a collection of beatrix potter stories-第7部分

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warmed　with　a　hot…water　bottle。〃





〃I　will　get　soft　soap；　and　monkey

soap；　and　all　sorts　of　soap；　and

soda　and　scrubbing　brushes；　and

persian　powder；　and　carbolic　to

remove　the　smell。　I　must　have　a

disinfecting。　Perhaps　I　may　have

to　burn　sulphur。〃



He　hurried　round　the　house　to

get　a　shovel　from　the　kitchen

〃First　I　will　arrange　the　hole

then　I　will　drag　out　that　person　in

the　blanket　。　。　。〃



He　opened　the　door。　。　。　。



Tommy　Brock　was　sitting　at　Mr。

Tod's　kitchen　table；　pouring　out

tea　from　Mr。　Tod's　tea…pot　into

Mr。　Tod's　tea…cup。　He　was　quite

dry　himself　and　grinning；　and　he

threw　the　cup　of　scalding　tea　all

over　Mr。　Tod。





Then　Mr。　Tod　rushed　upon

Tommy　Brock；　and　Tommy　Brock

grappled　with　Mr。　Tod　amongst

the　broken　crockery；　and　there　was

a　terrific　battle　all　over　the　kitchen。

To　the　rabbits　underneath　it　sounded

as　if　the　floor　would　give　way　at

each　crash　of　falling　furniture。



They　crept　out　of　their　tunnel；

and　hung　about　amongst　the　rocks

and　bushes；　listening　anxiously。





Inside　the　house　the　racket　was

fearful。　The　rabbit　babies　in　the

oven　woke　up　trembling；　perhaps

it　was　fortunate　they　were　shut　up

inside。。



Everything　was　upset　except　the

kitchen　table。



And　everything　was　broken；

except　the　mantelpiece　and　the

kitchen　fender。　The　crockery　was

smashed　to　atoms。





The　chairs　were　broken；　and　the

window；　and　the　clock　fell　with　a

crash；　and　there　were　handfuls　of

Mr。　Tod's　sandy　whiskers。



The　vases　fell　off　the　mantelpiece；

the　canisters　fell　off　the

shelf；　the　kettle　fell　off　the　hob。

Tommy　Brock　put　his　foot　in　a　jar

of　raspberry　Jam。



And　the　boiling　water　out　of　the

kettle　fell　upon　the　tail　of　Mr。　Tod。





When　the　kettle　fell；　Tommy

Brock；　who　was　still　grinning；

happened　to　be　uppermost；　and　he

rolled　Mr。　Tod　over　and　over　like

a　log；　out　at　the　door。



Then　the　snarling　and　worrying

went　on　outside；　and　they　rolled

over　the　bank；　and　down　hill；

bumping　over　the　rocks。　There

will　never　be　any　love　lost　between

Tommy　Brock　and　Mr。　Tod。





As　soon　as　the　coast　was　clear

Peter　Rabbit　and　Benjamin　Bunny

came　out　of　the　bushes



〃Now　for　it！　Run　in；　Cousin

Benjamin！　Run　in　and　get　them

while　I　watch　at　the　door。〃



But　Benjamin　was　frightened



〃Oh；　oh！　they　are　coming　back！〃



〃　No　they　are　not。〃



〃　Yes　they　are！〃



〃What　dreadful　bad　language！

I　think　they　have　fallen　down　the

stone　quarry。〃



Still　Benjamin　hesitated；　and

Peter　kept　pushing　him



〃Be　quick；　it's　all　right。　Shut

the　oven　door；　Cousin　Benjamin；

so　that　he　won't　miss　them。〃



Decidedly　there　were　lively

doings　in　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen！





At　home　in　the　rabbit　hole；　things

had　not　been　quite　comfortable。



After　quarrelling　at　supper；

Flopsy　and　old　Mr。　Bouncer　had

passed　a　sleepless　night；　and

quarrelled　again　at　breakfast。　Old　Mr。

