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第17章

a collection of beatrix potter stories-第17章

小说: a collection of beatrix potter stories 字数: 每页4000字

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was a wide valley with a river

twinkling in the moonlight; and

beyond; in misty distance; lay

the hills。





He saw a small wooden hut;

made his way to it; and crept

inside〃I am afraid it IS a hen

house; but what can I do?〃 said

Pigling Bland; wet and cold and

quite tired out。





〃Bacon and eggs; bacon and

eggs!〃 clucked a hen on a perch。



〃Trap; trap; trap! cackle; cackle;

cackle!〃 scolded the disturbed

cockerel。 〃To market; to market!

jiggetty jig!〃 clucked a broody

white hen roosting next to him。

Pigling Bland; much alarmed;

determined to leave at daybreak。

In the meantime; he and the hens

fell asleep。



In less than an hour they were

all awakened。 The owner; Mr。

Peter Thomas Piperson; came with

a lantern and a hamper to catch

six fowls to take to market in the

morning。





He grabbed the white hen

roosting next to the cock; then

his eye fell upon Pigling Bland;

squeezed up in a corner。 He made

a singular remark〃Hallo; here's

another!〃seized Pigling by the

scruff of the neck; and dropped him

into the hamper。 Then he dropped

in five more dirty; kicking; cackling

hens upon the top of Pigling Bland。



The hamper containing six fowls

and a young pig was no light

weight; it was taken down hill;

unsteadily; with jerks。 Pigling;

although nearly scratched to pieces;

contrived to hide the papers and

peppermints inside his clothes。





At last the hamper was bumped

down upon a kitchen floor; the lid

was opened; and Pigling was lifted

out。 He looked up; blinking; and

saw an offensively ugly elderly

man; grinning from ear to ear。





〃This one's come of himself;

whatever;〃 said Mr。 Piperson;

turning Pigling's pockets inside out。

He pushed the hamper into a

corner; threw a sack over it to

keep the hens quiet; put a pot on

the fire; and unlaced his boots。



Pigling Bland drew forward a

coppy stool; and sat on the edge of

it; shyly warming his hands。 Mr。

Piperson pulled off a boot and

threw it against the wainscot at

the further end of the kitchen。

There was a smothered noise

〃Shut up!〃 said Mr。 Piperson。

Pigling Bland warmed his hands;

and eyed him。





Mr。 Piperson pulled off the other

boot and flung it after the first;

there was again a curious noise

〃Be quiet; will ye?〃 said Mr。

Piperson。 Pigling Bland sat on the

very edge of the coppy stool。





Mr。 Piperson fetched meal from

a chest and made porridge。 It

seemed to Pigling that something

at the further end of the kitchen

was taking a suppressed interest in

the cooking; but he was too hungry

to be troubled by noises。





Mr。 Piperson poured out three

platefuls: for himself; for Pigling;

and a thirdafter glaring at Pigling

he put away with much scuffling;

and locked up。 Pigling Bland ate

his supper discreetly。



After supper Mr。 Piperson

consulted an almanac; and felt Pigling's

ribs; it was too late in the season

for curing bacon; and he grudged

his meal。 Besides; the hens had

seen this pig。



He looked at the small remains

of a flitch; and then looked

undecidedly at Pigling。 〃You may

sleep on the rug;〃 said Mr。 Peter

Thomas Piperson。





Pigling Bland slept like a top。

In the morning Mr。 Piperson made

more porridge; the weather was

warmer。 He looked to see how much

meal was left in the chest; and

seemed dissatisfied〃You'll likely

be moving on again?〃 said he to

Pigling Bland。



Before Pigling could reply; a

neighbour; who was giving Mr。

Piperson and the hens a lift;

whistled from the gate。 Mr。 Piperson

hurried out with the hamper;

enjoining Pigling to shut the door

behind him and not meddle with

nought; or 〃I'll come back and skin

ye!〃 said Mr。 Piperson。





It crossed Pigling's mind that if

HE had asked for a lift; too; he

might still have been in time for

market。



But he distrusted Peter Thomas。





After finishing breakfast at his

leisure; Pigling had a look round

the cottage; everything was locked

up。 He found some potato peelings

in a bucket in the back kitchen。

Pigling ate the peel; and washed

up the porridge plates in the bucket。

He sang while he worked



          〃Tom with his pipe made such a noise;

