a collection of beatrix potter stories-第4部分

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She　went　right　upstairs　and　looked　into　the

attics；　but　she　could　not　find　him　anywhere。



It　was　an　old；　old　house；　full　of

cupboards　and　passages。　Some　of　the　walls

were　four　feet　thick；　and　there　used　to　be

queer　noises　inside　them；　as　if　there　might

be　a　little　secret　staircase。　Certainly　there

were　odd　little　jagged　doorways　in　the

wainscot；　and　things　disappeared　at　night

especially　cheese　and　bacon。



Mrs。　Tabitha　became　more　and　more

distracted；　and　mewed　dreadfully





While　their　mother　was　searching　the

house；　Moppet　and　Mittens　had　got　into

mischief。



The　cupboard　door　was　not　locked；　so

they　pushed　it　open　and　came　out。





They　went　straight　to　the　dough　which

was　set　to　rise　in　a　pan　before　the　fire。



They　patted　it　with　their　little　soft　paws

〃Shall　we　make　dear　little　muffins？〃　said

Mittens　to　Moppet





But　just　at　that　moment　somebody

knocked　at　the　front　door；　and　Moppet

jumped　into　the　flour　barrel　in　a　fright





Mittens　ran　away　to　the　dairy；　and　hid

in　an　empty　jar　on　the　stone　shelf　where

the　milk　pans　stand。





The　visitor　was　a　neighbor；　Mrs。　Ribby；

she　had　called　to　borrow　some　yeast。



Mrs。　Tabitha　came　downstairs　mewing

dreadfully〃Come　in；　Cousin　Ribby；　come

in；　and　sit　ye　down！　I'm　in　sad　trouble；

Cousin　Ribby；〃　said　Tabitha；　shedding

tears。　〃I've　lost　my　dear　son　Thomas；　I'm

afraid　the　rats　have　got　him。〃　She　wiped

her　eyes　with　an　apron。



〃He's　a　bad　kitten；　Cousin　Tabitha；　he

made　a　cat's　cradle　of　my　best　bonnet　last

time　I　came　to　tea。　Where　have　you　looked

for　him？〃



〃All　over　the　house！　The　rats　are　too

many　for　me。　What　a　thing　it　is　to　have　an

unruly　family！〃　said　Mrs。　Tabitha　Twitchit。





〃I'm　not　afraid　of　rats；　I　will　help　you

to　find　him；　and　whip　him　too！　What　is

all　that　soot　in　the　fender？〃



〃The　chimney　wants　sweepingOh；　dear

me；　Cousin　Ribbynow　Moppet　and　Mittens

are　gone！〃



〃They　have　both　got　out　of　the　cup…

board！〃





Ribby　and　Tabitha　set　to　work　to　search

the　house　thoroughly　again。　They　poked

under　the　beds　with　Ribby's　umbrella；　and

they　rummaged　in　cupboards。　They　even

fetched　a　candle；　and　looked　inside　a　clothes

chest　in　one　of　the　attics。　They　could　not

find　anything；　but　once　they　heard　a　door

bang　and　somebody　scuttered　downstairs。



〃Yes；　it　is　infested　with　rats；〃　said

Tabitha　tearfully；　〃I　caught　seven　young

ones　out　of　one　hole　in　the　back　kitchen；

and　we　had　them　for　dinner　last　Saturday。

And　once　I　saw　the　old　father　ratan

enormous　old　rat；　Cousin　Ribby。　I　was

just　going　to　jump　upon　him；　when　he

showed　his　yellow　teeth　at　me　and　whisked

down　the　hole。〃



〃The　rats　get　upon　my　nerves；　Cousin

Ribby；〃　said　Tabitha。





Ribby　and　Tabitha　searched　and　searched。

They　both　heard　a　curious　roly…poly　noise

under　the　attic　floor。　But　there　was　nothing

to　be　seen。





They　returned　to　the　kitchen。　〃Here's

one　of　your　kittens　at　least；〃　said　Ribby；

dragging　Moppet　out　of　the　flour　barrel。





They　shook　the　flour　off　her　and　set　her

down　on　the　kitchen　floor。　She　seemed　to

be　in　a　terrible　fright。



〃Oh！　Mother；　Mother；〃　said　Moppet；

〃there's　been　an　old　woman　rat　in　the

kitchen；　and　she's　stolen　some　of　the

dough！〃



The　two　cats　ran　to　look　at　the　dough

pan。　Sure　enough　there　were　marks　of

little　scratching　fingers；　and　a　lump　of

