【英】《柳林风声》第10集：Full Steam Ahead

“Hello, woman!”said the engine driver awhile later.“What’s the trouble? You don’t look cheerful.”

“Oh, sir!”cried Toad.“I am a poor, unhappy washerwoman. I’ve lost my money and can’t pay for a ticket. I must get home somehow.”

“That’s too bad,”said the man.“Do you have kids waiting for you at home?”

“A lot of them,”said Toad.“And they’ll be hungry. Maybe even playing with matches. Most likely fighting with each other.”

“Well I’ll tell you what I’ll do,”said the man.“You are a washerwoman. I’m an engine driver. There’s no denying that it’s very dirty work. If you wash a few shirts for me when you get home, I’ll give you a ride on my engine. It’s against the rules to give anyone a free ride, but I think it will be okay. We will both get something we want.”

Toad couldn’t believe his luck. He scrambled up the steps into the train. Of course he had never washed a shirt in his life and he wasn’t about to begin.

When I get home to Toad Hall, he thought, I’ll send the engine driver money to pay for his own washing. That should be fair.

A minute later, the train moved out of the station. As the speed increased, Toad could see fields, trees, hedges, cows, and horses fly by him. He felt happy knowing that every minute brought himcloser to returning to Toad Hall. He longed for his soft bed and fancy food. He longed to see his friends.

They had covered many miles when Toad noticed the engine driver with a puzzled look on his face. He was leaning over the side of the engine and had his hand cupped to his ear. Was he trying to listen to something? He turned to Toad.“It’s very strange. We’re the last train running tonight. Yet, I swear I hear another train following us.”

Toad slumped over. He was too afraid to think what all this could mean. By this time, the moon was shining brightly. The engine driver stood on the coal and could now see behind the train for a great distance.

“I can see it clearly now,”he said.“It is an engine on our rails. It’s coming toward us at a great pace. It looks as if they are chasing us.”

Toad didn’t say a word. He was too afraid.

“They are coming at us fast!”cried the man.“And the engine is packed with odd people. Many of them are policemen and what look like detectives. They are all shouting the same thing at us:‘Stop, stop, stop!’”

Toad fell onto the coal and clasped his paws. This was too much!“Help me! Save me! I will confess everything. I am not the simple washerwoman you think I am. I have no children waiting for me. No mouths to feed. I am Toad. The well-known and popular Mr. Toad. I have just escaped jail by being clever. If those men recapture me, I’ll be put in chains. I’ll have only bread and water for the rest of my days. I will once again become poor, unhappy, innocent Toad.”

The engine driver looked down upon him sternly.“Now tell the truth. What were you put in prison for?”

“It was nothing awful.”Toad’s cheeks reddened.“I borrowed a motorcar while the owners were at lunch. I didn’t mean to steal it. Honest.”

The engine driver pursed his lips.“I fear that you have been a wicked Toad. But you are obviously in trouble and I will not desert you. The sight of an animal in tears makes me sad, so cheer up, Toad. I’ll do my best to save you. We may outrun them yet!”

The two of them worked together and piled on more coals. The engine roared. Sparks flew and the engine leaped and swung. Still, the train behind them gained quickly on them.

The engine driver wiped his brow.“I’m sorry, Toad. It’s no good. They have a better engine. There is just one thing we could do. Up ahead is a tunnel. On the other side, a thick wood follows.

“While running through the tunnel, I will go as fast as I can. Once through it, I will shut the steam off and put on the brakes. When it slows enough so it’s safe, you must jump off and hide in the wood. Then I will go full speed ahead again. We will have tricked them all. They will be chasing me and only me!”

They piled on more coal as the train shot into the tunnel. The engine roared and rattled until they shot out the other end into fresh air and moonlight. Toad looked at the wood on both sides. He stepped down and when the train had slowed to a walking pace, he heard the engine driver shout,“Jump!”

Toad jumped and rolled down a small hill. He picked himself up and scrambled into the dark wood and hid. Peeping out, he saw the train pick up speed and disappear. Then, a minute later, the other train burst through the tunnel. The men were looking ahead and still screaming,“Stop, stop, stop!”

Once they passed, Toad laughed for the first time since he was thrown into prison. Soon, his laughing turned toward fear. All alone in this dark wood, he had no food or water. No money.

He walked a bit as he listened to the sounds of the Wild Wood. Sounds much too scary for him to face alone. At last, cold and hungry and tired, Toad sought shelter in the hollow of a tree. He slept soundly until morning.

“Then I suppose you shall be in here for twenty years!”replied the girl.

Toad knew he had sounded ungrateful.“You are a good, kind girl. I am indeed a proud and silly Toad. Introduce me to your worthy aunt.”

The next evening, the girl ushered her aunt into Toad’s cell. The woman caught sight of the golden coins on Toad’s table. In return for the cash, she gave Toad a cotton gown, an apron, a shawl, and a rusty black bonnet.

It was agreed that Toad would make it look like he had outsmarted the woman and stole from her. But, he did not want her to get into trouble because of him. So, it was decided that he would tie her up so it appeared the washerwoman knew nothing of his plan.

After Toad dressed, the girl giggled.“You’re the spitting image of her. Good luck, Toad. Be off. But remember, you are a woman quite alone in the world now.”

It seemed like hours had passed before Toad made it across the last courtyard. He was jeered and laughed at by many men. As the last gate closed behind him, he took a deep breath of the fresh air. He was free!

Toad walked quickly toward the lights of town. He had no clue as to what he would do once he arrived. When he heard the huffing and puffing of engines in the distance, he knew he must go toward the train. Lucky him! The train that was there was heading, more or less, in the direction of Toad Hall!

As Toad reached in his pocket to pay for his ticket, he realized he had left his money in the cell. He looked at the ticket master.“Look here! I left my purse behind. Just give me a ticket and I’ll send the money tomorrow.”

The ticket master chuckled.“Step aside. Make way for paying passengers.”

Toad started to worry. Surely, someone had discovered him missing by now. The hunt would soon start. He feared he’d be caught and dragged back to prison. His punishment would be doubled. He pondered his fate, unsure of what to do next. He just had to get on that train.