The Open Road (13)

The Open Road (13)

" O STOP being an ass, Toad ! " cried the Mole despairingly. "

" And to think I never KNEW ! " went on the Toad in a dreamly monotone.

" All those wasted years that lie behind me, I never knew, never even DREAMT ! But NOWーbut now I know, now I fully realize !
O what a flowery track lies spread before me.
What dust-clouds shall spring up behind me as I speed on my reckless way !
What carts I shall fling carelessly into the ditch.
Horrid little cartsーcommon cartsーcanary-coloured carts ! "


" What are we to do with him ? " asked the Mole to the Rat.

" Nothing at all, " replied the Rat firmly.

" Because there is really nothing to be done. You see, I know him from of old. He is now possessed. He has got a new craze, and it always takes him that way, in its first stage.
He'll continue like that for days, like an animal walking in a happy dream.
Never mind him.
Let's go and see what there is to be done about the cart. "

(13/20)