TOM WILDCAT INVITES DOCTOR RABBIT TO DINNER

While Doctor Rabbit and busy Blue Jay were talking, Doctor Rabbit said suddenly, “Sh! keep still; there he is now!” And sure enough, there was Tom Wildcat just a little way off near a stump¹, where he had pounced² upon an unfortunate mouse that happened to be passing that way, and gobbled him up.

Tom Wildcat did not know there was anyone around, so he smacked³ his lips and smiled very broadly. It was only a small breakfast—in fact, just about enough for dessert for greedy Tom, but he never was particular; he would just as soon eat his dessert first as not. Indeed, I think he’d a little rather.

And now Tom came slipping along and[Pg 35] looking for some signs of Doctor Rabbit. Then he happened to glance up and saw Doctor Rabbit looking from the upstairs window.

“Why, good morning, Doctor Rabbit!” he said in his most pleasing, company voice, just as if nothing had happened.

“Good morning to you, Tom.” Doctor Rabbit said it as pleasantly as if he and Tom were the best of friends.

“It’s a fine morning,” wily Tom said, looking up and smiling; but all the while he was chuckling⁴ inwardly.

“It’s a beautiful morning, just splendid. And I never saw you looking so fine,” Doctor Rabbit said.

Well, sir, Tom Wildcat was actually deceived when Doctor Rabbit told him he looked so fine. He is such a vain fellow he believes anybody who tells him he is good-looking. That’s one[Pg 36] thing Tom Wildcat will always believe, because he wants to believe it.

But he was not one bit deceived about anything else, for he remembered his recent experience in the hole.

Because old Tom is always trying to deceive others, naturally he sometimes deceives himself. He thought that by acting⁵ kind and polite to Doctor Rabbit he might fool him, and so get him for dinner. And it made his mouth water to look at Doctor Rabbit and think what a fine dinner he would make.

So he said gaily⁶, “Well, we’ve had quite a good deal of fun lately; and ha, ha, ha! I’ve enjoyed it as much as anyone. In fact, I really like jokes, and I like you now better than ever, Doctor Rabbit. You’re the smartest and most sociable⁷ person in the woods. Do come over to my house and take dinner with[Pg 37] me. I’m going to have the loveliest green peas, and beans, and lettuce⁸, and ever so many more of the sweetest vegetables you ever tasted!”

1 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

2 pounced   

v.突然袭击( pounce的过去式和过去分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击）

参考例句：

• As soon as I opened my mouth, the teacher pounced on me. 我一张嘴就被老师抓住呵斥了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The police pounced upon the thief. 警察向小偷扑了过去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 smacked   

拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He smacked his lips but did not utter a word. 他吧嗒两下嘴，一声也不言语。
• She smacked a child's bottom. 她打孩子的屁股。

4 chuckling   

轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him chuckling to himself as he read his book. 他看书时，我能听见他的轻声发笑。
• He couldn't help chuckling aloud. 他忍不住的笑了出来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

7 sociable   

adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的

参考例句：

• Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
• Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。

8 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。