按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
aching with fatigue and bruised with tumbles； they had fallen into several
holes and got wet through； the snow was getting so deep that they could
hardly drag their little legs through it； and the trees were thicker and more
like each other than ever。 There seemed to be no end to this wood； and no
beginning； and no difference in it； and； worst of all； no way out。
‘We can't sit here very long；' said the Rat。 ‘We shall have to make
another push for it； and do something or other。 The cold is too awful for
anything； and the snow will soon be too deep for us to wade through。' He
peered about him and considered。 ‘Look here；' he went on； ‘this is what
occurs to me。 There's a sort of dell down here in front of us； where the
ground seems all hilly and humpy and hummocky。 We'll make our way
down into that； and try and find some sort of shelter； a cave or hole with a
dry floor to it； out of the snow and the wind； and there we'll have a good
32
… Page 33…
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
rest before we try again； for we're both of us pretty dead beat。 Besides； the
snow may leave off； or something may turn up。'
So once more they got on their feet； and struggled down into the dell；
where they hunted about for a cave or some corner that was dry and a
protection from the keen wind and the whirling snow。 They were
investigating one of the hummocky bits the Rat had spoken of； when
suddenly the Mole tripped up and fell forward on his face with a squeal。
‘O my leg！' he cried。 ‘O my poor shin！' and he sat up on the snow and
nursed his leg in both his front paws。
‘Poor old Mole！' said the Rat kindly。
‘You don't seem to be having much luck to…day； do you？ Let's have a
look at the leg。 Yes；' he went on； going down on his knees to look； ‘you've
cut your shin； sure enough。 Wait till I get at my handkerchief； and I'll tie it
up for you。'
‘I must have tripped over a hidden branch or a stump；' said the Mole
miserably。 ‘O； my！ O； my！'
‘It's a very clean cut；' said the Rat； examining it again attentively。 ‘That
was never done by a branch or a stump。 Looks as if it was made by a sharp
edge of something in metal。 Funny！' He pondered awhile； and examined
the humps and slopes that surrounded them。
‘Well； never mind what done it；' said the Mole； forgetting his grammar
in his pain。 ‘It hurts just the same； whatever done it。'
But the Rat； after carefully tying up the leg with his handkerchief； had
left him and was busy scraping in the snow。 He scratched and shovelled
and explored； all four legs working busily； while the Mole waited
impatiently； remarking at intervals； ‘O； COME on； Rat！'
Suddenly the Rat cried ‘Hooray！' and then ‘Hooray…oo…ray…oo…ray… oo…
ray！' and fell to executing a feeble jig in the snow。
‘What HAVE you found； Ratty？' asked the Mole； still nursing his leg。
‘Come and see！' said the delighted Rat； as he jigged on。
The Mole hobbled up to the spot and had a good look。
‘Well；' he said at last； slowly； ‘I SEE it right enough。 Seen the same
sort of thing before； lots of times。 Familiar object； I call it。 A door…scraper！
Well； what of it？ Why dance jigs around a door…scraper？'
33
… Page 34…
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
‘But don't you see what it MEANS； youyou dull…witted animal？'
cried the Rat impa…tiently。
‘Of course I see what it means；' replied the Mole。 ‘It simply means that
some VERY careless and forgetful person has left his door…scraper lying
about in the middle of the Wild Wood； JUST where it's SURE to trip
EVERYBODY up。 Very thoughtless of him； I call it。 When I get home I
shall go and complain about it toto somebody or other； see if I don't！'
‘O； dear！ O； dear！' cried the Rat； in despair at his obtuseness。 ‘Here；
stop arguing and come and scrape！' And he set to work again and made the
snow fly in all directions around him。
After some further toil his efforts were rewarded； and a very shabby
door…mat lay exposed to view。
‘There； what did I tell you？' exclaimed the Rat in great triumph。
‘Absolutely nothing whatever；' replied the Mole； with perfect
truthfulness。 ‘Well now；' he went on； ‘you seem to have found another
piece of domestic litter； done for and thrown away； and I suppose you're
perfectly happy。 Better go ahead and dance your jig round that if you've
got to； and get it over； and then perhaps we can go on and not waste any
more time over rubbish… heaps。 Can we EAT a doormat？ or sleep under a
door…mat？ Or sit on a door…mat and sledge home over the snow on it； you
exasperating rodent？'
‘Doyoumeantosay；' cried the excited Rat； ‘that this door… mat
doesn't TELL you anything？'
‘Really； Rat；' said the Mole； quite pettishly； ‘I think we'd had enough
of this folly。 Who ever heard of a door…mat TELLING anyone anything？
They simply don't do it。 They are not that sort at all。 Door…mats know their
place。'
‘Now look here； youyou thick…headed beast；' replied the Rat； really
angry； ‘this must stop。 Not another word； but scrape scrape and scratch
and dig and hunt round； especially on the sides of the hummocks； if you
want to sleep dry and warm to… night； for it's our last chance！'
The Rat attacked a snow…bank beside them with ardour； probing with
his cudgel everywhere and then digging with fury； and the Mole scraped
busily too； more to oblige the Rat than for any other reason； for his
34
… Page 35…
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
opinion was that his friend was getting light…headed。
Some ten minutes' hard work； and the point of the Rat's cudgel struck
something that sounded hollow。 He worked till he could get a paw through
and feel； then called the Mole to come and help him。 Hard at it went the
two animals； till at last the result of their labours stood full in view of the
astonished and hitherto incredulous Mole。
In the side of what had seemed to be a snow…bank stood a solid…
looking little door； painted a dark green。 An iron bell…pull hung by the side；
and below it； on a small brass plate； neatly engraved in square capital
letters； they could read by the aid of moonlight MR。 BADGER。
The Mole fell backwards on the snow from sheer surprise and delight。
‘Rat！' he cried in penitence； ‘you're a wonder！ A real wonder； that's what
you are。 I see it all now！ You a