Вітер у вербах

           Outside,hestoppedtoconsider.Theothertwowerefaraway,andhehadnoonetoconsult.

           "It’sbesttobeonthesafeside,"hesaid,onreflection."I’veknownToadfancyhimselffrightfullybadbefore,withouttheslightestreason;butI’veneverheardhimaskforalawyer!Ifthere’snothingreallythematter,thedoctorwilltellhimhe’sanoldass,andcheerhimup;andthatwillbesomethinggained.I’dbetterhumourhimandgo;itwon’ttakeverylong."Soheranofftothevillageonhiserrandofmercy.

           TheToad,whohadhoppedlightlyoutofbedassoonasheheardthekeyturnedinthelock,watchedhimeagerlyfromthewindowtillhedisappeareddownthecarriage-drive.Then,laughingheartily,hedressedasquicklyaspossibleinthesmartestsuithecouldlayhandsonatthemoment,filledhispocketswithcashwhichhetookfromasmalldrawerinthedressing-table,andnext,knottingthesheetsfromhisbedtogetherandtyingoneendoftheimprovisedroperoundthecentralmullionofthehandsomeTudorwindowwhichformedsuchafeatureofhisbedroom,hescrambledout,slidlightlytotheground,and,takingtheoppositedirectiontotheRat,marchedofflight-heartedly,whistlingamerrytune.

           ItwasagloomyluncheonforRatwhentheBadgerandtheMoleatlengthreturned,andhehadtofacethemattablewithhispitifulandunconvincingstory.