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a collection of beatrix potter stories-第19部分
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your paper is all right。〃 Pigling
Bland did not like going on alone;
and it was beginning to rain。 But
it is unwise to argue with the police;
he gave his brother a peppermint;
and watched him out of sight。
To conclude the adventures of
Alexanderthe policeman sauntered
up to the house about tea
time; followed by a damp subdued
little pig。 I disposed of Alexander
in the neighbourhood; he did fairly
well when he had settled down。
Pigling Bland went on alone
dejectedly; he came to cross…roads
and a sign…post〃To Market Town;
5 miles;〃 〃Over the Hills; 4 miles;〃
〃To Pettitoes Farm; 3 miles。〃
Pigling Bland was shocked;
there was little hope of sleeping in
Market Town; and to…morrow was
the hiring fair; it was deplorable to
think how much time had been
wasted by the frivolity of Alexander。
He glanced wistfully along the
road towards the hills; and then set
off walking obediently the other
way; buttoning up his coat against
the rain。 He had never wanted to
go; and the idea of standing all
by himself in a crowded market; to
be stared at; pushed; and hired by
some big strange farmer was very
disagreeable
〃I wish I could have a little
garden and grow potatoes;〃 said
Pigling Bland。
He put his cold hand in his
pocket and felt his paper; he put his
other hand in his other pocket and
felt another paperAlexander's!
Pigling squealed; then ran back
frantically; hoping to overtake
Alexander and the policeman。
He took a wrong turnseveral
wrong turns; and was quite lost。
It grew dark; the wind whistled;
the trees creaked and groaned。
Pigling Bland became frightened
and cried 〃Wee; wee; wee! I can't
find my way home!〃
After an hour's wandering he
got out of the wood; the moon
shone through the clouds; and
Pigling Bland saw a country that
was new to him。
The road crossed a moor; below
was a wide valley with a river
twinkling in the moonlight; and
beyond; in misty distance; lay
the hills。
He saw a small wooden hut;
made his way to it; and crept
inside〃I am afraid it IS a hen
house; but what can I do?〃 said
Pigling Bland; wet and cold and
quite tired out。
〃Bacon and eggs; bacon and
eggs!〃 clucked a hen on a perch。
〃Trap; trap; trap! cackle; cackle;
cackle!〃 scolded the disturbed
cockerel。 〃To market; to market!
jiggetty jig!〃 clucked a broody
white hen roosting next to him。
Pigling Bland; much alarmed;
determined to leave at daybreak。
In the meantime; he and the hens
fell asleep。
In less than an hour they were
all awakened。 The owner; Mr。
Peter Thomas Piperson; came with
a lantern and a hamper to catch
six fowls to take to market in the
morning。
He grabbed the white hen
roosting next to the cock; then
his eye fell upon Pigling Bland;
squeezed up in a corner。 He made
a singular remark〃Hallo; here's
another!〃seized Pigling by the
scruff of the neck; and dropped him
into the hamper。 Then he dropped
in five more dirty; kicking; cackling
hens upon the top of Pigling Bland。
The hamper containing six fowls
and a young pig was no light
weight; it was taken down hill;
unsteadily; with jerks。 Pigling;
although nearly scratched to pieces;
contrived to hide the papers and
peppermints inside his clothes。
At last the hamper was bumped
down upon a kitchen floor; the lid
was opened; and Pigling was lifted
out。 He looked up; blinking; and
saw an offensively ugly elderly
man; grinning from ear to ear。
〃This one's come of himself;
whatever;〃 said Mr。 Piperson;
turning Pigling's pockets inside out。
He pushed the hamper into a
corner; threw a sack over it to
keep the hens quiet; put a pot on
the fire; and unlaced his boots。
Pigling Bland drew forward a
coppy stool; and sat on the edge of
it; shyly warming his hands。 Mr。
Piperson pulled off a boot and
threw it against the wainscot at
the further end of the kitchen。
There was a smothered noise
〃Shut up!〃 said Mr。 Piperson。
Pigling Bland warmed his hands;
and eyed him。
Mr。 Piperson pulled off the other
boot and flung it after the first;
there was again a curious noise
〃Be quiet; will ye?〃 said Mr。
Piperson。 Pigling Bland sat on the
very edge of the coppy stool。
Mr。 Piperson fetched meal from
a chest and made porridge。 It
seemed to Pigling that something
at the further end of the kitchen
was taking a suppressed interest in
the cooking; but he was too hungry
to be troubled by noises。
Mr。 Piperson poured out three
platefuls: for himself; for Pigling;
and a thirdafter glaring at Pigling
he put away with much scuffling;
and locked up。 Pigling Bland ate
his supper discreetly。
After supper Mr。 Piperson
consulted an almanac; and felt Pigling's
ribs; it was too late in the season
for curing bacon; and he grudged
his meal。 Besides; the hens had
seen this pig。
He looked at the small remains
of a flitch; and then looked
undecidedly at Pigling。 〃You may
sleep on the rug;〃 said Mr。 Peter
Thomas Piperson。
Pigling Bland slept like a top。
In the morning Mr。 Piperson made
more porridge; the weather was
warmer。 He looked to see how much
meal was left in the chest; and
seemed dissatisfied〃You'll likely
be moving on again?〃 said he to
Pigling Bland。
Before Pigling could reply; a
neighbour; who was giving Mr。
Piperson and the hens a lift;
whistled from the gate。 Mr。 Piperson
hurried out with the hamper;
enjoining Pigling to shut the door
behind him and not meddle with
nought; or 〃I'll come back and skin
ye!〃 said Mr。 Piperson。
It crossed Pigling's mind that if
HE had asked for a lift; too; he
might still have been in time for
market。
But he distrusted Peter Thomas。
After finishing breakfast at his
leisure; Pigling had a look round
the cottage; everything was locked
up。 He found some potato peelings
in a bucket in the back kitchen。
Pigling ate the peel; and washed
up the porridge plates in the bucket。
He sang while he worked
〃Tom with his pipe made such a noise;
He called up all the girls and boys
〃And they all ran to hear him play
〃 'Over the hills and far away!' 〃
Suddenly a little smothered voice
chimed in
〃Over the hills and a great way off;
The wind shall blow my top knot off!〃
Pigling Bland put down a plate
which he was wiping; and listened。
After a long pause; Pigling went
on tip…toe and peeped round the
door into the front kitchen。 There
was nobody there。
After another pause; Pigling
approached the door of the locked
cupboard; and snuffed at the key…
hole。 It was quite quiet。
After another long pause; Pigling
pushed a peppermint under the door。
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