Part 13

DICK WHITTINGTÓN AND HIŚ CAT

IN thé reign of^uv King Edwàŕd thé third theŕè wáś^woś a pōōr orphán boy, nâmèd Dick Whittingtón, living in a còuntrý villáĝè a long way fróm Lóndón. Hê wáś^woś a sharp littlè lad, and thé storìêś that hê hèàŕd of^uv Lóndón bêing pâvèd with gôld mâdè him long tó^tö viśit that çitý.

One^wőnè day, a larĝè wagón and eĩght horsėś, with bellś at their heàdś, drôvè thröügh thé villáĝè. Dick thøùght it must bê gôing tó^tö Lóndón, sô hê askèd thé drîver tó^tö let him wålk bŷ thé sîdè of^uv thé wagón. Aś söön aś thé drîver hèàŕd that pōōr Dick had nêìther fāther nor mőther, and saw bŷ hiś raggéd clôthèś that hê cōūld not bê wòŕsè off than hê wáś^woś, hê tôld him hê might gô if hê wōūld; sô they set off tógether.

Dick got sâfèlý tó^tö Lóndón, and wáś^woś in such a hurrý tó^tö see thé fînè streets pâvèd with gôld, that hê ran thröügh mãný of^uv them, thiñking evèrý mômént tó^tö cőmè tó^tö thôśè that werè pâvèd with gôld; for Dick had seen a gùinea three tîmèś in hiś ôwn littlè villáĝè, and rėmemberèd whåt a lot of^uv mőnêy it brøùght in chânĝè; sô hê thøùght hê had nőthing tó^tö dö but tó^tö tâkè up sőmè littlè bits of^uv pâvèmént, and hê wōūld then havè aś much mőnêy aś hê cōūld wish for. Pōōr Dick ran till hê wáś^woś tîrèd, and had qυîtè fòŕgottén hiś frìend thé drîver. At last, fînding it grôw dark, and that evèrý way hê turnèd hê saw nőthing but dirt insteàd of^uv gôld, hê sat down in a dark corner, and crîèd himself tó^tö sleep. Next morning, bêing verý huñgrý, hê got up and wålkèd ábout, and askèd evèrýbodý hê met tó^tö givè him a hālfpenný tó^tö keep him fróm starving. At last, a gōōd-nâtûŕèd-lōōking ĝentlèmán saw how huñgrý hê lōōkèd.

"Whŷ dôn't yöü gô tó^tö wòŕk, mŷ lad?" sãìd hê.

"Î wōūld," answerèd Dick, "but Î dö not knôw how tó^tö get ãný."

"If yöü arè willing," sãìd thé ĝentlèmán, "cőmè with mê;" and sô sâying, hê tōōk him tó^tö a hayfìêld, wheŕè Dick wòŕkèd brisklý, and livèd merrílý till thé hay wáś^woś åll mâdè. After this, hê found himself aś badlý off aś bėforè; and bêing ålmôst starvèd ágãìn, hê laid himself down at thé dòor of^uv Mr. Fitzwårrén, a rich merchánt. Hėŕè thé cōōk, an ill-temperèd wōmán, cållèd out tó^tö pōōr Dick:

"Whåt buśìnėss^biś havè yöü theŕè, yöü lâzý rôgùè? If yöü dö not tâkè yøùrself áway, wê will see how yöü lîkè a souśing of^uv sőmè dish-wåter Î havè hėŕè, that iś hot enough^ėnòuf tó^tö mâkè yöü jump."

At this tîmè Mr. Fitzwårrén himself câmè hômè tó^tö dinner; and when hê saw a dirtý raggéd boy lŷing at thé dòor, hê sãìd, in a kînd and ĝentlè voiçè:

"Whŷ dö yöü lîè theŕè, mŷ lad? yöü seem ôld enough^ėnòuf tó^tö wòŕk; Î am áfraid yöü arè lâzý."

"Nô, sir," sãìd Dick tó^tö him. "Î wōūld wòŕk with åll mŷ hèart; but Î dö not knôw ãnýbodý, and Î am sick for want^wont of^uv fööd."

"Pōōr fellôw!" answerèd Mr. Fitzwårrén; "get up, and let mê see whåt ailś yöü."

Dick trîèd tó^tö rîśè, but wáś^woś töö weak tó^tö stand, for hê had not eatén ãnýthing for three dayś. Sô thé kînd merchánt orderèd him tó^tö bê tâkén intö thé housè, and havè a gōōd dinner givén tó^tö him; and tó^tö bê kept tó^tö dö whåt dirtý wòŕk hê cōūld for thé cōōk.

