the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第7章
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〃With pleasure； my dear Duchess。〃
Duchess sat up with the sugar on her nose and sniffed
〃How good that pie smells！ I do love veal and hamI mean to say mouse and bacon〃
She dropped the sugar in confusion； and had to go hunting under the tea… table； so did not see which oven Ribby opened in order to get out the pie。
Ribby set the pie upon the table； there was a very savoury smell。
Duchess came out from under the table…cloth munching sugar； and sat up on a chair。
〃I will first cut the pie for you； I am going to have muffin and marmalade；〃 said Ribby。
〃I think〃（thought Duchess to herself）〃I THINK it would be wiser if I helped myself to pie； though Ribby did not seem to notice anything when she was cutting it。 What very small fine pieces it has cooked into！ I did not remember that I had minced it up so fine； I suppose this is a quicker oven than my own。〃
The pie…dish was emptying rapidly！ Duchess had had four helps already； and was fumbling with the spoon。
〃A little more bacon； my dear Duchess？〃 said Ribby。
〃Thank you； my dear Ribby； I was only feeling for the patty…pan。〃
〃The patty…pan？ my dear Duchess？〃
〃The patty pan that held up the pie…crust；〃 said Duchess； blushing under her black coat。
〃Oh； I didn't put one in； my dear Duchess；〃 said Ribby； 〃I don't think that it is necessary in pies made of mouse。〃
Duchess fumbled with the spoon 〃I can't find it！〃 she said anxiously。
〃There isn't a patty…pan；〃 said Ribby； looking perplexed。
〃Yes； indeed； my dear Ribby； where can it have gone to？〃 said Duchess。
Duchess looked very much alarmed； and continued to scoop the inside of the pie…dish。
〃I have only four patty…pans； and they are all in the cupboard。〃
Duchess set up a howl。
〃I shall die！ I shall die！ I have swallowed a patty…pan！ Oh； my dear Ribby； I do feel so ill！〃
〃It is impossible； my dear Duchess； there was not a patty…pan。〃
〃Yes there WAS； my dear Ribby； I am sure I have swallowed it！〃
〃Let me prop you up with a pillow； my dear Duchess； where do you think you feel it？〃
〃Oh I do feel so ill ALL OVER me； my dear Ribby。〃
〃Shall I run for the doctor？〃
〃Oh yes； yes！ fetch Dr。 Maggotty； my dear Ribby： he is a Pie himself； he will certainly understand。〃
Ribby settled Duchess in an armchair before the fire； and went out and hurried to the village to look for the doctor。
She found him at the smithy。
Ribby explained that her guest had swallowed a patty…pan。
Dr。 Maggotty hopped so fast that Ribby had to run。 It was most conspicuous。 All the village could see that Ribby was fetching the doctor。
But while Ribby had been hunting for the doctora curious thing had happened to Duchess； who had been left by herself； sitting before the fire； sighing and groaning and feeling very unhappy。
〃How COULD I have swallowed it！ such a large thing as a patty…pan！〃
She sat down again； and stared mournfully at the grate。 The fire crackled and danced； and something sizz…z…zled！
Duchess started！ She opened the door of the TOP oven；out came a rich steamy flavour of veal and ham； and there stood a fine brown pie； and through a hole in the top of the pie…crust there was a glimpse of a little tin patty…pan！
Duchess drew a long breath
〃Then I must have been eating MOUSE！ 。 。 。 No wonder I feel ill。 。 。 。 But perhaps I should feel worse if I had really swallowed a patty…pan！〃 Duchess reflected〃What a very awkward thing to have to explain to Ribby！ I think I will put MY pie in the back…yard and say nothing about it。 When I go home； I will run round and take it away。〃 She put it outside the back…door； and say down again by the fire； and shut her eyes； when Ribby arrived with the doctor； she seemed fast asleep。
〃I am feeling very much better；〃 said Duchess； waking up with a jump。
〃I am truly glad to hear it！ He has brought you a pill； my dear Duchess！〃
〃I think I should feel QUITE well if he only felt my pulse；〃 said Duchess； backing away from the magpie； who sidled up with something in his beak。
