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The Wind in the Willows-Part13_Kenneth Grahame(1859-1932)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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Meanwhile, Toad, gay and irresponsible, was walking briskly along

the high road, some miles from home. At first he had taken by-



paths, and crossed many fields, and changed his course several

times, in case of pursuit; but now, feeling by this time safe



from recapture, and the sun smiling brightly on him, and all

Nature joining in a chorus of approval to the song of self-praise



that his own heart was singing to him, he almost danced along the

road in his satisfaction and conceit.



`Smart piece of work that!' he remarked to himself chuckling.

`Brain against brute force--and brain came out on the top--as



it's bound to do. Poor old Ratty! My! won't he catch it when

the Badger gets back! A worthy fellow, Ratty, with many good



qualities, but very little intelligence and absolutely no

education. I must take him in hand some day, and see if I can



make something of him.'

Filled full of conceited thoughts such as these he strode along,



his head in the air, till he reached a little town, where the

sign of `The Red Lion,' swinging across the road halfway down the



main street, reminded him that he had not breakfasted that day,

and that he was exceedingly hungry after his long walk. He



marched into the Inn, ordered the best luncheon that could be

provided at so short a notice, and sat down to eat it in the



coffee-room.

He was about half-way through his meal when an only too familiar



sound, approaching down the street, made him start and fall a-

trembling all over. The poop-poop! drew nearer and nearer, the



car could be heard to turn into the inn-yard and come to a stop,

and Toad had to hold on to the leg of the table to conceal



his over-mastering emotion. Presently the party entered the

coffee-room, hungry, talkative, and gay, voluble on their



experiences of the morning and the merits of the chariot that had

brought them along so well. Toad listened eagerly, all ears, for



a time; at last he could stand it no longer. He slipped out of

the room quietly, paid his bill at the bar, and as soon as he got



outside sauntered round quietly to the inn-yard. `There cannot

be any harm,' he said to himself, `in my only just LOOKING at



it!'

The car stood in the middle of the yard, quite unattended, the



stable-helps and other hangers-on being all at their dinner.

Toad walked slowly round it, inspecting, criticising, musing



deeply.

`I wonder,' he said to himself presently, `I wonder if this sort



of car STARTS easily?'

Next moment, hardly knowing how it came about, he found he had



hold of the handle and was turning it. As the familiar sound

broke forth, the old passion seized on Toad and completely



mastered him, body and soul. As if in a dream he found himself,

somehow, seated in the driver's seat; as if in a dream, he



pulled the lever and swung the car round the yard and out through

the archway; and, as if in a dream, all sense of right and wrong,



all fear of obvious consequences, seemed temporarily suspended.

He increased his pace, and as the car devoured the street and



leapt forth on the high road through the open country, he was

only conscious that he was Toad once more, Toad at his best and



highest, Toad the terror, the traffic-queller, the Lord of the

lone trail, before whom all must give way or be smitten into



nothingness and everlasting night. He chanted as he flew, and

the car responded with sonorous drone; the miles were eaten up



under him as he sped he knew not whither, fulfilling his

instincts, living his hour, reckless of what might come to him.



* * * * * *

`To my mind,' observed the Chairman of the Bench of Magistrates



cheerfully, `the ONLY difficulty that presents itself in this

otherwise very clear case is, how we can possibly make it



sufficiently hot for the incorrigible rogue and hardened ruffian

whom we see cowering in the dock before us. Let me see: he has



been found guilty, on the clearest evidence, first, of

stealing a valuable motor-car; secondly, of driving to the public



danger; and, thirdly, of gross impertinence to the rural police.

Mr. Clerk, will you tell us, please, what is the very stiffest



penalty we can impose for each of these offences? Without, of

course, giving the prisoner the benefit of any doubt, because



there isn't any.'

The Clerk scratched his nose with his pen. `Some people would






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