Chapter 12 Chapter 12 The Return of Ulysses

When it began to grow dark, the Rat called them all back into the drawing-room with an air both excited and mysterious, and made them stand one by one in front of their little heaps, and set to work furnishing them for the coming expedition.He did this matter very carefully and authentically, and it took a lot of time.The first is to put a leather belt around each animal, then a sword is fastened to the leather belts, and then a short cutlass is attached to the other side, so that there is one on each side.Then they were given each a pair of pistols, a baton, some handcuffs, some bandages and adhesive plaster, a hot water bottle and a box of sandwiches.

"Very well, Rat," said the Badger, with a merry smile, "it pleases you and does me no harm. But I will do all I have to do, and this stick will suffice." The Rat only replied, "Take them all, Badger, please! You know, I don't want you to complain about me afterwards, saying I've forgotten something!" When all was ready, the Badger took an unlighted lantern in one paw, and his great stick in the other, and said, "Well, come with me now! The Mole goes first, for I It's a pleasure to be with him; the Rat is second; and Toad is last. Listen, Toad! Don't babble like you usually do, or I'll call you back, and you'll do what you say!"

Toad was afraid to keep him, so he took the poor place assigned to him, and without a murmur, the animals set off. The Badger led them a little way down the river, then suddenly turned over on the bank and slipped into a hole which was only a little above the water.The Mole and the Rat followed in silence, and did as they had seen the Badger do, and rolled themselves into the hole too.But when Toad's turn came, he slipped and fell into the water with a loud splash, and let out a cry.His friends pulled him ashore and hurriedly dried him and wrung his clothes, and he was comfortable and stood up.The Badger was really angry, and told him that next time he played around like this, he must be allowed to stay.

Thus, at last they entered the secret tunnel, and the planned expedition began in earnest. The tunnel was cold, dark, damp, and low.It was narrow again, and poor Toad began to shiver, partly from fear of what might happen next, and partly from being drenched.The lantern was far ahead, and he would inevitably fall behind in the dark. Then he heard the Rat cry and warn him, "Come on, Toad!" Afraid he was really left alone in the dark, he hurried after him, but he rushed so hard that the Rat was on the Mole, and the Mole was on the Badger, and all was a mess. .The Badger thought someone was attacking from behind, and as the place was too narrow for a club or a cutlass, he drew his pistol, and was about to kill Toad.

When the Badger found out what was the matter, he got really angry, and said, "This time the annoying Toad will stay!" But Toad whimpered and wailed, and the other two interceded for him, pledging to be responsible for keeping him well behaved, and at last the Badger calmed down, and they moved on; shoulders. So they groped along the way step by step, ears pricked up, paws on pistols, until the Badger said at last, "We must be quite near the bottom of the manor by now." Just then they suddenly heard, far, far away, but apparently just above their heads, a vague humming like people shouting and laughing, stamping the floor and punching the floor. Beat the table.

Toad was nervous and frightened again, but Badger said calmly, "It's those weasels!" The tunnel now began to rise slantingly; and as they groped a little farther, the noise came again, very clearly this time, and quite close above their heads. They heard: "Long live... long live... long live!" I could also hear my little feet stamping on the floor, and my little fists pounding on the table, and the glasses ping-pong. "How happy they are!" said the Badger. "Come on!" they hurried down the tunnel, and stopped at last, already standing under the trap door into the pantry.

The banquet hall was so noisy, there was no fear that their voices would be heard."Well, boys, let's go!" said the Badger, and all four of them put their shoulders on the valve and jacked it up. Helping each other up, they were standing in the pantry.There was only a door between them and the banquet hall, and beyond it an enemy who knew nothing was drinking to his heart's content. When they emerged from the tunnel, the uproar was deafening.Finally, as the cheers and thumping died down, a voice could be heard saying, "Okay, I don't intend to take up too much of your time..." (Enthusiastic applause) "...but before I sit down Once upon a time..." (applause again) "...I have a word for our gracious master, Mr. Toad! We all know Toad!..." (laughing) "...good toad, humble toad, honest Toad!" (cheers) "Just let me catch him!"

