第 10 节
作者:换裁判      更新:2024-09-08 23:53      字数:9320
  right size for DollsLucinda and Jane Doll…cook always bought their
  groceries at Ginger and Pickles。
  The   counter   inside   was   a   convenient   height   for   rabbits。   Ginger   and
  Pickles sold red spotty pocket… handkerchiefs at a penny three farthings。
  They also sold sugar; and snuff and galoshes。
  In fact; although it was such a small shop it sold nearly everything
  except a few things that you want in a hurrylike bootlaces; hair…pins and
  mutton chops。
  Ginger and Pickles were the people who kept the shop。 Ginger was a
  yellow tom…cat; and Pickles was a terrier。
  The rabbits were always a little bit afraid of Pickles。
  The   shop   was   also   patronized   by   miceonly   the   mice   were   rather
  afraid of Ginger。
  Ginger   usually   requested   Pickles   to   serve   them;   because   he   said   it
  made his mouth water。
  〃I cannot bear;〃 said he; 〃to see them going out at the door carrying
  their little parcels。〃
  〃I   have   the   same   feeling   about   rats;〃   replied   Pickles;   〃but   it   would
  never do to eat our own customers; they would leave us and go to Tabitha
  Twitchit's。〃
  〃On the contrary; they would go nowhere;〃 replied Ginger gloomily。
  (Tabitha Twitchit kept the only other shop in the village。 She did not
  give credit。)
  Ginger and Pickles gave unlimited credit。
  Now the meaning of 〃credit〃 is thiswhen a customer buys a bar of
  soap;   instead   of   the   customer   pulling   out   a   purse   and   paying   for   itshe
  says she will pay another time。
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  And Pickles makes a low bow and says; 〃With pleasure; madam;〃 and
  it is written down in a book。
  The customers come again and again; and buy quantities; in spite of
  being afraid of Ginger and Pickles。
  But there is no money in what is called the 〃till。〃
  The   customers     came    in  crowds    every   day   and   bought    quantities;
  especially   the   toffee   customers。   But   there   was   always   no   money;   they
  never paid for as much as a pennyworth of peppermints。
  But the sales were enormous; ten times as large as Tabitha Twitchit's。
  As there was always no money; Ginger and Pickles were obliged to
  eat their own goods。
  Pickles ate biscuits and Ginger ate a dried haddock。
  They ate them by candle…light after the shop was closed。
  When it came to Jan。 1st there was still no money; and Pickles was
  unable to buy a dog licence。
  〃It is very unpleasant; I am afraid of the police;〃 said Pickles。
  〃It is your own fault for being a terrier; _I_ do not require a licence;
  and neither does Kep; the Collie dog。〃
  〃It is   very  uncomfortable;  I am  afraid   I   shall be   summoned。  I   have
  tried in vain to get a licence upon credit at the Post Office;〃 said Pickles。
  〃The place is full of policeman。 I met one as I was coming home。〃
  〃Let us send in the bill again to Samuel Whiskers; Ginger; he owes
  22/9 for bacon。〃
  〃I do not believe that he intends to pay at all;〃 replied Ginger。
  〃And I feel sure that Anna Maria pockets things… Where are all the
  cream crackers?〃 〃You have eaten them yourself;〃 replied Ginger。
  Ginger and Pickles retired into the back parlour。
  They did accounts。 They added up sums and sums; and sums。
  〃Samuel Whiskers has run up a bill as long as his tail; he has had an
  ounce and three…quarters of snuff since October。〃
  〃What is seven pounds of butter at 1/3; and a stick of sealing wax and
  four matches?〃
  〃Send in all the bills again to everybody 'with compts' 〃 replied Ginger。
  After a time they heard a noise in the shop; as if something had been
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  pushed in at the door。 They came out of the back parlour。 There was an
  envelope lying on the counter; and a policeman writing in a note…book!
