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 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.
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 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.
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, 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!"
[Illustration: THREE THROWS A-PENNY.]
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.
PROGRESS.
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.
It was at the close of the last day, after many scenes of evil which it
is not necessary to describe, that a serious 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.
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 antiquity, 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
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.
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 round into the
court to mark the end of Bruin's manoeuvres, 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.
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:--
_Stranger._--I have noticed more than once, cousin, that you avoid the
town; and yet I have known you to declare that no one but a cow could
live in the country.
_Fox._--True enough, my dear fellow; but since I left _his_ service, you
know, I don't care to run the risk of meeting him.
_Stranger._--Ha! ha! I see. You are rather apprehensive he should seize
you by the throat, and exclaim, "_My_ money or _your_ life!"
_Fox._--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.
_Stranger._--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!
So saying, the stranger fox took leave of his cousin, and was soon on
the opposite shore.
Fox waited till he saw him land, and then slowly turned to retrace his
steps.
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 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.
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.
[Illustration: SELLING THE NATIVES.]
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
DOWN HILL.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
_Bruin_ (with a grunt).--Hard at work as usual, eh! Flip?
_Flip._--Yes, Master Bruin, these are hard times; no bone to pick
without it, you know.
_Bruin_ (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?
_Flip._--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.
_Bruin_ (pricking up his ears).--Ah, Master Flip! and in what way?
_Flip._--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.
[Illustration: CHEAP HARMONY.]
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 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.
Thus surrounded, Bruin vociferated with all the power of his lungs,--
"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 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!!"
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:
"Here's 'What's a Clock?'
And 'Like a rock
He stood upon his dignity;'
With 'Pups alive,'
And 'We are Five,'
And dozens more. Who'll buy? who'll buy?
Here's 'Puss was out,'
And 'Piggy's snout
Was longer far than I can tell;'
With 'Merry Dogs,'
And 'Yellow Frogs'
In scores, I'm ready here to sell.
Here's 'Burning sighs,'
And, 'Ah! those eyes!'
And 'Songs for kittens newly born;'
With 'Stay, oh, stay!'
And 'Don't say nay,'
And some no worse for being worn.
Here's 'Love's an ass!'
And 'Pass the glass,'
And 'Jocky is the dog for me;'
Here's 'Did you ever?'
'No, I never!'
And 'I hope it yet may be,'
And all for one penny!"
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.