Toad grunted through gritted teeth. "Be patient!" said the Badger, with difficulty to persuade him. "You all get ready!" "... let me sing you a little song," went on the voice, "I wrote it on the subject of the toad..." (Sustained applause followed by the Weasel Chief—it was he—in a high voice. A piercing voice sang: Toad came out to have fun, walked in the street, had a good time... The Badger straightened himself up, grasped the stick firmly with both paws, looked around at his companions, and cried out, "The time has come! Come with me!" and flung the door open.

Hey! What chirps, whoops and whoops filled the air! There's chaos inside the ballroom as the 4 heroes step into the ballroom in rage!And what if those terrified weasels would get under the table and hop frantically up the windowsill!Those ferrets who can still rush to the fireplace without madness, but are hopelessly crowded in the chimney!The tables and chairs could not be overturned, and the glass, pottery, cups and plates fell to the ground and shattered. The mighty Badger raised his mustache, and his great club whistled through the air; and the black and fierce Mole waved his stick, and uttered his terrible battle-cry: "I am the Mole! Here comes my mole!"

The Rat was desperate and determined, and his belt was full of weapons of all ages and styles; and the Toad, in a frenzy of excitement and wounded pride, twice his usual size, jumped into the air , making the croaking sound of a toad, scaring the enemy to the bone! "Toad is out for fun!" he cried. "I'm going to give 'em a good laugh!" he cried, heading straight for the weasel chief. There were no more than four of them, but to the weasels huddling together, it seemed like the whole hall was full of monsters, gray, black, brown, yellow, croaking, and waving huge sticks everywhere.Shrieking in horror and despair, they ran, ran, ran, ran, jumped windows, climbed chimneys, wherever they could avoid the dreadful sticks.

