a collection of beatrix potter stories-第7部分

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I　did　think　they　were　kicking　rather

hard；　for　caterpillars。〃



〃Which　way？　which　way　has　he

gone；　Cousin　Peter？〃



〃He　had　a　sack　with　something

'live　in　it；　I　watched　him　set　a

mole　trap。　Let　me　use　my　mind；

Cousin　Benjamin；　tell　me　from　the

beginning。〃　Benjamin　did　so。





〃My　Uncle　Bouncer　has　displayed

a　lamentable　want　of　discretion　for

his　years；〃　said　Peter　reflectively；

〃but　there　are　two　hopeful

circumstances。　Your　family　is　alive　and

kicking；　and　Tommy　Brock　has

had　refreshment。　He　will　probably

go　to　sleep；　and　keep　them

for　breakfast。〃　〃Which　way？〃

〃Cousin　Benjamin；　compose

yourself。　I　know　very　well　which　way。

Because　Mr。　Tod　was　at　home　in

the　stick…house　he　has　gone　to

Mr。　Tod's　other　house；　at　the　top

of　Bull　Banks。　I　partly　know；

because　he　offered　to　leave　any

message　at　Sister　Cottontail's；　he

said　he　would　be　passing。〃　（Cottontail

had　married　a　black　rabbit；　and

gone　to　live　on　the　hill）。





Peter　hid　his　dandelions；　and

accompanied　the　afflicted　parent；　who

was　all　of　a　twitter。　They　crossed

several　fields　and　began　to　climb　the

hill；　the　tracks　of　Tommy　Brock

were　plainly　to　be　seen。　He　seemed

to　have　put　down　the　sack　every

dozen　yards；　to　rest。



〃He　must　be　very　puffed；　we

are　close　behind　him；　by　the　scent

What　a　nasty　person！〃　said　Peter。





The　sunshine　was　still　warm　and

slanting　on　the　hill　pastures。　Half

way　up；　Cottontail　was　sitting　in

her　doorway；　with　four　or　five　half…

grown　little　rabbits　playing　about

her；　one　black　and　the　others　brown。



Cottontail　had　seen　Tommy　Brock

passing　in　the　distance。　Asked

whether　her　husband　was　at　home

she　replied　that　Tommy　Brock　had

rested　twice　while　she　watched　him。





He　had　nodded；　and　pointed　to　the

sack；　and　seemed　doubled　up　with

laughing。〃Come　away；　Peter；

he　will　be　cooking　them；　come

quicker！〃　said　Benjamin　Bunny。



They　climbed　up　and　up；〃He

was　at　home；　I　saw　his　black　ears

peeping　out　of　the　hole。〃　〃They

live　too　near　the　rocks　to　quarrel

with　their　neighbours。　Come　on

Cousin　Benjamin！〃



When　they　came　near　the　wood

at　the　top　of　Bull　Banks；　they　went

cautiously。　The　trees　grew　amongst

heaped　up　rocks；　and　there；　beneath

a　cragMr。　Tod　had　made　one　of

his　homes。　It　was　at　the　top　of　a

steep　bank；　the　rocks　and　bushes

overhung　it。　The　rabbits　crept　up

carefully；　listening　and　peeping。





This　house　was　something

between　a　cave；　a　prison；　and　a　tumble…

down　pig…stye。　There　was　a　strong

door；　which　was　shut　and　locked。



The　setting　sun　made　the　window

panes　glow　like　red　flame；　but　the

kitchen　fire　was　not　alight。　It　was

neatly　laid　with　dry　sticks；　as　the

rabbits　could　see；　when　they　peeped

through　the　window。



Benjamin　sighed　with　relief。





But　there　were　preparations　upon

the　kitchen　table　which　made　him

shudder。　There　was　an　immense

empty　pie…dish　of　blue　willow　pattern；

and　a　large　carving　knife　and

fork；　and　a　chopper。



At　the　other　end　of　the　table　was

a　partly　unfolded　tablecloth；　a　plate；

a　tumbler；　a　knife　and　fork；　salt…

cellar；　mustard　and　a　chairin　short；

preparations　for　one　person's　supper。





No　person　was　to　be　seen；　and

no　young　rabbits。　The　kitchen　was

empty　and　silent；　the　clock　had　run

down。　Peter　and　Benjamin　flattened

their　noses　against　the　window；　and

stared　into　the　dusk。