  Pickles   nearly   had   a   fit;   he   barked   and   he   barked   and   made   little
  rushes。
  〃Bite him; Pickles! bite him!〃 spluttered Ginger behind a sugar… barrel;
  〃he's only a German doll!〃 The policeman went on writing in his notebook;
  twice he put his pencil in his mouth; and once he dipped it in the treacle。
  Pickles   barked   till   he   was   hoarse。   But   still   the   policeman   took   no
  notice。 He had bead eyes; and his helmet was sewed on with stitches。
  At   length   on   his   last   little   rush   Pickles   found   that   the   shop   was
  empty。 The policeman had disappeared。
  But the envelope remained。
  〃Do you think that he has gone to fetch a real live policeman? I am
  afraid it is a summons;〃 said Pickles。
  〃No;〃 replied Ginger; who had opened the envelope; 〃it is the rates and
  taxes; L 3 19 11 3/4 。〃
  〃This is the last straw;〃 said Pickles; 〃let us close the shop。〃
  They put up the shutters; and left。 But they have not removed from the
  neighbourhood。 In fact some people wish they had gone further。
  Ginger   is   living   in   the   warren。   I   do   not   know   what   occupation   he
  pursues; he looks stout and comfortable。
  Pickles is at present a gamekeeper。
  The closing of the shop caused great inconvenience。 Tabitha Twitchit
  immediately raised the price of everything a half…penny; and she continued
  to refuse to give credit。
  Of course there are the trades… men's cartsthe butcher; the fishman
  and Timothy Baker。
  But a person cannot live on 〃seed wigs〃 and sponge…cake and butter…
  bunsnot even when the sponge… cake is as good as Timothy's!
  After   a  time   Mr。   John   Dormouse       and   his   daughter   began     to  sell
  peppermints and candles。
  But   they   did   not   keep   〃self…fitting   sixes〃;   and   it   takes   five   mice   to
  carry one seven inch candle。
  Besidesthe candles which they sell behave very strangely in warm
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  weather。
  And Miss Dormouse refused to take back the ends when they were
  brought back to her with complaints。
  And when Mr John Dormouse was complained to; he stayed in bed;
  and would say nothing but 〃very snug;〃 which is not the way to carry on a
  retail business
  So   everybody     was    pleased   when     Sally  Henny     Penny    sent   out  a
  printed   poster  to   say  that   she   was   going   to   re…open   the  shop   〃Henny's
  Opening   Sale!   Grand   co…operative   Jumble!   Penny's   penny   prices!   Come
  buy; come try; come buy!〃
  The poster really was most 'ticing。
  There was a rush upon the opening day。 The shop was crammed with
  customers; and there were crowds of mice upon the biscuit canisters。
  Sally  Henny   Penny  gets   rather   flustered   when   she   tries   to   count   out
  change; and she insists on being paid cash; but she is quite harmless。
  And she has laid in a remarkable assortment of bargains。
  There is something to please everybody。
  THE END
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  THE STORY OF MISS MOPPET
  THIS   is   a   Pussy   called   Miss  Moppet;   she   thinks   she   has   heard  a
  mouse!
  THIS is the Mouse peeping out behind the cupboard; and making fun
  of Miss Moppet。 He is not afraid of a kitten。
  THIS is Miss Moppet jumping just too late; she misses the Mouse and
  hits her own head。
  SHE thinks it is a very hard cupboard!
  THE Mouse watches Miss Moppet from the top of the cupboard。
  MISS MOPPET ties up her head in a duster; and sits before the fire。
  THE Mouse thinks she is looking very ill。 He comes sliding down the
  bell… pull。
  MISS   MOPPET   looks   worse   and   worse。   The   Mouse   comes   a   little
  nearer。
  MISS   MOPPET   holds   her   poor   head   in   her   paws;   and   looks   at   him
  through a hole in the duster。 The Mouse comes VERY close。
  AND then all of a sudden Miss Moppet jumps upon the Mouse!
  AND      because    the  Mouse    has   teased  Miss   Moppet     Miss   Moppet
  thinks she will tease the Mouse; which is not at all nice of Miss Moppet。
  SHE ties him up in the duster; and tosses it about like a ball。
  BUT she forgot about that hole in the duster; and when she untied it
  there was no Mouse!
  HE has wriggled out and run away; and he is dancing a jig on the top
  of the cupboard!
  THE END