mellow in the glow of the firelight that played or rested on
familiar and friendly things which had long been
unconsciously a
part of him, and now smilingly received him back, without
rancour. He was now in just the frame of mind that the tactful
Rat had quietly worked to bring about in him. He saw clearly how
plain and simple--how narrow, even--it all was; but clearly, too,
how much it all meant to him, and the special value of some such
anchorage in one's
existence. He did not at all want to abandon
the new life and its splendid spaces, to turn his back on sun and
air and all they offered him and creep home and stay there; the
upper world was all too strong, it called to him still, even down
there, and he knew he must return to the larger stage. But
it was good to think he had this to come back to; this place
which was all his own, these things which were so glad to see him
again and could always be counted upon for the same simple
welcome.
VI
MR. TOAD
It was a bright morning in the early part of summer; the river
had resumed its wonted banks and its accustomed pace, and a hot
sun seemed to be pulling everything green and bushy and spiky up
out of the earth towards him, as if by strings. The Mole and the
Water Rat had been up since dawn, very busy on matters connected
with boats and the
opening of the boating season;
painting and
varnishing, mending paddles, repairing cushions,
hunting for
missing boat-hooks, and so on; and were finishing breakfast in
their little parlour and
eagerly discussing their plans for the
day, when a heavy knock sounded at the door.
`Bother!' said the Rat, all over egg. `See who it is, Mole, like
a good chap, since you've finished.'
The Mole went to attend the summons, and the Rat heard
him utter a cry of surprise. Then he flung the parlour door
open, and announced with much importance, `Mr. Badger!'
This was a wonderful thing, indeed, that the Badger should pay a
formal call on them, or indeed on anybody. He generally had to
be caught, if you wanted him badly, as he slipped quietly along a
hedgerow of an early morning or a late evening, or else hunted up
in his own house in the middle of the Wood, which was a serious
under
taking.
The Badger
strode heavily into the room, and stood looking at the
two animals with an expression full of
seriousness. The Rat let
his egg-spoon fall on the table-cloth, and sat open-mouthed.
`The hour has come!' said the Badger at last with great
solemnity.
`What hour?' asked the Rat
uneasily, glancing at the clock on the
mantelpiece.
`WHOSE hour, you should rather say,' replied the Badger.
`Why, Toad's hour! The hour of Toad! I said I would take him in
hand as soon as the winter was well over, and I'm going to take
him in hand to-day!'
`Toad's hour, of course!' cried the Mole delightedly.
`Hooray! I remember now! WE'LL teach him to be a sensible
Toad!'
`This very morning,' continued the Badger,
taking an arm-chair,
`as I
learnt last night from a trustworthy source, another new
and
exceptionally powerful motor-car will arrive at Toad Hall on
approval or return. At this very moment, perhaps, Toad is busy
arraying himself in those singularly
hideous habiliments so dear
to him, which
transform him from a (comparatively) good-looking
Toad into an Object which throws any decent-minded animal that
comes across it into a
violent fit. We must be up and doing, ere
it is too late. You two animals will accompany me
instantly" target="_blank" title="ad.立即,立刻">
instantly to
Toad Hall, and the work of
rescue shall be accomplished.'
`Right you are!' cried the Rat, starting up. `We'll
rescue the
poor
unhappy animal! We'll
convert him! He'll be the most
converted Toad that ever was before we've done with him!'
They set off up the road on their
mission of mercy, Badger
leading the way. Animals when in company walk in a proper and
sensible manner, in single file, instead of sprawling all
across the road and being of no use or support to each other
in case of sudden trouble or danger.
They reached the carriage-drive of Toad Hall to find, as the
Badger had anticipated, a shiny new motor-car, of great size,
painted a bright red (Toad's favourite colour),
standing in front
of the house. As they neared the door it was flung open, and Mr.
Toad, arrayed in goggles, cap, gaiters, and
enormous overcoat,
came swaggering down the steps,
drawing on his gauntleted gloves.
`Hullo! come on, you fellows!' he cried
cheerfully on catching
sight of them. `You're just in time to come with me for a
jolly--to come for a jolly--for a--er--jolly----'
His
hearty accents faltered and fell away as he noticed the stern
unbending look on the countenances of his silent friends, and his
invitation remained unfinished.
The Badger
strode up the steps. `Take him inside,' he said
sternly to his companions. Then, as Toad was hustled through the
door, struggling and protesting, he turned to the
chauffeur in
charge of the new motor-car.
`I'm afraid you won't be wanted to-day,' he said. `Mr. Toad
has changed his mind. He will not require the car. Please
understand that this is final. You needn't wait.' Then he
followed the others inside and shut the door.
`Now then!' he said to the Toad, when the four of them stood
together in the Hall, `first of all, take those
ridiculous things
off!'
`Shan't!' replied Toad, with great spirit. `What is the meaning
of this gross
outrage? I demand an
instant explanation.'
`Take them off him, then, you two,' ordered the Badger briefly.
