Ветер в ивах

           Butifyouwillbemixedupwiththem—asyougenerallyare,fiveminutesafteryou’vestarted—whystealthem?Beacripple,ifyouthinkit’sexciting;beabankrupt,forachange,ifyou’vesetyourmindonit:butwhychoosetobeaconvict?Whenareyougoingtobesensibleandthinkofyourfriends,andtryandbeacredittothem?Doyousupposeit’sanypleasuretome,forinstance,tohearanimalssaying,asIgoabout,thatI’mthechapthatkeepscompanywithgaol-birds?"

           Now,itwasaverycomfortingpointinToad’scharacterthathewasathoroughlygood-heartedanimal,andnevermindedbeingjawedbythosewhowerehisrealfriends.Andevenwhenmostsetuponathing,hewasalwaysabletoseetheothersideofthequestion.Soalthough,whiletheRatwastalkingsoseriously,hekeptsayingtohimselfmutinously,"Butitwasfun,though!Awfulfun!"andmakingstrangesuppressednoisesinsidehim,k-i-ck-ck-ck,andpoop-p-p,andothersoundsresemblingstifledsnorts,ortheopeningofsoda-waterbottles,yetwhentheRathadquitefinished,heheavedadeepsighandsaid,verynicelyandhumbly,"Quiteright,Ratty!Howsoundyoualwaysare!Yes,I’vebeenaconceitedoldass,Icanquiteseethat;butnowI’mgoingtobeagoodToad,andnotdoitanymore.Asformotor-cars,I’venotbeenatallsokeenaboutthemsincemylastduckinginthatriverofyours.