               He called up all the girls and boys

          〃And they all ran to hear him play

               〃 'Over the hills and far away!' 〃





Suddenly a little smothered voice

chimed in



          〃Over the hills and a great way off;

               The wind shall blow my top knot off!〃





Pigling Bland put down a plate

which he was wiping; and listened。





After a long pause; Pigling went

on tip…toe and peeped round the

door into the front kitchen。 There

was nobody there。





After another pause; Pigling

approached the door of the locked

cupboard; and snuffed at the key…

hole。 It was quite quiet。



After another long pause; Pigling

pushed a peppermint under the door。

It was sucked in immediately。





In the course of the day Pigling

pushed in all the remaining six

peppermints。



When Mr。 Piperson returned; he

found Pigling sitting before the

fire; he had brushed up the hearth

and put on the pot to boil; the meal

was not get…at…able。



Mr。 Piperson was very affable;

he slapped Pigling on the back;

made lots of porridge and forgot

to lock the meal chest。 He did

lock the cupboard door; but without

properly shutting it。 He went

to bed early; and told Pigling upon

no account to disturb him next day

before twelve o'clock。



Pigling Bland sat by the fire;

eating his supper。



All at once at his elbow; a little

voice spoke〃My name is Pig…

wig。 Make me more porridge;

please!〃 Pigling Bland jumped;

and looked round。





A perfectly lovely little black

Berkshire pig stood smiling beside

him。 She had twinkly little

screwed up eyes; a double chin;

and a short turned up nose。



She pointed at Pigling's plate;

he hastily gave it to her; and

fled to the meal chest。 〃How did

you come here?〃 asked Pigling

Bland。



〃Stolen;〃 replied Pig…wig; with

her mouth full。 Pigling helped

himself to meal without scruple。

〃What for?〃 〃Bacon; hams;〃

replied Pig…wig cheerfully。 〃Why

on earth don't you run away?〃

exclaimed the horrified Pigling。



〃I shall after supper;〃 said Pig…

wig decidedly。



Pigling Bland made more porridge

and watched her shyly。



She finished a second plate; got

up; and looked about her; as though

she were going to start。





〃You can't go in the dark;〃 said

Pigling Bland。



Pig…wig looked anxious。



〃Do you know your way by

daylight?〃



〃I know we can see this little

white house from the hills across

the river。 Which way are YOU

going; Mr。 Pig?〃



〃To marketI have two pig

papers。 I might take you to the

bridge; if you have no objection;〃

said Pigling much confused and

sitting on the edge of his coppy stool。

Pig…wig's gratitude was such and she

asked so many questions that it

became embarrassing to Pigling Bland。





He was obliged to shut his eyes

and pretend to sleep。 She became

quiet; and there was a smell of

peppermint。



〃I thought you had eaten them;〃

said Pigling; waking suddenly。



〃Only the corners;〃 replied Pig…

wig; studying the sentiments with

much interest by the firelight。



〃I wish you wouldn't; he might

smell them through the ceiling;〃

said the alarmed Pigling。



Pig…wig put back the sticky

peppermints into her pocket; 〃Sing

something;〃 she demanded。



〃I am sorry 。 。 。 I have tooth…

ache;〃 said Pigling much dismayed。



〃Then I will sing;〃 replied Pig…wig。

〃You will not mind if I say iddy

tidditty? I have forgotten some of

the words。〃



Pigling Bland made no objection;

he sat with his eyes half shut; and

watched her。





She wagg

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