Beside him stod a gret-hedid munke,I pray to God woo he be!
Fful sone he knew gode Robyn,As sone as he hym se.
Robin1 Hood2 and the Monk3 (Child's Ballads4, No. 119)Hazel sat on the bank in the midsummer night. There had been no more thanfive hours' darkness and that of a pallid5, twilit quality which kept him wakefuland restless. Everything was going well. Kehaar had found Holly6 during theafternoon and corrected his line a little to the west. He had left him in the shelterof a thick hedge, sure of his course for the big warren. It seemed certain now thattwo days would be enough for the journey. Bigwig and some of the other rabbitshad already begun enlarging their burrows8 in preparation for Holly's return.
Kehaar had had a violent quarrel with a kestrel, screaming insults in a voice fit tostartle a Cornish harbor: and although it had ended inconclusively, the kestrelseemed likely to regard the neighborhood of the hanger9 with healthy respect forthe future. Things had not looked better since they had first set out fromSandleford.
A spirit of happy mischief10 entered into Hazel. He felt as he had on the morningwhen they crossed the Enborne and he had set out alone and found the beanfield.
He was confident and ready for adventure. But what adventure? Something worthtelling to Holly and Silver on their return. Something to -- well, not to diminishwhat they were going to do. No, of course not -- but just to show them that theirChief Rabbit was up to anything that they were up to. He thought it over as hehopped down the bank and sniffed12 out a patch of salad burnet in the grass. What,now, would be likely to give them just a little, not unpleasant shock? Suddenly hethought, "Suppose, when they got back, that there were one or two does herealready?" And in the same moment he remembered what Kehaar had said about abox full of rabbits at the farm. What sort of rabbits could they be? Did they evercome out of their box? Had they ever seen a wild rabbit? Kehaar had said that thefarm was not far from the foot of the down, on a little hill. So it could easily bereached in the early morning, before its men were about. Any dogs wouldprobably be chained, but the cats would be loose. A rabbit could outrun a cat aslong as he kept in the open and saw it coming first. The important thing was notto be stalked unawares. He should be able to move along the hedgerows withoutattracting elil, unless he was very unlucky.
But what did he intend to do, exactly? Why was he going to the farm? Hazelfinished the last of the burnet and answered himself in the starlight. "I'll just havea look round," he said, "and if I can find those box rabbits I'll try to talk to them;nothing more than that. I'm not going to take any risks -- well, not real risks --not until I see whether it's worth it, anyway."Should he go alone? It would be safer and more pleasant to take a companion;but not more than one. They must not attract attention. Who would be best?
Bigwig? Dandelion? Hazel rejected them. He needed someone who would do ashe was told and not start having ideas of his own. At once he thought of Pipkin.
Pipkin would follow him without question and do anything he asked. At thismoment he was probably asleep in the burrow7 which he shared with Bluebell14 andAcorn, down a short run leading off the Honeycomb.
Hazel was lucky. He found Pipkin close to the mouth of the burrow and alreadyawake. He brought him out without disturbing the other two rabbits and led himup by the run that gave on the bank. Pipkin looked about him uncertainly,bewildered and half expecting some danger.
"It's all right, Hlao-roo," said Hazel. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I wantyou to come down the hill and help me to find a farm I've heard about. We're justgoing to have a look round it.""Round a farm, Hazel-rah? What for? Won't it be dangerous? Cats and dogsand--""No, you'll be quite all right with me. Just you and me -- I don't want anyoneelse. I've got a secret plan; you mustn't tell the others -- for the time being,anyway. I particularly want you to come and no one else will do."This had exactly the effect that Hazel intended. Pipkin needed no furtherpersuasion and they set off together, over the grass track, across the turf beyondand down the escarpment. They went through the narrow belt of trees and cameinto the field where Holly had called Bigwig in the dark. Here Hazel paused,sniffing and listening. It was the time before dawn when owls15 return, usuallyhunting as they go. Although a full-grown rabbit is not really in danger from owls,there are few who take no account of them. Stoats and foxes might be abroadalso, but the night was still and damp and Hazel, secure in his mood of gayconfidence, felt sure that he would either smell or hear any hunter on four feet.
Wherever the farm might be, it must lie beyond the road that ran along theopposite edge of the field. He set off at an easy pace, with Pipkin close behind.
Moving quietly in and out of the hedgerow up which Holly and Bluebell had comeand passing, on their way, under the cables humming faintly in the darknessabove, they took only a few minutes to reach the road.
There are times when we know for a certainty that all is well. A batsman whohas played a fine innings will say afterward17 that he felt he could not miss the ball,and a speaker or an actor, on his lucky day, can sense his audience carrying himas though he were swimming in miraculous18, buoyant water. Hazel had this feelingnow. All round him was the quiet summer night, luminous19 with starlight butpaling to dawn on one side. There was nothing to fear and he felt ready to skipthrough a thousand farmyards one after the other. As he sat with Pipkin on thebank above the tar-smelling road, it did not strike him as particularly lucky whenhe saw a young rat scuttle20 across from the opposite hedge and disappear into aclump of fading stitchwort below them. He had known that some guide or otherwould turn up. He scrambled21 quickly down the bank and found the rat nosing inthe ditch.
"The farm," said Hazel, "where's the farm -- near here, on a little hill?"The rat stared at him with twitching22 whiskers. It had no particular reason to befriendly, but there was something in Hazel's look that made a civil answernatural.
"Over road. Up lane."The sky was growing lighter23 each moment. Hazel crossed the road withoutwaiting for Pipkin, who caught him up under the hedge bordering the near side ofthe little lane. From here, after another listening pause, they began to make theirway up the slope toward the northern skyline.
Nuthanger is like a farm in an old tale. Between Ecchinswell and the foot ofWatership Down and about half a mile from each, there is a broad knoll24, steeperon the north side but falling gently on the south -- like the down ridge25 itself.
Narrow lanes climb both slopes and come together in a great ring of elm treeswhich encircles the flat summit. Any wind -- even the lightest -- draws from theheight of the elms a rushing sound, multifoliate and powerful. Within this ringstands the farmhouse26, with its barns and outbuildings. The house may be twohundred years old or it may be older, built of brick, with a stone-faced frontlooking south toward the down. On the east side, in front of the house, a barnstands clear of the ground on staddle stones; and opposite is the cow byre.
As Hazel and Pipkin reached the top of the slope, the first light showed clearlythe farmyard and buildings. The birds singing all about them were those to whichthey had been accustomed in former days. A robin on a low branch twittered aphrase and listened for another that answered him from beyond the farmhouse. Achaffinch gave its little falling song and further off, high in an elm, a chiffchaffbegan to call. Hazel stopped and then sat up, the better to scent28 the air. Powerfulsmells of straw and cow dung mingled29 with those of elm leaves, ashes and cattlefeed. Fainter traces came to his nose as the overtones of a bell sound in a trainedear. Tobacco, naturally: a good deal of cat and rather less dog and then, suddenlyand beyond doubt, rabbit. He looked at Pipkin and saw that he, too, had caught it.
While these scents30 reached them they were also listening. But beyond the lightmovements of birds and the first buzzing of the flies immediately around them,they could hear nothing but the continual susurration of the trees. Under thenorthern steep of the down the air had been still, but here the southerly breezewas magnified by the elms, with their myriads31 of small, fluttering leaves, just asthe effect of sunlight on a garden is magnified by dew. The sound, coming fromthe topmost branches, disturbed Hazel because it suggested some huge approach-- an approach that was never completed: and he and Pipkin remained still forsome time, listening tensely to this loud yet meaningless vehemence32 highoverhead.
They saw no cat, but near the house stood a flat-roofed dog kennel33. They couldjust glimpse the dog asleep inside -- a large, smooth-haired, black dog, with headon paws. Hazel could not see a chain; but then, after a moment, he noticed theline of a thin rope that came out through the kennel door and ended in some sortof fastening on the roof. "Why a rope?" he wondered and then thought, "Becausea restless dog cannot rattle34 it in the night."The two rabbits began to wander among the outbuildings. At first they tookcare to remain in cover and continually on the watch for cats. But they saw noneand soon grew bolder, crossing open spaces and even stopping to nibble35 atdandelions in the patches of weeds and rough grass. Guided by scent, Hazel madehis way to a low-roofed shed. The door was half open and he went through it withscarcely a pause at the brick threshold. Immediately opposite the door, on abroad wooden shelf -- a kind of platform -- stood a wire-fronted hutch. Throughthe mesh36 he could see a brown bowl, some greenstuff and the ears of two or threerabbits. As he stared, one of the rabbits came close to the wire, looked out andsaw him.
Beside the platform, on the near side, was an up-ended bale of straw. Hazeljumped lightly on it and from there to the thick planks37, which were old and soft-surfaced, dusty and covered with chaff27. Then he turned back to Pipkin, waitingjust inside the door.
"Hlao-roo," he said, "there's only one way out of this place. You'll have to keepwatching for cats or we may be trapped. Stay at the door and if you see a catoutside, tell me at once.""Right, Hazel-rah," said Pipkin. "It's all clear at the moment."Hazel went up to the side of the hutch. The wired front projected over the edgeof the shelf so that he could neither reach it nor look in, but there was a knotholein one of the boards facing him and on the far side he could see a twitching nose.
"I am Hazel-rah," he said. "I have come to talk to you. Can you understandme?"The answer was in slightly strange but perfectly38 intelligible39 Lapine.
"Yes, we understand you. My name is Boxwood. Where do you come from?""From the hills. My friends and I live as we please, without men. We eat thegrass, lie in the sun and sleep underground. How many are you?""Four. Bucks40 and does.""Do you ever come out?""Yes, sometimes. A child takes us out and puts us in a pen on the grass.""I have come to tell you about my warren. We need more rabbits. We want youto run away from the farm and join us.""There's a wire door at the back of this hutch," said Boxwood. "Come downthere: we can talk more easily."The door was made of wire netting on a wooden frame, with two leather hingesnailed to the uprights and a hasp and staple41 fastened with a twist of wire. Fourrabbits were crowded against the wire, pressing their noses through the mesh.
