a collection of beatrix potter stories-第5节

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The　rabbits　could　not　bear　him；

they　could　smell　him　half　a　mile　off。

He　was　of　a　wandering　habit　and

he　had　foxey　whiskers；　they　never

knew　where　he　would　be　next。





One　day　he　was　living　in　a　stick…

house　in　the　coppice；　causing　terror

to　the　family　of　old　Mr。　Benjamin

Bouncer。　Next　day　he　moved　into

a　pollard　willow　near　the　lake；

frightening　the　wild　ducks　and　the

water　rats。



In　winter　and　early　spring　he

might　generally　be　found　in　an　earth

amongst　the　rocks　at　the　top　of　Bull

Banks；　under　Oatmeal　Crag。



He　had　half　a　dozen　houses；　but

he　was　seldom　at　home。





The　houses　were　not　always　empty

when　Mr。　Tod　moved　OUT；　because

sometimes　Tommy　Brock　moved

IN；　（without　asking　leave）。



Tommy　Brock　was　a　short　bristly

fat　waddling　person　with　a　grin；　he

grinned　all　over　his　face。　He　was

not　nice　in　his　habits。　He　ate　wasp

nests　and　frogs　and　worms；　and　he

waddled　about　by　moonlight；　digging

things　up。





His　clothes　were　very　dirty；　and

as　he　slept　in　the　day…time；　he　always

went　to　bed　in　his　boots。　And　the

bed　which　he　went　to　bed　in；　was

generally　Mr。　Tod's。



Now　Tommy　Brock　did　occasionally

eat　rabbit…pie；　but　it　was　only

very　little　young　ones　occasionally；

when　other　food　was　really　scarce。

He　was　friendly　with　old　Mr。

Bouncer；　they　agreed　in　disliking



the　wicked　otters　and　Mr。　Tod；　they

often　talked　over　that　painful　subject。



Old　Mr。　Bouncer　was　stricken　in

years。　He　sat　in　the　spring　sunshine

outside　the　burrow；　in　a　muffler；

smoking　a　pipe　of　rabbit　tobacco。



He　lived　with　his　son　Benjamin

Bunny　and　his　daughter…in…law

Flopsy；　who　had　a　young　family。

Old　Mr。　Bouncer　was　in　charge　of

the　family　that　afternoon；　because

Benjamin　and　Flopsy　had　gone　out。



The　little　rabbit…babies　were　just　old

enough　to　open　their　blue　eyes　and

kick。　They　lay　in　a　fluffy　bed　of

rabbit　wool　and　hay；　in　a　shallow

burrow；　separate　from　the　main

rabbit　hole。　To　tell　the　truthold

Mr。　Bouncer　had　forgotten　them。



He　sat　in　the　sun；　and　conversed

cordially　with　Tommy　Brock；　who

was　passing　through　the　wood　with

a　sack　and　a　little　spud　which　he　used

for　digging；　and　some　mole　traps。

He　complained　bitterly　about　the



scarcity　of　pheasants'　eggs；　and

accused　Mr。　Tod　of　poaching

them。　And　the　otters　had　cleared

off　all　the　frogs　while　he　was　asleep

in　winter〃I　have　not　had　a　good

square　meal　for　a　fortnight；　I　am

living　on　pig…nuts。　I　shall　have　to

turn　vegetarian　and　eat　my　own

tail！〃　said　Tommy　Brock。



It　was　not　much　of　a　joke；　but　it

tickled　old　Mr。　Bouncer；　because

Tommy　Brock　was　so　fat　and

stumpy　and　grinning。



So　old　Mr。　Bouncer　laughed；　and

pressed　Tommy　Brock　to　come　inside；

to　taste　a　slice　of　seed…cake　and

〃a　glass　of　my　daughter　Flopsy's

cowslip　wine。〃　Tommy　Brock

squeezed　himself　into　the　rabbit

hole　with　alacrity。





Then　old　Mr。　Bouncer　smoked

another　pipe；　and　gave　Tommy

Brock　a　cabbage　leaf　cigar　which　was

so　very　strong　that　it　made　Tommy

Brock　grin　more　than　ever；　and　the

smoke　filled　the　burrow。　Old　Mr。

Bouncer　coughed　and　laughed；　and

Tommy　Brock　puffed　and　grinned。



And　Mr。　Bouncer　laughed　and

coughed；　and　shut　his　eyes　because

of　the　cabbage　smoke　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

　



When　Flopsy　and　Benjamin　came

backold　Mr。　Bouncer　woke　up。

Tommy　Brock　and　all　the　young

rabbit…babies　had　disappeared！



Mr。　Bouncer　would　not　confess

that　he　had　admitted　anybody　into

the　rabbit　hole。　But　the　smell　of

badger　was　undeniable；　and　there

were　round　heavy　footmarks　in　the

sand。　He　was　in　disgrace；　Flopsy

wrung　her　ears；　and　slapped　him。





Benjamin　Bunny　set　off　at　once

after　Tommy　Brock。



There　was　not　much　difficulty　in

tracking　him；　he　had　left　his　foot…

mark　and　gone　slowly　up　the　winding

footpath　through　the　wood。

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