Things pass quickly. Four friends paced up and down the hall, banging any head out with their sticks; within five minutes the hall was empty.Through the shattered windows came softly the shrieks of the distraught weasels who had escaped across the grass; on the floor lay dozens of enemies, and the Mole was busy fitting them in proper handcuffs.Badger was busy, resting on a wooden stick, wiping his honest forehead. "Mole," he said, "you're a good man! Go out and find your weasel sentinels and see what they're doing. I think it's all thanks to you, they won't be giving us more tonight." What's the trouble!" The Mole sprang out of the window, and was out of sight in an instant; and the Badger bade the other two to rearrange a table, pick up knives, forks, good plates, and glasses from the debris on the floor, and see if they could get it right again. Find something for dinner. "I want to eat, I really need to eat," he said in his usual tone. "Come on, Toad, cheer up! We got your house back for you, and you won't even buy us a sandwich." Toad was very sorry that the Badger didn't say a pleasant word of kindness to him, as he did to the Mole, such as what a fellow he was, and how well he played; I feel particularly proud of having to fly across the table.But he was still busy, and so were the Rats, and they soon found a plate of guava jelly, a frozen chicken, an untouched ox tongue, some cakes, and a good deal of oyster salad; in the pantry There they found a basket of bagels, and a good deal of cheese, butter, and celery.They were about to sit down when the Mole crept in through the window, giggling, with a great bundle of long guns in his arms. "It's all over," he reported. "I found out that the weasels were already very nervous and frightened, and when they heard the screams, the shouts, and the uproar in the hall, some of them dropped their muskets and slipped away, and others stayed for a while, but all When they saw the weasels rushing at them, they thought they were betrayed. They seized the weasels, and the weasels struggled to get away, and the two sides writhed and writhed. Fighting and rolling, until most of them Rolled into the river! They fled one way or the other, and now they're all gone; and I've got their muskets. So it's all right!" "You are wonderful and deserve great praise!" said the Badger with his mouth full of chicken and cake. "Well, Mole, there is one more thing to ask you to do before you sit down to supper with us; Wish I could say that to everybody I know. I could send the Rat to do it, if he wasn't a poet. I want you to take the fellows upstairs and let them take a The bedroom is cleaned and made really nice. Ask them to sweep under the bed too, put a clean sheet and pillow case on the bed, and turn the comforter down at one end like you know you should do Look; also put a pot of hot water in each room, some clean towels and soap. And if you like, give 'em a beat up each, and make them go out the back door, I don't think we'll ever see them again .and you come back for some of this cold tongue. First class. I like you very much, Mole!" The good-natured Mole picked up a stick, and having his captives lined up on the floor, gave them a single order, "Quick--go!" and led his party upstairs at once. After a while he appeared again, smiling, and said that every room was ready and clean like a new house. "I don't have to beat 'em," he added. "I think, on the whole, they've had enough beatings tonight, and when I pointed that out to the weasels, they quite agreed with me, saying they didn't want to bother me any more. They regretted it very much, saying they Very sorry for what they've done, but it's all their chiefs and those weasels to blame, and if we ever need them for anything, just ask. So I gave them each a roll, Get them out the back, they're gone, as fast as you can!" Then the Mole drew his chair up to the table, and began to cut the cold tongue, while Toad, a gentleman, put aside all his jealousy, and said heartily, "My dear Mole, thank you from the bottom of my heart, For all your troubles and troubles tonight, and especially for your cleverness this morning!" The Badger was delighted to hear him, and said, "That's what our brave Toad said!" So they finished their supper with great joy and contentment, and immediately retired to rest between the clean sheets and covers.In the ancestral home of the Toad which they had retaken by unrivaled valor, perfect strategy, and the right use of the stick, they were now quite safe. The next morning Toad overslept again as usual, and went down to breakfast embarrassingly late, only to find some egg shells on the table, some cold hard toast crumbs, the coffee pot three-quarters empty, and nothing else. And there was really nothing; none of it made him feel better, for he thought that this was his home after all.Looking through the French windows of the dining-room he saw the Mole and the Rat sitting outside on wicker chairs in the lawn, apparently telling each other stories, laughing, kicking the air with their short legs up. Badger sat in his armchair, buried in the morning paper, and only nodded when Toad entered the room. Toad knew his temper, so he sat down to eat his breakfast as well as he could, and just said to himself that sooner or later he would have to settle with these people.When he was nearly finished, the Badger looked up and said very curtly, "I'm sorry, Toad, but I'm afraid you've got some heavy work to do this morning. You see, we really ought to have a party right away to celebrate it." thing. I hope you'll think about it—it's a rule, actually." "Oh, a word!" blurted Toad. "What do you say and do. I don't understand why you have a party in the morning, though. But you know I don't live to make myself happy, but to know what my friends want, and to try to They arrange, you dear old Badger!" "Don't be stupid," replied the Badger