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The Open Road
Thehardworkhadallbeendone,andthetwoanimalswereresting,thoroughlyexhausted,bythetimeToadappearedonthescene,freshandgay,remarkingwhatapleasant,easylifeitwastheywereallleadingnow,afterthecaresandworriesandfatiguesofhousekeepingathome.
Theyhadapleasantramblethatdayovergrassydownsandalongnarrowby-lanes,andcamped,asbefore,onacommon,onlythistimethetwogueststookcarethatToadshoulddohisfairshareofwork.Inconsequence,whenthetimecameforstartingnextmorning,Toadwasbynomeanssorapturousaboutthesimplicityoftheprimitivelife,andindeedattemptedtoresumehisplaceinhisbunk,whencehewashauledbyforce.Theirwaylay,asbefore,acrosscountrybynarrowlanes,anditwasnottilltheafternoonthattheycameoutonthehigh-road,theirfirsthigh-road;andtheredisaster,fleetandunforeseen,sprangoutonthem—disastermomentousindeedtotheirexpedition,butsimplyoverwhelminginitseffectontheaftercareerofToad.