〃It is only a bread pill； you had much better take it； drink a little milk； my dear Duchess！〃
〃I am feeling very much better； my dear Ribby；〃 said Duchess。 〃Do you not think that I had better go home before it gets dark？〃
〃Perhaps it might be wise； my dear Duchess。〃
Ribby and Duchess said good…bye affectionately； and Duchess started home。 Half…way up the lane she stopped and looked back； Ribby had gone in and shut her door。 Duchess slipped through the fence； and ran round to the back of Ribby's house； and peeped into the yard。
Upon the roof of the pig…stye sat Dr。 Maggotty and three jackdaws。 The jackdaws were eating piecrust； and the magpie was drinking gravy out of a patty…pan。
Duchess ran home feeling uncommonly silly！
When Ribby came out for a pailful of water to wash up the tea…things； she found a pink and white pie…dish lying smashed in the middle of the yard。
Ribby stared with amazement 〃Did you ever see the like！ so there really WAS a patty…pan？ 。 。 。 But MY patty…pans are all in the kitchen cupboard。 Well I never did！ 。 。 。 Next time I want to give a partyI will invite Cousin Tabitha Twitchit！〃
THE TALE OF MR。 JEREMY FISHER
＇For Stephanie from Cousin B。＇
Once upon a time there was a frog called Mr。 Jeremy Fisher； he lived in a little damp house amongst the buttercups at the edge of a pond。
The water was all slippy…sloppy in the larder and in the back passage。
But Mr。 Jeremy liked getting his feet wet； nobody ever scolded him； and he never caught a cold！
He was quite pleased when he looked out and saw large drops of rain； splashing in the pond
〃I will get some worms and go fishing and catch a dish of minnows for my dinner；〃 said Mr。 Jeremy Fisher。 〃If I catch more than five fish； I will invite my friends Mr。 Alderman Ptolemy Tortoise and Sir Isaac Newton。 The Alderman； however； eats salad。〃
Mr。 Jeremy put on a mackintosh； and a pair of shiny galoshes； he took his rod and basket； and set off with enormous hops to the place where he kept his boat。
The boat was round and green； and very like the other lily…leaves。 It was tied to a water…plant in the middle of the pond。
Mr。 Jeremy took a reed pole； and pushed the boat out into open water。 〃I know a good place for minnows；〃 said Mr。 Jeremy Fisher。
Mr。 Jeremy stuck his pole into the mud and fastened the boat to it。
Then he settled himself cross… legged and arranged his fishing tackle。 He had the dearest little red float。 His rod was a tough stalk of grass； his line was a fine long white horse…hair； and he tied a little wriggling worm at the end。
The rain trickled down his back； and for nearly an hour he stared at the float。
〃This is getting tiresome； I think I should like some lunch；〃 said Mr。 Jeremy Fisher。
He punted back again amongst the water…plants； and took some lunch out of his basket。
〃I will eat a butterfly sandwich； and wait till the shower is over；〃 said Mr。 Jeremy Fisher。
A great big water…beetle came up underneath the lily leaf and tweaked the toe of one of his galoshes。
Mr。 Jeremy crossed his legs up shorter； out of reach； and went on eating his sandwich。
Once or twice something moved about with a rustle and a splash amongst the rushes at the side of the pond。
〃I trust that is not a rat；〃 said Mr。 Jeremy Fisher； 〃I think I had better get away from here。〃
Mr。 Jeremy shoved the boat out again a little way； and dropped in the bait。 There was a bite almost directly； the float gave a tremendous bobbit！
〃A minnow！ a minnow！ I have him by the nose！〃 cried Mr。 Jeremy Fisher； jerking up his rod。
But what a horrible surprise！ Instead of a smooth fat minnow； Mr。 Jeremy landed little Jack Sharp； the stickleback； covered with spines！
The stickleback floundered about the boat； pricking and snapping until he was quite out of breath。 Then he jumped back into the water。
And a shoal of other little fishes put their heads out； and laughed at Mr。 Jeremy Fisher。
And while Mr。 Jeremy sat disconsolately on the edge of his boatsucking his sore fingers and peering down into the watera MUCH worse thing happened； a really FRIGHTFUL thing it would have been； if Mr。 Jeremy had not been wearing a mackin