Dick wōūld havè livèd happílý in this gōōd famílý, if it had not bėèn-been for thé ill-nâtûŕèd cōōk, whö wáś^woś fînding fault and scôlding him fróm morning till night; and, bėsîdèś, shê wáś^woś sô fond of^uv bâsting, that, when shê had nô roast meat tó^tö bâstè, shê wōūld bê bâsting pōōr Dick.

But thôùgh thé cōōk wáś^woś sô ill-temperèd, thé fōōtmán wáś^woś qυîtè diffèrént. Hê had livèd in thé famílý mãný yėàŕś, and wáś^woś an elderlý man, and verý kînd-hèartėd. Hê had őnçè^wőnçè a littlè sőn of^uv hiś ôwn, whö dîèd when ábout thé âĝè of^uv Dick; sô hê cōūld not help feeling pitý for thé pōōr boy, and sőmètîmèś gâvè him a hālfpenný tó^tö bùŷ ĝinĝerbreàd or a top. Thé fōōtmán wáś^woś fond of^uv reading, and ûśèd oftén in thé êvèning tó^tö entertain thé őther servánts with sőmè ámûśing bōōk. Littlè Dick tōōk pleàŝurè in hėáring this gōōd man, which mâdè him wish verý much tó^tö lèàŕn tó^tö read töö; sô thé next tîmè thé fōōtmán gâvè him a hālfpenný, hê bøùght a littlè bōōk with it; and with thé fōōtmán's help, Dick söön lèàŕnt hiś letterś, and afterwàŕdś tó^tö read.

Ábout this tîmè, Miss Aliçè, Mr. Fitzwårrén's daughter, wáś^woś gôing out one^wőnè morning for a wålk, and Dick wáś^woś tôld tó^tö pūt on a süìt of^uv gōōd clôthèś that Mr. Fitzswarren gâvè him, and wålk bėhînd her. Aś they went, Miss Aliçè saw a pōōr wōmán with one^wőnè chîld in her armś and ánőther on her back. Shê pūllèd out her pursè and gâvè thé wōmán sőmè mőnêy; but aś shê wáś^woś pūtting it intö her pockét ágãìn, shê droppèd it on thé ground and wålkèd on. It wáś^woś lucký that Dick wáś^woś bėhînd, and saw whåt shê had dőnè, for hê pickèd up thé pursè and gâvè it tó^tö her ágãìn. Ánőther tîmè, when Miss Aliçè wáś^woś sitting with thé windôw ôpén and ámûśing herself with a fâvóritè parrót, it suddénlý flew áway tó^tö thé branch of^uv a high tree, wheŕè åll thé servánts werè áfraid tó^tö venťurè after it. Aś söön aś Dick hèàŕd of^uv this, hê pūllèd off hiś coat, and clîmbèd up thé tree aś nimblý aś a sqυirrél; and, after a grèât deal of^uv tròublè, caught her and brøùght her down sâfèlý tó^tö hiś mistréss. Miss Aliçè thañkèd him, and lîkèd him ever after for this.

Thé ill-hûmòŕèd cōōk wáś^woś now a littlè kînder; but, bėsîdèś this, Dick had ánőther hardship tó^tö get ôver. Hiś bed stōōd in a garrėt, wheŕè theŕè werè sô mãný hôlèś in thé flòor and thé wållś, that evèrý night hê wáś^woś wâkèd in hiś sleep bŷ thé rats and mîçè, which ran ôver hiś fâçè, and mâdè such a noiśè that hê sőmètîmèś thøùght thé wållś werè tumbling down ábout him. One^wőnè day, a ĝentlèmán whö câmè tó^tö see Mr. Fitzwårrén wanted^wontéd hiś shöèś polishèd; Dick tōōk grèât painś tó^tö mâkè them shînè, and thé ĝentlèmán gâvè him a penný. With this hê thøùght hê wōūld bùŷ a cat; sô thé next day, sêeing a littlè girl with a cat under her arm, hê went up tó^tö her, and askèd if shê wōūld let him havè it for a penný. Thé girl sãìd shê wōūld, and that it wáś^woś a verý gōōd mouśer. Dick hid thé cat in thé garrėt, and ålwayś tōōk cãŕè tó^tö carrý a part of^uv hiś dinner tó^tö her; and in a short tîmè hê had nô morè tròublè fróm thé rats and mîçè.

