a collection of beatrix potter stories-第3章
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jumped into the flour barrel in a fright
Mittens ran away to the dairy； and hid
in an empty jar on the stone shelf where
the milk pans stand。
The visitor was a neighbor； Mrs。 Ribby；
she had called to borrow some yeast。
Mrs。 Tabitha came downstairs mewing
dreadfully〃Come in； Cousin Ribby； come
in； and sit ye down！ I'm in sad trouble；
Cousin Ribby；〃 said Tabitha； shedding
tears。 〃I've lost my dear son Thomas； I'm
afraid the rats have got him。〃 She wiped
her eyes with an apron。
〃He's a bad kitten； Cousin Tabitha； he
made a cat's cradle of my best bonnet last
time I came to tea。 Where have you looked
for him？〃
〃All over the house！ The rats are too
many for me。 What a thing it is to have an
unruly family！〃 said Mrs。 Tabitha Twitchit。
〃I'm not afraid of rats； I will help you
to find him； and whip him too！ What is
all that soot in the fender？〃
〃The chimney wants sweepingOh； dear
me； Cousin Ribbynow Moppet and Mittens
are gone！〃
〃They have both got out of the cup…
board！〃
Ribby and Tabitha set to work to search
the house thoroughly again。 They poked
under the beds with Ribby's umbrella； and
they rummaged in cupboards。 They even
fetched a candle； and looked inside a clothes
chest in one of the attics。 They could not
find anything； but once they heard a door
bang and somebody scuttered downstairs。
〃Yes； it is infested with rats；〃 said
Tabitha tearfully； 〃I caught seven young
ones out of one hole in the back kitchen；
and we had them for dinner last Saturday。
And once I saw the old father ratan
enormous old rat； Cousin Ribby。 I was
just going to jump upon him； when he
showed his yellow teeth at me and whisked
down the hole。〃
〃The rats get upon my nerves； Cousin
Ribby；〃 said Tabitha。
Ribby and Tabitha searched and searched。
They both heard a curious roly…poly noise
under the attic floor。 But there was nothing
to be seen。
They returned to the kitchen。 〃Here's
one of your kittens at least；〃 said Ribby；
dragging Moppet out of the flour barrel。
They shook the flour off her and set her
down on the kitchen floor。 She seemed to
be in a terrible fright。
〃Oh！ Mother； Mother；〃 said Moppet；
〃there's been an old woman rat in the
kitchen； and she's stolen some of the
dough！〃
The two cats ran to look at the dough
pan。 Sure enough there were marks of
little scratching fingers； and a lump of
dough was gone！
〃Which way did she go； Moppet？〃
But Moppet had been too much frightened
to peep out of the barrel again。
Ribby and Tabitha took her with them
to keep her safely in sight； while they went
on with their search。
They went into the dairy。
The first thing they found was Mittens；
hiding in an empty jar
They tipped up the jar； and she scrambled
out。
〃Oh； Mother； Mother！〃 said Mittens
〃Oh！ Mother； Mother； there has been an
old man rat in the dairya dreadful 'normous
big rat； Mother； and he's stolen a pat
of butter and the rolling…pin。〃
Ribby and Tabitha looked at one another。
〃A rolling…pin and butter！ Oh； my poor
son Thomas！〃 exclaimed Tabitha； wringing
her paws。
〃A rolling…pin？〃 said Ribby。 〃Did we
not hear a roly…poly noise in the attic when
we were looking into that chest？〃
Ribby and Tabitha rushed upstairs again。
Sure enough the roly…poly noise was still
going on quite distinctly under the attic
floor
〃This is serious； Cousin Tabitha；〃 said
Ribby。 〃We must send for John Joiner at
once； with a saw。〃
Now this is what had been happening to
Tom Kitten； and it shows how very unwise
it is to go up a chimney in a very old house；
where a person does not know his way； and
where there are enormous rats。
Tom Kitten did not want to be shut up
in a cupboard。 When he saw that his
mother was going to bake； he determined
to hide。
He looked about for a nice convenient
place； and he fixed upon the chimney。
The fire had only just been lighted； and
it was not hot； but there was a white choky
smoke from the green sticks。 Tom Kitten
got upon the fender and looked up。 It was
a big old…fashioned fireplace。
The chimney itself was wide enough inside
for a man to stand up and walk about。
So there was plenty of room for a little
Tom Cat
He jumped right up into the fireplace；
balancing himself upon the iron bar where
the kettle hangs。
Tom Kitten took another big jump off
the bar； and landed on a ledge high up
inside the chimney； knocking down some
soot into the fender。
Tom Kitten coughed and choked with the
smoke； he could hear the sticks beginning
to crackle and burn in the fireplace down
below。 He made up his mind to climb right
to the top； and get out on the slates； and
try to catch sparrows。
〃I cannot go back。 If I slipped I might
fall in the fire and singe my beautiful tail
and my little blue jacket。〃
The chimney was a very big old…fashioned
one。 It was built in the days when
people burnt logs of wood upon the hearth。
The chimney stack stood up above the
roof like a little stone tower； and the daylight
shone down from the top； under the
slanting slates that kept out the rain。
Tom Kitten was getting very frightened！
