Ветер в ивах

           IsaynothingagainstToadHall;quitethebesthouseintheseparts,asahouse.Butsupposingafirebreaksout—where’sToad?Supposingtilesareblownoff,orwallssinkorcrack,orwindowsgetbroken—where’sToad?Supposingtheroomsaredraughty—Ihateadraughtmyself—where’sToad?No,upandoutofdoorsisgoodenoughtoroamaboutandgetone’slivingin;butundergroundtocomebacktoatlast—that’smyideaofhome!"

           TheMoleassentedheartily;andtheBadgerinconsequencegotveryfriendlywithhim."Whenlunchisover,"hesaid,"I’lltakeyouallroundthislittleplaceofmine.Icanseeyou’llappreciateit.Youunderstandwhatdomesticarchitectureoughttobe,youdo."

           Afterluncheon,accordingly,whentheothertwohadsettledthemselvesintothechimney-cornerandhadstartedaheatedargumentonthesubjectofeels,theBadgerlightedalanternandbadetheMolefollowhim.Crossingthehall,theypasseddownoneoftheprincipaltunnels,andthewaveringlightofthelanterngaveglimpsesoneithersideofroomsbothlargeandsmall,somemerecupboards,othersnearlyasbroadandimposingasToad’sdining-hall.Anarrowpassageatrightanglesledthemintoanothercorridor,andherethesamethingwasrepeated.TheMolewasstaggeredatthesize,theextent,theramificationsofitall;atthelengthofthedimpassages,thesolidvaultingsofthecrammedstore-chambers,themasonryeverywhere,thepillars,thearches,thepavements.