Ветер в ивах

           Withawrenchthattorehisveryheart-stringshesethisfacedowntheroadandfollowedsubmissivelyinthetrackoftheRat,whilefaint,thinlittlesmells,stilldogginghisretreatingnose,reproachedhimforhisnewfriendshipandhiscallousforgetfulness.

           WithanefforthecaughtuptotheunsuspectingRat,whobeganchatteringcheerfullyaboutwhattheywoulddowhentheygotback,andhowjollyafireoflogsintheparlourwouldbe,andwhatasupperhemeanttoeat;nevernoticinghiscompanion’ssilenceanddistressfulstateofmind.Atlast,however,whentheyhadgonesomeconsiderablewayfurther,andwerepassingsometreestumpsattheedgeofacopsethatborderedtheroad,hestoppedandsaidkindly,"Lookhere,Mole,oldchap,youseemdeadtired.Notalkleftinyou,andyourfeetdragginglikelead.We’llsitdownhereforaminuteandrest.Thesnowhasheldoffsofar,andthebestpartofourjourneyisover."

           TheMolesubsidedforlornlyonatreestumpandtriedtocontrolhimself,forhefeltitsurelycoming.Thesobhehadfoughtwithsolongrefusedtobebeaten.Upandup,itforceditswaytotheair,andthenanother,andanother,andothersthickandfast;tillpoorMoleatlastgaveupthestruggle,andcriedfreelyandhelplesslyandopenly,nowthatheknewitwasalloverandhehadlostwhathecouldhardlybesaidtohavefound.

           TheRat,astonishedanddismayedattheviolenceofMole’sparoxysmofgrief,didnotdaretospeakforawhile.