the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第14节

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ch　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　humor；　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　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　tablecloth；　that　he　had　left　folded　up　in　the　dresser　all　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　noise；　a　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　bed…　room。　When　he　was　outside　the　house；　he　scratched　up　the　earth　with　fury。　But　when　he　was　inside　he　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　difficult　（because　the　bed　was　between　the　window　and　the　door　of　the　bedroom）。　He　opened　the　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。

Mr。　Tod　descended　safely　from　the　chair；　and　endeavored　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　in　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　windowsill　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　also　grinning　immensely。

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　SOMETHING　much　flattened　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　scrubb