a collection of beatrix potter stories-第6部分

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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　had　an　unsatisfactory　night。





As　usual；　when　out　of　humour；

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　table…cloth　that　he　had　left

folded　up　in　the　dresserall　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　noisea　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

bedroom。　When　he　was　outside　the

house；　he　scratched　up　the　earth　with

fury。　But　when　he　was　insidehe

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　uneasy；　（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　endeavoured　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　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　window　sill　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　alsogrinning

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　flattened

SOMETHINGmuch　dinged　in；　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

s