Söön after, hiś master had a ship reàdý tó^tö sail; and aś hê thøùght it right åll hiś servánts shōūld havè sőmè chançè for gōōd forťünè aś well aś himself, hê cållèd them intö thé parlòŕ, and askèd them if they wanted^wontéd tó^tö tâkè a shãŕè in thé trâding trip. They åll had sőmè mőnêy that they werè willing tó^tö venťurè, ėxcept pōōr Dick, whö had nêìther mőnêy nor gōōdś. For this reaśón hê did not cőmè intö thé parlòŕ with thé rest; but Miss Aliçè gùessèd whåt wáś^woś thé matter, and orderèd him tó^tö bê cållèd in. Shê then sãìd shê wōūld pūt in mőnêy for him fróm her ôwn pursè; but her fāther tôld her this wōūld not dö, for Dick must send sőmèthing of^uv hiś ôwn. When pōōr Dick hèàŕd this, hê sãìd hê had nőthing but a cat.

"Fetch yøùr cat then, mŷ gōōd boy," sãìd Mr. Fitzwårrén, "and let her gô."

Dick went upstãirś and brøùght down pōōr puss, and gâvè her tó^tö thé captáìn with tėàŕś in hiś èŷèś. Åll thé cőmpáný lāùghèd^lāùfèd at Dick's odd venťurè; and Miss Aliçè, whö felt pitý for thé pōōr boy, gâvè him sőmè hālfpençè tó^tö bùŷ ánőther cat.

This, and őther marks of^uv kîndnéss shôwn him bŷ Miss Aliçè, mâdè thé ill-temperèd cōōk jeàlòús of^uv pōōr Dick; and shê bėgan tó^tö ûśè him morè crüèllý than ever, and ålwayś mâdè fun of^uv him for sending hiś cat tó^tö sea. Shê askèd him if hê thøùght hiś cat wōūld sell for aś much mőnêy aś wōūld bùŷ a stick tó^tö beat him. At last, pōōr Dick cōūld not beár this ãný loñger, and thøùght hê wōūld run áway fróm hiś plâçè; sô hê packèd up hiś few thingś, and set out verý yèàŕlý in thé morning on thé first of^uv Nôvember. Hê wålkèd aś far aś Highgâtè, and theŕè sat down on a stônè, which tó^tö this day iś cållèd Whittingtón's stônè, and bėgan tó^tö thiñk which road hê shōūld tâkè farther. Whîlè hê wáś^woś thiñking whåt hê shōūld dö, thé bellś of^uv Bow bôw Church bėgan tó^tö ring, and hê fançìêd their soundś seemèd tó^tö say:

"Turn ágãìn, Whittingtón, Lord Mâyòŕ of^uv Lóndón."

"Lord Mâyòŕ of^uv Lóndón!" sãìd hê tó^tö himself. "Whŷ, tó^tö bê ŝūrè Î wōūld pūt up with ålmôst ãnýthing, now, tó^tö bê Lord Mâyòŕ of^uv Lóndón, and rîdè in a fînè coach, when Î grôw tó^tö bê a man! Î will gô back and thiñk nőthing of^uv thé cuffing and scôlding of^uv thé ôld cōōk, if Î am tó^tö bê Lord Mâyòŕ of^uv Lóndón at last."

Dick went back, and wáś^woś lucký enough^ėnòuf tó^tö get intö thé housè and set ábout hiś wòŕk bėforè thé cōōk câmè down.

Thé ship, with thé cat on bøàrd, wáś^woś a long tîmè at sea; and wáś^woś at last drivén bŷ thé windś on a part of^uv thé coast of^uv Barbárý. Thé pêòplè câmè in grèât numberś tó^tö see thé sailòŕś, and treatėd them verý çivillý; and, when they bėcâmè better ácqυaintėd, werè eager tó^tö bùŷ thé fînè thingś with which thé ship wáś^woś lâdén. When thé captáìn saw this, hê sent patternś of^uv thé best thingś hê had tó^tö thé King of^uv thé còuntrý; whö wáś^woś sô much pleaśèd with them, that hê sent for thé captáìn and thé chìêf mâtè tó^tö thé paláçè. Hėŕè they werè plâçèd, aś iś thé custóm of^uv thé còuntrý, on rich carpéts, markèd with gôld and silver flõwerś. Thé King and Qυeen werè seatėd at thé upper end of^uv thé rööm; and a number of^uv dishėś, of^uv thé grèâtést rãritìêś, werè brøùght in for dinner; but, bėforè they had bėèn-been on thé tâblè a minútè, a vast number of^uv rats and mîçè rushèd in, and helpèd themselvèś fróm evèrý dish. Thé captáìn wőnderèd at this, and askèd if thêśè vermin werè not verý unpleàśánt.

