a collection of beatrix potter stories-第6章

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Here　he　had　rooted　up　the　moss

and　wood　sorrel。　There　he　had　dug

quite　a　deep　hole　for　dog　darnel；

and　had　set　a　mole　trap。　A　little

stream　crossed　the　way。　Benjamin

skipped　lightly　over　dry…foot；　the

badger's　heavy　steps　showed　plainly

in　the　mud。



The　path　led　to　a　part　of　the　thicket

where　the　trees　had　been　cleared；

there　were　leafy　oak　stumps；　and

a　sea　of　blue　hyacinthsbut　the

smell　that　made　Benjamin　stop；　was

not　the　smell　of　flowers！





Mr。　Tod's　stick　house　was　before

him　and；　for　once；　Mr。　Tod　was　at

home。　There　was　not　only　a　foxey

flavour　in　proof　of　itthere　was

smoke　coming　out　of　the　broken

pail　that　served　as　a　chimney。



Benjamin　Bunny　sat　up；　staring；

his　whiskers　twitched。　Inside　the

stick　house　somebody　dropped　a

plate；　and　said　something。　Benjamin

stamped　his　foot；　and　bolted。





He　never　stopped　till　he　came　to

the　other　side　of　the　wood。　Apparently

Tommy　Brock　had　turned

the　same　way。　Upon　the　top　of　the

wall；　there　were　again　the　marks　of

badger；　and　some　ravellings　of　a

sack　had　caught　on　a　briar。



Benjamin　climbed　over　the　wall；

into　a　meadow。　He　found　another

mole　trap　newly　set；　he　was　still

upon　the　track　of　Tommy　Brock。

It　was　getting　late　in　the　afternoon。

Other　rabbits　were　coming　out　to

enjoy　the　evening　air。　One　of　them

in　a　blue　coat　by　himself；　was　busily

hunting　for　dandelions。〃Cousin

Peter！　Peter　Rabbit；　Peter　Rabbit！〃

shouted　Benjamin　Bunny。



The　blue　coated　rabbit　sat　up

with　pricked　ears





〃Whatever　is　the　matter；　Cousin

Benjamin？　Is　it　a　cat？　or　John

Stoat　Ferret？〃



〃No；　no；　no！　He's　bagged　my

familyTommy　Brockin　a　sack

have　you　seen　him？〃



〃Tommy　Brock？　how　many；

Cousin　Benjamin？〃



〃Seven；　Cousin　Peter；　and　all　of

them　twins！　Did　he　come　this

way？　Please　tell　me　quick！〃





〃Yes；　yes；　not　ten　minutes　since

。　。　。　。　he　said　they　were　caterpillars；

I　did　think　they　were　kicking　rather

hard；　for　caterpillars。〃



〃Which　way？　which　way　has　he

gone；　Cousin　Peter？〃



〃He　had　a　sack　with　something

'live　in　it；　I　watched　him　set　a

mole　trap。　Let　me　use　my　mind；

Cousin　Benjamin；　tell　me　from　the

beginning。〃　Benjamin　did　so。





〃My　Uncle　Bouncer　has　displayed

a　lamentable　want　of　discretion　for

his　years；〃　said　Peter　reflectively；

〃but　there　are　two　hopeful

circumstances。　Your　family　is　alive　and

kicking；　and　Tommy　Brock　has

had　refreshment。　He　will　probably

go　to　sleep；　and　keep　them

for　breakfast。〃　〃Which　way？〃

〃Cousin　Benjamin；　compose

yourself。　I　know　very　well　which　way。

Because　Mr。　Tod　was　at　home　in

the　stick…house　he　has　gone　to

Mr。　Tod's　other　house；　at　the　top

of　Bull　Banks。　I　partly　know；

because　he　offered　to　leave　any

message　at　Sister　Cottontail's；　he

said　he　would　be　passing。〃　（Cottontail

had　married　a　black　rabbit；　and

gone　to　live　on　the　hill）。





Peter　hid　his　dandelions；　and

accompanied　the　afflicted　parent；　who

was　all　of　a　twitter。　They　crossed

several　fields　and　began　to　climb　the

hill；　the　tracks　of　Tommy　Brock

were　plainly　to　be　seen。　He　seemed

to　have　put　down　the　sack　every

dozen　yards；　to　rest。



〃He　must　be　very　puffed；　we

are　close　behind　him；　by　the　scent

What　a　nasty　person！〃　said　Peter。





The　sunshine　was　still　warm　and

slanting　on　the　hill　pastures。　Half

way　up；　Cottontail　was　sitting　in

her　doorway；　with　four　or　five　half…

grown　little　rabbits　playing　about

her；　one　black　and　the　others　brown。



Cottontail　had　seen　Tommy　Brock

passing　in　the　distance。　Asked

whether　her　husband　was　at　home

she　replied　that　Tommy　Brock　had

rested　twice　while　she　watched　him。





He　had　nodded；　and　pointed　to　the

sack；　and　seemed　doubled　up　with

laughing。〃Come　away；　Peter；

he　will　be　cooking　them；　come

quicker！〃　said　Benjamin　Bunny。



They　climbed　up　and　up；〃He