He climbed up； and up； and up
Then he waded sideways through inches
of soot。 He was like a little sweep himself。
It was most confusing in the dark。 One
flue seemed to lead into another。
There was less smoke； but Tom Kitten
felt quite lost。
He scrambled up and up； but before he
reached the chimney top he came to a place
where somebody had loosened a stone in
the wall。 There were some mutton bones
lying about
〃This seems funny；〃 said Tom Kitten。
〃Who has been gnawing bones up here in
the chimney？ I wish I had never come！
And what a funny smell！ It is something
like mouse； only dreadfully strong。 It
makes me sneeze；〃 said Tom Kitten。
He squeezed through the hole in the wall；
and dragged himself along a most uncomfortably
tight passage where there was
scarcely any light。
He groped his way carefully for several
yards； he was at the back of the skirting…
board in the attic； where there is a little
mark * in the picture。
All at once he fell head over heels in the
dark； down a hole； and landed on a heap of
very dirty rags。
When Tom Kitten picked himself up and
looked about himhe found himself in a
place that he had never seen before； although
he had lived all his life in the house。
It was a very small stuffy fusty room；
with boards； and rafters； and cobwebs； and
lath and plaster。
Opposite to himas far away as he could
sitwas an enormous rat。
〃What do you mean by tumbling into
my bed all covered with smuts？〃 said the
rat； chattering his teeth。
〃Please sir； the chimney wants sweeping；〃
said poor Tom Kitten。
〃Anna Maria！ Anna Maria！〃 squeaked
the rat。 There was a pattering noise and
an old woman rat poked her head round a
rafter。
All in a minute she rushed upon Tom
Kitten； and before he knew what was happening
His coat was pulled off； and he was rolled
up in a bundle； and tied with string in very
hard knots。
Anna Maria did the tying。 The old rat
watched her and took snuff。 When she had
finished； they both sat staring at him with
their mouths open。
〃Anna Maria；〃 said the old man rat
（whose name was Samuel Whiskers）；
〃Anna Maria； make me a kitten dumpling
roly…poly pudding for my dinner。〃
〃It requires dough and a pat of butter；
and a rolling…pin；〃 said Anna Maria；
considering Tom Kitten with her head on one
side。
〃No；〃 said Samuel Whiskers； 〃make it
properly； Anna Maria； with breadcrumbs。〃
Nonsense！ Butter and dough；〃 replied
Anna Maria。
The two rats consulted together for a
few minutes and then went away。
Samuel Whiskers got through a hole in
the wainscot； and went boldly down the
front staircase to the dairy to get the
butter。 He did not meet anybody。
He made a second journey for the rolling…
pin。 He pushed it in front of him with
his paws； like a brewer's man trundling a
barrel。
He could hear Ribby and Tabitha talking；
but they were busy lighting the candle to
look into the chest。
They did not see him。
Anna Maria went down by way of the
skirting…board and a window shutter to the
kitchen to steal the dough。
She borrowed a small saucer； and scooped
up the dough with her paws。
She did not observe Moppet。
While Tom Kitten was left alone under
the floor of the attic； he wriggled about and
tried to mew for help。
But his mouth was full of soot and cob…
webs； and he was tied up in such very tight
knots； he could not make anybody hear him。
Except a spider； which came out of a
crack in the ceiling and examined the knots
critically； from a safe distance。
It was a judge of knots because it had a
habit of tying up unfortunate blue…bottles。
It did not offer to assist him。
Tom Kitten wriggled and squirmed until
he was quite exhausted。
Presently the rats came back and set to
work to make him into a dumpling。 First
they smeared him with butter； and then they
rolled him in the dough。
〃Will not the string be very indigestible；
Anna Maria？〃 inquired Samuel Whiskers。
Anna Maria said she thought that it was
of no consequence； but she wished that Tom
Kitten would hold his head still； as it
disarranged the pastry。 She laid hold of his
ears。
Tom Kitten bit and spat； and mewed and
wriggled； and the rolling…pin went roly…
poly； roly； roly； poly； roly。 The rats each
held an end。
〃His tail is sticking out！ You did not
fetch enough dough； Anna Maria。〃
〃I fetched as much as I could carry；〃
replied Anna Maria。
〃I do not think〃said Samuel Whiskers；
pausing to take a look at Tom Kitten〃I
do NOT think it will be a good pudding。 It
smells sooty。〃
Anna Maria was about to argue the point；
when all at once there began to be other
sounds up abovethe rasping noise of a
saw； and the noise of a little dog； scratching
and yelping！
The rats dropped the rolling…pin； and
listened attentively。
〃We are discovered and interrupted；
Anna Maria； let us collect our property；
and other people's；and depart at once。〃
〃I fear that we shall be obliged to leave
this pudding。〃
〃But I am persuaded that the knots would
have proved indigestible； whatever you may
urge to the contrary。〃
〃Come away at once and help me to tie up
some mutton bones in a counterpane；〃 said
Anna Maria。 〃I have got half a smoked
ham hidden in the chimney。〃
