the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第4节

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Peter　did　not　seem　to　be　enjoying　himself；　he　kept　hearing　noises。


Benjamin；　on　the　contrary；　was　perfectly　at　home；　and　ate　a　lettuce　leaf。　He　said　that　he　was　in　the　habit　of　coming　to　the　garden　with　his　father　to　get　lettuces　for　their　Sunday　dinner。

（The　name　of　little　Benjamin's　papa　was　old　Mr。　Benjamin　Bunny。）

The　lettuces　certainly　were　very　fine。

Peter　did　not　eat　anything；　he　said　he　should　like　to　go　home。　Presently　he　dropped　half　the　onions。

Little　Benjamin　said　that　it　was　not　possible　to　get　back　up　the　pear…tree　with　a　load　of　vegetables。　He　led　the　way　boldly　towards　the　other　end　of　the　garden。　They　went　along　a　little　walk　on　planks；　under　a　sunny；　red　brick　wall。


The　mice　sat　on　their　doorsteps　cracking　cherry…stones；　they　winked　at　Peter　Rabbit　and　little　Benjamin　Bunny。

Presently　Peter　let　the　pocket…　handkerchief　go　again。

They　got　amongst　flower…pots；　and　frames；　and　tubs。　Peter　heard　noises　worse　than　ever；　his　eyes　were　as　big　as　lolly…pops！

He　was　a　step　or　two　in　front　of　his　cousin　when　he　suddenly　stopped。

This　is　what　those　little　rabbits　saw　round　that　corner！

Little　Benjamin　took　one　look；　and　then；　in　half　a　minute　less　than　no　time；　he　hid　himself　and　Peter　and　the　onions　underneath　a　large　basket。　。　。　。


The　cat　got　up　and　stretched　herself；　and　came　and　sniffed　at　the　basket。

Perhaps　she　liked　the　smell　of　onions！

Anyway；　she　sat　down　upon　the　top　of　the　basket。

She　sat　there　for　FIVE　HOURS。

I　cannot　draw　you　a　picture　of　Peter　and　Benjamin　underneath　the　basket；　because　it　was　quite　dark；　and　because　the　smell　of　onions　was　fearful；　it　made　Peter　Rabbit　and　little　Benjamin　cry。

The　sun　got　round　behind　the　wood；　and　it　was　quite　late　in　the　afternoon；　but　still　the　cat　sat　upon　the　basket。

At　length　there　was　a　pitter…patter；　pitter…patter；　and　some　bits　of　mortar　fell　from　the　wall　above。

The　cat　looked　up　and　saw　old　Mr。　Benjamin　Bunny　prancing　along　the　top　of　the　wall　of　the　upper　terrace。

He　was　smoking　a　pipe　of　rabbit…　tobacco；　and　had　a　little　switch　in　his　hand。

He　was　looking　for　his　son。


Old　Mr。　Bunny　had　no　opinion　whatever　of　cats。　He　took　a　tremendous　jump　off　the　top　of　the　wall　on　to　the　top　of　the　cat；　and　cuffed　it　off　the　basket；　and　kicked　it　into　the　greenhouse；　scratching　off　a　handful　of　fur。

The　cat　was　too　much　surprised　to　scratch　back。

When　old　Mr。　Bunny　had　driven　the　cat　into　the　greenhouse；　he　locked　the　door。

Then　he　came　back　to　the　basket　and　took　out　his　son　Benjamin　by　the　ears；　and　whipped　him　with　the　little　switch。

Then　he　took　out　his　nephew　Peter。

Then　he　took　out　the　handkerchief　of　onions；　and　marched　out　of　the　garden。


When　Mr。　McGregor　returned　about　half　an　hour　later　he　observed　several　things　which　perplexed　him。

It　looked　as　though　some　person　had　been　walking　all　over　the　garden　in　a　pair　of　clogsonly　the　footmarks　were　too　ridiculously　little！

Also　he　could　not　understand　how　the　cat　could　have　managed　to　shut　herself　up　INSIDE　the　greenhouse；　locking　the　door　upon　the　OUTSIDE。

