the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第10节

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〃His　tail　is　sticking　out！　You　did　not　fetch　enough　dough；　Anna　Maria。〃

〃I　fetched　as　much　as　I　could　carry；〃　replied　Anna　Maria。

〃I　do　not　think〃said　Samuel　Whiskers；　pausing　to　take　a　look　at　Tom　Kitten〃I　do　NOT　think　it　will　be　a　good　pudding。　It　smells　sooty。〃

Anna　Maria　was　about　to　argue　the　point　when　all　at　once　there　began　to　be　other　sounds　up　abovethe　rasping　noise　of　a　saw；　and　the　noise　of　a　little　dog；　scratching　and　yelping！

The　rats　dropped　the　rolling　pin　and　listened　attentively。

〃We　are　discovered　and　interrupted；　Anna　Maria；　let　us　collect　our　propertyand　other　people'sand　depart　at　once。

〃I　fear　that　we　shall　be　obliged　to　leave　this　pudding。

〃But　I　am　persuaded　that　the　knots　would　have　proved　indigestible；　whatever　you　may　urge　to　the　contrary。〃

〃Come　away　at　once　and　help　me　to　tie　up　some　mutton　bones　in　a　counterpane；〃　said　Anna　Maria　。　〃I　have　got　half　a　smoked　ham　hidden　in　the　chimney。〃


So　it　happened　that　by　the　time　John　Joiner　had　got　the　plank　up　there　was　nobody　here　under　the　floor　except　the　rolling　pin　and　Tom　Kitten　in　a　very　dirty　dumpling！

But　there　was　a　strong　smell　of　rats；　and　John　Joiner　spent　the　rest　of　the　morning　sniffing　and　whining；　and　wagging　his　tail；　and　going　round　and　round　with　his　head　in　the　hole　like　a　gimlet。

Then　he　nailed　the　plank　down　again　and　put　his　tools　in　his　bag；　and　came　downstairs。

The　cat　family　had　quite　recovered。　They　invited　him　to　stay　to　dinner。

The　dumpling　had　been　peeled　off　Tom　Kitten　and　made　separately　into　a　bag　pudding；　with　currants　in　it　to　hide　the　smuts。

They　had　been　obliged　to　put　Tom　Kitten　into　a　hot　bath　to　get　the　butter　off。

John　Joiner　smelt　the　pudding；　but　he　regretted　that　he　had　not　time　to　stay　to　dinner；　because　he　had　just　finished　making　a　wheelbarrow　for　Miss　Potter；　and　she　had　ordered　two　hen　coops。


And　when　I　was　going　to　the　post　late　in　the　afternoonI　looked　up　the　land　from　the　corner；　and　I　saw　Mr。　Samuel　Whiskers　and　his　wife　on　the　run；　with　big　bundles　on　a　little　wheelbarrow；　which　looked　very　much　like　mine。

They　were　just　turning　in　at　the　gate　to　the　barn　of　Farmer　Potatoes。

Samuel　Whiskers　was　puffing　and　out　of　breath。　Anna　Maria　was　still　arguing　in　shrill　tones。

She　seemed　to　know　her　way；　and　she　seemed　to　have　a　quantity　of　luggage。

I　am　sure　_I_　never　gave　her　leave　to　borrow　my　wheelbarrow！

They　went　into　the　barn　and　hauled　their　parcels　with　a　bit　of　string　to　the　top　of　the　haymow。

After　that；　there　were　no　more　rats　for　a　long　time　at　Tabitha　Twitchit's。


As　for　Farmer　Potatoes；　he　has　been　driven　nearly　distracted。　There　are　rats；　and　rats；　and　rats　in　his　barn！　They　eat　up　the　chicken　food；　and　steal　the　oats　and　bran；　and　make　holes　in　the　meal　bags。

And　they　are　all　descended　from　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Samuel　Whiskers　children　and　grandchildren　and　great…great…grandchildren。

There　is　no　end　to　them！

Moppet　and　Mittens　have　grown　up　into　very　good　rat…catchers。

They　go　out　rat…catching　in　the　village；　and　they　find　plenty　of　employment。　They　charge　so　much　a　dozen　and　earn　their　living　very　comfortably。

