Watership Down - Adams Richard George - Страница 40

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" 'That will do splendidly, said Prince Rainbow when they had finished. 'Of course, I know that no one would dream of stealing my carrots. But if they did-if they did steal them, El-ahrairah-I should be very angry indeed. If King Darzin stole them, for instance, I feel sure that Lord Frith would take away his kingdom and give it to someone else.

"El-ahrairah knew that Prince Rainbow meant that if he caught him stealing the carrots he would either kill him or else banish him and put some other rabbit over his people: and the thought that the other rabbit would probably be Hufsa made him grind his teeth. But he said, 'Of course, of course. Very right and proper. And Prince Rainbow went away.

"One night, in the second moon after the planting, El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle went to look at the carrots. No one had thinned them out and the tops were thick and green. El-ahrairah judged that most of the roots would be a little thinner than a forepaw. And it was while he was looking at them in the moonlight that his plan came to him. He had become so cautious about Hufsa-and indeed no one ever knew where Hufsa would be next-that on the way back he and Rabscuttle made for a hole in a lonely bank and went down it to talk together. And there El-ahrairah promised Rabscuttle not only that he would steal Prince Rainbow's carrots, but also that between them they would see the back of Hufsa into the bargain. They came out of the hole and Rabscuttle went to the farm to steal some seed corn. El-ahrairah spent the rest of the night gathering slugs; and a nasty business it was.

"The next evening El-ahrairah went out early and after a little while found Yona the hedgehog pottering along the hedge.

" 'Yona, he said, "would you like a whole lot of nice, fat slugs?

" 'Yes, I would, El-ahrairah, said Yona, 'but they're not so easily found. You'd know that if you were a hedgehog.

" 'Well, here are some nice ones, said El-ahrairah, 'and you can have them all. But I can give you a great many more if you will do what I say and ask no questions. Can you sing?

" 'Sing, El-ahrairah? No hedgehog can sing.

" 'Good, said El-ahrairah. 'Excellent. But you will have to try if you want those slugs. Ah! There is an old, empty box, I see, that the farmer has left in the ditch. Better and better. Now you listen to me.

"Meanwhile, in the wood, Rabscuttle was talking to Hawock the pheasant.

" 'Hawock, he said, 'can you swim?

" 'I never go near water if I can avoid it, Rabscuttle, said Hawock. 'I dislike it very much. But I suppose if I had to, I could make shift to keep afloat for a little while.

" 'Splendid, said Rabscuttle. 'Now attend. I have a whole lot of corn-and you know how scarce it is at this time of year-and you can have it all, if only you will do a little swimming in the pond on the edge of the wood. Just let me explain as we go down there. And off they went through the wood.

"Fu Inle, El-ahrairah strolled into his hole and found Hufsa chewing pellets. 'Ah, Hufsa, you're here, he said. 'That's fine. I can't trust anyone else, but you'll come with me, won't you? Just you and I-no one else must know.

" 'Why, what's to be done, El-ahrairah? asked Hufsa.

" 'I've been looking at those carrots of Prince Rainbow's, replied El-ahrairah. 'I can't stand it any longer. They're the best I've ever seen. I'm determined to steal them-or most of them, anyway. Of course, if I took a lot of rabbits on an expedition of this kind we'd soon be in trouble. Things would leak out and Prince Rainbow would be sure to get to hear. But if you and I go alone, no one will ever know who did it.

" 'I'll come, said Hufsa. 'Let's go tomorrow night. For he thought that that would give him time to tell Prince Rainbow.

" 'No, said El-ahrairah, 'I'm going now. At once.

"He wondered whether Hufsa would try to turn him against this idea, but when he looked at him he could see that Hufsa was thinking that this would be the end of El-ahrairah and that he himself would be made king of the rabbits.

"They set out together in the moonlight.

"They had gone a good way along the hedge when they came upon an old box lying in the ditch. Sitting on top of the box was Yona the hedgehog. His prickles were stuck all over with dog-rose petals and he was making an extraordinary squeaking, grunting noise and waving his black paws. They stopped and looked at him.

" 'Whatever are you doing, Yona? asked Hufsa in astonishment.

" 'Singing to the moon, answered Yona. 'All hedgehogs have to sing to the moon to make the slugs come. Surely you know that?

" 'What a frightful noise! said El-ahrairah and indeed it was. 'Let's get on quickly before he brings all the elil round us. And on they went.

"After a time they drew near the pond on the edge of the wood. As they approached it they heard a squawking and splashing and then they saw Hawock the pheasant scuttering about in the water, with his long tail feathers floating out behind him.

" 'Whatever has happened? said Hufsa. 'Hawock, have you been shot?

" 'No, no, replied Hawock. 'I always go swimming in the full moon. It makes my tail grow longer and, besides, my head wouldn't stay red, white and green without swimming. But you must know that, Hufsa, surely? Everyone knows that.

" 'The truth is, he doesn't like other animals to catch him at it, whispered El-ahrairah. 'Let's go on.

"A little further on they came to an old well by a big oak tree. The farmer had filled it up long ago, but the mouth looked very deep and black in the moonlight.

" 'Let's have a rest, said El-ahrairah, 'just for a short time.

"As he spoke, a most curious-looking creature came out of the grass. It looked something like a rabbit, but even in the moonlight they could see that it had a red tail and long green ears. In its mouth it was carrying the end of one of the white sticks that men burn. It was Rabscuttle, but not even Hufsa could recognize him. He had found some sheep-dip powder at the farm and sat in it to make his tail red. His ears were festooned with trails of bryony and the white stick was making him feel ill.

" 'Frith preserve us! said El-ahrairah. 'What can it be? Let's only hope it isn't one of the Thousand! He leaped up, ready to run. 'Who are you? he asked, trembling.

"Rabscuttle spat out the white stick.

" 'So! he said commandingly. 'So you have seen me, El-ahrairah! Many rabbits live out their lives and die, but few see me. Few or none! I am one of the rabbit messengers of Lord Frith, who go about the earth secretly by day and return nightly to his golden palace! He is even now awaiting me on the other side of the world and I must go to him swiftly, through the heart of the earth! Farewell, El-ahrairah!

"The strange rabbit leaped over the edge of the well and disappeared into the darkness below.

" 'We have seen what we should not! said El-ahrairah in an awe-stricken voice. 'How dreadful is this place! Let us go quickly!

"They hurried on and presently they came to Prince Rainbow's field of carrots. How many they stole I cannot say; but of course, as you know, El-ahrairah is a great prince and no doubt he used powers unknown to you and me. But my grandfather always said that before morning the field was stripped bare. The carrots were hidden down a deep hole in the bank beside the wood and El-ahrairah and Hufsa made their way home. El-ahrairah collected two or three followers and stayed underground with them all day, but Hufsa went out in the afternoon without saying where he was going.

"That evening, as El-ahrairah and his people began to silflay under a fine red sky, Prince Rainbow came over the fields. Behind him were two great black dogs.

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