They had to lay Toad out on the floor, kicking and
calling all
sorts of names, before they could get to work
properly. Then the
Rat sat on him, and the Mole got his motor-clothes off him bit by
bit, and they stood him up on his legs again. A good deal of his
blustering spirit seemed to have evaporated with the
removal of
his fine panoply. Now that he was merely Toad, and no longer the
Terror of the Highway, he giggled
feebly and looked from one to
the other appealingly,
seeming quite to understand the situation.
`You knew it must come to this, sooner or later, Toad,' the
Badger explained severely.
You've disregarded all the warnings we've given you, you've gone
on squandering the money your father left you, and you're getting
us animals a bad name in the district by your
furious driving and
your smashes and your rows with the police. Independence is all
very well, but we animals never allow our friends to make fools
of themselves beyond a certain limit; and that limit you've
reached. Now, you're a good fellow in many respects, and I don't
want to be too hard on you. I'll make one more effort to bring
you to reason. You will come with me into the smoking-room, and
there you will hear some facts about yourself; and we'll see
whether you come out of that room the same Toad that you went
in.'
He took Toad
firmly by the arm, led him into the smoking-room,
and closed the door behind them.
`THAT'S no good!' said the Rat
contemptuously. `TALKING to
Toad'll never cure him. He'll SAY anything.'
They made themselves comfortable in armchairs and waited
patiently. Through the closed door they could just hear the long
continuous drone of the Badger's voice, rising and falling
in waves of
oratory; and
presently they noticed that the sermon
began to be punctuated at intervals by long-drawn sobs, evidently
proceeding from the bosom of Toad, who was a soft-hearted and
affectionate fellow, very easily
converted--for the time being--
to any point of view.
After some three-quarters of an hour the door opened, and the
Badger reappeared,
solemnly" target="_blank" title="ad.严肃地,庄严地">
solemnly leading by the paw a very limp and
dejected Toad. His skin hung baggily about him, his legs
wobbled, and his cheeks were furrowed by the tears so plentifully
called forth by the Badger's moving discourse.
`Sit down there, Toad,' said the Badger kindly, pointing to a
chair. `My friends,' he went on, `I am pleased to inform you
that Toad has at last seen the error of his ways. He is truly
sorry for his misguided conduct in the past, and he has
undertaken to give up motor-cars entirely and for ever. I have
his
solemn promise to that effect.'
`That is very good news,' said the Mole gravely.
`Very good news indeed,' observed the Rat dubiously, `if only--
IF only----'
He was looking very hard at Toad as he said this, and could not
help thinking he perceived something
vaguely resembling a twinkle
in that animal's still
sorrowful eye.
`There's only one thing more to be done,' continued the gratified
Badger. `Toad, I want you
solemnly" target="_blank" title="ad.严肃地,庄严地">
solemnly to repeat, before your
friends here, what you fully admitted to me in the smoking-room
just now. First, you are sorry for what you've done, and you see
the folly of it all?'
There was a long, long pause. Toad looked
desperately this way
and that, while the other animals waited in grave silence. At
last he spoke.
`No!' he said, a little
sullenly, but stoutly; `I'm NOT sorry.
And it wasn't folly at all! It was simply glorious!'
`What?' cried the Badger, greatly scandalised. `You backsliding
animal, didn't you tell me just now, in there----'
`Oh, yes, yes, in THERE,' said Toad
impatiently. `I'd have
said anything in THERE. You're so
eloquent, dear Badger, and
so moving, and so
convincing, and put all your points so
frightfully well--you can do what you like with me in
THERE, and you know it. But I've been searching my mind
since, and going over things in it, and I find that I'm not a bit
sorry or repentant really, so it's no
earthly good
saying I am;
now, is it?'
`Then you don't promise,' said the Badger, `never to touch a
motor-car again?'
`Certainly not!' replied Toad
emphatically. `On the
contrary, I
faithfully promise that the very first motor-car I see, poop-
poop! off I go in it!'
`Told you so, didn't I?' observed the Rat to the Mole.
`Very well, then,' said the Badger
firmly, rising to his feet.
`Since you won't yield to
persuasion, we'll try what force can
do. I feared it would come to this all along. You've often
asked us three to come and stay with you, Toad, in this handsome
house of yours; well, now we're going to. When we've
converted
you to a proper point of view we may quit, but not before. Take
him
upstairs, you two, and lock him up in his bedroom, while we
arrange matters between ourselves.'
`It's for your own good, Toady, you know,' said the Rat kindly,
as Toad, kicking and struggling, was hauled up the stairs by
his two
faithful friends. `Think what fun we shall all have
together, just as we used to, when you've quite got over this--
this
painful attack of yours!'
`We'll take great care of everything for you till you're well,
Toad,' said the Mole; `and we'll see your money isn't wasted, as
it has been.'
`No more of those regrettable incidents with the police, Toad,'
said the Rat, as they
thrust him into his bedroom.
`And no more weeks in hospital, being ordered about by female
nurses, Toad,' added the Mole, turning the key on him.
They descended the stair, Toad shouting abuse at them through the
keyhole; and the three friends then met in
conference on the
situation.
`It's going to be a
tedious business,' said the Badger, sighing.
`I've never seen Toad so determined. However, we will see it
out. He must never be left an
instantunguarded. We shall have
to take it in turns to be with him, till the
poison has worked