Ветер в ивах

           Home!Thatwaswhattheymeant,thosecaressingappeals,thosesofttoucheswaftedthroughtheair,thoseinvisiblelittlehandspullingandtugging,alloneway!Why,itmustbequiteclosebyhimatthatmoment,hisoldhomethathehadhurriedlyforsakenandneversoughtagain,thatdaywhenhefirstfoundtheRiver!Andnowitwassendingoutitsscoutsanditsmessengerstocapturehimandbringhimin.Sincehisescapeonthatbrightmorninghehadhardlygivenitathought,soabsorbedhadhebeeninhisnewlife,inallitspleasures,itssurprises,itsfreshandcaptivatingexperiences.Now,witharushofoldmemories,howclearlyitstoodupbeforehim,inthedarkness!Shabbyindeed,andsmallandpoorlyfurnished,andyethis,thehomehehadmadeforhimself,thehomehehadbeensohappytogetbacktoafterhisday’swork.Andthehomehadbeenhappywithhim,too,evidently,andwasmissinghim,andwantedhimback,andwastellinghimso,throughhisnose,sorrowfully,reproachfully,butwithnobitternessoranger;onlywithplaintivereminderthatitwasthere,andwantedhim.

           Thecallwasclear,thesummonswasplain.Hemustobeyitinstantly,andgo."Ratty!"hecalled,fullofjoyfulexcitement,"holdon!Comeback!Iwantyou,quick!"

           "Oh,comealong,Mole,do!"repliedtheRatcheerfully,stillploddingalong.

           "Pleasestop,Ratty!"pleadedthepoorMole,inanguishofheart.