the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第8节
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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。
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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 。 。 。〃
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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！〃
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〃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
down Bull Banks； half carrying half dragging a sack between them；
bumpetty bump over the grass。 They reached home safely and burst into
the rabbit hole。
Great was old Mr。 Bouncer's relief and Flopsy's joy when Peter and
Benjamin arrived in triumph with the young family。 The rabbit… babies
were rather tumbled and very hungry； they were fed and put to bed。 They
soon recovered。
A long new pipe and a fresh supply of rabbit tobacco was presented to
Mr。 Bouncer。 He was rather upon his dignity； but he accepted。
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Old Mr。 Bouncer was forgiven； and they all had dinner。 Then Peter
and Benjamin told their storybut they had not waited long enough to be
able to tell the end of the battle between Tommy Brock and Mr。 Tod。
THE END
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THE TALE OF MRS。 TIGGY…
WINKLE
for THE REAL LITTLE LUCIE OF NEWLANDS
ONCE upon a time there was a little girl called Lucie； who lived at a
farm called Little…town。 She was a good little girlonly she was always
losing her pocket… handkerchiefs！
One day little Lucie came into the farm…yard crying oh； she did cry
so！ 〃I've lost my pocket…handkin！ Three handkins and a pinny！ Have YOU
seen them； Tabby
