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The Open Road
Alwaysgood-tempered,alwaysgladtoseeyou,alwayssorrywhenyougo!"
"Hemustbeaveryniceanimal,"observedtheMole,ashegotintotheboatandtookthesculls,whiletheRatsettledhimselfcomfortablyinthestern.
"Heisindeedthebestofanimals,"repliedRat."Sosimple,sogood-natured,andsoaffectionate.Perhapshe’snotveryclever—wecan’tallbegeniuses;anditmaybethatheisbothboastfulandconceited.Buthehasgotsomegreatqualities,hasToady."
Roundingabendintheriver,theycameinsightofahandsome,dignifiedoldhouseofmellowedredbrick,withwell-keptlawnsreachingdowntothewater’sedge.
"There’sToadHall,"saidtheRat;"andthatcreekontheleft,wherethenotice-boardsays,‘Private.Nolandingallowed,’leadstohisboat-house,wherewe’llleavetheboat.Thestablesareovertheretotheright.That’sthebanqueting-hallyou’relookingatnow—veryold,thatis.Toadisratherrich,youknow,andthisisreallyoneofthenicesthousesintheseparts,thoughweneveradmitasmuchtoToad."
Theyglidedupthecreek,andtheMoleshippedhisscullsastheypassedintotheshadowofalargeboat-house.Heretheysawmanyhandsomeboats,slungfromthecross-beamsorhauleduponaslip,butnoneinthewater;andtheplacehadanunusedandadesertedair.
TheRatlookedaroundhim."Iunderstand,"saidhe."Boatingisplayedout.
