the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第15章

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This　house　was　something　between　a　cave；　a　prison；　and　a　tumbledown　pigsty。　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　wil…

low　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　chair　in　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　windowsill。

The　room　inside　was　so　dark　that　at　first　they　could　make　out　nothing；　but　they　could　hear　a　noisea　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　atwitter；　pulled　Peter　off　the　windowsill。


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　alive　the　little　rabbits　were　quite　in…

capable　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　out　of　the　dark　tunnel　shaking　the　sand　from　his　ears；　he　cleaned　his　face　with　his　paws。　Every　minute　the　sun　shone　warmer　on　the　top　of　the　hill。　In　the　valley　there　was　a　sea　of　white　mist；　with　golden　tops　of　trees　showing　through。

Again　from　the　fields　down　below　in　the　mist　there　came　the　angry　cry　of　a　jay；　followed　by　the　sharp　yelping　bark　of　a　fox！

Then　those　two　rabbits　lost　their　heads　completely。　They　did　the　most　foolish　thing　that　they　could　have　done。　They　rushed　into　their　short　new　tunnel；　and　hid　themselves　at　the　top　end　of　it；　under　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen　floor。

Mr。　Tod　was　coming　up　Bull　Banks；　and　he　was　in　the　very　worst　of　tempers。　First　he　had　been　upset　by　breaking　the　plate。　It　was　his　own　fault；　but　it　was　a　china　plate；

the　last　of　the　dinner　service　that　had　belonged　to　his　grandmother；　old　Vixen　Tod。　Then　the　midges　had　been　very　bad。　And　he　had　failed　to　catch　a　hen　pheasant　on　her　nest；　and　it　had　contained　only　five　eggs；　two　of　them　addled。　Mr。　Tod　had　had　an　unsatisfactory　night。

As　usual；　when　out　of　humor；　he　determined　to　move　house。　First　he　tried　the　pollard　willow；　but　it　was　damp；　and　the　otters　had　left　a　dead　fish　near　it。　Mr。　Tod　likes　nobody's　leavings　but　his　own。

He　made　his　way　up　the　hill；　his　temper　was　not　improved　by　noticing　unmistakable　marks　of　badger。　No　one　else　grubs　up　the　moss　so　wantonly　as　Tommy　Brock。

Mr。　Tod　slapped　his　stick　upon　the　earth　and　fumed；　he　guessed　where　Tommy　Brock　had　gone　to。　He　was　further　annoyed　by　the　jay　bird　which　followed　him　persistently。　It　flew　from　tree　to　tree　and　scolded；　warning　every　rabbit　within　hearing　that　either　a　cat　or　a　fox　was　coming　up　the　plantation。　Once　when　it　flew　screaming　over　his　head　Mr。　Tod　snapped　at　it；　and　barked。

He　approached　his　house　very　carefully；　with　a　large　rusty　key。　He　sniffed　and　his　whiskers　bristled。

The　house　was　locked　up；　but　Mr。　Tod　had　his　doubts　whether　it　was　empty。　He　turned　the　rusty　key　in　the　lock；　the　rabbits　below　could　hear　it。　Mr。　Tod　opened　the　door　cautiously　and　went　in。

The　sight　that　met　Mr。　Tod's　eyes　in　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen　made　Mr。　Tod　furious。　There　was　Mr。　Tod's　chair；　and　Mr。　Tod's　pie　dish；　and　his　knife　and　fork　and　mustard　and　salt　cellar；　and　his　tablecloth；　that　he　had　left　folded　up　in　the　dresser　all　set　out　for　supper　（or　breakfast）　without　doubt　for　that　odious　Tommy　Brock。

There　was　a　smell　of　fresh　earth　and　dirty　badger；　which　fortunately　overpowered　all　smell　of　rabbit。

But　what　absorbed　Mr。　Tod's　attention　was　a　noise；　a　deep　slow　regular　snoring　grunting　noise；　coming　from　his　own　bed。

He　peeped　through　the　hinges　of　the　half…open　bedroom　door。　Then　he　turned　and　came　out　of　the　house　in　a　hurry。　His　whiskers　bristled　and　his　coat　collar　stood　on　end　with　rage。

For　the　next　twenty　minutes　Mr。　Tod　kept　creeping　cautiously　into　the　house；　and　retreating　hurriedly　out　again。　By　degrees　he　ventured　further　inright　into　the　bed…　room。　When　he　was　outside　the　house；　he　scratched　up　the　earth　with　fury。　But　when　he　was　inside　he　did　not　like　the　look　of　Tommy　Brock's　teeth。

He　was　lying　on　his　back　with　his　mouth　open；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。　He　snored　peacefully　and　regularly；　but　one　eye　was　not　perfectly　shut。

Mr。　Tod　came　in　and　out　of　the　bedroom。　Twice　he　brought　in　his　walking　stick；　and　once　he　brought

in　the　coal　scuttle。　But　he　thought　better　of　it；　and　took　them　away。

When　he　came　back　after　removing　the　coal　scuttle；　Tommy　Brock　was　lying　a　little　more　sideways；　but　he　seemed　even　sounder　asleep。　He　was　an　incurably　indolent　person；　he　was　not　in　the　least　afraid　of　Mr。　Tod；　he　was　simply　too　lazy　and　comfortable　to　move。

Mr。　Tod　came　back　yet　again　into　the　bedroom　with　a　clothes　line。　He　stood　a　minute　watching　Tommy　Brock　and　listening　attentively　to　the　snores。　They　were　very　loud　indeed；　but　seemed　quite　natural。

Mr。　Tod　turned　his　back　towards　the　bed；　and　undid　the　window。　It　creaked；　he　turned　round　with　a　jump。