Ветер в ивах
“Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears”
"I’vebeenthroughsuchtimessinceIsawyoulast,youcan’tthink!Suchtrials,suchsufferings,andallsonoblyborne!Thensuchescapes,suchdisguises,suchsubterfuges,andallsocleverlyplannedandcarriedout!Beeninprison—gotoutofit,ofcourse!Beenthrownintoacanal—swamashore!Stoleahorse—soldhimforalargesumofmoney!Humbuggedeverybody—made’emalldoexactlywhatIwanted!Oh,IamasmartToad,andnomistake!Whatdoyouthinkmylastexploitwas?JustholdontillItellyou—"
"Toad,"saidtheWaterRat,gravelyandfirmly,"yougooffupstairsatonce,andtakeoffthatoldcottonragthatlooksasifitmightformerlyhavebelongedtosomewasherwoman,andcleanyourselfthoroughly,andputonsomeofmyclothes,andtryandcomedownlookinglikeagentlemanifyoucan;foramoreshabby,bedraggled,disreputable-lookingobjectthanyouareIneverseteyesoninmywholelife!Now,stopswaggeringandarguing,andbeoff!I’llhavesomethingtosaytoyoulater!"
Toadwasatfirstinclinedtostopanddosometalkingbackathim.Hehadhadenoughofbeingorderedaboutwhenhewasinprison,andherewasthethingbeingbegunalloveragain,apparently;andbyaRat,too!However,hecaughtsightofhimselfinthelooking-glassoverthehat-stand,withtherustyblackbonnetperchedrakishlyoveroneeye,andhechangedhismindandwentveryquicklyandhumblyupstairstotheRat’sdressing-room.