angrily. "And don't giggle when you're talking, it's impolite to spill your saliva in your coffee. I mean, of course the party is going to be in the evening, but the invitations have to be written and sent out right away, and you've got to Write. Well, go and sit down at that table--there are some stacks of paper on it, with the words 'Toad Manor' in blue and gold on the top--you write to all our friends one by one, As long as you keep writing, we can send it out before lunch. I can also help share your work. I will order food." "What!" cried Toad. "Such a fine morning, I'm going to walk around my estate, get everything and everyone in order, walk around, admire and admire, and shut me up and write A lot of goddam letters! Of course not! I'll... See you... But wait! Oh, of course, dear Badger! I'm more than happy and fit to do it! You want it to be done, I will definitely do it. Go, old badger, go and order food, order whatever you like, and then talk and laugh with our two young friends outside, forget about me, my troubles and writing letters .I will sacrifice this fine morning to duty and friendship!" The Badger looked at him very suspiciously, but seeing Toad's candid countenance it was difficult to suspect any ill motive for this change of attitude.He then went out of the room to the kitchen. No sooner had he gone than the door closed when Toad hurried to the writing-table.He already had a good idea when he spoke.He will write an invitation letter, and he must not forget to mention his leadership in the battle, how he defeated the weasel leader; he will hint at his adventures, and what kind of victories he has to write about; There was also a list of entertainment programs for the evening party to be written-the program sketched out in his mind was roughly like this: Speeches...Toads (Several speeches in the evening, and the speakers are all toads.) Speech...Toads Summary—Our Prison System—Waterways in Old England—Horse Deals, How to Pay— The estate, its rights and duties—return to the ancestral home—a typical English gentleman. Singing... Toad (I composed the music.) Other songs...? Toad sang during the party, sung by the composer himself. The idea delighted him so much that he worked so hard that all the letters of invitation were written by noon when he was informed that a little ragged little weasel was waiting at the door and timidly asked him if he could Do me a favor, gentlemen. Toad walked out swaggeringly, seeing that he was one of the captives last night, he was very respectful and eager to please. Toad patted him on the head, and thrust a bundle of invitations into his paws, and told him to cut them all in by the shortest way, as soon as possible, and if he would come back in the evening, he might have a shilling for him. , or, perhaps not again; the poor weasel seemed genuinely grateful, and hurried off, eager to complete his mission. When the other animals came home to lunch, happy and lighthearted after a morning on the river, the Mole, feeling a little uneasy, looked at Toad suspiciously, to see if he was unhappy or downcast. .No, he was so domineering and conceited that the Mole could not help wondering what was the matter, when the Rat and the Badger exchanged a meaningful look. As soon as the lunch was over, the Toad stuck his two paws deep into the pockets of his trousers, and said casually, "Well, please do what you want, fellows! Take whatever you want!" As he spoke, he swaggered off to the garden outside, where he might think of an idea or two for his future speech, when the Rat grabbed him by the arm. Suspicious of what he was about, Toad tried to slip away, but when the Badger took his other arm firmly, he began to see that the trick was over.Holding him between the two animals, they led him into the small smoking room facing the porch, closed the door, and sat him down in a chair.Then the two of them stood before him. Toad sat there in silence, looking at them with great suspicion and melancholy. "Well, listen to me, Toad," said the Rat, "I'm going to talk about this feast, and I'm sorry I have to talk to you like that. But we want you to understand that, in a word, there was no Speech, and no singing. Please try to listen clearly, we are not discussing this matter with you, but inform you." Toad saw that he had nowhere to go.They understood his mind, saw through him, and walked in front of him.His dream was shattered. "Can't I just sing a little tune to everyone?" he begged. "No, and no ditties," said the Rat firmly, though he was sorry to see the quivering lips of the disappointed poor Toad. "It does no good, toad; you know very well that your songs can only be boastful and vanity; your speeches can only be boastful and... And...well, exaggeration and...and..." "And bragging. ' added the Badger in his usual tone. "It's for your own good, Toad," went on the Rat. "You know, too, that sooner or later you will have to turn a new leaf, and now it seems that the great moment is about to begin; this is the turning point of your life. Please don't think that I feel any worse than you when I say all these things." Toad continued to ponder for a long time.Finally he looked up, and an expression of extraordinary excitement could be seen on his face. "You have convinced me, my friends," he broke out excitedly. "To tell you the truth, I was only asking for one little thing... just to make another evening lively and comfortable, to make me laugh and hear the applause, and it always seemed to me... somehow ...showing the best of me. Anyway, I know you were right and I was wrong. I will be a different toad from now on. My friends, you will never again I'm blushing. But, my God, my God, what a harsh world it is!" He covered his face with his handkerchief and staggered out of the room. "Badger," said the Rat, "I think I'm cruel; I don't know what you think?" "Oh, I know, I know," said the Badger sullenly, "but