Watership Down Read online

  "Well, can you see anything wrong with the plan?"

  "No, but I am only a doe who has never been out of Efrafa. Suppose something unexpected happens?"

  "Risk is risk. Don't you want to get out and come and live on the high downs with us? Think of it!"

  "Oh, Thlayli! Shall we mate with whom we choose and dig our own burrows and bear our litters alive?"

  "You shall: and tell stories in the Honeycomb and silflay whenever you feel like it. It's a fine life, I promise you."

  "I'll come! I'll run any risk."

  "What a stroke of luck that you should be in this Mark," said Bigwig. "Before this talk with you tonight, I was at my wits' end, wondering whatever I was going to do."

  "I'll go back to the lower burrows now, Thlayli. Some of the other rabbits are bound to wonder why you sent for me. It's not mating time with me, you see. If I go now, we can say you made a mistake and were disappointed. Don't forget to say that."

  "I won't. Yes, go now, and have them ready at silflay tomorrow evening, I shan't fail you."

  When she had gone, Bigwig felt desperately tired and lonely. He tried to hold in his mind that his friends were not far off and that he would see them again in less than a day. But he knew that all Efrafa lay between himself and Hazel. His thoughts broke up into the dismal fancies of anxiety. He fell into a half-dream, in which Captain Campion turned into a seagull and flew screaming over the river, until he woke in panic: and dozed again, to see Captain Chervil driving Blackavar before him toward a shining wire in the grass. And over all, as big as a horse in a field, aware of all that passed from one end of the world to the other, brooded the gigantic figure of General Woundwort. At last, worn out with his apprehensions, he passed into a deep sleep where even his fear could not follow, and lay without sound or movement in the solitary burrow.

  36. Approaching Thunder

  We was just goin' ter scarper

  When along comes Bill 'Arper,

  So we never done nuffin' at all

  Music Hall Song

  Bigwig wavered gradually up from sleep, like a bubble of marsh gas from the bed of a still stream. There was another rabbit beside him in the burrow-a buck. He started up at once and said, "Who is it?"

  "Avens," replied the other. "Time for silflay, Thlayli. Larks have gone up. You're a sound sleeper."

  "I dare say," said Bigwig. "Well, I'm ready." He was about to lead the way down the run, but Avens' next words brought him to a halt.

  "Who's Fiver?" said Avens.

  Bigwig grew tense. "What did you say?"

  "I said, who's Fiver?"

  "How should I know?"

  "Well, you were talking in your sleep. You kept saying, 'Ask Fiver, ask Fiver. I wondered who he was."

  "Oh, I see. A rabbit I knew once. He used to foretell the weather and so on."

  "Well, he could do it now, then. Can you smell the thunder?"

  Bigwig sniffed. Mixed with the scents of grass and cattle came the warm, thick smell of a heavy cloud mass, still far off. He perceived it uneasily. Almost all animals are disturbed by the approach of thunder, which oppresses them with its mounting tension and breaks the natural rhythm by which they live. Bigwig's inclination was to go back to his burrow, but he had little doubt that no mere trifle like a thundery morning would be allowed to interfere with the timetable of an Efrafan Mark.

  He was right. Chervil was already at the entrance, squatting opposite Blackavar and his escort. He looked round as his officers came up the run.

  "Come on, Thlayli," he said. "Sentries are out already. Does the thunder worry you?"

  "It does rather," replied Bigwig.

  "It won't break today," said Chervil. "It's a long way off yet. I'd give it until tomorrow evening. Anyway, don't let the Mark see it affects you. Nothing's to be altered unless the General says so."

  "Couldn't wake him up," said Avens, with a touch of malice. "There was a doe in your burrow last night, Thlayli, wasn't there?"

  "Oh, was there?" said Chervil. "Which one?"

  "Hyzenthlay," replied Bigwig.

  "Oh, the marli tharn,[15]" said Chervil. "Funny, I didn't think she was ready."

  "She wasn't," said Bigwig. "I made a mistake. But if you remember, you asked me to do what I could to get to know the awkward squad and bring them a bit more under control, so I kept her talking for a time, just the same."

  "Get anywhere?"

  "Hard to say, really," said Bigwig, "but I'll keep at it."

  He spent the time while the Mark went out in deciding upon the best and quickest way to enter the hole and attack Blackavar's escort. He would have to put one of them out of action in no time at all and then go straight for the other, who would be that much less unprepared. If he had to fight him, it would be better to avoid doing it between Blackavar and the mouth of the hole, for Blackavar would be as bewildered as the rest and might bolt back down the run. If he was going to bolt anywhere he must bolt outward. Of course, with any luck, the second guard might make off underground without fighting at all, but one could not count on that. Efrafan Owslafa were not given to running away.

  As he went out into the field, he wondered whether he would be spotted by Kehaar. The arrangement had been that Kehaar would find him whenever he might come above ground on the second day.

  He need not have worried. Kehaar had been over Efrafa since before dawn. As soon as he saw the Mark come up, he alighted a little way out in the field, halfway between the undergrowth and the sentry line, and began pecking about in the grass. Bigwig nibbled his way slowly toward him and then settled down to feed without a glance in his direction. After a while, he sensed that Kehaar was behind him, a little to one side.

