a collection of beatrix potter stories-第8章

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string；　through　the　window。





But　naturally　being　a　thin…legged

person　（though　vindictive　and　sandy

whiskered）he　was　quite　unable　to

lift　the　heavy　weight　to　the　level　of

the　hook　and　rope。　He　very　nearly

overbalanced　himself。



The　snores　became　more　and

more　apoplectic。　One　of　Tommy

Brock's　hind　legs　twitched　under

the　blanket；　but　still　he　slept　on

peacefully。





Mr。　Tod　and　the　pail　descended

from　the　chair　without　accident。

After　considerable　thought；　he

emptied　the　water　into　a　wash…basin

and　jug。　The　empty　pail　was　not

too　heavy　for　him；　he　slung　it　up

wobbling　over　the　head　of　Tommy

Brock。



Surely　there　never　was　such　a

sleeper！　Mr。　Tod　got　up　and　down；

down　and　up　on　the　chair。



As　he　could　not　lift　the　whole

pailful　of　water　at　once；　he　fetched

a　milk　jug；　and　ladled　quarts　of

water　into　the　pail　by　degrees。　The

pail　got　fuller　and　fuller；　and　swung

like　a　pendulum。　Occasionally　a

drop　splashed　over；　but　still　Tommy

Brock　snored　regularly　and　never

moved；except　one　eye。





At　last　Mr。　Tod's　preparations

were　complete。　The　pail　was　full

of　water；　the　rope　was　tightly

strained　over　the　top　of　the　bed；

and　across　the　window　sill　to　the

tree　outside。



〃It　will　make　a　great　mess　in

my　bedroom；　but　I　could　never

sleep　in　that　bed　again　without　a

spring　cleaning　of　some　sort；〃　said

Mr。　Tod。





Mr。　Tod　took　a　last　look　at　the

badger　and　softly　left　the　room。　He

went　out　of　the　house；　shutting　the

front　door。　The　rabbits　heard　his

footsteps　over　the　tunnel。



He　ran　round　behind　the　house；

intending　to　undo　the　rope　in　order

to　let　fall　the　pailful　of　water　upon

Tommy　Brock



〃I　will　wake　him　up　with　an

unpleasant　surprise；〃　said　Mr。　Tod。





The　moment　he　had　gone；　Tommy

Brock　got　up　in　a　hurry；　he　rolled

Mr。　Tod's　dressing…gown　into　a

bundle；　put　it　into　the　bed　beneath

the　pail　of　water　instead　of　himself；

and　left　the　room　alsogrinning

immensely。



He　went　into　the　kitchen；　lighted

the　fire　and　boiled　the　kettle；　for

the　moment　he　did　not　trouble　himself

to　cook　the　baby　rabbits。





When　Mr。　Tod　got　to　the　tree；

he　found　that　the　weight　and　strain

had　dragged　the　knot　so　tight　that

it　was　past　untying。　He　was

obliged　to　gnaw　it　with　his　teeth。

He　chewed　and　gnawed　for　more

than　twenty　minutes。　At　last　the

rope　gave　way　with　such　a　sudden

jerk　that　it　nearly　pulled　his　teeth

out；　and　quite　knocked　him　over

backwards。





Inside　the　house　there　was　a　great

crash　and　splash；　and　the　noise　of

a　pail　rolling　over　and　over。



But　no　screams。　Mr。　Tod　was

mystified；　he　sat　quite　still；　and

listened　attentively。　Then　he

peeped　in　at　the　window。　The


water　was　dripping　from　the　bed；

the　pail　had　rolled　into　a　corner。



In　the　middle　of　the　bed　under

the　blanket；　was　a　wet　flattened

SOMETHINGmuch　dinged　in；　in　the

middle　where　the　pail　had　caught　it

（as　it　were　across　the　tummy）。　Its

head　was　covered　by　the　wet　blanket

and　it　was　NOT　SNORING　ANY　LONGER。



There　was　nothing　stirring；　and

no　sound　except　the　drip；　drop；

drop　drip　of　water　trickling　from

the　mattress。





Mr。　Tod　watched　it　for　half　an

hour；　his　eyes　glistened。



Then　he　cut　a　caper；　and　became

so　bold　that　he　even　tapped　at

the　window；　but　the　bundle　never

moved。



Yesthere　was　no　doubt　about

itit　had　turned　out　even　better

than　he　had　planned；　the　pail　had

hit　poor　old　Tommy　Brock；　and

killed　him　dead！





〃I　will　bury　that　nasty　person　in

the　hole　which　he　has　dug。　I　will

bring　my　bedding　out；　and　dry　it　in

the　sun；〃　said　Mr。　Tod。



〃I　will　wash　the　tablecloth　and

spread　it　on　the　grass　in　the　sun　to

bleach。　And　the　blanket　must　be

hung　up　in　the　wind；　and　the　bed

must　be　thoroughly　disinfected；　and

aired　with　a　warming…pan；　and

warmed　with　a　hot…water　bottle。〃