"Ôh, yes!" they sãìd, "and thé King wōūld givè hālf of^uv hiś richėś tó^tö get rid of^uv them; for they not ônlý wâstè hiś dinner, aś yöü see, but disturb him in hiś bedrööm, sô that hê iś óblîĝèd tó^tö bê wātchèd^wotchèd whîlè hê iś ásleep."

Thé captáìn wáś^woś reàdý tó^tö jump for joy when hê hèàŕd of^uv this. Hê thøùght of^uv pōōr Dick's cat, and tôld thé King hê had a creaťurè on bøàrd hiś ship that wōūld kill åll thé rats and mîçè. Thé King wáś^woś still morè glad than thé captáìn.

"Bring this creaťurè tó^tö mê," sãìd hê, "and if it can dö whåt yöü say, Î will givè yöü yøùr ship fūll of^uv gôld for her."

Thé captáìn, tó^tö mâkè qυîtè ŝūrè of^uv hiś gōōd luck, answerèd, that shê wáś^woś such a clever cat for catching rats and mîçè, that hê cōūld hardlý beár tó^tö part with her; but that tó^tö óblîĝè Hiś Majéstý hê wōūld fetch her.

"Run, run!" sãìd thé Qυeen, "for Î long tó^tö see thé creaťurè that will dö such serviçè." Áway went thé captáìn tó^tö thé ship whîlè ánőther dinner wáś^woś got reàdý. Hê câmè back tó^tö thé paláçè söön enough^ėnòuf tó^tö see thé tâblè fūll of^uv rats and mîçè ágãìn, and thé secónd dinner lîkèlý tó^tö bê lost in thé sâmè way aś thé first. Thé cat did not wait for bidding, but jumpèd out of^uv thé captáìn's arm, and in a few môménts laid ålmôst åll thé rats and mîçè deàd at her feet. Thé rest, in a fright, scamperèd áway tó^tö their hôlèś.

Thé King and Qυeen werè dėlightėd tó^tö get rid of^uv such a plâgùè sô eaśílý. They dėśîŕèd that thé creaťurè might bê brøùght for them tó^tö lōōk at. On this, thé captáìn cållèd out: "Puss, puss!" and thé cat ran and jumpèd upon hiś knee. Hê then held her out tó^tö thé Qυeen, whö wáś^woś áfraid tó^tö tòuch an anímál that wáś^woś âblè tó^tö kill sô mãný rats and mîçè; but when shê saw how ĝentlè thé cat seemèd, and how glad shê wáś^woś at bêing strôkèd bŷ thé captáìn, shê ventûŕèd tó^tö tòuch her töö, sâying åll thé tîmè: "Pööt, pööt," for shê cōūld not speak Ėñglish. At last thé Qυeen tōōk puss on her lap, and bŷ dėgreeś bėcâmè qυîtè free with her, till puss purrèd herself tó^tö sleep. When thé King had seen thé actionś of^uv mistréss puss, and wáś^woś tôld that shê wōūld söön havè yòung ones^wőnèś, which might in tîmè kill åll thé rats and mîçè in hiś còuntrý, hê bøùght thé captáìn's whôlè ship's cargô; and afterwàŕdś gâvè him a grèât deal of^uv gôld bėsîdèś, which wáś^woś wòŕth still morè, for thé cat. Thé captáìn then tōōk leavè, and set sail with a fãir wind, and árrîvèd sâfè at Lóndón.

One^wőnè morning, when Mr. Fitzwårrén had cőmè intö thé counting housè, and seatėd himself at thé desk, sőmèbódý câmè tap, tap, tap, at thé dòor.

"Whö iś theŕè?" askèd Mr. Fitzwårrén.

"A frìend," answerèd someone^sőmèwőnè; and whö shōūld it bê but thé captáìn, follôwèd bŷ sevèrál men carrýing vast lumps of^uv gôld, that had bėèn-been paid him bŷ thé King of^uv Barbárý for thé ship's cargô. They then tôld thé storý of^uv thé cat, and shôwèd thé rich preśént that thé King had sent tó^tö Dick for her; upon which thé merchántman cållèd out tó^tö hiś servánts:

"Gô fetch him, wê will tell him of^uv thé sâmè;

Pray cåll him Mr. Whittingtón bŷ nâmè."

Mr. Fitzwårrén now shôwèd himself a rêallý gōōd man, for whîlè sőmè of^uv hiś clerks sãìd sô grèât a treàŝurè wáś^woś töö much for such a boy aś Dick, hê answerèd:

"Î will not keep thé valûè of^uv a siñglè penný fróm him! It iś åll hiś ôwn, and hê shall havè evèrý farthing's wòŕth of^uv it."

