Ветер в ивах
The River Bank
"Thishasbeenawonderfulday!"saidhe,astheRatshovedoffandtooktothescullsagain."Doyouknow,I’veneverbeeninaboatbeforeinallmylife."
"What?"criedtheRat,open-mouthed:"Neverbeenina—younever—wellI—whathaveyoubeendoing,then?"
"Isitsoniceasallthat?"askedtheMoleshyly,thoughhewasquitepreparedtobelieveitasheleantbackinhisseatandsurveyedthecushions,theoars,therowlocks,andallthefascinatingfittings,andfelttheboatswaylightlyunderhim.
"Nice?It’stheonlything,"saidtheWaterRatsolemnlyasheleantforwardforhisstroke."Believeme,myyoungfriend,thereisnothing—absolutenothing—halfsomuchworthdoingassimplymessingaboutinboats.Simplymessing,"hewentondreamily:"messing—about—in—boats;messing—"
"Lookahead,Rat!"criedtheMolesuddenly.
Itwastoolate.Theboatstruckthebankfulltilt.Thedreamer,thejoyousoarsman,layonhisbackatthebottomoftheboat,hisheelsintheair.
"—aboutinboats—orwithboats,"theRatwentoncomposedly,pickinghimselfupwithapleasantlaugh."Inoroutof’em,itdoesn’tmatter.Nothingseemsreallytomatter,that’sthecharmofit.
