the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第13节

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　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　hyacinths　but　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　foxy　flavor　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　refreshments。　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　atwitter。　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　neighbors。　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　crag；　Mr。　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　tumbledown　pigsty。　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　wil…

low　pattern；　and　a　large　carving　knife　and　fork；　and　a　chopper。

At　the　other　end　of　the　table　was　a　partly　unfolded　tablecloth；　a　plate；　a　tumbler；　a　knife　and　fork；　salt　cellar；　mustard　and　a　chair　in　short；　preparations　for　one　person's　supper。

No　person　was　to　be　seen；　and　no　young　rabbits。　The　kitchen　was　empty　and　silent；　the　clock　had　run　down。　Peter　and　Benjamin　flattened　their　noses　against　the　window；　and　stared　into　the　dusk。

Then　they　scrambled　round　the　rocks　to　the　other　side　of　the　house。　It　was　damp　and　smelly；　and　over…　grown　with　thorns　and　briars。

The　rabbits　shivered　in　their　shoes。

〃Oh　my　poor　rabbit　babies！　What　a　dreadful　place；　I　shall　never　see　them　again！〃　sighed　Benjamin。

They　crept　up　to　the　bedroom　window。　It　was　closed　and　bolted　like　the　kitchen。　But　there　were　signs　that　this　window　had　been　recently　open；　the　cobwebs　were　disturbed；　and　there　were　fresh　dirty　footmarks　upon　the　windowsill。

The　room　inside　was　so　dark　that　at　first　they　could　make　out　nothing；　but　they　could　hear　a　noisea　slow　deep　regular　snoring　grunt。　And　as　their　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　they　perceived　that　somebody　was　asleep　on　Mr。　Tod's　bed；　curled　up　under　the　blanket。〃He　has　gone　to　bed　in　his　boots；〃　whispered　Peter。

Benjamin；　who　was　all　of　atwitter；　pulled　Peter　off　the　windowsill。


Tommy　Brock's　snores　continued；　grunty　and　regular　from　Mr。　Tod's　bed。　Nothing　could　be　seen　of　the　young　family。

The　sun　had　set；　an　owl　began　to　hoot　in　the　wood。　There　were　many　unpleasant　things　lying　about　that　had　much　better　have　been　buried；　rabbit　bones　and　skulls；　and　chickens'　legs　and　other　horrors。　It　was　a　shocking　place；　and　very　dark。

They　went　back　to　the　front　of　the　house；　and　tried　in　every　way　to　move　the　bolt　of　the　kitchen　window。　They　tried　to　push　up　a　rusty　nail　between　the　window　sashes；　but　it　was　of　no　use；　especially　without　a　light。

They　sat　side　by　side　outside　the　window；　whispering　and　listening。

In　half　an　hour　the　moon　rose　over　the　wood。　It　shone　full　and　clear　and　cold；　upon　the　house；　amongst　the　rocks；　and　in　at　the　kitchen　window。　But　alas；　no　little　rabbit　babies　were　to　be　seen！　The　moonbeams　twinkled　on　the　carving　knife　and　the　pie　dish；　and　made　a　path　of　brightness　across　the　dirty　floor。

The　light　showed　a　little　door　in　a　wall　beside　the　kitchen　fireplace　a　little　iron　door　belonging　to　a　brick　oven　of　that　old…fashioned　sort　that　used　to　be　heated　with　faggots　of　wood。

And　presently　at　the　same　moment　Peter　and　Benjamin　noticed　that　whenever　they　shook　the　window　the　little　door　opposite　shook　in　answer。　The　young　family　were　alive；　shut　up　in　the　oven！

Benjamin　was　so　excited　that　it　was　a　mercy　he　did　not　awake　Tommy　Brock；　whose　snores　continued　solemnly　in　Mr。　Tod's　bed。

But　there　really　was　not　very　much　comfort　in　the　discovery。　They　could　not　open　the　window；　and　although　the　young　family　was　alive　the　little　rabbits　were　quite　in…

capable　of　letting　themselves　out；　they　were　not　old　enough　to　crawl。

After　much　whispering；　Peter　and　Benjamin　decided　to　dig　a　tunnel。　They　began　to　burrow　a　yard　or　two　lower　down　the　bank。　They　hoped　that　they　might　be　able　to　work　between　the　large　stones　under　the　house；　the　kitchen　floor　was　so　dirty　that　it　was　impossible　to　say　whether　it　was　made　of　earth　or　flags。

They　dug　and　dug　for　hours。　They　could　not　tunnel　straight　on　account　of　stones；　but　by　the　end　of　the　night　they　were　under　the　kitchen　floor。　Benjamin　was　on　his　back　scratching　upwards。　Peter's　claws　were　worn　down；　he　was　outside　the　tunnel；　shuffling　sand　away。　He　called　out　that　it　was　morningsunrise；　and　that　the　jays　were　making　a　noise　down　below　in　the　woods。

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