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The Wind in the Willows-Part26_Kenneth Grahame(1859-1932)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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he couldn't make out for the life of him what the Mole had done

that was so particularly clever; but, fortunately for him, before



he could show temper or expose himself to the Badger's sarcasm,

the bell rang for luncheon.



It was a simple but sustaining meal--bacon and broad beans, and a

macaroni pudding; and when they had quite done, the Badger



settled himself into an arm-chair, and said, `Well, we've got our

work cut out for us to-night, and it will probably be pretty late



before we're quite through with it; so I'm just going to take

forty winks, while I can.' And he drew a handkerchief over his



face and was soon snoring.

The anxious and laborious Rat at once resumed his preparations,



and started running between his four little heaps, muttering,

`Here's-a-belt-for-the-Rat, here's-a-belt-for-the Mole, here's-a-



belt-for-the-Toad, here's-a-belt-for-the-Badger!' and so on, with

every fresh accoutrement he produced, to which there seemed



really no end; so the Mole drew his arm through Toad's, led him

out into the open air, shoved him into a wicker chair, and made



him tell him all his adventures from beginning to end, which

Toad was only too willing to do. The Mole was a good listener,



and Toad, with no one to check his statements or to criticise in

an unfriendly spirit, rather let himself go. Indeed, much that



he related belonged more properly to the category of what-might-

have-happened-had-I-only-thought-of-it-in-time-instead-of-ten-



minutes-afterwards. Those are always the best and the raciest

adventures; and why should they not be truly ours, as much as the



somewhat inadequate things that really come off?

XII



THE RETURN OF ULYSSES

When it began to grow dark, the Rat, with an air of excitement



and mystery, summoned them back into the parlour, stood each of

them up alongside of his little heap, and proceeded to dress them



up for the coming expedition. He was very earnest and

thoroughgoing about it, and the affair took quite a long time.



First, there was a belt to go round each animal, and then a sword

to be stuck into each belt, and then a cutlass on the other side



to balance it. Then a pair of pistols, a policeman's truncheon,

several sets of handcuffs, some bandages and sticking-plaster,



and a flask and a sandwich-case. The Badger laughed good-

humouredly and said, `All right, Ratty! It amuses you and it



doesn't hurt me. I'm going to do all I've got to do with this

here stick.' But the Rat only said, `PLEASE, Badger.



You know I shouldn't like you to blame me afterwards and say

I had forgotten ANYTHING!'



When all was quite ready, the Badger took a dark lantern in one

paw, grasped his great stick with the other, and said, `Now then,



follow me! Mole first, `cos I'm very pleased with him; Rat next;

Toad last. And look here, Toady! Don't you chatter so much as



usual, or you'll be sent back, as sure as fate!'

The Toad was so anxious not to be left out that he took up the



inferior position assigned to him without a murmur, and the

animals set off. The Badger led them along by the river for a



little way, and then suddenly swung himself over the edge into a

hole in the river-bank, a little above the water. The Mole and



the Rat followed silently, swinging themselves successfully into

the hole as they had seen the Badger do; but when it came to



Toad's turn, of course he managed to slip and fall into the water

with a loud splash and a squeal of alarm. He was hauled out by



his friends, rubbed down and wrung out hastily, comforted, and

set on his legs; but the Badger was seriously angry, and told him



that the very next time he made a fool of himself he would

most certainly be left behind.



So at last they were in the secret passage, and the cutting-out

expedition had really begun!



It was cold, and dark, and damp, and low, and narrow, and poor

Toad began to shiver, partly from dread of what might be before



him, partly because he was wet through. The lantern was far

ahead, and he could not help lagging behind a little in the



darkness. Then he heard the Rat call out warningly, `COME on,

Toad!' and a terror seized him of being left behind, alone in the



darkness, and he `came on' with such a rush that he upset the Rat

into the Mole and the Mole into the Badger, and for a moment all



was confusion. The Badger thought they were being attacked from

behind, and, as there was no room to use a stick or a cutlass,



drew a pistol, and was on the point of putting a bullet into

Toad. When he found out what had really happened he was very



angry indeed, and said, `Now this time that tiresome Toad




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