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“Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears”
Itwasasimplebutsustainingmeal—baconandbroadbeans,andamacaronipudding;andwhentheyhadquitedone,theBadgersettledhimselfintoanarm-chair,andsaid,"Well,we’vegotourworkcutoutforusto-night,anditwillprobablybeprettylatebeforewe’requitethroughwithit;soI’mjustgoingtotakefortywinks,whileIcan."Andhedrewahandkerchiefoverhisfaceandwassoonsnoring.
TheanxiousandlaboriousRatatonceresumedhispreparations,andstartedrunningbetweenhisfourlittleheaps,muttering,"Here’s-a-belt-for-the-Rat,here’s-a-belt-for-the-Mole,here’s-a-belt-for-the-Toad,here’s-a-belt-for-the-Badger!"andsoon,witheveryfreshaccoutrementheproduced,towhichthereseemedreallynoend;sotheMoledrewhisarmthroughToad’s,ledhimoutintotheopenair,shovedhimintoawickerchair,andmadehimtellhimallhisadventuresfrombeginningtoend,whichToadwasonlytoowillingtodo.TheMolewasagoodlistener,andToad,withnoonetocheckhisstatementsortocriticiseinanunfriendlyspirit,ratherlethimselfgo.Indeed,muchthatherelatedbelongedmoreproperlytothecategoryofwhat-might-have-happened-had-I-only-thought-of-it-in-time-instead-of-ten-minutes-afterwards.Thosearealwaysthebestandtheraciestadventures;andwhyshouldtheynotbetrulyours,asmuchasthesomewhatinadequatethingsthatreallycomeoff?