was　at　home；　I　saw　his　black　ears

peeping　out　of　the　hole。〃　〃They

live　too　near　the　rocks　to　quarrel

with　their　neighbours。　Come　on

Cousin　Benjamin！〃



When　they　came　near　the　wood

at　the　top　of　Bull　Banks；　they　went

cautiously。　The　trees　grew　amongst

heaped　up　rocks；　and　there；　beneath

a　cragMr。　Tod　had　made　one　of

his　homes。　It　was　at　the　top　of　a

steep　bank；　the　rocks　and　bushes

overhung　it。　The　rabbits　crept　up

carefully；　listening　and　peeping。





This　house　was　something

between　a　cave；　a　prison；　and　a　tumble…

down　pig…stye。　There　was　a　strong

door；　which　was　shut　and　locked。



The　setting　sun　made　the　window

panes　glow　like　red　flame；　but　the

kitchen　fire　was　not　alight。　It　was

neatly　laid　with　dry　sticks；　as　the

rabbits　could　see；　when　they　peeped

through　the　window。



Benjamin　sighed　with　relief。





But　there　were　preparations　upon

the　kitchen　table　which　made　him

shudder。　There　was　an　immense

empty　pie…dish　of　blue　willow　pattern；

and　a　large　carving　knife　and

fork；　and　a　chopper。



At　the　other　end　of　the　table　was

a　partly　unfolded　tablecloth；　a　plate；

a　tumbler；　a　knife　and　fork；　salt…

cellar；　mustard　and　a　chairin　short；

preparations　for　one　person's　supper。





No　person　was　to　be　seen；　and

no　young　rabbits。　The　kitchen　was

empty　and　silent；　the　clock　had　run

down。　Peter　and　Benjamin　flattened

their　noses　against　the　window；　and

stared　into　the　dusk。



Then　they　scrambled　round　the

rocks　to　the　other　side　of　the　house。

It　was　damp　and　smelly；　and　over…

grown　with　thorns　and　briars。



The　rabbits　shivered　in　their　shoes。





〃Oh　my　poor　rabbit　babies！　What

a　dreadful　place；　I　shall　never　see

them　again！〃　sighed　Benjamin。



They　crept　up　to　the　bedroom

window。　It　was　closed　and　bolted

like　the　kitchen。　But　there　were

signs　that　this　window　had　been

recently　open；　the　cobwebs　were

disturbed；　and　there　were　fresh　dirty

footmarks　upon　the　window…sill。



The　room　inside　was　so　dark；

that　at　first　they　could　make　out

nothing；　but　they　could　hear　a　noise

a　slow　deep　regular　snoring　grunt。

And　as　their　eyes　became　accustomed

to　the　darkness；　they　perceived

that　somebody　was　asleep

on　Mr。　Tod's　bed；　curled　up　under

the　blanket。〃He　has　gone　to　bed

in　his　boots；〃　whispered　Peter。





Benjamin；　who　was　all　of　a　twitter；

pulled　Peter　off　the　window…sill。



Tommy　Brock's　snores　continued；

grunty　and　regular　from　Mr。　Tod's

bed。　Nothing　could　be　seen　of　the

young　family。



The　sun　had　set；　an　owl　began

to　hoot　in　the　wood。　There　were

many　unpleasant　things　lying　about；

that　had　much　better　have　been

buried；　rabbit　bones　and　skulls；　and

chickens'　legs　and　other　horrors。　It

was　a　shocking　place；　and　very　dark。



They　went　back　to　the　front　of

the　house；　and　tried　in　every　way

to　move　the　bolt　of　the　kitchen

window。　They　tried　to　push　up　a

rusty　nail　between　the　window

sashes；　but　it　was　of　no　use；

especially　without　a　light。





They　sat　side　by　side　outside　the

window；　whispering　and　listening。



In　half　an　hour　the　moon　rose

over　the　wood。　It　shone　full　and

clear　and　cold；　upon　the　house

amongst　the　rocks；　and　in　at　the

kitchen　window。　But　alas；　no　little

rabbit　babies　were　to　be　seen！



The　moonbeams　twinkled　on　the

carving　knife　and　the　pie　dish；　and

made　a　path　of　brightness　across

the　dirty　floor。



The　light　showed　a　little　door　in



a　wall　beside　the　kitchen　fireplace

a　little　iron　door　belonging　to　a

brick　oven；　of　that　old…fashioned

sort　that　used　to　be　heated　with

faggots　of　wood。



And　presently　at　the　same　moment

Peter　and　Benjamin　noticed　that

whenever　they　shook　the　window

the　little　door　opposite　shook　in

answer。　The　young　family　were

alive；　shut　up　in　the　oven！





Benjamin　was　so　excited　that　it

was　a　mercy　he　did　not　awake

Tommy　Brock；　whose　snores

continued　solemnly　in　Mr。　Tod's　bed。



But　there　really　was　no