it's got to be done. The good fellow is still here to live, to live, and to be respected. You'll make him a laughing stock, a Weasel Rats and weasels mocking and mocking?" "Of course not," said the Rat. "As for the weasels, it was a good thing we ran into the little weasel just as he was going to send out Toad's invitation. After hearing what you told me, I wondered what was the matter, so I looked at a picture or two; they were a shame. I confiscated all the letters, and the good Mole is now sitting in the blue boudoir filling out the simple invitations." The time for the banquet finally drew near. Toad left them all, and went back to his bedroom, where he still sat there morosely, thinking.He rested his brow with one paw, and thought for a long time. His facial expression gradually brightened, and he began to smile slowly and for a long time.Then he giggled sheepishly and coyly. At last he got up, locked the door, drew the curtains, formed a semicircle around all the chairs in the room, and stood in front of them, visibly poised. Then he bowed, coughed twice, and sang to the ecstatic audience what he imagined to be so clear: Toad's last ditty Toad - back home! Chaos in the parlour, din in the hall, yelling in the cowshed, squealing from the stables, and the toad is—going—home! Toad - back - home! The windows were banging, the doors were cracking, the weasel fled here and there, passed out on the ground, and the toad—back—home! Boom boom boom!The drums are on! The trumpeter blows the horn, the soldiers salute, the cannons rumble, the car horns beep, it's - the hero - back! Everyone cheers - hooray!Woo! Let the crowd shout as loudly as they want, and cheer as much as they want, for an animal, and be proud of him, for this great day belongs to--Toad! He sang the piece very loudly, with enthusiasm and expression, and he sang it all over and started all over again. Then he sighed deeply, a long, long, long breath. Then he dipped his hair-brush in the kettle, parted the hair in the middle, and brushed it straight and smooth over the sides of his face; then he unlocked and opened the door, and went downstairs quietly to meet his guests, whom he knew they must Already gathered in the living room. When he went in, all the animals cheered, and crowded round him to congratulate him, and praise him for his bravery, his cleverness, and his good fight; but the Toad just smiled flatly, and grunted, "Nothing!" Or sometimes to put it another way :"exactly the opposite!" The Otter, standing on the hearth-rug, was describing to an admiring friend what he would have done if he had been there, and when he saw him, came forward with a cry of joy, embraced him by the neck, and tried to draw him triumphantly round the room; But the Toad kindly stopped him, and, breaking free, said softly, "It was the Badger's idea; it was the Mole and the Rat who took the brunt of the fight; I just followed them, and did little or nothing." .” The animals were evidently puzzled and taken aback by his unexpected manner; and Toad felt that everyone was interested in him as he passed from one visitor to the next, making his modest reply. . The Badger ordered all the best things, and the party was a great success.There was a lot of laughter among the animals, and some jesting, but all the while Toad sat in his chair, looking down at the tip of his nose, and grunting pleasant words of kindness to the animals on either side of him.Occasionally he stole a peek at the Badger and the Rat, but when he did they always looked at each other with their mouths open: this gave him the greatest satisfaction. As the party went on, some of the young and lively animals chattered among themselves, saying it was not as much fun as the ones they used to attend; and sometimes someone rapped on the table and cried, "Toad! Speak! Toad Speak! Sing! Mr. Toad Sing!" But the Toad just shook his head a little, and raised one paw in a gentle sign that he would neither speak nor sing.He invited the guests to eat, said a few words about current affairs, and sincerely asked the guests how their children who were not yet socialized were doing, all of which made the guests feel that the dinner was held in a strictly formal manner. Toad has indeed changed! After this climax, the four animals went on happily to live their lives, which had been brutally shattered by the Civil War, and were never disturbed by disturbance or aggression. Toad, after consulting some of his friends, selected a beautiful gold necklace with a gold box set with pearls at the bottom, and gave them to the jailer's daughter, enclosing a letter which even the Badger would not have read. Acknowledgment that the letter was well written, expressing thanks, and well written; and thanking the engine driver well for having caused him so much suffering and giving him so much trouble. Under the coercion of the badger, even the woman in the big wooden boat was found with great difficulty, and her horse thoughtfully compensated; Spotted spots, fate sent him to punish her.The compensation for the horses cost little, and the local valuer thought the price the gypsies gave was generally good. On long summer nights, friends sometimes walked together in the primeval forest, and it seemed to them that the wild forest was not at all wild; Mother took their children to their hole, and pointing to them, said, "Look, little boy! There is the great Mr. Toad! And by his side walks the brave Rat, a fearsome fighter! Over there It's the famous Mr. Mole, of whom your father has said enough!" When their children lose their temper and are disobedient, just tell them that if they are naughty again, the terrible gray badger will come and catch them, and they will obediently ring. It was an unwarranted slander on the Badger, for, though he had little company, he was very fond of children; but he never spoke of them without great success. 【Finish】