〃I　will　get　soft　soap；　and　monkey

soap；　and　all　sorts　of　soap；　and

soda　and　scrubbing　brushes；　and

persian　powder；　and　carbolic　to

remove　the　smell。　I　must　have　a

disinfecting。　Perhaps　I　may　have

to　burn　sulphur。〃



He　hurried　round　the　house　to

get　a　shovel　from　the　kitchen

〃First　I　will　arrange　the　hole

then　I　will　drag　out　that　person　in

the　blanket　。　。　。〃



He　opened　the　door。　。　。　。



Tommy　Brock　was　sitting　at　Mr。

Tod's　kitchen　table；　pouring　out

tea　from　Mr。　Tod's　tea…pot　into

Mr。　Tod's　tea…cup。　He　was　quite

dry　himself　and　grinning；　and　he

threw　the　cup　of　scalding　tea　all

over　Mr。　Tod。





Then　Mr。　Tod　rushed　upon

Tommy　Brock；　and　Tommy　Brock

grappled　with　Mr。　Tod　amongst

the　broken　crockery；　and　there　was

a　terrific　battle　all　over　the　kitchen。

To　the　rabbits　underneath　it　sounded

as　if　the　floor　would　give　way　at

each　crash　of　falling　furniture。



They　crept　out　of　their　tunnel；

and　hung　about　amongst　the　rocks

and　bushes；　listening　anxiously。





Inside　the　house　the　racket　was

fearful。　The　rabbit　babies　in　the

oven　woke　up　trembling；　perhaps

it　was　fortunate　they　were　shut　up

inside。。



Everything　was　upset　except　the

kitchen　table。



And　everything　was　broken；

except　the　mantelpiece　and　the

kitchen　fender。　The　crockery　was

smashed　to　atoms。





The　chairs　were　broken；　and　the

window；　and　the　clock　fell　with　a

crash；　and　there　were　handfuls　of

Mr。　Tod's　sandy　whiskers。



The　vases　fell　off　the　mantelpiece；

the　canisters　fell　off　the

shelf；　the　kettle　fell　off　the　hob。

Tommy　Brock　put　his　foot　in　a　jar

of　raspberry　Jam。



And　the　boiling　water　out　of　the

kettle　fell　upon　the　tail　of　Mr。　Tod。





When　the　kettle　fell；　Tommy

Brock；　who　was　still　grinning；

happened　to　be　uppermost；　and　he

rolled　Mr。　Tod　over　and　over　like

a　log；　out　at　the　door。



Then　the　snarling　and　worrying

went　on　outside；　and　they　rolled

over　the　bank；　and　down　hill；

bumping　over　the　rocks。　There

will　never　be　any　love　lost　between

Tommy　Brock　and　Mr。　Tod。





As　soon　as　the　coast　was　clear

Peter　Rabbit　and　Benjamin　Bunny

came　out　of　the　bushes



〃Now　for　it！　Run　in；　Cousin

Benjamin！　Run　in　and　get　them

while　I　watch　at　the　door。〃



But　Benjamin　was　frightened



〃Oh；　oh！　they　are　coming　back！〃



〃　No　they　are　not。〃



〃　Yes　they　are！〃



〃What　dreadful　bad　language！

I　think　they　have　fallen　down　the

stone　quarry。〃



Still　Benjamin　hesitated；　and

Peter　kept　pushing　him



〃Be　quick；　it's　all　right。　Shut

the　oven　door；　Cousin　Benjamin；

so　that　he　won't　miss　them。〃



Decidedly　there　were　lively

doings　in　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen！





At　home　in　the　rabbit　hole；　things

had　not　been　quite　comfortable。



After　quarrelling　at　supper；

Flopsy　and　old　Mr。　Bouncer　had

passed　a　sleepless　night；　and

quarrelled　again　at　breakfast。　Old　Mr。

Bouncer　could　no　longer　deny　that

he　had　invited　company　into　the

rabbit　hole；　but　he　refused　to　reply

to　the　questions　and　reproaches　of

Flopsy。　The　day　passed　heavily。





Old　Mr。　Bouncer；　very　sulky；

was　huddled　up　in　a　corner；　barricaded

with　a　chair。　Flopsy　had

taken　away　his　pipe　and　hidden

the　tobacco。　She　had　been　having

a　complete　turn　out　and　spring…

cleaning；　to　relieve　her　feelings。

She　had　just　finished。　Old　Mr。

Bouncer；　behind　his　chair；　was

wondering　anxiously　what　she

would　do　next。





In　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen；　amongst　the

wreckage；　Benjamin　Bunny　picked

his　way　to　the　oven　nervously；

through　a　thick　cloud　of　dust。　He

opened　the　oven　door；　felt　inside；

and　found　something　warm　and

wriggling。　He　lifted　it　out　carefully；

and　rejoined　Peter　Rabbit。



〃I've　got　them！　Can　we　get　away？

Shall　we　hide；　Cousin　Peter？〃



Peter　pricked　his　ears；　distant

sounds　of　fighting　still　echoed　in

the　wood。



Five　minutes　afterwards　two

breathless　rabbits　came　scuttering

away