When　Peter　got　home　his　mother　forgave　him；　because　she　was　so　glad　to　see　that　he　had　found　his　shoes　and　coat。　Cotton…tail　and　Peter　folded　up　the　pocket…handkerchief；　and　old　Mrs。　Rabbit　strung　up　the　onions　and　hung　them　from　the　kitchen　ceiling；　with　the　benches　of　herbs　and　the　rabbit…　tobacco。




THE　TALE　OF　TWO　BAD　MICE

＇For　W。M。L。W。；　the　Little　Girl　Who　Had　the　Doll's　House＇




Once　upon　a　time　there　was　a　very　beautiful　doll's…house；　it　was　red　brick　with　white　windows；　and　it　had　real　muslin　curtains　and　a　front　door　and　a　chimney。

It　belonged　to　two　Dolls　called　Lucinda　and　Jane；　at　least　it　belonged　to　Lucinda；　but　she　never　ordered　meals。

Jane　was　the　Cook；　but　she　never　did　any　cooking；　because　the　dinner　had　been　bought　ready…made；　in　a　box　full　of　shavings。

There　were　two　red　lobsters　and　a　ham；　a　fish；　a　pudding；　and　some　pears　and　oranges。

They　would　not　come　off　the　plates；　but　they　were　extremely　beautiful。


One　morning　Lucinda　and　Jane　had　gone　out　for　a　drive　in　the　doll's　perambulator。　There　was　no　one　in　the　nursery；　and　it　was　very　quiet。　Presently　there　was　a　little　scuffling；　scratching　noise　in　a　corner　near　the　fireplace；　where　there　was　a　hole　under　the　skirting…board。

Tom　Thumb　put　out　his　head　for　a　moment；　and　then　popped　it　in　again。　Tom　Thumb　was　a　mouse。

A　minute　afterwards；　Hunca　Munca；　his　wife；　put　her　head　out；　too；　and　when　she　saw　that　there　was　no　one　in　the　nursery；　she　ventured　out　on　the　oilcloth　under　the　coal…box。

The　doll's…house　stood　at　the　other　side　of　the　fire…place。　Tom　Thumb　and　Hunca　Munca　went　cautiously　across　the　hearthrug。　They　pushed　the　front　doorit　was　not　fast。


Tom　Thumb　and　Hunca　Munca　went　upstairs　and　peeped　into　the　dining…room。　Then　they　squeaked　with　joy！

Such　a　lovely　dinner　was　laid　out　upon　the　table！　There　were　tin　spoons；　and　lead　knives　and　forks；　and　two　dolly…chairsall　SO　convenient！

Tom　Thumb　set　to　work　at　once　to　carve　the　ham。　It　was　a　beautiful　shiny　yellow；　streaked　with　red。

The　knife　crumpled　up　and　hurt　him；　he　put　his　finger　in　his　mouth。

〃It　is　not　boiled　enough；　it　is　hard。　You　have　a　try；　Hunca　Munca。〃

Hunca　Munca　stood　up　in　her　chair；　and　chopped　at　the　ham　with　another　lead　knife。

〃It's　as　hard　as　the　hams　at　the　cheesemonger's；〃　said　Hunca　Munca。

The　ham　broke　off　the　plate　with　a　jerk；　and　rolled　under　the　table。


〃Let　it　alone；〃　said　Tom　Thumb；　〃give　me　some　fish；　Hunca　Munca！〃

Hunca　Munca　tried　every　tin　spoon　in　turn；　the　fish　was　glued　to　the　dish。

Then　Tom　Thumb　lost　his　temper。　He　put　the　ham　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and　hit　it　with　the　tongs　and　with　the　shovelbang；　bang；　smash；　smash！

The　ham　flew　all　into　pieces；　for　underneath　the　shiny　paint　it　was　made　of　nothing　but　plaster！

Then　there　was　no　end　to　the　rage　and　disappointment　of　Tom　Thumb　and　Hunca　Munca。　They　broke　up　the　pudding；　the　lobsters；　the　pears　and　the　oranges。