Bouncer　could　no　longer　deny　that

he　had　invited　company　into　the

rabbit　hole；　but　he　refused　to　reply

to　the　questions　and　reproaches　of

Flopsy。　The　day　passed　heavily。





Old　Mr。　Bouncer；　very　sulky；

was　huddled　up　in　a　corner；　barricaded

with　a　chair。　Flopsy　had

taken　away　his　pipe　and　hidden

the　tobacco。　She　had　been　having

a　complete　turn　out　and　spring…

cleaning；　to　relieve　her　feelings。

She　had　just　finished。　Old　Mr。

Bouncer；　behind　his　chair；　was

wondering　anxiously　what　she

would　do　next。





In　Mr。　Tod's　kitchen；　amongst　the

wreckage；　Benjamin　Bunny　picked

his　way　to　the　oven　nervously；

through　a　thick　cloud　of　dust。　He

opened　the　oven　door；　felt　inside；

and　found　something　warm　and

wriggling。　He　lifted　it　out　carefully；

and　rejoined　Peter　Rabbit。



〃I've　got　them！　Can　we　get　away？

Shall　we　hide；　Cousin　Peter？〃



Peter　pricked　his　ears；　distant

sounds　of　fighting　still　echoed　in

the　wood。



Five　minutes　afterwards　two

breathless　rabbits　came　scuttering

away　down　Bull　Banks；　half　carrying

half　dragging　a　sack　between

them；　bumpetty　bump　over　the

grass。　They　reached　home　safely

and　burst　into　the　rabbit　hole。





Great　was　old　Mr。　Bouncer's

relief　and　Flopsy's　joy　when　Peter

and　Benjamin　arrived　in　triumph

with　the　young　family。　The　rabbit…

babies　were　rather　tumbled　and

very　hungry；　they　were　fed　and

put　to　bed。　They　soon　recovered。



A　long　new　pipe　and　a　fresh　supply

of　rabbit　tobacco　was　presented　to

Mr。　Bouncer。　He　was　rather　upon

his　dignity；　but　he　accepted。





Old　Mr。　Bouncer　was　forgiven；

and　they　all　had　dinner。　Then　Peter

and　Benjamin　told　their　storybut

they　had　not　waited　long　enough

to　be　able　to　tell　the　end　of　the

battle　between　Tommy　Brock　and

Mr。　Tod。



THE　END











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　crying

oh；　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；　has

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

eye；　and　he　flew　over　a　stile

and　away。



Lucie　climbed　upon　the　stile

and　looked　up　at　the　hill　behind

Little…town…a　hill　that　goes

upupinto　the　clouds　as

though　it　had　no　top！



And　a　great　way　up　the　hillside

she　thought　she　saw　some

white　things　spread　upon　the

grass。



LUCIE　scrambled　up　the

hill　as　fast　as　her　stout

legs　would　carry　her；　she　ran

along　a　steep　path…wayup

and　upuntil　Littletown　was

right　away　down　belowshe

could　have　dropped　a　pebble

down　the　chimney！



PRESENTLY　she　came　to

a　spring；　bubbling　out

from　the　hill…side。



Some　one　had　stood　a　tin

can　upon　a　stone　to　catch　the

waterbut　the　water　was

already　running　over；　for　the

can　was　no　bigger　than　an

egg…cup！　And　where　the　sand

upon　the　path　was　wetthere

were　foot…marks　of　a　VERY

small　person。



Lucie　ran　on；　and　on。



THE　path　ended　under　a

big　rock。　The　grass　was

short　and　green；　and　there

were　clothes…props　cut　from

bracken　stems；　with　lines　of

plaited　rushes；　and　a　heap　of

tiny　clothes　pinsbut　no

pocket…handkerchiefs！



