the original peter rabbit books([1].波特文集)-第14节
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〃Yes； indeed； my dear Ribby； where can it have gone to？〃 said
Duchess。
〃There most certainly is not one； my dear Duchess。 I disapprove of tin
articles in puddings and pies。 It is most undesirable（especially when
people swallow in lumps！）〃 she added in a lower voice。
Duchess looked very much alarmed； and continued to scoop the
inside of the pie…dish。
〃My Great…aunt Squintina （grandmother of Cousin Tabitha Twitchit）
died of a thimble in a Christmas plum…pudding。 _I_ never put any article
of metal in MY puddings or pies。〃
Duchess looked aghast； and tilted up the pie…dish。
〃I have only four patty…pans； and they are all in the cupboard。〃
Duchess set up a howl。
〃I shall die！ I shall die！ I have swallowed a patty…pan！ Oh； my dear
Ribby； I do feel so ill！〃
〃It is impossible； my dear Duchess； there was not a patty…pan。〃
Duchess moaned and whined and rocked herself about。
〃Oh I feel so dreadful。 I have swallowed a patty…pan！〃
〃There was NOTHING in the pie；〃 said Ribby severely。
〃Yes there WAS； my dear Ribby； I am sure I have swallowed it！〃
〃Let me prop you up with a pillow； my dear Duchess； where do you
think you feel it？〃
〃Oh I do feel so ill ALL OVER me； my dear Ribby； I have swallowed
a large tin patty…pan with a sharp scalloped edge！〃
〃Shall I run for the doctor？ I will just lock up the spoons！〃
〃Oh yes； yes！ fetch Dr。 Maggotty； my dear Ribby： he is a Pie himself；
he will certainly understand。〃
Ribby settled Duchess in an armchair before the fire； and went out and
hurried to the village to look for the doctor。
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She found him at the smithy。
He was occupied in putting rusty
nails into a bottle of ink； which he had obtained at the post office。
〃Gammon？ ha！ HA！〃 said he； with his head on one side。
Ribby explained that her guest had swallowed a patty…pan。
〃Spinach？ ha！ HA！〃 said he； and accompanied her with alacrity。
He hopped so fast that Ribby had to run。 It was most conspicuous。
All the village could see that Ribby was fetching the doctor。
〃I KNEW they would over…eat themselves！〃 said Cousin Tabitha
Twitchit。
But while Ribby had been hunting for the doctora curious thing had
happened to Duchess； who had been left by herself； sitting before the fire；
sighing and groaning and feeling very unhappy。
〃How COULD I have swallowed it！ such a large thing as a patty…pan！〃
She got up and went to the table； and felt inside the pie…dish again with
a spoon。
〃No； there is no patty…pan； and I put one in； and nobody has eaten pie
except me； so I must have swallowed it！〃
She sat down again； and stared mournfully at the grate。 The fire
crackled and danced； and something sizz…z…zled！
Duchess started！ She opened the door of the TOP oven；out came a
rich steamy flavour of veal and ham； and there stood a fine brown pie；
and through a hole in the top of the pie…crust there was a glimpse of a little
tin patty…pan！
Duchess drew a long breath
〃Then I must have been eating MOUSE！ 。 。 。 NO wonder I feel ill。 。 。 。
But perhaps I should feel worse if I had really swallowed a patty… pan！〃
Duchess reflected〃What a very awkward thing to have to explain to
Ribby！ I think
I will put my pie in the back…yard and say nothing about it。 When I go
home； I will run round and take it away。〃 She put it outside the back…door；
and sat down again by the fire； and shut her eyes； when Ribby arrived with
the doctor； she seemed fast asleep。
〃Gammon； ha； HA？〃 said the doctor。
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〃I am feeling very much better；〃 said Duchess； waking up with a jump。
〃I am truly glad to hear it！〃 He has brought you a pill； my dear
Duchess！〃
〃I think I should feel QUITE well if he only felt my pulse；〃 said
Duchess； backing away from the magpie； who sidled up with something in
his beak。
〃It is only a bread pill； you had much better take it； drink a little milk；
my dear Duchess！〃
〃Gammon？ Gammon？〃 said the doctor； while Duchess coughed and
choked。
〃Don't say that again！〃 said Ribby； losing her temper〃Here； take this
bread and jam； and get out into the yard！〃
〃Gammon and spinach！ ha ha HA！〃 shouted Dr。 Maggotty
triumphantly outside the back door。
〃I am feeling very much better； my dear Ribby；〃 said Duchess。 〃Do
you not think that I had better go home before it gets dark？〃
〃Perhaps it might be wise； my dear Duchess。 I will lend you a nice
warm shawl； and you shall take my arm。〃
〃I would not trouble you for worlds； I feel wonderfully better。 One pill
of Dr。 Maggotty〃
〃Indeed it is most admirable； if it has cured you of a patty…pan！ I will
call directly after breakfast to ask how you have slept。〃
Ribby and Duchess said good… bye affectionately； and Duchess
started home。 Half…way up the lane she stopped and looked back； Ribby
had gone in and shut her door。 Duchess slipped through the fence； and ran
round to the back of Ribby's house； and peeped into the yard。
Upon the roof of the pig…stye sat Dr。 Maggotty and three jackdaws。
The jackdaws were eating pie… crust； and the magpie was drinking gravy
out of a patty…pan。
〃Gammon； ha； HA！〃 he shouted when he saw Duchess's little black
nose peeping round the corner。
Duchess ran home feeling uncommonly silly！
When Ribby came out for a pailful of water to wash up the tea… things；
she found a pink and white pie…dish lying smashed in the middle of the
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yard。 The patty…pan was under the pump； where Dr Maggotty had
considerately left it。
Ribby stared with amazement 〃Did you ever see the like！ so there
really WAS a patty…pan？ 。 。 。 。 But my patty…pans are all in the kitchen
cupboard。 Well I never did！ 。 。 。 。 Next time I want to give a party I will
invite Cousin Tabitha Twitchit！〃
THE END
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THE TALE OF JEMIMA
PUDDLE…DUCK A FARMYARD
TALE
FOR RALPH AND BETSY
WHAT a funny sight it is to see a brood of ducklings with a hen！
Listen to the story of Jemima Puddle…duck； who was annoyed because the
farmer's wife would not let her hatch her own eggs。
HER sister…in…law； Mrs。 Rebeccah Puddle…duck； was perfectly willing
to leave the hatching to some one else 〃I have not the patience to sit on a
nest for twenty…eight days； and no more have you； Jemima。 You would let
them go cold； you know you would！〃
〃I wish to hatch my own eggs； I will hatch them all by myself；〃
quacked Jemima Puddle…duck。
SHE tried to hide her eggs； but they were always found and carried
off。
Jemima Puddle…duck became quite desperate。 She determined to make
a nest right away from the farm。
SHE set off on a fine spring afternoon along the cart… road that leads
over the hill。
She was wearing a shawl and a poke bonnet。
WHEN she reached the top of the hill； she saw a wood in the distance。
She thought that it looked a safe quiet spot。
JEMIMA PUDDLE…DUCK was not much in the habit of flying。 She
ran downhill a few yards flapping her shawl； and then she jumped off into
the air。
SHE flew beautifully when she had got a good start。
She skimmed along over the tree…tops until she saw an open place in
the middle of the wood； where the trees and brushwood had been cleared。
JEMIMA alighted rather heavily； and began to waddle about in search
of a convenient dry nesting…place。 She rather fancied a tree…stump amongst
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some tall fox…gloves。
Butseated upon the stump； she was startled to find an elegantly
dressed gentleman readin
