按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Suddenly the Rat cried ‘Hooray！' and then ‘Hooray…oo…ray…oo…ray… oo…
ray！' and fell to executing a feeble jig in the snow。
‘What HAVE you found； Ratty？' asked the Mole； still nursing his leg。
‘Come and see！' said the delighted Rat； as he jigged on。
The Mole hobbled up to the spot and had a good look。
‘Well；' he said at last； slowly； ‘I SEE it right enough。 Seen the same
sort of thing before； lots of times。 Familiar object； I call it。 A door…scraper！
Well； what of it？ Why dance jigs around a door…scraper？'
33
… Page 34…
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
‘But don't you see what it MEANS； youyou dull…witted animal？'
cried the Rat impa…tiently。
‘Of course I see what it means；' replied the Mole。 ‘It simply means that
some VERY careless and forgetful person has left his door…scraper lying
about in the middle of the Wild Wood； JUST where it's SURE to trip
EVERYBODY up。 Very thoughtless of him； I call it。 When I get home I
shall go and complain about it toto somebody or other； see if I don't！'
‘O； dear！ O； dear！' cried the Rat； in despair at his obtuseness。 ‘Here；
stop arguing and come and scrape！' And he set to work again and made the
snow fly in all directions around him。
After some further toil his efforts were rewarded； and a very shabby
door…mat lay exposed to view。
‘There； what did I tell you？' exclaimed the Rat in great triumph。
‘Absolutely nothing whatever；' replied the Mole； with perfect
truthfulness。 ‘Well now；' he went on； ‘you seem to have found another
piece of domestic litter； done for and thrown away； and I suppose you're
perfectly happy。 Better go ahead and dance your jig round that if you've
got to； and get it over； and then perhaps we can go on and not waste any
more time over rubbish… heaps。 Can we EAT a doormat？ or sleep under a
door…mat？ Or sit on a door…mat and sledge home over the snow on it； you
exasperating rodent？'
‘Doyoumeantosay；' cried the excited Rat； ‘that this door… mat
doesn't TELL you anything？'
‘Really； Rat；' said the Mole； quite pettishly； ‘I think we'd had enough
of this folly。 Who ever heard of a door…mat TELLING anyone anything？
They simply don't do it。 They are not that sort at all。 Door…mats know their
place。'
‘Now look here； youyou thick…headed beast；' replied the Rat； really
angry； ‘this must stop。 Not another word； but scrape scrape and scratch
and dig and hunt round； especially on the sides of the hummocks； if you
want to sleep dry and warm to… night； for it's our last chance！'
The Rat attacked a snow…bank beside them with ardour； probing with
his cudgel everywhere and then digging with fury； and the Mole scraped
busily too； more to oblige the Rat than for any other reason； for his
34
… Page 35…
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
opinion was that his friend was getting light…headed。
Some ten minutes' hard work； and the point of the Rat's cudgel struck
something that sounded hollow。 He worked till he could get a paw through
and feel； then called the Mole to come and help him。 Hard at it went the
two animals； till at last the result of their labours stood full in view of the
astonished and hitherto incredulous Mole。
In the side of what had seemed to be a snow…bank stood a solid…
looking little door； painted a dark green。 An iron bell…pull hung by the side；
and below it； on a small brass plate； neatly engraved in square capital
letters； they could read by the aid of moonlight MR。 BADGER。
The Mole fell backwards on the snow from sheer surprise and delight。
‘Rat！' he cried in penitence； ‘you're a wonder！ A real wonder； that's what
you are。 I see it all now！ You argued it out； step by step； in that wise head
of yours； from the very moment that I fell and cut my shin； and you looked
at the cut； and at once your majestic mind said to itself； 〃Door…scraper！〃
And then you turned to and found the very door…scraper that done it！ Did
you stop there？ No。 Some people would have been quite satisfied； but not
you。 Your intellect went on working。 〃Let me only just find a door…mat；〃
says you to yourself； 〃and my theory is proved！〃 And of course you found
your door…mat。 You're so clever； I believe you could find anything you
liked。 〃Now；〃 says you； 〃that door exists； as plain as if I saw it。 There's
nothing else remains to be done but to find it！〃 Well； I've read about that
sort of thing in books； but I've never come across it before in real life。 You
ought to go where you'll be properly appreciated。 You're simply wasted
here； among us fellows。 If I only had your head； Ratty'
‘But as you haven't；' interrupted the Rat； rather unkindly； ‘I suppose
you're going to sit on the snow all night and TALK Get up at once and
hang on to that bell…pull you see there； and ring hard； as hard as you can；
while I hammer！'
While the Rat attacked the door with his stick； the Mole sprang up at
the bell…pull； clutched it and swung there； both feet well off the ground；
and from quite a long way off they could faintly hear a deep…toned bell
respond。
35
… Page 36…
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
CHAPTER IV
MR。 BADGER
THEY waited patiently for what seemed a very long time； stamping in
the snow to keep their feet warm。 At last they heard the sound of slow
shuflling footsteps approaching the door from the inside。 It seemed； as the
Mole remarked to the Rat； like some one walking in carpet slippers that
were too large for him and down at heel； which was intelligent of Mole；
because that was exactly what it was。
There was the noise of a bolt shot back； and the door opened a few
inches； enough to show a long snout and a pair of sleepy blinking eyes。
‘Now； the VERY next time this happens；' said a gruff and suspicious
voice； ‘I shall be exceedingly angry。 Who is it THIS time； disturbing
people on such a night？ Speak up！'
‘Oh； Badger；' cried the Rat； ‘let us in； please。 It's me； Rat； and my
friend Mole； and we've lost our way in the snow。'
‘What； Ratty； my dear little man！' exclaimed the Badger； in quite a
different voice。 ‘Come along in； both of you； at once。 Why； you must be
perished。 Well I never！ Lost in the snow！ And in the Wild Wood； too； and
at this time of night！ But come in with you。'
The two animals tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get
inside； and heard the door shut behind them with great joy and relief。
The Badger； who wore a long dressing…gown； and whose slippers were
indeed very down at heel； carried a flat candlestick in his paw and had
probably been on his way to bed when their summons sounded。 He looked
kindly down on them and patted both their heads。 ‘This is not the sort of
night for small animals to be out；' he said paternally。 ‘I'm afraid you've
been up to some of your pranks again； Ratty。 But come along； come into
the kitchen。 There's a first…rate fire there； and supper and everything。'
He shuffled on in front of them； carrying the light； and they followed
him； nudging each other in an anticipating sort of way； down a long；
gloomy； and； to tell the truth； decidedly shabb