dough　was　gone！



〃Which　way　did　she　go；　Moppet？〃



But　Moppet　had　been　too　much　frightened

to　peep　out　of　the　barrel　again。



Ribby　and　Tabitha　took　her　with　them

to　keep　her　safely　in　sight；　while　they　went

on　with　their　search。





They　went　into　the　dairy。



The　first　thing　they　found　was　Mittens；

hiding　in　an　empty　jar





They　tipped　up　the　jar；　and　she　scrambled

out。



〃Oh；　Mother；　Mother！〃　said　Mittens





〃Oh！　Mother；　Mother；　there　has　been　an

old　man　rat　in　the　dairya　dreadful　'normous

big　rat；　Mother；　and　he's　stolen　a　pat

of　butter　and　the　rolling…pin。〃



Ribby　and　Tabitha　looked　at　one　another。



〃A　rolling…pin　and　butter！　Oh；　my　poor

son　Thomas！〃　exclaimed　Tabitha；　wringing

her　paws。



〃A　rolling…pin？〃　said　Ribby。　〃Did　we

not　hear　a　roly…poly　noise　in　the　attic　when

we　were　looking　into　that　chest？〃



Ribby　and　Tabitha　rushed　upstairs　again。

Sure　enough　the　roly…poly　noise　was　still

going　on　quite　distinctly　under　the　attic

floor





〃This　is　serious；　Cousin　Tabitha；〃　said

Ribby。　〃We　must　send　for　John　Joiner　at

once；　with　a　saw。〃





Now　this　is　what　had　been　happening　to

Tom　Kitten；　and　it　shows　how　very　unwise

it　is　to　go　up　a　chimney　in　a　very　old　house；

where　a　person　does　not　know　his　way；　and

where　there　are　enormous　rats。





Tom　Kitten　did　not　want　to　be　shut　up

in　a　cupboard。　When　he　saw　that　his

mother　was　going　to　bake；　he　determined

to　hide。



He　looked　about　for　a　nice　convenient

place；　and　he　fixed　upon　the　chimney。



The　fire　had　only　just　been　lighted；　and

it　was　not　hot；　but　there　was　a　white　choky

smoke　from　the　green　sticks。　Tom　Kitten

got　upon　the　fender　and　looked　up。　It　was

a　big　old…fashioned　fireplace。



The　chimney　itself　was　wide　enough　inside

for　a　man　to　stand　up　and　walk　about。

So　there　was　plenty　of　room　for　a　little

Tom　Cat





He　jumped　right　up　into　the　fireplace；

balancing　himself　upon　the　iron　bar　where

the　kettle　hangs。





Tom　Kitten　took　another　big　jump　off

the　bar；　and　landed　on　a　ledge　high　up

inside　the　chimney；　knocking　down　some

soot　into　the　fender。





Tom　Kitten　coughed　and　choked　with　the

smoke；　he　could　hear　the　sticks　beginning

to　crackle　and　burn　in　the　fireplace　down

below。　He　made　up　his　mind　to　climb　right

to　the　top；　and　get　out　on　the　slates；　and

try　to　catch　sparrows。



〃I　cannot　go　back。　If　I　slipped　I　might

fall　in　the　fire　and　singe　my　beautiful　tail

and　my　little　blue　jacket。〃



The　chimney　was　a　very　big　old…fashioned

one。　It　was　built　in　the　days　when

people　burnt　logs　of　wood　upon　the　hearth。



The　chimney　stack　stood　up　above　the

roof　like　a　little　stone　tower；　and　the　daylight

shone　down　from　the　top；　under　the

slanting　slates　that　kept　out　the　rain。





Tom　Kitten　was　getting　very　frightened！

He　climbed　up；　and　up；　and　up





Then　he　waded　sideways　through　inches

of　soot。　He　was　like　a　little　sweep　himself。





It　was　most　confusing　in　the　dark。　One

flue　seemed　to　lead　into　another。



There　was　less　smoke；　but　Tom　Kitten

felt　quite　lost。



He　scrambled　up　and　up；　but　before　he

reached　the　chimney　top　he　came　to　a　place

where　somebody　had　loosened　a　stone　in

the　wall。　There　were　some　mutton　bones

lying　about



〃This　seems　funny；〃　said　Tom　Kitten。

〃Who　has　been　gnawing　bones　up　here　in

the　chimney？　I　wish　I　had　never　come！

And　what　a　funny　smell！　It　is　something

like　mouse；　only　dread