a collection of beatrix potter stories-第5章
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was at home； I saw his black ears
peeping out of the hole。〃 〃They
live too near the rocks to quarrel
with their neighbours。 Come on
Cousin Benjamin！〃
When they came near the wood
at the top of Bull Banks； they went
cautiously。 The trees grew amongst
heaped up rocks； and there； beneath
a cragMr。 Tod had made one of
his homes。 It was at the top of a
steep bank； the rocks and bushes
overhung it。 The rabbits crept up
carefully； listening and peeping。
This house was something
between a cave； a prison； and a tumble…
down pig…stye。 There was a strong
door； which was shut and locked。
The setting sun made the window
panes glow like red flame； but the
kitchen fire was not alight。 It was
neatly laid with dry sticks； as the
rabbits could see； when they peeped
through the window。
Benjamin sighed with relief。
But there were preparations upon
the kitchen table which made him
shudder。 There was an immense
empty pie…dish of blue willow pattern；
and a large carving knife and
fork； and a chopper。
At the other end of the table was
a partly unfolded tablecloth； a plate；
a tumbler； a knife and fork； salt…
cellar； mustard and a chairin short；
preparations for one person's supper。
No person was to be seen； and
no young rabbits。 The kitchen was
empty and silent； the clock had run
down。 Peter and Benjamin flattened
their noses against the window； and
stared into the dusk。
Then they scrambled round the
rocks to the other side of the house。
It was damp and smelly； and over…
grown with thorns and briars。
The rabbits shivered in their shoes。
〃Oh my poor rabbit babies！ What
a dreadful place； I shall never see
them again！〃 sighed Benjamin。
They crept up to the bedroom
window。 It was closed and bolted
like the kitchen。 But there were
signs that this window had been
recently open； the cobwebs were
disturbed； and there were fresh dirty
footmarks upon the window…sill。
The room inside was so dark；
that at first they could make out
nothing； but they could hear a noise
a slow deep regular snoring grunt。
And as their eyes became accustomed
to the darkness； they perceived
that somebody was asleep
on Mr。 Tod's bed； curled up under
the blanket。〃He has gone to bed
in his boots；〃 whispered Peter。
Benjamin； who was all of a twitter；
pulled Peter off the window…sill。
Tommy Brock's snores continued；
grunty and regular from Mr。 Tod's
bed。 Nothing could be seen of the
young family。
The sun had set； an owl began
to hoot in the wood。 There were
many unpleasant things lying about；
that had much better have been
buried； rabbit bones and skulls； and
chickens' legs and other horrors。 It
was a shocking place； and very dark。
They went back to the front of
the house； and tried in every way
to move the bolt of the kitchen
window。 They tried to push up a
rusty nail between the window
sashes； but it was of no use；
especially without a light。
They sat side by side outside the
window； whispering and listening。
In half an hour the moon rose
over the wood。 It shone full and
clear and cold； upon the house
amongst the rocks； and in at the
kitchen window。 But alas； no little
rabbit babies were to be seen！
The moonbeams twinkled on the
carving knife and the pie dish； and
made a path of brightness across
the dirty floor。
The light showed a little door in
a wall beside the kitchen fireplace
a little iron door belonging to a
brick oven； of that old…fashioned
sort that used to be heated with
faggots of wood。
And presently at the same moment
Peter and Benjamin noticed that
whenever they shook the window
the little door opposite shook in
answer。 The young family were
alive； shut up in the oven！
Benjamin was so excited that it
was a mercy he did not awake
Tommy Brock； whose snores
continued solemnly in Mr。 Tod's bed。
But there really was not very much
comfort in the discovery。 They could
not open the window； and although
the young family was alivethe little
rabbits were quite incapable of letting
themselves out； they were not
old enough to crawl。
After much whispering； Peter and
Benjamin decided to dig a tunnel。
They began to burrow a yard or two
lower down the bank。 They hoped
that they might be able to work
between the large stones under the
house； the kitchen floor was so dirty
that it was impossible to say whether
it was made of earth or flags。
They dug and dug for hours。
They could not tunnel straight on
account of stones； but by the end
of the night they were under the
kitchen floor。 Benjamin was on his
back； scratching upwards。 Peter's
claws were worn down； he was
outside the tunnel； shuffling sand
away。 He called out that it was
morningsunrise； and that the
jays were making a noise down
below in the woods。
Benjamin Bunny came out of the
dark tunnel； shaking the sand from
his ears； he cleaned his face with
his paws。 Every minute the sun
shone warmer on the top of the hill。
In the valley there was a sea of
white mist； with golden tops of
trees showing through。
Again from the fields down below
in the mist there came the angry
cry of a jay…followed by the sharp
yelping bark of a fox！
Then those two rabbits lost their
heads completely。 They did the
most foolish thing that they could
have done。 They rushed into their
short new tunnel； and hid themselves
at the top end of it； under
Mr。 Tod's kitchen floor。
Mr。 Tod was coming up Bull
Banks； and he was in the very worst
of tempers。 First he had been upset
by breaking the plate。 It was
his own fault； but it was a china
plate； the last of the dinner service
that had belonged to his grandmother；
old Vixen Tod。 Then the
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 quit
