that , if it had then and there burst itself like an overcharged gun , if it had fallen a victim on the spot , and chirruped its little body into fifty pieces , it would have seemed a natural and inevitable consequence , for which it had expressly laboured . The kettle had had the last of its solo performance . It persevered with undiminished ardour ; but the Cricket took first fiddle , and kept it . Good Heaven , how it chirped ! Its shrill , sharp , piercing voice resounded through the house , and seemed to twinkle in the outer darkness like a star . There was an indescribable little trill and tremble in it at its loudest , which suggested its being carried off its legs , and made to leap again , by its own intense enthusiasm . Yet they went very well together , the Cricket and the kettle . The burden of the song was still the same ; and louder , louder , louder still , they sang it in their emulation . The fair little listener -- for fair she was , and young ; though something of what is called the dumpling shape ; but I do n't myself object to that -- lighted a candle , glanced at the Hay-maker on the top of the clock , who was getting in a pretty average crop of minutes ; and looked out of the window , where she saw nothing , owing to the darkness , but her own face imaged in the glass . And my opinion is -LRB- and so would yours have been -RRB- that she might have looked a long way and seen nothing half so agreeable . When she came back , and sat down in her former seat , the Cricket and the kettle were still keeping it up , with a perfect fury of competition . The kettle 's weak side clearly being that he did n't know when he was beat . There was all the excitement of a race about it . Chirp , chirp , chirp ! Cricket a mile ahead . Hum , hum , hum -- m -- m ! Kettle making play in the distance , like a great top . Chirp , chirp , chirp ! Cricket round the corner . Hum , hum , hum -- m -- m !
Kettle sticking to him XXXXX his own way ; no idea of giving in .
about at by for if in into of that to