Ветер в ивах
Mr. Toad
"Nowthen!"hesaidtotheToad,whenthefourofthemstoodtogetherintheHall,"firstofall,takethoseridiculousthingsoff!"
"Shan’t!"repliedToad,withgreatspirit."Whatisthemeaningofthisgrossoutrage?Idemandaninstantexplanation."
"Takethemoffhim,then,youtwo,"orderedtheBadgerbriefly.
TheyhadtolayToadoutonthefloor,kickingandcallingallsortsofnames,beforetheycouldgettoworkproperly.ThentheRatsatonhim,andtheMolegothismotor-clothesoffhimbitbybit,andtheystoodhimuponhislegsagain.Agooddealofhisblusteringspiritseemedtohaveevaporatedwiththeremovalofhisfinepanoply.NowthathewasmerelyToad,andnolongertheTerroroftheHighway,hegiggledfeeblyandlookedfromonetotheotherappealingly,seemingquitetounderstandthesituation.
"Youknewitmustcometothis,soonerorlater,Toad,"theBadgerexplainedseverely."You’vedisregardedallthewarningswe’vegivenyou,you’vegoneonsquanderingthemoneyyourfatherleftyou,andyou’regettingusanimalsabadnameinthedistrictbyyourfuriousdrivingandyoursmashesandyourrowswiththepolice.Independenceisallverywell,butweanimalsneverallowourfriendstomakefoolsofthemselvesbeyondacertainlimit;andthatlimityou’vereached.Now,you’reagoodfellowinmanyrespects,andIdon’twanttobetoohardonyou.I’llmakeonemoreefforttobringyoutoreason.
