You are here

»
»
قراءة كتاب
Books by Subject
Best Views
Newest
Authors

قراءة كتاب The Cricket on the Hearth: A Fairy Tale of Home

تنويه: تعرض هنا نبذة من اول ١٠ صفحات فقط من الكتاب الالكتروني، لقراءة الكتاب كاملا اضغط على الزر “اشتر الآن"

‏اللغة: English
The Cricket on the Hearth: A Fairy Tale of Home

The Cricket on the Hearth: A Fairy Tale of Home

تقييمك:
0
No votes yet
المؤلف:
دار النشر: Project Gutenberg
الصفحة رقم: 1


THE
CRICKET ON THE HEARTH.

Sitting by the hearth
THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH

THE
CRICKET ON THE HEARTH.
A
FAIRY TALE OF HOME.

—————

BY
CHARLES DICKENS.


ELEVENTH EDITION.




London:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR,
———
BY BRADBURY AND EVANS, 90, FLEET STREET,
AND WHITEFRIARS.
———
MDCCCXLVI.
LONDON:
BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.
TO

LORD JEFFREY

THIS LITTLE STORY IS INSCRIBED,

WITH

THE AFFECTION AND ATTACHMENT OF HIS FRIEND,

THE AUTHOR.

December, 1845.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

  Engraver. Artist.
Frontispiece Thompson. D. Maclise, R.A.
Title G. Dalziel. D. Maclise, R.A.
Chirp the First G. Dalziel. R. Doyle.
The Carrier's Cart T. Williams. C. Stanfield, R.A.
John's Arrival E. Dalziel. J. Leech.
John and Dot Swain. J. Leech.
Chirp the Second E. Dalziel. R. Doyle.
Caleb at Work G. Dalziel. J. Leech.
Boxer T. Williams. E. Landseer, R.A.
Tilly Slowboy Groves. J. Leech.
Mrs. Fielding's Lecture E. Dalziel. J. Leech.
Chirp the Third T. Williams. R. Doyle.
John's Reverie Groves. J. Leech.
The Dance Swain. J. Leech.

Chirp the First The Kettle began it! Don't tell me what Mrs. Peerybingle said. I know better.

Mrs. Peerybingle may leave it on record to the end of time that she couldn't say which of them began it; but I say the Kettle did. I ought to know, I hope? The Kettle began it, full five minutes by the little waxy-faced Dutch clock in the corner before the Cricket uttered a chirp.

As if the clock hadn't finished striking, and the convulsive little Haymaker at the top of it, jerking away right and left with a scythe in front of a Moorish Palace, hadn't mowed down half an acre of imaginary grass before the Cricket joined in at all!

Why, I am not naturally positive. Every one knows that. I wouldn't set my own opinion against the opinion of Mrs. Peerybingle, unless I were quite sure, on any account whatever. Nothing should induce me. But this is a question of fact. And the fact is, that the Kettle began it, at least five minutes before the Cricket gave any sign of being in existence. Contradict me: and I'll say ten.

Let me narrate exactly how it happened. I should have proceeded to do so, in my very first word, but for this plain consideration—if I am to tell

Pages