Hê sent for Dick, whö happénèd tó^tö bê scõúring thé cōōk's kettlèś, and wáś^woś qυîtè dirtý; sô that hê wanted^wontéd tó^tö ėxcûsè himself fróm gôing tó^tö hiś master. Mr. Fitzwårrén, however, mâdè him cőmè in, and orderèd a chãir tó^tö bê set for him, sô that pōōr Dick thøùght they werè mâking fun of^uv him, and bėgan tó^tö beg hiś master not tó^tö play tricks with a pōōr boy, but tó^tö let him gô ágãìn tó^tö hiś wòŕk.

"Indeed, Mr. Whittingtón," sãìd thé merchánt, "wê arè åll in èàŕnėst with yöü; and Î hèartilý rėjoiçè in thé newś thêśè ĝentlèmén havè brøùght yöü; for thé captáìn haś sôld yøùr cat tó^tö thé King of^uv Barbárý, and brøùght yöü, in rėturn for her, morè richėś than Î póśśess; and Î wish yöü may long ėnjoy them!"

Mr. Fitzwårrén then tôld thé men tó^tö ôpén thé grèât treàŝurè they had brøùght with them, and sãìd, "Mr. Whittingtón haś now nőthing tó^tö dö but tó^tö pūt it in sőmè plâçè of^uv sâfètý."

Pōōr Dick hardlý knew how tó^tö bėhâvè himself for joy. Hê beggèd hiś master tó^tö tâkè whåt part of^uv it hê pleaśèd, sinçè hê ôwèd it åll tó^tö hiś kîndnéss.

"Nô, nô," answerèd Mr. Fitzwårrén, "this iś åll yøùr ôwn; and Î havè nô doubt yöü will ûśè it well."

Dick next askèd hiś mistréss, and then Miss Aliçè, tó^tö acçept a part of^uv hiś gōōd forťünè; but they wōūld not, and at thé sâmè tîmè tôld him that hiś sucçess áffordéd them grèât pleàŝurè. But thé pōōr fellôw wáś^woś töö kînd-hèartėd tó^tö keep it åll tó^tö himself; sô hê mâdè a handsőmè preśént tó^tö thé captáìn, thé mâtè, and evèrý one^wőnè of^uv thé sailòŕś, and afterwàŕdś tó^tö hiś gōōd frìend thé fōōtmán, and thé rest of^uv Mr. Fitzwårrén's servánts; and êvén tó^tö thé ill-nâtûŕèd cōōk. After this, Mr. Fitzswarren ádvîśèd him tó^tö get himself dressèd lîkè a ĝentlèmán; and tôld him hê wáś^woś welcómè tó^tö livè in hiś housè till hê cōūld próvîdè himself with a better.

When Whittingtón's fâçè wáś^woś washed^woshèd, hiś hãir curlèd, hiś hat cockèd, and hê wáś^woś dressèd in a nîçè süìt of^uv clôthèś, hê wáś^woś aś handsőmè aś ãný yòung man whö viśítėd at Mr. Fitzwårrén's; sô that Miss Aliçè, whö had bėèn-been sô kînd tó^tö him, and thøùght of^uv him with pitý, now lōōkèd upon him aś fit tó^tö bê her sweethèart; and thé morè sô, nô doubt, bėcauśè Whittingtón wáś^woś now ålwayś thiñking whåt hê cōūld dö tó^tö óblîĝè her, and mâking her thé prėttïést preśénts that cōūld bê. Mr. Fitzswarren söön saw their lővè for each őther, and própôśèd tó^tö join them in marriàĝè; and tó^tö this they bôth reàdílý ágreed. A day for thé wedding wáś^woś söön fixèd; and they werè áttendéd tó^tö church bŷ thé Lord Mâyòŕ, thé Cøùrt of^uv Åldermėn, thé Sheríffs, and a grèât number of^uv thé richést merchánts in Lóndón, whöm they afterwàŕdś treatėd with a fînè feast.

Històrý tellś us that Mr. Whittingtón and hiś lâdý livèd in grèât splendòŕ, and werè verý happý. They had sevèrál childrén. Hê wáś^woś Sheriff of^uv Lóndón in thé yėàŕ 1360, and sevèrál tîmèś afterwàŕdś Lord Mâyòŕ; thé last tîmè, hê entertainèd King Henrý thé Fifth, on hiś Majéstý's rėturn fróm thé fâmòús Battlè of^uv Aĝíncøùrt. In this cőmpáný, thé King, on áccount of^uv Whittingtón's gallántrý, sãìd: