XIX CAREFUL MR. FROG

 Somebody had knocked. And with a wide smile upon his face Mr. Ferdinand Frog, the tailor, went to his door and peeped out.

 

One look was enough. He shut the door again with great haste and barred it. And he held one hand over his heart, as if he had just received a terrible fright.

 

"Let me in!" somebody called. The tailor knew that it was Timothy Turtle's voice, for he had seen that crusty old person standing¹ upon his doorstep.

 

"Go away!" Mr. Frog replied. "I'm not here."p. 92

 

He was an odd chap—this Ferdinand Frog. One never could tell what he was going to do—or say.

 

"Yes, you are!" Timothy Turtle insisted. "I saw you only a moment ago."

 

The tailor then peered out of the window at his caller.

 

"There you are now!" Timothy shouted, as he caught sight of Mr. Frog. "I say, let me in!"

 

"I can't," Mr. Frog answered. "I'm sick a-bed."

 

"Nonsense!" Timothy cried.

 

"Well, I expect I'll be ill if you don't go away," the tailor answered. "I'm having a nervous chill this very moment."

 

He was afraid of Timothy Turtle. And it was no wonder. For Timothy had tried, more than once to make a meal of the nimble Mr. Frog.

 

"I haven't come here to hurt you,"p. 93 Timothy Turtle explained, trying to smile at the face in the window. "I want you to make me a new coat—a big one that will cover my back all over."

 

To his great disappointment Mr. Frog shook his head with great force.

 

"I'm not interested," he announced.

 

"Do you mean"—Timothy Turtle faltered—"do you mean that you won't make a coat for me?"

 

"Exactly!"

 

"Why?" Timothy pressed him.

 

"Too busy!" was Mr. Frog's answer.

 

"Who is?"

 

"You are!" said Mr. Frog. "Ever since I've known you, you've been trying to catch me and my friends."

 

"Why—er—I was only joking," Timothy Turtle told him. "You mustn't mind my playful ways. Just make me a coat and I'll do something handsome for you."p. 94

 

It was now the tailor's turn to ask questions.

 

"What"—he inquired—"what will you do?"

 

"I couldn't just say at this moment," Timothy replied.

 

"Why not?"

 

"Oh, I'd want to think a while," said Timothy Turtle.

 

"Very well!" was the tailor's answer. "I've no objection, though it's something I never do myself."

 

"I wish you'd come outside a moment, since you don't want me inside your shop," Timothy remarked. "I'd like to whisper to you."

 

"I'm deaf," Mr. Frog informed him. "I couldn't hear a single word, even if you were to shout your head off."

 

"You can hear what I'm saying now well enough," Timothy pointed² out.p. 95

 

"I read the lips," said Mr. Frog with a snicker.

 

That speech made Timothy Turtle start.

 

"Then if you can read my lips, no doubt you can read what's on my back," he said.

 

"That's easy," the tailor observed. "Your shell's on your back, of course."

 

Timothy Turtle glanced up with a look of scorn.

 

"Don't be silly!" he snapped. "I mean, can you read what's carved on my shell?"

 

"Certainly!" Mr. Frog replied. And he began to mutter, as if to himself, "J. G.—that means just grumpy, of course——"

 

Timothy Turtle interrupted him quickly.

 

"I don't care to hear any more," he screamed. And turning away, he waddled³ towards the water.

 

"That Ferdinand Frog has no manners,"p. 96 he spluttered. "I only wish he wasn't quite so spry." And Mr. Turtle looked very fierce as he snapped his jaws⁴ together.

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

3 waddled   

v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A family of ducks waddled along the river bank. 一群鸭子沿河岸摇摇摆摆地走。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The stout old man waddled across the road. 那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 jaws   

n.口部；嘴

参考例句：

• The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
• The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。