As　the　fish　would　not　come　off　the　plate；　they　put　it　into　the　red…hot　crinkly　paper　fire　in　the　kitchen；　but　it　would　not　burn　either。


Tom　Thumb　went　up　the　kitchen　chimney　and　looked　out　at　the　top　there　was　no　soot。

While　Tom　Thumb　was　up　the　chimney；　Hunca　Munca　had　another　disappointment。　She　found　some　tiny　canisters　upon　the　dresser；　labelled　RiceCoffeeSagobut　when　she　turned　them　upside　down；　there　was　nothing　inside　except　red　and　blue　beads。

Then　those　mice　set　to　work　to　do　all　the　mischief　they　couldespecially　Tom　Thumb！　He　took　Jane's　clothes　out　of　the　chest　of　drawers　in　her　bedroom；　and　he　threw　them　out　of　the　top　floor　window。

But　Hunca　Munca　had　a　frugal　mind。　After　pulling　half　the　feathers　out　of　Lucinda's　bolster；　she　remembered　that　she　herself　was　in　want　of　a　feather　bed。


With　Tom　Thumbs's　assistance　she　carried　the　bolster　downstairs；　and　across　the　hearth…rug。　It　was　difficult　to　squeeze　the　bolster　into　the　mouse…　hole；　but　they　managed　it　somehow。

Then　Hunca　Munca　went　back　and　fetched　a　chair；　a　book…case；　a　bird…　cage；　and　several　small　odds　and　ends。　The　book…case　and　the　bird…　cage　refused　to　go　into　the　mousehole。

Hunca　Munca　left　them　behind　the　coal…box；　and　went　to　fetch　a　cradle。


Hunca　Munca　was　just　returning　with　another　chair；　when　suddenly　there　was　a　noise　of　talking　outside　upon　the　landing。　The　mice　rushed　back　to　their　hole；　and　the　dolls　came　into　the　nursery。

What　a　sight　met　the　eyes　of　Jane　and　Lucinda！　Lucinda　sat　upon　the　upset　kitchen　stove　and　stared；　and　Jane　leant　against　the　kitchen　dresser　and　smiledbut　neither　of　them　made　any　remark。

The　book…case　and　the　bird…cage　were　rescued　from　under　the　coal…　boxbut　Hunca　Munca　has　got　the　cradle；　and　some　of　Lucinda's　clothes。


She　also　has　some　useful　pots　and　pans；　and　several　other　things。

The　little　girl　that　the　doll's…house　belonged　to；　said；〃I　will　get　a　doll　dressed　like　a　policeman！〃

But　the　nurse　said；〃I　will　set　a　mouse…trap！〃

So　that　is　the　story　of　the　two　Bad　Mice；but　they　were　not　so　very　very　naughty　after　all；　because　Tom　Thumb　paid　for　everything　he　broke。


He　found　a　crooked　sixpence　under　the　hearth…rug；　and　upon　Christmas　Eve；　he　and　Hunca　Munca　stuffed　it　into　one　of　the　stockings　of　Lucinda　and　Jane。

And　very　early　every　morning　before　anybody　is　awakeHunca　Munca　comes　with　her　dust…pan　and　her　broom　to　sweep　the　Dollies'　house！



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　cryingoh；　she　did　cry　so！　〃I've　lost　my　pocket…handkin！　Three　handkins　and　a　pinny！　Have　YOU　seen　them；　Tabby　Kitten？〃

The　Kitten　went　on　washing　her　white　paws；　so　Lucie　asked　a　speckled　hen

〃Sally　Henny…penny；　have　YOU　found　three　pocket…handkins？〃

But　the　speckled　hen　ran　into　a　barn；　clucking

〃I　go　barefoot；　barefoot；　barefoot！〃

And　then　Lucie　asked　Cock　Robin　sitting　on　a　twig。　Cock　Robin　looked　sideways　at　Lucie　with　his　bright　black