Ветер в ивах

           "Whathour?"askedtheRatuneasily,glancingattheclockonthemantelpiece.

           "Whosehour,youshouldrathersay,"repliedtheBadger."Why,Toad’shour!ThehourofToad!IsaidIwouldtakehiminhandassoonasthewinterwaswellover,andI’mgoingtotakehiminhandto-day!"

           "Toad’shour,ofcourse!"criedtheMoledelightedly."Hooray!Iremembernow!We’llteachhimtobeasensibleToad!"

           "Thisverymorning,"continuedtheBadger,takinganarm-chair,"asIlearntlastnightfromatrustworthysource,anothernewandexceptionallypowerfulmotor-carwillarriveatToadHallonapprovalorreturn.Atthisverymoment,perhaps,Toadisbusyarrayinghimselfinthosesingularlyhideoushabilimentssodeartohim,whichtransformhimfroma(comparatively)good-lookingToadintoanObjectwhichthrowsanydecent-mindedanimalthatcomesacrossitintoaviolentfit.Wemustbeupanddoing,ereitistoolate.YoutwoanimalswillaccompanymeinstantlytoToadHall,andtheworkofrescueshallbeaccomplished."

           "Rightyouare!"criedtheRat,startingup."We’llrescuethepoorunhappyanimal!We’llconverthim!He’llbethemostconvertedToadthateverwasbeforewe’vedonewithhim!"

           Theysetoffuptheroadontheirmissionofmercy,Badgerleadingtheway.