第三章蛤蟆

supper /rat /gradually /sat /eventually /asleep /tone /advertisement /qualified /clients /...

在Mole的印象中，Toad Hall是一个雄伟壮观的绅士官邸，可如今这里已是一派破落的景象。惶恐不安的Mole两次按下门铃，但屋内却无人应声，于是他走向房子后门，趴在厨房窗户前向里打探。突然，Mole发现了埋在一大堆衣服下的Toad。Toad神色暗淡、打扮邋遢，看起来极为悲伤，精神状态很不好。返程的路上，Mole回想起Toad这些年的光鲜和活力，意识到Toad现在脏兮兮的样子背后，是精神和内心经历的重大变化......

- Counseling For Toads -

Later that night after their

supper(蔬饭)，Rat and Mole were

sitting in front of a glowing(热的)

fire,toasting(烘热) their toes(帮址)

and sipping(小口) mugs(大) of hot

toddy（香甜热活)。

Mole had, of course,told Rat all

about Toad and how he had found

him.

Since then the two friends had

talked of nothing else. There was

much “tut-tutting(啧啧)’ and ‘What

can we do?' and "What can have

caused it?"

Gradually(逐渐地 their conversation

petered out as each animal sat

staring into the fire, thinking his

own thoughts.

Eventually(终于) Rat picked up the

local weekly paper and thumbed

through it in a desultory(无园的的)

sort of way. Mole was half asleep

when, suddenly Rat sat bolt

upright.

'Mole, listen to this!' he said in a

commanding manner.

Oh Ratty, you're not going through

the small ads(小广告) again,are

you?' said Mole sleepily(地睡地).

Rat loved to see what bargains(便宜

货) there were to be had, although

he rarely found one.

“Be quiet,' said Rat in an unusually

stern(产厉的)tone(语调).'Listen.

Then he proceeded to read out the

following advertisement(广告) from

the Bankside Bugle(号角).

"A qualified(有资格的） counsellor(咨询

f1 is now able to receive new

clients(客户). Animals who have

personal problems which are

causing them unhappiness(悲伤) or

distress(焦虑) may care(想要) to make

an appointment. Telephone(打电话）

Heronry 576."

“Well,' said the Mole,who had not

been listening very attentively(专心

地,'so what?"

‘You perverse(任性的) and foolish(愚意

的) animal,' said the Rat, not for the

first time. 'Don't you see? This

could help poor Toady!"

Mole was by now fully(完全地)

awake(報着的). ‘Surely you are not

saying that Toad is in distress,are

you? It's probably just a stomach

upset(疑胃不适). You know how Toad

likes his food. And drink.'

It must be admitted that Toad

could sometimes ‘overdor....值得过

头) things, as he called it,and had

been known to drink more than

was good for him,

Rat and Mole rarely had more than

a dry(无甜味的)sherry(雪利酒) or a

glass of beer(e) and took a

puritanical(道德级严格的) view of

Toad's occasional(偶尔的)bender饮酒

狂欢)，

'No,'said RatAlthough I don't

claim to understand these things,

being 

myself a simple and

uncomplicated(单的) creature.

(Here Mole coughed(tg and

spluttered((海场沫)into his mug(马克

杯) and said it had gone down the

wrong way.)

'But,' the Rat continued, 'I am very

worried about Toad, and I propose

that you and I visit him tomorrow.

I am worried that he might do

something silly(便的).

Although the Rat did not explain

exactly what he meant by these

words,both animals exchanged(交

换)anxious(不安的)looks(银神).

What's more, I think we should

show Toad this advertisement

about counselling(心理咨询) and

make him go.

'Do you think he would?' asked

Mole. After all, he can be a very

self-willed(圖执的) and stubborn(偏强

的) animal with a mind of his own,

"You're quite right,'agreed the Rat.

'But if he is in the state of mind

that you say he is, he will be putty

in our hands!"

With that, both animals retired(t

) to their beds, full of

apprehension(te) about the

morrow(登日) and wondering how

Toad would respond to their plan

of help. For help him they would,

whether he liked it or not.

And so it was that on the next

morning, after breakfast, Mole

found himself once again hurrying

along the path to Toad Hall, this

time accompanied(由..培词) by the

Rat.

As they walked, they discussed yet

again Toad's unhappy situation and

what might have caused it and

how they would help him.

Rat carried the newspaper which

contained the announcement(广告)

about counselling, although Mole

had already memorised(记住) the

telephone number(电话号码).

Suddenly, a deep(低沉的) voice

somewhere to their left boomed

out, 'Ratty, my dear little man. And

Moley What are you two doing

here?"

Mole almost jumped out of his

skin, but Rat said, 'Ir's only Badger,

and as they peered(仔编) into the

wood on their left, the striped(有条

纹的) head and then the rest of

Badger appeared.

Well Badger' said the Rat, what a

surprise! I thought you would be at

home slee—' He stopped in mid-

sentence(一半). 'I mean, working

"So I was,' said Badger, "but I have

some work to do here.

‘In fact, it concerns a planning

application(建禁申请) and as I am a

member of the District Council(区议

会)，(Badger spoke these words in

capital letters(大写字母)) 'I thought I

would walk over and examine the

matter personally.

He then said in his kindly way, 'But

what are you doing here? You are

both looking very serious.

There was a clearing(林中空地) in the

woods and the three animals sat

down and Mole, helped by Rat,

told Badger the sorry tale(故事) of

Toad and the state in which Mole

had found him and how, even at

this minute, they were on their

way to help that unhappy animal.

Badger looked grim(阴沉的)。

'I am not in the least surprised,' he

said. It does not behove one to 

criticise(杜伴) one's friends,but

(Mole had been waiting for this

"bur') I have seen this coming for a

long time.

Toad, although he has many

excellent qualities which I need no

elaborate(i详尽阐述) here, is

essentially a weak and unstabler情

拓易变的 animal.

'Bercft of his friends, who in the

past have given him such good

advice and told him precisely(明确

地 what he should do, he has let

himself go and given way to silly

and morbid(病态的) thoughts.

'I shall therefore accompany you

on your errand of mercy. He must

be told. in no uncertain manner. to

pull himself together!'

Mole and Rat were heartened(被鼓

s) by Badger's positive(积信的

manner and determination and

together the three comrades(同件),

arm-in-arm with Badger in the

middle,walked purposefully(标明

n地) towards Toad Hall

Fortunate Toad! Help was on the

Way.