They　hang　up　the　rats'　tails　in　a　row　on　the　barn　door；　to　show　how　many　they　have　caughtdozens　and　dozens　of　them。


But　Tom　Kitten　has　always　been　afraid　of　a　rat；　he　never　durst　face　anything　that　is　bigger　than

A　Mouse。




THE　TALE　OF　THE　FLOPSY　BUNNIES

＇For　All　Little　Friends　of　Mr。　McGregor　and　Peter　and　Benjamin＇



It　is　said　that　the　effect　of　eating　too　much　lettuce　is　〃soporific。〃

I　have　never　felt　sleepy　after　eating　lettuces；　but　then　I　am　not　a　rabbit。

They　certainly　had　a　very　soporific　effect　upon　the　Flopsy　Bunnies！

When　Benjamin　Bunny　grew　up；　he　married　his　Cousin　Flopsy。　They　had　a　large　family；　and　they　were　very　improvident　and　cheerful。

I　do　not　remember　the　separate　names　of　their　children；　they　were　generally　called　the　〃Flopsy　Bunnies。〃

As　there　was　not　always　quite　enough　to　eat；Benjamin　used　to　borrow　cabbages　from　Flopsy's　brother；　Peter　Rabbit；　who　kept　a　nursery　garden。


Sometimes　Peter　Rabbit　had　no　cabbages　to　spare。

When　this　happened；　the　Flopsy　Bunnies　went　across　the　field　to　a　rubbish　heap；　in　the　ditch　outside　Mr。　McGregor's　garden。

Mr。　McGregor's　rubbish　heap　was　a　mixture。　There　were　jam　pots　and　paper　bags；　and　mountains　of　chopped　grass　from　the　mowing　machine　（which　always　tasted　oily）；　and　some　rotten　vegetable　marrows　and　an　old　boot　or　two。　One　dayoh　joy！there　were　a　quantity　of　overgrown　lettuces；　which　had　〃shot〃　into　flower。


The　Flopsy　Bunnies　simply　stuffed　lettuces。　By　degrees；　one　after　another；　they　were　overcome　with　slumber；　and　lay　down　in　the　mown　grass。

Benjamin　was　not　so　much　overcome　as　his　children。　Before　going　to　sleep　he　was　sufficiently　wide　awake　to　put　a　paper　bag　over　his　head　to　keep　off　the　flies。

The　little　Flopsy　Bunnies　slept　delightfully　in　the　warm　sun。　From　the　lawn　beyond　the　garden　came　the　distant　clacketty　sound　of　the　mowing　machine。　The　blue…　bottles　buzzed　about　the　wall；　and　a　little　old　mouse　picked　over　the　rubbish　among　the　jam　pots。

（I　can　tell　you　her　name；　she　was　called　Thomasina　Tittle…　mouse；　a　woodmouse　with　a　long　tail。）


She　rustled　across　the　paper　bag；　and　awakened　Benjamin　Bunny。

The　mouse　apologized　profusely；　and　said　that　she　knew　Peter　Rabbit。

While　she　and　Benjamin　were　talking；　close　under　the　wall；　they　heard　a　heavy　tread　above　their　heads；　and　suddenly　Mr。　McGregor　emptied　out　a　sackful　of　lawn　mowings　right　upon　the　top　of　the　sleeping　Flopsy　Bunnies！　Benjamin　shrank　down　under　his　paper　bag。　The　mouse　hid　in　a　jam　pot。


The　little　rabbits　smiled　sweetly　in　their　sleep　under　the　shower　of　grass；　they　did　not　awake　because　the　lettuces　had　been　so　soporific。

They　dreamt　that　their　mother　Flopsy　was　tucking　them　up　in　a　hay　bed。

Mr。　McGregor　looked　down　after　emptying　his　sack。　He　saw　some　funny　little　brown　tips　of　ears　sticking　up　through　the　lawn　mowings。　He　stared　at　them　for　some　time。