Two -- Laurel and Clover -- were short-haired black Angoras. The others,Boxwood and his doe Haystack, were black-and-white Himalayans.
Hazel began to speak about the life of the downs and the excitement andfreedom enjoyed by wild rabbits. In his usual straightforward42 way he told aboutthe predicament of his warren in having no does and how he had come to look forsome. "But," he said, "we don't want to steal your does. All four of you arewelcome to join us, bucks and does alike. There's plenty for everyone on thehills." He went on to talk of the evening feed in the sunset and of early morning inthe long grass.
The hutch rabbits seemed at once bewildered and fascinated. Clover, theAngora doe -- a strong, active rabbit -- was clearly excited by Hazel's descriptionand asked several questions about the warren and the downs. It became plainthat they thought of their life in the hutch as dull but safe. They had learned agood deal about elil from some source or other and seemed sure that few wildrabbits survived for long. Hazel realized that although they were glad to talk tohim and welcomed his visit because it brought a little excitement and change intotheir monotonous43 life, it was not within their capacity to take a decision and acton it. They did not know how to make up their minds. To him and hiscompanions, sensing and acting13 was second nature; but these rabbits had neverhad to act to save their lives or even to find a meal. If he was going to get any ofthem as far as the down, they would have to be urged. He sat quiet for a little,nibbling a patch of bran spilled on the boards outside the hutch. Then he said,"I must go back now to my friends in the hills: but we shall return. We shallcome one night, and when we do, believe me, we shall open your hutch as easilyas the farmer does: and then, any of you who wish will be free to come with us."Boxwood was about to reply when suddenly Pipkin spoke44 from the floor.
"Hazel, there's a cat in the yard outside!""We're not afraid of cats," said Hazel to Boxwood, "as long as we're in theopen." Trying to appear unhurried, he went back to the floor by way of the strawbale and crossed over to the door. Pipkin was looking through the hinge. He wasplainly frightened.
"I think it's smelled us, Hazel," he said. "I'm afraid it knows where we are.""Don't stay there, then," said Hazel. "Follow me close and run when I do."Without waiting to look out through the hinge, he went round the half-open doorof the shed and stopped on the threshold.
The cat, a tabby with white chest and paws, was at the further end of the littleyard, walking slowly and deliberately45 along the side of a pile of logs. When Hazelappeared in the doorway46 it saw him at once and stood stock still, with staring eyesand twitching tail. Hazel hopped11 slowly across the threshold and stopped again.
Already sunlight was slanting47 across the yard, and in the stillness the flies buzzedabout a patch of dung a few feet away. There was a smell of straw and dust andhawthorn.
"You look hungry," said Hazel to the cat. "Rats getting too clever, I suppose?"The cat made no reply. Hazel sat blinking in the sunshine. The cat crouchedalmost flat on the ground, thrusting its head forward between its front paws.
Close behind, Pipkin fidgeted and Hazel, never taking his eyes from the cat, couldsense that he was trembling.
"Don't be frightened, Hlao-roo," he whispered, "I'll get you away, but you mustwait till it comes for us. Keep still."The cat began to lash48 its tail. Its hindquarters lifted and wagged from side toside in mounting excitement.
"Can you run?" said Hazel. "I think not. Why, you pop-eyed, back-door saucer-scraper--"The cat flung itself across the yard and the two rabbits leaped into flight withgreat thrusts of their hind16 legs. The cat came very fast indeed and although bothof them had been braced49 ready to move on the instant, they were barely out of theyard in time. Racing50 up the side of the long barn, they heard the Labrador barkingin excitement as it ran to the full extent of its rope. A man's voice shouted to it.
From the cover of the hedge beside the lane they turned and looked back. The cathad stopped short and was licking one paw with a pretense51 of nonchalance52.
"They hate to look silly," said Hazel. "It won't give us any more trouble. If ithadn't charged at us like that, it would have followed us much further andprobably called up another as well. And somehow you can't make a dash unlessthey do it first. It's a good thing you saw it coming, Hlao-roo.""I'm glad if I helped, Hazel. But what were we up to, and why did you talk tothe rabbits in the box?""I'll tell you all about it later on. Let's go into the field now and feed; then wecan make our way home as slowly as you like."
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1
robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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ballads
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| 民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴 | |
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pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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burrow
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| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
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burrows
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| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
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hanger
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| n.吊架，吊轴承；挂钩 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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12
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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13
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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14
bluebell
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| n.风铃草 | |
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15
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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scuttle
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| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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knoll
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| n.小山，小丘 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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mesh
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| n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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38
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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40
bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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41
staple
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| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
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42
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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44
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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45
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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46
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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47
slanting
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| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
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48
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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49
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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50
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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51
pretense
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| n.矫饰，做作，借口 | |
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52
nonchalance
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| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
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