the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第17节
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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。
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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
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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。
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〃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 wagged her head and rocked about； clapping time and singing in
a sweet little grunty voice
〃A funny old mother pig lived in a stye； and three little piggies had
she； 〃（Ti idditty idditty） umph； umph； umph！ and the little pigs said； wee；
wee！〃
She sang successfully through three or four verses； only at every verse
her head nodded a little lower； and her little twinkly eyes closed up。
〃Those three little piggies grew peaky and lean； and lean they might
very well be； 〃For somehow they couldn't say umph； umph； umph！ and
they wouldn't say wee； wee； wee！ 〃For somehow they couldn't say
Pig…wig's head bobbed lower and lower； until she rolled over； a little
round ball； fast asleep on the hearth…rug。
Pigling Bland； on tip…toe； covered her up with an antimacassar
He was afraid to go to sleep himself； for the rest of the night he sat
listening to the chirping of the crickets and to the snores of Mr。 Piperson
overhead。
Early in the morning； between dark and daylight； Pigling tied up his
little bundle and woke up Pig… wig。 She was excited and half… frightened。
But it's dark！ How can we find our way？〃
〃The cock has crowed； we must start before the hens come out； they
might shout to Mr。 Piperson。〃
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Pig…wig sat down again； and commenced to cry。
〃Come away Pig…wig； we can see when we get used to it。 Come！ I can
hear them clucking！〃
Pigling had never said shuh！ to a hen in his life； being peaceable； also
he remembered the hamper。
He opened the house door quietly and shut it after them。 There was
no garden； the neighbourhood of Mr。 Piperson's was all scratched up by
fowls。 They slipped away hand in hand across an untidy field to the road。
The sun rose while they were crossing the moor； a dazzle of light
over the tops of the hills。 The sunshine crept down the slopes into the
peaceful green valleys； where little white cottages nestled in gardens and
orchards。
〃That's Westmorland；〃 said P
