a collection of beatrix potter stories-第4章

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to　be　seen。





They　returned　to　the　kitchen。　〃Here's

one　of　your　kittens　at　least；〃　said　Ribby；

dragging　Moppet　out　of　the　flour　barrel。





They　shook　the　flour　off　her　and　set　her

down　on　the　kitchen　floor。　She　seemed　to

be　in　a　terrible　fright。



〃Oh！　Mother；　Mother；〃　said　Moppet；

〃there's　been　an　old　woman　rat　in　the

kitchen；　and　she's　stolen　some　of　the

dough！〃



The　two　cats　ran　to　look　at　the　dough

pan。　Sure　enough　there　were　marks　of

little　scratching　fingers；　and　a　lump　of

dough　was　gone！



〃Which　way　did　she　go；　Moppet？〃



But　Moppet　had　been　too　much　frightened

to　peep　out　of　the　barrel　again。



Ribby　and　Tabitha　took　her　with　them

to　keep　her　safely　in　sight；　while　they　went

on　with　their　search。





They　went　into　the　dairy。



The　first　thing　they　found　was　Mittens；

hiding　in　an　empty　jar





They　tipped　up　the　jar；　and　she　scrambled

out。



〃Oh；　Mother；　Mother！〃　said　Mittens





〃Oh！　Mother；　Mother；　there　has　been　an

old　man　rat　in　the　dairya　dreadful　'normous

big　rat；　Mother；　and　he's　stolen　a　pat

of　butter　and　the　rolling…pin。〃



Ribby　and　Tabitha　looked　at　one　another。



〃A　rolling…pin　and　butter！　Oh；　my　poor

son　Thomas！〃　exclaimed　Tabitha；　wringing

her　paws。



〃A　rolling…pin？〃　said　Ribby。　〃Did　we

not　hear　a　roly…poly　noise　in　the　attic　when

we　were　looking　into　that　chest？〃



Ribby　and　Tabitha　rushed　upstairs　again。

Sure　enough　the　roly…poly　noise　was　still

going　on　quite　distinctly　under　the　attic

floor





〃This　is　serious；　Cousin　Tabitha；〃　said

Ribby。　〃We　must　send　for　John　Joiner　at

once；　with　a　saw。〃





Now　this　is　what　had　been　happening　to

Tom　Kitten；　and　it　shows　how　very　unwise

it　is　to　go　up　a　chimney　in　a　very　old　house；

where　a　person　does　not　know　his　way；　and

where　there　are　enormous　rats。





Tom　Kitten　did　not　want　to　be　shut　up

in　a　cupboard。　When　he　saw　that　his

mother　was　going　to　bake；　he　determined

to　hide。



He　looked　about　for　a　nice　convenient

place；　and　he　fixed　upon　the　chimney。



The　fire　had　only　just　been　lighted；　and

it　was　not　hot；　but　there　was　a　white　choky

smoke　from　the　green　sticks。　Tom　Kitten

got　upon　the　fender　and　looked　up。　It　was

a　big　old…fashioned　fireplace。



The　chimney　itself　was　wide　enough　inside

for　a　man　to　stand　up　and　walk　about。

So　there　was　plenty　of　room　for　a　little

Tom　Cat





He　jumped　right　up　into　the　fireplace；

balancing　himself　upon　the　iron　bar　where

the　kettle　hangs。





Tom　Kitten　took　another　big　jump　off

the　bar；　and　landed　on　a　ledge　high　up

inside　the　chimney；　knocking　down　some

soot　into　the　fender。





Tom　Kitten　coughed　and　choked　with　the

smoke；　he　could　hear　the　sticks　beginning

to　crackle　and　burn　in　the　fireplace　down

below。　He　made　up　his　mind　to　climb　right

to　the　top；　and　get　out　on　the　slates；　and

try　to　catch　sparrows。



〃I　cannot　go　back。　If　I　slipped　I　might

fall　in　the　fire　and　singe　my　beautiful　tail

and　my　little　blue　jacket。〃



The　chimney　was　a　very　big　old…fashioned

one。　It　was　built　in　the　days　when

people　burnt　logs　of　wood　upon　the　hearth。



The　chimney　stack　stood　up　above　the

roof　like　a　little　stone　tower；　and　the　daylight

shone　down　from　the　top；　under　the

slanting　slates　that　kept　out　the　rain。





Tom　Kitten　was　getting　very　frightened！

He　climbed　up；　and　up；　and　up





Then　he　waded　sideways　through　inches

of　soot。　He　was　like　a　little　sweep　himself。





It　was　most　confusing　in　the　dark。　One

flue　seemed　to　lead　into　another。



There　was　less　smoke；　but　Tom　Kitten

felt　quite　lost。



He　scrambled　up　and　up；　but　before　he

reached　the　chimney　top　he　came　to　a　place

where　somebody　had　loosened　a　stone　in

the　wall。　There　were　some　mutton　bones

lying　about



〃This　seems　funny；〃　said　Tom　Kitten。