But　there　was　something

elsea　door！　straight　into　the

hill；　and　inside　it　some　one

was　singing



　　　　　〃Lily…white　and　clean；　oh！

　　　　　With　little　frills　between；　oh！

　　　　　Smooth　and　hot…red　rusty　spot

　　　　　Never　here　be　seen；　oh！〃





LUCIE；　knockedonce

twice；　and　interrupted

the　song。　A　little　frightened

voice　called　out　〃Who's　that？〃



Lucie　opened　the　door：　and

what　do　you　think　there　was

inside　the　hill？a　nice　clean

kitchen　with　a　flagged　floor

and　wooden　beamsjust　like

any　other　farm　kitchen。　Only

the　ceiling　was　so　low　that

Lucie's　head　nearly　touched　it；

and　the　pots　and　pans　were

small；　and　so　was　everything

there。



THERE　was　a　nice　hot

singey　smell；　and　at　the

table；　with　an　iron　in　her　hand

stood　a　very　stout　short　person

staring　anxiously　at　Lucie。



Her　print　gown　was　tucked

up；　and　she　was　wearing　a

large　apron　over　her　striped

petticoat。　Her　little　black

nose　went　sniffle；　sniffle；　snuffle；

and　her　eyes　went　twinkle；

twinkle；　and　underneath　her

capwhere　Lucie　had　yellow

curlsthat　little　person　had

PRICKLES！



〃WHO　are　you？〃　said

Lucie。　〃Have　you

seen　my　pocket…handkins？〃



The　little　person　made　a

bob…curtsey〃Oh；　yes；　if　you

please'm；　my　name　is　Mrs。

Tiggy…winkle；　oh；　yes　if　you

please'm；　I'm　an　excellent　clear…

starcher！〃　And　she　took

something　out　of　a　clothes…

basket；　and　spread　it　on　the

ironing…blanket。





〃WHAT'S　that　thing？〃

said　Lucie〃that's

not　my　pocket…handkin？〃



〃Oh　no；　if　you　please'm；

that's　a　little　scarlet　waist…coat

belonging　to　Cock　Robin！〃



And　she　ironed　it　and　folded

it；　and　put　it　on　one　side。



THEN　she　took　something

else　off　a　clothes…horse

〃That　isn't　my　pinny？〃　said

Lucie。



〃Oh　no；　if　you　please'm；

that's　a　damask　table…cloth

belonging　to　Jenny　Wren；

look　how　it's　stained　with

currant　wine！　It's　very　bad

to　wash！〃　said　Mrs。　Tiggy…

winkle。



MRS。　TIGGY…WINKLE'S

nose　went　sniffle；　sniffle；

snuffle；　and　her　eyes　went

twinkle；　twinkle；　and　she

fetched　another　hot　iron　from

the　fire。



THERE'S　one　of　my

pocket…handkins！〃　cried

Lucie〃and　there's　my　pinny！〃



Mrs。　Tiggy…winkle　ironed　it；

and　goffered　it；　and　shook　out

the　frills。



〃Oh　that　IS　lovely！〃　said

Lucie。



〃AND　what　are　those　long

yellow　things　with　fingers

like　gloves？〃



〃Oh；　that's　a　pair　of　stockings

belonging　to　Sally　Henny…

pennylook　how　she's　worn

the　heels　out　with　scratching

in　the　yard！　She'll　very　soon

go　barefoot！〃　said　Mrs。　Tiggy…

winkle。



〃WHY；　there's　another

handkersniffbut　it

isn't　mine；　it's　red？〃



〃Oh　no；　if　you　please'm；

that　one　belongs　to　old　Mrs。

Rabbit；　and　it　DID　so　smell

of　onions！　I've　had　to　wash

it　separately；　I　can't　get　out

the　smell。〃



〃There's　another　one　of

mine；〃　said　Lucie。



〃WHAT　are　those　funny

little　white　things？〃



〃That's　a　pair　of　mittens

belonging　to　Tabby　Kitten；　I

only　have　to　iron　them；　she

washes　them　herself。〃



〃There's　my　last　pocket…

handkin！〃　said　Lucie。



〃AND　what　are　you　dip