Then　they　scrambled　round　the

rocks　to　the　other　side　of　the　house。

It　was　damp　and　smelly；　and　over…

grown　with　thorns　and　briars。



The　rabbits　shivered　in　their　shoes。





〃Oh　my　poor　rabbit　babies！　What

a　dreadful　place；　I　shall　never　see

them　again！〃　sighed　Benjamin。



They　crept　up　to　the　bedroom

window。　It　was　closed　and　bolted

like　the　kitchen。　But　there　were

signs　that　this　window　had　been

recently　open；　the　cobwebs　were

disturbed；　and　there　were　fresh　dirty

footmarks　upon　the　window…sill。



The　room　inside　was　so　dark；

that　at　first　they　could　make　out

nothing；　but　they　could　hear　a　noise

a　slow　deep　regular　snoring　grunt。

And　as　their　eyes　became　accustomed

to　the　darkness；　they　perceived

that　somebody　was　asleep

on　Mr。　Tod's　bed；　curled　up　under

the　blanket。〃He　has　gone　to　bed

in　his　boots；〃　whispered　Peter。





Benjamin；　who　was　all　of　a　twitter；

pulled　Peter　off　the　window…sill。



Tommy　Brock's　snores　continued；

grunty　and　regular　from　Mr。　Tod's

bed。　Nothing　could　be　seen　of　the

young　family。



The　sun　had　set；　an　owl　began

to　hoot　in　the　wood。　There　were

many　unpleasant　things　lying　about；

that　had　much　better　have　been

buried；　rabbit　bones　and　skulls；　and

chickens'　legs　and　other　horrors。　It

was　a　shocking　place；　and　very　dark。



They　went　back　to　the　front　of

the　house；　and　tried　in　every　way

to　move　the　bolt　of　the　kitchen

window。　They　tried　to　push　up　a

rusty　nail　between　the　window

sashes；　but　it　was　of　no　use；

especially　without　a　light。





They　sat　side　by　side　outside　the

window；　whispering　and　listening。



In　half　an　hour　the　moon　rose

over　the　wood。　It　shone　full　and

clear　and　cold；　upon　the　house

amongst　the　rocks；　and　in　at　the

kitchen　window。　But　alas；　no　little

rabbit　babies　were　to　be　seen！



The　moonbeams　twinkled　on　the

carving　knife　and　the　pie　dish；　and

made　a　path　of　brightness　across

the　dirty　floor。



The　light　showed　a　little　door　in



a　wall　beside　the　kitchen　fireplace

a　little　iron　door　belonging　to　a

brick　oven；　of　that　old…fashioned

sort　that　used　to　be　heated　with

faggots　of　wood。



And　presently　at　the　same　moment

Peter　and　Benjamin　noticed　that

whenever　they　shook　the　window

the　little　door　opposite　shook　in

answer。　The　young　family　were

alive；　shut　up　in　the　oven！





Benjamin　was　so　excited　that　it

was　a　mercy　he　did　not　awake

Tommy　Brock；　whose　snores

continued　solemnly　in　Mr。　Tod's　bed。



But　there　really　was　not　very　much

comfort　in　the　discovery。　They　could

not　open　the　window；　and　although

the　young　family　was　alivethe　little

rabbits　were　quite　incapable　of　letting

themselves　out；　they　were　not

old　enough　to　crawl。



After　much　whispering；　Peter　and

Benjamin　decided　to　dig　a　tunnel。

They　began　to　burrow　a　yard　or　two

lower　down　the　bank。　They　hoped

that　they　might　be　able　to　work

between　the　large　stones　under　the

house；　the　kitchen　floor　was　so　dirty

that　it　was　impossible　to　say　whether

it　was　made　of　earth　or　flags。





They　dug　and　dug　for　hours。

They　could　not　tunnel　straight　on

account　of　stones；　but　by　the　end

of　the　night　they　were　under　the

kitchen　floor。　Benjamin　was　on　his

back；　scratching　upwards。　Peter's

claws　were　worn　down；　he　was

outside　the　tunnel；　shuffling　sand

away。　He　called　out　that　it　was

morningsunrise；　and　that　the

jays　were　making　a　noise　down

below　in　the　woods。



Benjamin　Bunny　came