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a collection of beatrix potter stories-第9部分
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string; through the window。
But naturally being a thin…legged
person (though vindictive and sandy
whiskered)he was quite unable to
lift the heavy weight to the level of
the hook and rope。 He very nearly
overbalanced himself。
The snores became more and
more apoplectic。 One of Tommy
Brock's hind legs twitched under
the blanket; but still he slept on
peacefully。
Mr。 Tod and the pail descended
from the chair without accident。
After considerable thought; he
emptied the water into a wash…basin
and jug。 The empty pail was not
too heavy for him; he slung it up
wobbling over the head of Tommy
Brock。
Surely there never was such a
sleeper! Mr。 Tod got up and down;
down and up on the chair。
As he could not lift the whole
pailful of water at once; he fetched
a milk jug; and ladled quarts of
water into the pail by degrees。 The
pail got fuller and fuller; and swung
like a pendulum。 Occasionally a
drop splashed over; but still Tommy
Brock snored regularly and never
moved;except one eye。
At last Mr。 Tod's preparations
were complete。 The pail was full
of water; the rope was tightly
strained over the top of the bed;
and across the window sill to the
tree outside。
〃It will make a great mess in
my bedroom; but I could never
sleep in that bed again without a
spring cleaning of some sort;〃 said
Mr。 Tod。
Mr。 Tod took a last look at the
badger and softly left the room。 He
went out of the house; shutting the
front door。 The rabbits heard his
footsteps over the tunnel。
He ran round behind the house;
intending to undo the rope in order
to let fall the pailful of water upon
Tommy Brock
〃I will wake him up with an
unpleasant surprise;〃 said Mr。 Tod。
The moment he had gone; Tommy
Brock got up in a hurry; he rolled
Mr。 Tod's dressing…gown into a
bundle; put it into the bed beneath
the pail of water instead of himself;
and left the room alsogrinning
immensely。
He went into the kitchen; lighted
the fire and boiled the kettle; for
the moment he did not trouble himself
to cook the baby rabbits。
When Mr。 Tod got to the tree;
he found that the weight and strain
had dragged the knot so tight that
it was past untying。 He was
obliged to gnaw it with his teeth。
He chewed and gnawed for more
than twenty minutes。 At last the
rope gave way with such a sudden
jerk that it nearly pulled his teeth
out; and quite knocked him over
backwards。
Inside the house there was a great
crash and splash; and the noise of
a pail rolling over and over。
But no screams。 Mr。 Tod was
mystified; he sat quite still; and
listened attentively。 Then he
peeped in at the window。 The
water was dripping from the bed;
the pail had rolled into a corner。
In the middle of the bed under
the blanket; was a wet flattened
SOMETHINGmuch dinged in; in the
middle where the pail had caught it
(as it were across the tummy)。 Its
head was covered by the wet blanket
and it was NOT SNORING ANY LONGER。
There was nothing stirring; and
no sound except the drip; drop;
drop drip of water trickling from
the mattress。
Mr。 Tod watched it for half an
hour; his eyes glistened。
Then he cut a caper; and became
so bold that he even tapped at
the window; but the bundle never
moved。
Yesthere was no doubt about
itit had turned out even better
than he had planned; the pail had
hit poor old Tommy Brock; and
killed him dead!
〃I will bury that nasty person in
the hole which he has dug。 I will
bring my bedding out; and dry it in
the sun;〃 said Mr。 Tod。
〃I will wash the tablecloth and
spread it on the grass in the sun to
bleach。 And the blanket must be
hung up in the wind; and the bed
must be thoroughly disinfected; and
aired with a warming…pan; and
warmed with a hot…water bottle。〃
〃I will get soft soap; and monkey
soap; and all sorts of soap; and
soda and scrubbing brushes; and
persian powder; and carbolic to
remove the smell。 I must have a
disinfecting。 Perhaps I may have
to burn sulphur。〃
He hurried round the house to
get a shovel from the kitchen
〃First I will arrange the hole
then I will drag out that person in
the blanket 。 。 。〃
He opened the door。 。 。 。
Tommy Brock was sitting at Mr。
Tod's kitchen table; pouring out
tea from Mr。 Tod's tea…pot into
Mr。 Tod's tea…cup。 He was quite
dry himself and grinning; and he
threw the cup of scalding tea all
over Mr。 Tod。
Then Mr。 Tod rushed upon
Tommy Brock; and Tommy Brock
grappled with Mr。 Tod amongst
the broken crockery; and there was
a terrific battle all over the kitchen。
To the rabbits underneath it sounded
as if the floor would give way at
each crash of falling furniture。
They crept out of their tunnel;
and hung about amongst the rocks
and bushes; listening anxiously。
Inside the house the racket was
fearful。 The rabbit babies in the
oven woke up trembling; perhaps
it was fortunate they were shut up
inside。。
Everything was upset except the
kitchen table。
And everything was broken;
except the mantelpiece and the
kitchen fender。 The crockery was
smashed to atoms。
The chairs were broken; and the
window; and the clock fell with a
crash; and there were handfuls of
Mr。 Tod's sandy whiskers。
The vases fell off the mantelpiece;
the canisters fell off the
shelf; the kettle fell off the hob。
Tommy Brock put his foot in a jar
of raspberry Jam。
And the boiling water out of the
kettle fell upon the tail of Mr。 Tod。
When the kettle fell; Tommy
Brock; who was still grinning;
happened to be uppermost; and he
rolled Mr。 Tod over and over like
a log; out at the door。
Then the snarling and worrying
went on outside; and they rolled
over the bank; and down hill;
bumping over the rocks。 There
will never be any love lost between
Tommy Brock and Mr。 Tod。
As soon as the coast was clear
Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny
came out of the bushes
〃Now for it! Run in; Cousin
Benjamin! Run in and get them
while I watch at the door。〃
But Benjamin was frightened
〃Oh; oh! they are coming back!〃
〃 No they are not。〃
〃 Yes they are!〃
〃What dreadful bad language!
I think they have fallen down the
stone quarry。〃
Still Benjamin hesitated; and
Peter kept pushing him
〃Be quick; it's all right。 Shut
the oven door; Cousin Benjamin;
so that he won't miss them。〃
Decidedly there were lively
doings in Mr。 Tod's kitchen!
At home in the rabbit hole; things
had not been quite comfortable。
After quarrelling at supper;
Flopsy and old Mr。 Bouncer had
passed a sleepless night; and
quarrelled again at breakfast。 Old Mr。
Bouncer could no longer deny that
he had invited company into
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