the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第7节
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below in the woods。
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The Original Peter Rabbit Books
Benjamin Bunny came out of the dark tunnel； shaking the sand from
his ears； he cleaned his face with his paws。 Every minute the sun shone
warmer on the top of the hill。 In the valley there was a sea of white mist；
with golden tops of trees showing through。
Again from the fields down below in the mist there came the angry
cry of a jay…followed by the sharp yelping bark of a fox！
Then those two rabbits lost their heads completely。 They did the most
foolish thing that they could have done。 They rushed into their short new
tunnel； and hid themselves at the top end of it； under Mr。 Tod's kitchen
floor。
Mr。 Tod was coming up Bull Banks； and he was in the very worst of
tempers。 First he had been upset by breaking the plate。 It was his own fault；
but it was a china plate； the last of the dinner service that had belonged to
his grandmother； old Vixen Tod。 Then the midges had been very bad。 And
he had failed to catch a hen pheasant on her nest； and it had contained only
five eggs； two of them addled。 Mr。 Tod had had an unsatisfactory night。
As usual； when out of humour； he determined to move house。 First he
tried the pollard willow； but it was damp； and the otters had left a dead fish
near it。 Mr。 Tod likes nobody's leavings but his own。
He made his way up the hill； his temper was not improved by noticing
unmistakable marks of badger。 No one else grubs up the moss so wantonly
as Tommy Brock。
Mr。 Tod slapped his stick upon the earth and fumed； he guessed
where Tommy Brock had gone to。 He was further annoyed by the jay bird
which followed him persistently。 It flew from tree to tree and scolded；
warning every rabbit within hearing that either a cat or a fox was coming
up the plantation。 Once when it flew screaming over his head Mr。 Tod
snapped at it； and barked。
He approached his house very carefully； with a large rusty key。 He
sniffed and his whiskers bristled。 The house was locked up； but Mr。 Tod
had his doubts whether it was empty。 He turned the rusty key in the lock；
the rabbits below could hear it。 Mr。 Tod opened the door cautiously and
went in。
The sight that met Mr。 Tod's eyes in Mr。 Tod's kitchen made Mr。 Tod
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The Original Peter Rabbit Books
furious。 There was Mr。 Tod's chair； and Mr。 Tod's pie dish； and his knife
and fork and mustard and salt cellar and his table…cloth that he had left
folded up in the dresserall set out for supper （or breakfast）without
doubt for that odious Tommy Brock
There was a smell of fresh earth and dirty badger； which fortunately
overpowered all smell of rabbit。
But what absorbed Mr。 Tod's attention was a noisea deep slow
regular snoring grunting noise； coming from his own bed。
He peeped through the hinges of the half…open bedroom door。 Then he
turned and came out of the house in a hurry。 His whiskers bristled and his
coat…collar stood on end with rage。
For the next twenty minutes Mr。 Tod kept creeping cautiously into the
house； and retreating hurriedly out again。 By degrees he ventured further
inright into the bedroom。 When he was outside the house； he scratched
up the earth with fury。 But when he was insidehe did not like the look of
Tommy Brock's teeth。
He was lying on his back with his mouth open； grinning from ear to
ear。 He snored peacefully and regularly； but one eye was not perfectly
shut。
Mr。 Tod came in and out of the bedroom。 Twice he brought in his
walking…stick； and once he brought in the coal…scuttle。 But he thought
better of it； and took them away。
When he came back after removing the coal…scuttle； Tommy Brock
was lying a little more sideways； but he seemed even sounder asleep。 He
was an incurably indolent person； he was not in the least afraid of Mr。 Tod；
he was simply too lazy and comfortable to move。
Mr。 Tod came back yet again into the bedroom with a clothes line。 He
stood a minute watching Tommy Brock and listening attentively to the
snores。 They were very loud indeed； but seemed quite natural。
Mr。 Tod turned his back towards the bed； and undid the window。 It
creaked； he turned round with a jump。 Tommy Brock； who had opened
one eyeshut it hastily。 The snores continued。
Mr。 Tod's proceedings were peculiar； and rather uneasy； （because the
bed was between the window and the door of the bedroom）。 He opened the
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The Original Peter Rabbit Books
window a little way； and pushed out the greater part of the clothes line on
to the window sill。 The rest of the line； with a hook at the end； remained in
his hand。
Tommy Brock snored conscientiously。 Mr。 Tod stood and looked at
him for a minute； then he left the room again。
Tommy Brock opened both eyes； and looked at the rope and grinned。
There was a noise outside the window。 Tommy Brock shut his eyes in a
hurry。
Mr。 Tod had gone out at the front door； and round to the back of the
house。 On the way； he stumbled over the rabbit burrow。 If he had had any
idea who was inside it； he would have pulled them out quickly。
His foot went through the tunnel nearly upon the top of Peter Rabbit
and Benjamin； but fortunately he thought that it was some more of Tommy
Brock's work。
He took up the coil of line from the sill； listened for a moment； and
then tied the rope to a tree。
Tommy Brock watched him with one eye； through the window。 He
was puzzled。
Mr。 Tod fetched a large heavy pailful of water from the spring； and
staggered with it through the kitchen into his bedroom。
Tommy Brock snored industriously； with rather a snort。
Mr。 Tod put down the pail beside the bed； took up the end of rope with
the hookhesitated； and looked at Tommy Brock。 The snores were almost
apoplectic； but the grin was not quite so big。
Mr。 Tod gingerly mounted a chair by the head of the bedstead。 His legs
were dangerously near to Tommy Brock's teeth。
He reached up and put the end of rope； with the hook； over the head of
the tester bed； where the curtains ought to hang。
（Mr。 Tod's curtains were folded up； and put away； owing to the house
being unoccupied。 So was the counterpane。 Tommy Brock was covered
with a blanket only。） Mr。 Tod standing on the unsteady chair looked down
upon him attentively； he really was a first prize sound sleeper！
It seemed as though nothing would waken himnot even the flapping
rope across the bed。
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Mr。 Tod descended safely from the chair； and endeavoured to get up
again with the pail of water。 He intended to hang it from the hook；
dangling over the head of Tommy Brock； in order to make a sort of
shower…bath； worked by a 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
