Ветер в ивах
The River Bank
Jumpingoffallhisfourlegsatonce,inthejoyoflivingandthedelightofspringwithoutitscleaning,hepursuedhiswayacrossthemeadowtillhereachedthehedgeonthefurtherside.
"Holdup!"saidanelderlyrabbitatthegap."Sixpencefortheprivilegeofpassingbytheprivateroad!"HewasbowledoverinaninstantbytheimpatientandcontemptuousMole,whotrottedalongthesideofthehedgechaffingtheotherrabbitsastheypeepedhurriedlyfromtheirholestoseewhattherowwasabout."Onion-sauce!Onion-sauce!"heremarkedjeeringly,andwasgonebeforetheycouldthinkofathoroughlysatisfactoryreply.Thentheyallstartedgrumblingateachother."Howstupidyouare!Whydidn’tyoutellhim—""Well,whydidn’tyousay—""Youmighthaveremindedhim—"andsoon,intheusualway;but,ofcourse,itwasthenmuchtoolate,asisalwaysthecase.
Itallseemedtoogoodtobetrue.Hitherandthitherthroughthemeadowsherambledbusily,alongthehedgerows,acrossthecopses,findingeverywherebirdsbuilding,flowersbudding,leavesthrusting—everythinghappy,andprogressive,andoccupied.Andinsteadofhavinganuneasyconscienceprickinghimandwhispering"whitewash!"hesomehowcouldonlyfeelhowjollyitwastobetheonlyidledogamongallthesebusycitizens.Afterall,thebestpartofaholidayisperhapsnotsomuchtoberestingyourself,astoseealltheotherfellowsbusyworking.