Presently　a　fly　settled　on　one　of　them　and　it　moved。

Mr。　McGregor　climbed　down　on　to　the　rubbish　heap

〃One；　two；　three；　four！　five！　six　leetle　rabbits！〃　said　he　as　he　dropped　them　into　his　sack。　The　Flopsy　Bunnies　dreamt　that　their　mother　was　turning　them　over　in　bed。　They　stirred　a　little　in　their　sleep；　but　still　they　did　not　wake　up。


Mr。　McGregor　tied　up　the　sack　and　left　it　on　the　wall。

He　went　to　put　away　the　mowing　machine。

While　he　was　gone；　Mrs。　Flopsy　Bunny　（who　had　remained　at　home）　came　across　the　field。

She　looked　suspiciously　at　the　sack　and　wondered　where　everybody　was？

Then　the　mouse　came　out　of　her　jam　pot；　and　Benjamin　took　the　paper　bag　off　his　head；　and　they　told　the　doleful　tale。

Benjamin　and　Flopsy　were　in　despair；　they　could　not　undo　the　string。

But　Mrs。　Tittlemouse　was　a　resourceful　person。　She　nibbled　a　hole　in　the　bottom　corner　of　the　sack。


The　little　rabbits　were　pulled　out　and　pinched　to　wake　them。

Their　parents　stuffed　the　empty　sack　with　three　rotten　vegetable　marrows；　an　old　blackingbrush　and　two　decayed　turnips。

Then　they　all　hid　under　a　bush　and　watched　for　Mr。　McGregor。

Mr。　McGregor　came　back　and　picked　up　the　sack；　and　carried　it　off。

He　carried　it　hanging　down；　as　if　it　were　rather　heavy。

The　Flopsy　Bunnies　followed　at　a　safe　distance。


They　watched　him　go　into　his　house。

And　then　they　crept　up　to　the　window　to　listen。

Mr。　McGregor　threw　down　the　sack　on　the　stone　floor　in　a　way　that　would　have　been　extremely　painful　to　the　Flopsy　Bunnies；　if　they　had　happened　to　have　been　inside　it。

They　could　hear　him　drag　his　chair　on　the　flags；　and　chuckle

〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six　leetle　rabbits！〃　said　Mr。　McGregor。


〃Eh？　What's　that？　What　have　they　been　spoiling　now？〃　enquired　Mrs。　McGregor。

〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six　leetle　fat　rabbits！〃　repeated　Mr。　McGregor；　counting　on　his　fingers　〃one；　two；　three〃

〃Don't　you　be　silly：　what　do　you　mean；　you　silly　old　man？〃

〃In　the　sack！　one；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six！〃　replied　Mr。　McGregor。

（The　youngest　Flopsy　Bunny　got　upon　the　windowsill。）

Mrs。　McGregor　took　hold　of　the　sack　and　felt　it。　She　said　she　could　feel　six；　but　they　must　be　OLD　rabbits；　because　they　were　so　hard　and　all　different　shapes。

〃Not　fit　to　eat；　but　the　skins　will　do　fine　to　line　my　old　cloak。〃

〃Line　your　old　cloak？〃　shouted　Mr。　McGregor〃I　shall　sell　them　and　buy　myself　baccy！〃

〃Rabbit　tobacco！　I　shall　skin　them　and　cut　off　their　heads。〃


Mrs。　McGregor　untied　the　sack　and　put　her　hand　inside。

When　she　felt　the　vegetables　she　became　very　very　angry。　She　said　that　Mr。　McGregor　had　〃done　it　a　purpose。〃

And　Mr。　McGregor　was　very　angry　too。　One　of　the　rotten　marrows　came　flying　through　the　kitchen　window；　and　hit　the　youngest　Flopsy　Bunny。

It　was　rather　hurt。


Then　Benjamin　and　Flopsy　thought　that　it　was　time　to　go　home。

So　Mr。　McGregor　did　not　get　his　tobacco；　and　Mrs。　McGregor　did　not　get　her　rabbit　skins。

But　next　Christmas　Thomasina　Tittlemouse　got　a　present　of　enough　rabbit　wool　to　make　herself　a　cloak　and　a　hood；　and　a　handsome　muff　and　a　pair　of　warm　mittens。




THE　TALE　OF　MRS。