the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第20章

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But　the　sales　were　enormous；　ten　times　as　large　as　Tabitha　Twitchit's。

As　there　was　always　no　money；　Ginger　and　Pickles　were　obliged　to　eat　their　own　goods。

Pickles　ate　biscuits　and　Ginger　ate　a　dried　haddock。

They　ate　them　by　candle…　light　after　the　shop　was　closed。


〃It　is　very　uncomfortable；　I　am　afraid　I　shall　be　summoned。　I　have　tried　in　vain　to　get　a　license　upon　credit　at　the　Post　Office；〃　said　Pickles。　〃The　place　is　full　of　policemen。　I　met　one　as　I　was　coming　home。

〃Let　us　send　in　the　bill　again　to　Samuel　Whiskers；　Ginger；　he　owes　22/9　for　bacon。〃

〃I　do　not　believe　that　he　intends　to　pay　at　all；〃　replied　Ginger。

When　it　came　to　Jan。　1st　there　was　still　no　money；　and　Pickles　was　unable　to　buy　a　dog　license。

〃It　is　very　unpleasant；　I　am　afraid　of　the　police；〃　said　Pickles。

〃It　is　your　own　fault　for　being　a　terrier；　_I_　do　not　require　a　license；　and　neither　does　Kep；　the　Collie　dog。〃


〃And　I　feel　sure　that　Anna　Maria　pockets　things

〃Where　are　all　the　cream　crackers？〃

〃You　have　eaten　them　yourself。〃　replied　Ginger。

Ginger　and　Pickles　retired　into　the　back　parlor。

They　did　accounts。　They　added　up　sums　and　sums；　and　sums。

〃Samuel　Whiskers　has　run　up　a　bill　as　long　as　his　tail；　he　has　had　an　ounce　and　three…　quarters　of　snuff　since　October。

〃What　is　seven　pounds　of　butter　at　1/3；　and　a　stick　of　sealing　wax　and　four　matches？〃

〃Send　in　all　the　bills　again　to　everybody　‘with　compliments；'〃　replied　Ginger。


Pickles　nearly　had　a　fit；　he　barked　and　he　barked　and　made　little　rushes。

〃Bite　him；　Pickles！　bite　him！〃　spluttered　Ginger　behind　a　sugar　barrel；　〃he's　only　a　German　doll！〃

The　policeman　went　on　writing　in　his　notebook；　twice　he　put　his　pencil　in　his　mouth；　and　once　he　dipped　it　in　the　treacle。

Pickles　barked　till　he　was　hoarse。　But　still　the　policeman　took　no　notice。　He　had　bead　eyes；　and　his　helmet　was　sewed　on　with　stitches。

After　a　time　they　heard　a　noise　in　the　shop；　as　if　something　had　been　pushed　in　at　the　door。　They　came　out　of　the　back　parlor。　There　was　an　envelope　lying　on　the　counter；　and　a　policeman　writing　in　a　notebook！


At　length　on　his　last　little　rushPickles　found　that　the　shop　was　empty。　The　policeman　had　disappeared。

But　the　envelope　remained。

〃Do　you　think　that　he　has　gone　to　fetch　a　real　live　policeman？　I　am　afraid　it　is　a　summons；〃　said　Pickles。

〃No；〃　replied　Ginger；　who　had　opened　the　envelope；　〃it　is　the　rates　and　taxes；　3　pounds　19　11　3/4。〃　　＇pounds　are　British　money；　the　19　is　schillings；　and　then　pence＇

〃This　is　the　last　straw；〃　said　Pickles；　〃let　us　close　the　shop。〃

They　put　up　the　shutters；　and　left。　But　they　have　not　removed　from　the　neighborhood。　In　fact　some　people　wish　they　had　gone　further。


Ginger　is　living　in　the　warren　＇game　preserve　for　rabbits＇。　I　do　not　know　what　occupation　he　pursues；　he　looks　stout　and　comfortable。

Pickles　is　at　present　a　game…　keeper。


After　a　time　Mr。　John　Dormouse　and　his　daughter　began　to　sell　peppermints　and　candles。

But　they　did　not　keep　〃self…　fitting　sixes〃；　and　it　takes　five　mice　to　carry　one　seven　inch　candle。

The　closing　of　the　shop　caused　great　inconvenience。　Tabitha　Twitchit　immediately　raised　the　price　of　everything　a　halfpenny；　and　she　continued　to　refuse　to　give　credit。


Of　course　there　are　the　tradesmen's　cartsthe　butcher；　the　fishman　and　Timothy　Baker。

But　a　person　cannot　live　on　〃seed　wigs〃　and　sponge　cake　and　butter　bunsnot　even　when　the　sponge　cake　is　as　good　as　Timothy's！


And　Miss　Dormouse　refused　to　take　back　the　ends　when　they　were　brought　back　to　her　with　complaints。

And　when　Mr。　John　Dormouse　was　complained　to；　he　stayed　in　bed；　and　would　say　nothing　but　〃very　snug；〃　which　is　not　the　way　to　carry　on　a　retail　business。

Besidesthe　candles　which　they　sell　behave　very　strangely　in　warm　weather。

So　everybody　was　pleased　when　Sally　Henny　Penny　sent　out　a　printed　poster　to　say　that　she　was　going　to　reopen　the　shop〃Henny's　Opening　Sale！　Grand　cooperative　Jumble！　Penny's　penny　prices！　Come　buy；　come　try；　come　buy！〃

The　poster　really　was　most　'ticing。


There　was　a　rush　upon　the　opening　day。　The　shop　was　crammed　with　customers；　and　there　were　crowds　of　mice　upon　the　biscuit　cannisters。

Sally　Henny　Penny　gets　rather　flustered　when　she　tries　to　count　out　change；　and　she　insists　on　being　paid　cash；　but　she　is　quite　harmless。

And　she　has　laid　in　a　remarkable　assortment　of　bargains。

There　is　something　to　please　everybody。








End