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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
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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
consider；' he observed； ‘that stealing the motor…car was the worst offence；
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and so it is。 But cheeking the police undoubtedly carries the severest
penalty； and so it ought。 Supposing you were to say twelve months for the
theft； which is mild； and three years for the furious driving； which is
lenient； and fifteen years for the cheek； which was pretty bad sort of cheek；
judging by what we've heard from the witness…box； even if you only
believe one…tenth part of what you heard； and I never believe more myself…
…those figures； if added together correctly； tot up to nineteen years'
‘First…rate！' said the Chairman。
‘So you had better make it a round twenty years and be on the safe
side；' concluded the Clerk。
‘An excellent suggestion！' said the Chairman approvingly。 ‘Prisoner！
Pull yourself together and try and stand up straight。 It's going to be twenty
years for you this time。 And mind； if you appear before us again； upon any
charge whatever； we shall have to deal with you very seriously！'
Then the brutal minions of the law fell upon the hapless Toad； loaded
him with chains； and dragged him from the Court House； shrieking；
praying； protesting； across the marketplace； where the playful populace；
always as severe upon detected crime as they are sympathetic and helpful
when one is merely ‘wanted；' assailed him with jeers； carrots； and popular
catch…words； past hooting school children； their innocent faces lit up with
the pleasure they ever derive from the sight of a gentleman in difficulties；
across the hollow…sounding drawbridge； below the spiky portcullis； under
the frowning archway of the grim old castle； whose ancient towers soared
high overhead； past guardrooms full of grinning soldiery off duty； past
sentries who coughed in a horrid； sarcastic way； because that is as much as
a sentry on his post dare do to show his contempt and abhorrence of crime；
up time…worn winding stairs； past men…at…arms in casquet and corselet of
steel； darting threatening looks through their vizards； across courtyards；
where mastiffs strained at their leash and pawed the air to get at him； past
ancient warders； their halberds leant against the wall； dozing over a pasty
and a flagon of brown ale； on and on； past the rack…chamber and the
thumbscrew…room； past the turning that led to the private scaffold； till they
reached the door of the grimmest dungeon that lay in the heart of the
innermost keep。 There at last they paused； where an ancient gaoler sat
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fingering a bunch of mighty keys。
‘Oddsbodikins！' said the sergeant of police； taking off his helmet and
wiping his forehead。 ‘Rouse thee； old loon； and take over from us this vile
Toad； a criminal of deepest guilt and matchless artfulness and resource。
Watch and ward him with all thy skill； and mark thee well； greybeard；
should aught untoward befall； thy old head shall answer for hisand a
murrain on both of them！'
The gaoler nodded grimly； laying his withered hand on the shoulder of
the miserable Toad。 The rusty key creaked in the lock； the great door
clanged behind them； and Toad was a helpless prisoner in the remotest
dungeon of the best…guarded keep of the stoutest castle in all the length
and breadth of Merry England。