did, and were not satisfied until they
killed him or drove him away, and set up another in his place. Sometimes
this royal beast was a Pig; sometimes a Lion; once he was a Fox, and,
although very much hated by all his subjects, he managed to make them
quarrel among themselves, and so employ their time as to have no leisure
left to think of him, until one unlucky day, when, having nothing else
to do, they rose up against him and drove him out, and put some other
animal in his place. When I arrived at Norsarque, a Bear was on the
throne; so the Bears were in high favour, and several fresh ones had
lately come to the city to seek their fortunes,--and very rough-looking
beings they were too!
With the aid of Snub, I managed to procure some handsome apartments in
a genteel quarter; and, as I intended to make a long stay in the place,
I procured everything which could make them comfortable.
When once established, I directed some attention to my humble companion.
As I was convinced of his fidelity and his attachment to myself, I
resolved to keep him for my own private servant, and I therefore hired
others to do the necessary work of the house. But as Snub could not
attend me in my walks in the costume he wore when he left his native
place, I procured a complete livery-suit, in the fashion at Norsarque;
and Snub soon looked splendid in a dress of bottle-green, with white
buttons springing out all over his body, just like daisies on a lawn,
and, I assure you, with his hat surrounded with a broad gold band, and
his hair powdered, he looked a very different figure. Having thus cared
for his outer dog, I did what I could to improve his name; and scorning
to remember that he ever bore such a vulgar one as _Snub_, I made him
_Snubbini_ forthwith, and took care always to pronounce every letter
of the word. It was astonishing to observe the effect which these little
matters produced on my neighbours. They took me for a grand Cat at once;
and I overheard a Pussy, who was talking to another on the roof of the
house situated on the opposite side of the street where I lived, that
I was a foreign Princess in disguise, and was rich enough to buy half
Norsarque, if I felt inclined! But how they had learnt _that_ piece of
news, I could not imagine.
I had been residing some months among the restless inhabitants of
Norsarque, when an incident took place, which, although I thought but
little of it at the time, turned out of great importance to me.
I happened to be walking in one of the principal Squares, or _Places_
as they were called, when my ear was attracted by the sound of music.
Although the performers were not of the best, and their time was about
as good as their tune,--that is to say, both indifferent enough,--I
could not help stopping as I went by to see the show.
There were three mongrels, rather fantastically dressed, blowing all the
breath they could spare into two flageolets and a flute, but as one or
the other was forced to stop every now and then to recover his wind, and
always managed to do so in the most pathetic part, the effect was more
curious than agreeable. Several animals were standing round, and a
little wee Pup went about among them collecting, with a hat big enough
to hold a great deal more than was ever put into it. But the creature
who most attracted my attention was a huge lump of a Bear, with so ugly
a face that it made me quite shudder to look at him, who seemed the
master of the band, and held a tray up to the various windows where any
heads had been put out to listen to the music. He was in the act of
doing so, when I came up, to the window of a large house, where a fat,
white Puss, evidently the servant of some rich family, was nursing a
darling little Kitten that was mewing with delight at the scene below.
[Illustration: WANDERING MINSTRELS.]
The servant had thrown down a few coppers in reply to the Bear's demand
for money, when the ill-tempered brute, not satisfied with the donation,
swore in so terrible a way, that the frightened nurse let go her hold of
the Kitten, which fell direct from her paws.
I rushed forward to save it, upsetting as I went the unfortunate little
Pup, who was at that moment presenting the hat for my contribution, and
was just in time to seize it by the tail before it reached the pavement.
At the same instant the door burst open, a troop of servants rushed out,
headed by a Cat, superbly dressed. The band of musicians disappeared,
as if by magic, the great Bear being the first to take to flight; the
new-comers surrounded me, and I had the satisfaction of putting the
Kitten, unharmed, into its mother's paws. A tender scene then ensued;
and as ingratitude was not among this Lady Puss's failings, I was begged
to enter, nay, was almost carried into the house, to receive the
repeated thanks of the noble family.