the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Mr。　Tod　turned　his　back　towards　the　bed；　and　undid　the　window。　It　creaked；　he　turned　round　with　a　jump。　Tommy　Brock；　who　had　opened　one　eyeshut　it　hastily。　The　snores　continued。

Mr。　Tod's　proceedings　were　peculiar；　and　rather　difficult　（because　the　bed　was　between　the　window　and　the　door　of　the　bedroom）。　He　opened　the　window　a　little　way；　and　pushed　out　the　greater　part　of　the　clothes　line　on　to　the　window…　sill。　The　rest　of　the　line；　with　a　hook　at　the　end；　remained　in　his　hand。

Tommy　Brock　snored　conscientiously。　Mr。　Tod　stood　and　looked　at　him　for　a　minute；　then　he　left　the　room　again。

Tommy　Brock　opened　both　eyes；　and　looked　at　the　rope　and　grinned。　There　was　a　noise　outside　the　window。　Tommy　Brock　shut　his　eyes　in　a　hurry。

Mr。　Tod　had　gone　out　at　the　front　door；　and　round　to　the　back　of　the　house。　On　the　way；　he　stumbled　over　the　rabbit　burrow。　If　he　had　had　any　idea　who　was　inside　it　he　would　have　pulled　them　out　quickly。

His　foot　went　through　the　tunnel　nearly　upon　the　top　of　Peter　Rabbit　and　Benjamin；　but；　fortunately；　he

thought　that　it　was　some　more　of　Tommy　Brock's　work。

He　took　up　the　coil　of　line　from　the　sill；　listened　for　a　moment；　and　then　tied　the　rope　to　a　tree。

Tommy　Brock　watched　him　with　one　eye；　through　the　window。　He　was　puzzled。

Mr。　Tod　fetched　a　large　heavy　pailful　of　water　from　the　spring；　and　staggered　with　it　through　the　kitchen　into　his　bedroom。

Tommy　Brock　snored　industriously；　with　rather　a　snort。

Mr。　Tod　put　down　the　pail　beside　the　bed；　took　up　the　end　of　rope　with　the　hookhesitated；　and　looked　at　Tommy　Brock。　The　snores　were　almost　apoplectic；　but　the　grin　was　not　quite　so　big。

Mr。　Tod　gingerly　mounted　a　chair　by　the　head　of　the　bedstead。　His　legs　were　dangerously　near　to　Tommy　Brock's　teeth。

He　reached　up　and　put　the　end　of　rope；　with　the　hook；　over　the　head　of　the　tester　bed；　where　the　curtains　ought　to　hang。

（Mr。　Tod's　curtains　were　folded　up；　and　put　away；　owing　to　the　house　being　unoccupied。　So　was　the　counterpane。　Tommy　Brock

was　covered　with　a　blanket　only。）　Mr。　Tod　standing　on　the　unsteady　chair　looked　down　upon　him　attentively；　he　really　was　a　first　prize　sound　sleeper！

It　seemed　as　though　nothing　would　waken　himnot　even　the　flapping　rope　across　the　bed。

Mr。　Tod　descended　safely　from　the　chair；　and　endeavored　to　get　up　again　with　the　pail　of　water。　He　intended　to　hang　it　from　the　hook；　dangling　over　the　head　of　Tommy　Brock；　in　order　to　make　a　sort　of　shower…bath；　worked　by　a　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　in　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　windowsill　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　also　grinning　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　SOMETHING　much　flattened　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　holethen　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　teapot　into　Mr。　Tod's　teacup。　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　cannisters　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