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The Return of Ulysses
Therewasmuchtalkingandlaughterandchaffamongtheanimals,butthroughitallToad,whoofcoursewasinthechair,lookeddownhisnoseandmurmuredpleasantnothingstotheanimalsoneithersideofhim.AtintervalshestoleaglanceattheBadgerandtheRat,andalwayswhenhelookedtheywerestaringateachotherwiththeirmouthsopen;andthisgavehimthegreatestsatisfaction.Someoftheyoungerandlivelieranimals,astheeveningworeon,gotwhisperingtoeachotherthatthingswerenotsoamusingastheyusedtobeinthegoodolddays;andthereweresomeknockingsonthetableandcriesof"Toad!Speech!SpeechfromToad!Song!Mr.Toad’ssong!"ButToadonlyshookhisheadgently,raisedonepawinmildprotest,and,bypressingdelicaciesonhisguests,bytopicalsmall-talk,andbyearnestinquiriesaftermembersoftheirfamiliesnotyetoldenoughtoappearatsocialfunctions,managedtoconveytothemthatthisdinnerwasbeingrunonstrictlyconventionallines.
HewasindeedanalteredToad!
Afterthisclimax,thefouranimalscontinuedtoleadtheirlives,sorudelybrokeninuponbycivilwar,ingreatjoyandcontentment,undisturbedbyfurtherrisingsorinvasions.