〃Who　has　been　gnawing　bones　up　here　in

the　chimney？　I　wish　I　had　never　come！

And　what　a　funny　smell！　It　is　something

like　mouse；　only　dreadfully　strong。　It

makes　me　sneeze；〃　said　Tom　Kitten。





He　squeezed　through　the　hole　in　the　wall；

and　dragged　himself　along　a　most　uncomfortably

tight　passage　where　there　was

scarcely　any　light。





He　groped　his　way　carefully　for　several

yards；　he　was　at　the　back　of　the　skirting…

board　in　the　attic；　where　there　is　a　little

mark　*　in　the　picture。





All　at　once　he　fell　head　over　heels　in　the

dark；　down　a　hole；　and　landed　on　a　heap　of

very　dirty　rags。



When　Tom　Kitten　picked　himself　up　and

looked　about　himhe　found　himself　in　a

place　that　he　had　never　seen　before；　although

he　had　lived　all　his　life　in　the　house。



It　was　a　very　small　stuffy　fusty　room；

with　boards；　and　rafters；　and　cobwebs；　and

lath　and　plaster。



Opposite　to　himas　far　away　as　he　could

sitwas　an　enormous　rat。



〃What　do　you　mean　by　tumbling　into

my　bed　all　covered　with　smuts？〃　said　the

rat；　chattering　his　teeth。





〃Please　sir；　the　chimney　wants　sweeping；〃

said　poor　Tom　Kitten。





〃Anna　Maria！　Anna　Maria！〃　squeaked

the　rat。　There　was　a　pattering　noise　and

an　old　woman　rat　poked　her　head　round　a

rafter。





All　in　a　minute　she　rushed　upon　Tom

Kitten；　and　before　he　knew　what　was　happening



His　coat　was　pulled　off；　and　he　was　rolled

up　in　a　bundle；　and　tied　with　string　in　very

hard　knots。



Anna　Maria　did　the　tying。　The　old　rat

watched　her　and　took　snuff。　When　she　had

finished；　they　both　sat　staring　at　him　with

their　mouths　open。



〃Anna　Maria；〃　said　the　old　man　rat

（whose　name　was　Samuel　Whiskers）；

〃Anna　Maria；　make　me　a　kitten　dumpling

roly…poly　pudding　for　my　dinner。〃



〃It　requires　dough　and　a　pat　of　butter；

and　a　rolling…pin；〃　said　Anna　Maria；

considering　Tom　Kitten　with　her　head　on　one

side。





〃No；〃　said　Samuel　Whiskers；　〃make　it

properly；　Anna　Maria；　with　breadcrumbs。〃





Nonsense！　Butter　and　dough；〃　replied

Anna　Maria。





The　two　rats　consulted　together　for　a

few　minutes　and　then　went　away。



Samuel　Whiskers　got　through　a　hole　in

the　wainscot；　and　went　boldly　down　the

front　staircase　to　the　dairy　to　get　the

butter。　He　did　not　meet　anybody。



He　made　a　second　journey　for　the　rolling…

pin。　He　pushed　it　in　front　of　him　with

his　paws；　like　a　brewer's　man　trundling　a

barrel。



He　could　hear　Ribby　and　Tabitha　talking；

but　they　were　busy　lighting　the　candle　to

look　into　the　chest。



They　did　not　see　him。





Anna　Maria　went　down　by　way　of　the

skirting…board　and　a　window　shutter　to　the

kitchen　to　steal　the　dough。





She　borrowed　a　small　saucer；　and　scooped

up　the　dough　with　her　paws。



She　did　not　observe　Moppet。





While　Tom　Kitten　was　left　alone　under

the　floor　of　the　attic；　he　wriggled　about　and

tried　to　mew　for　help。



But　his　mouth　was　full　of　soot　and　cob…

webs；　and　he　was　tied　up　in　such　very　tight

knots；　he　could　not　make　anybody　hear　him。



Except　a　spider；　which　came　out　of　a

crack　in　the　ceiling　and　examined　the　knots

critically；　from　a　safe　distance。



It　was　a　judge　of　knots　because　it　had　a

habit　of　tying　up　unfortunate　blue…bottles。

It　did　not　offer　to　assist　him。



Tom　Kitten　wriggled　and　squirmed　until

he　was　quite　exhausted。





Presently　the　rats　came　back　and　set　to

work　to　make　him　into　a　dumpling。　First

they　smeared　him　with　butter；　and　then　they

rolled　him　in　the　dough。



〃Will　not　the　string　be　very　indigestible；

Anna　Maria？〃　inquired　Samuel　Whiskers。





Anna　Maria　said　she　thought　that　it　was

of　no　consequence；　but　she　wished　that　Tom

Kitten　would　hold　his　head　still；　as　it

disarranged　the　pastry。　She　laid　hold　of　his

ears。





Tom　Kitten　bit　and　spat；　and　mewed　and

wriggled；　and　the　rolling…pin　went　roly…

poly；　roly；　roly；　poly；　roly。　The　rats　each

held　an　end。



〃His　tail　is　sticking　out！　You　did　not