the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第6章
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〃They're little dicky shirt…fronts belonging to Tom Titmousemost terrible particular！〃 said Mrs。 Tiggy… winkle。 〃Now I've finished my ironing； I'm going to air some clothes。〃
〃What are these dear soft fluffy things？〃 said Lucie。
〃Oh those are woolly coats belonging to the little lambs at Skelghyl。〃
〃Will their jackets take off？〃 asked Lucie。
〃Oh yes； if you please'm； look at the sheep…mark on the shoulder。 And here's one marked for Gatesgarth； and three that come from Little…town。 They're ALWAYS marked at washing！〃 said Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle。
And she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothessmall brown coats of mice； and one velvety black moleskin waist…coat； and a red tail…coat with no tail belonging to Squirrel Nutkin； and a very much shrunk blue jacket belonging to Peter Rabbit； and a petticoat； not marked； that had gone lost in the washingand at last the basket was empty！
Then Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle made teaa cup for herself and a cup for Lucie。 They sat before the fire on a bench and looked sideways at one another。 Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle's hand； holding the tea…cup； was very very brown； and very very wrinkly with the soap…suds； and all through her gown and her cap； there were HAIRPINS sticking wrong end out； so that Lucie didn't like to sit too near her。
When they had finished tea； they tied up the clothes in bundles； and Lucie's pocket…handkerchiefs were folded up inside her clean pinny； and fastened with a silver safety…pin。
And then they made up the fire with turf； and came out and locked the door； and hid the key under the door…sill。
Then away down the hill trotted Lucie and Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle with the bundles of clothes！
All the way down the path little animals came out of the fern to meet them； the very first that they met were Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny！
And she gave them their nice clean clothes； and all the little animals and birds were so very much obliged to dear Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle。
So that at the bottom of the hill when they came to the stile； there was nothing left to carry except Lucie's one little bundle。
Lucie scrambled up the stile with the bundle in her hand； and then she turned to say 〃Good…night；〃 and to thank the washer…woman。But what a VERY odd thing！ Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle had not waited either for thanks or for the washing bill！
She was running running running up the hilland where was her white frilled cap？ and her shawl？ and her gown…and her petticoat？
And HOW small she had grown and HOW brownand covered with PRICKLES！
Why！ Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle was nothing but a HEDGEHOG！ * * * * * *
（Now some people say that little Lucie had been asleep upon the stilebut then how could she have found three clean pocket…handkins and a pinny； pinned with a silver safety…pin？
And besidesI have seen that door into the back of the hill called Cat Bellsand besides _I_ am very well acquainted with dear Mrs。 Tiggy…winkle！）
THE PIE AND THE PATTY…PAN
Pussy…cat sits by the firehow should she be fair？ In walks the little dogsays 〃Pussy are you there？ How do you do Mistress Pussy？ Mistress Pussy； how do you do？〃 〃I thank you kindly； little dog； I fare as well as you！〃 _Old Rhyme＇
Once upon a time there was a Pussy…cat called Ribby； who invited a little dog called Duchess to tea。
〃Come in good time； my dear Duchess；〃 said Ribby's letter； 〃and we will have something so very nice。 I am baking it in a pie…disha pie…dish with a pink rim。 You never tasted anything so good！ And YOU shall eat it all！ _I_ will eat muffins； my dear Duchess！〃 wrote Ribby。
〃I will come very punctually； my dear Ribby；〃 wrote Duchess； and then at the end she added〃I hope it isn't mouse？〃
And then she thought that did not look quite polite； so she scratched out 〃isn't mouse〃 and changed it to 〃I hope it will be fine；〃 and she gave her letter to the postman。
But she thought a great deal about Ribby's pie； and she read Ribby's letter over and over again。
〃I am dreadfully afraid it WILL be mouse！〃 said Duchess to herself〃I really couldn't； COULDN'T eat mouse pie。 And I shall have to eat it； because it is a party。 And MY pie was going to be veal and ham。 A pink and white pie…dish！ and so is mine； just like Ribby's dishes； they were both bought at Tabitha Twitchit's。〃
Duchess went into her larder and took the pie off a shelf and looked at it。
〃Oh what a good idea！ Why shouldn't I rush along and put my pie into Ribby's oven when Ribby isn't there？〃
Ribby in the meantime had received Duchess's answer； and as soon as she was sure that the little dog would comeshe popped HER pie into the oven。 There were two ovens； one above the other； some other knobs and handles were only ornamental and not intended to open。 Ribby put the pie into the lower oven； the door was very stiff。
〃The top oven bakes too quickly；〃 said Ribby to herself。
Ribby put on some coal and swept up the hearth。 Then she went out with a can to the well； for water to fill up the kettle。
Then she began to set the room in order； for it was the sitting…room as well as the kitchen。
When Ribby had laid the table she went out down the field to the farm； to fetch milk and butter。
When she came back； she peeped into the bottom oven； the pie looked very comfortable。
Ribby put on her shawl and bonnet and went out again with a basket； to the village shop to buy a packet of tea； a pound of lump sugar； and a pot of marmalade。
And just at the same time； Duchess came out of HER house； at the other end of the village。
Ribby met Duchess half…way down the street； also carrying a basket； covered with a cloth。 They only bowed to one another； they did not speak； because they were going to have a party。
As soon as Duchess had got round the corner out of sightshe simply ran！ Straight away to Ribby's house！
Ribby went into the shop and bought what she required； and came out； after a pleasant gossip with Cousin Tabitha Twitchit。
Ribby went on to Timothy Baker's and bought the muffins。 Then she went home。
There seemed to be a sort of scuffling noise in the back passage； as she was coming in at the front door。 But there was nobody there。
Duchess in the meantime； had slipped out at the back door。
〃It is a very odd thing that Ribby's pie was NOT in the oven when I put mine in！ And I can't find it anywhere； I have looked all over the house。 I put MY pie into a nice hot oven at the top。 I could not turn any of the other handles； I think that they are all shams；〃 said Duchess； 〃but I wish I could have removed the pie made of mouse！ I cannot think what she has done with it？ I heard Ribby coming and I had to run out by the back door！〃
Duchess went home and brushed her beautiful black coat； and then she picked a bunch of flowers in her garden as a present for Ribby； and passed the time until the clock struck four。
Ribbyhaving assured herself by careful search that there was really no one hiding in the cupboard or in the larderwent upstairs to change her dress。
She came downstairs again； and made the tea； and put the teapot on the hob。 She peeped again into the BOTTOM oven； the pie had become a lovely brown； and it was steaming hot。
She sat down before the fire to wait for the little dog。 〃I am glad I used the BOTTOM oven；〃 said Ribby； 〃the top one would certainly have been very much too hot。〃
Very punctually at four o'clock； Duchess started to go to the party。
At a quarter past four to the minute； there came a most genteel little tap…tappity。 〃Is Mrs。 Ribston at home？〃 inquired Duchess in the porch。
〃Come in！ and how do you do； my dear Duchess？〃 cried Ribby。 〃I hope I see you well？〃
〃Quite well； I thank you； and how do YOU do； my dear Ribby？〃 said Duchess。 〃I've brought you some flowers； what a delicious smell of pie！〃
〃Oh； what lovely flowers！ Yes； it is mouse and bacon！〃
〃I think it wants another five minutes；〃 said Ribby。 〃Just a shade longer； I will pour out the tea； while we wait。 Do you take sugar； my dear Duchess？〃
〃Oh yes； please！ my dear Ribby； and may I have a lump upon my nose？〃
〃With pleasure； my dear Duchess。〃
Duchess sat up with the sugar on her nose and sniffed
〃How good that pie s