  "Meester Pigvig, I t'ink ees not goot ve talk much. Meester 'Azel, 'e say vat you do? Vat you vant?"

  "I want two things, Kehaar-both at sunset tonight. First, our rabbits must be down by the big arch. I shall come through that arch with the does. If we're pursued, you and Hazel and the rest must be ready to fight. The boat thing, is it still there?"

  "Ya, ya, men no take heem. I tell Meester 'Azel vat you say."

  "Good. Now listen, Kehaar, this is the second thing, and it's terribly important. You see those rabbits out beyond us, in the field? They're the sentries. At sunset, you meet me here. Then I shall run back to those trees and go down a hole. As soon as you see me go in, attack the sentries-terrify them, drive them away. If they won't run, hurt them. They must be driven off. You'll see me come out again almost at once and then the does-the mothers-will start running with me and we'll go straight down to the arch. But we may very well be attacked on the way. If that happens, can you pile in again?"

  "Ya, ya. I fly at dem-dey no stop you."

  "Splendid. That's it, then. Hazel and the others-are they all right?"

  "Fine-fine. Dey say you damn good fella. Meester Pluebell, 'e say to pring one mudder for everyone else and two for 'im."

  Bigwig was trying to think of some appropriate reply to this when he saw Chervil running across the grass toward him. At once, without speaking again to Kehaar, he took a few hops in Chervil's direction and began biting busily at a patch of clover. As Chervil came up, Kehaar flew low above their heads and disappeared over the trees.

  Chervil looked after the flying gull and then turned to Bigwig.

  "Aren't you afraid of those birds?" he asked.

  "Not particularly," answered Bigwig.

  "They sometimes attack mice, you know, and rabbit kittens, too," said Chervil. "You were taking a risk, feeding there. Why were you so careless?"

  For answer, Bigwig sat up and gave Chervil a playful cuff, hard enough to roll him over.

  "That's why," he said.

  Chervil got up with a sulky air. "All right, so you're heavier than I am," he said. "But you've got to learn, Thlayli, that there's more than weight to being an Efrafan officer. And it doesn't alter the fact that those birds can be dangerous. Anyway, it's not the season for them and that's odd, for a start. It'll have to be report
ed."

  "Whatever for?"

  "Because it's unusual. Everything unusual has to be reported. If we don't report it and someone else does, nice fools we shall look when we have to say we saw it. We couldn't say we didn't-several of the Mark have seen it. In fact, I shall go and report it now. Silflay's nearly over, so if I'm not back in time, you and Avens had better see the Mark underground yourselves."

  As soon as Chervil had left him, Bigwig went to look for Hyzenthlay. He found her in the hollow with Thethuthinnang. Most of the Mark did not appear to be unduly affected by the thunder, which was still distant, as Chervil had said. The two does, however, were subdued and nervous. Bigwig told them what he had arranged with Kehaar.

  "But will this bird really attack the sentries?" asked Thethuthinnang. "I've never heard of anything like that."

  "It will, I promise you. Get the does together as soon as silflay begins this evening. When I come out with Blackavar, the sentries will be running for cover."

  "And which way do we run?" asked Thethuthinnang.

  Bigwig took them well out into the field, so that they could see the distant arch in the embankment about four hundred yards away.

  "We're bound to meet Campion," said Thethuthinnang. "You know that?"

  "I believe he had some trouble stopping Blackavar," replied Bigwig. "So I'm sure he won't be good enough for me and the bird. Look, there's Avens bringing in the sentries-we'll have to go. Now, don't worry. Chew your pellets and get some sleep. If you can't sleep, sharpen up your claws: you may need them."

  The Mark went underground and Blackavar was taken away by the escort. Bigwig returned to his burrow and tried to put the coming evening out of his mind. After some time he gave up the idea of spending the day alone. He made a round of the lower burrows, joined a game of bob-stones, heard two stories and told one himself, passed hraka in the ditch and then, on an impulse, went to Chervil and obtained his consent to visit another Mark. He wandered across the Crixa, found himself in the middle of the ni-Frith silflay with the Left Flank Mark and went underground with them. Their officers shared a single large burrow and here he met some experienced veterans and listened with interest to their stories of Wide Patrols and other exploits. In the mid-afternoon he came back to the Near Hind relaxed and confident, and slept until one of the sentries woke him for silflay.

  He went up the run. Blackavar was already slumped in his alcove. Squatting beside Chervil, Bigwig watched the Mark go out. Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang passed him without a glance. They looked tense but steady. Chervil followed the last rabbit.

  Bigwig waited until he was sure that Chervil had had time to get well away from the hole. Then, with a last, quick look to where Blackavar was sitting, he went out himself. The bright sunset dazzled him and he sat up on his hind legs, blinking and combing the fur along one side of his face as his eyes got accustomed to the light. A few moments later he saw Kehaar come flying across the field.

  "This is it, then," he said to himself. "Here we go."

  At that moment a rabbit spoke from behind him.

  "Thlayli, I want a few words with you. Just come back under the bushes, will you?"

  Bigwig dropped on his front paws and looked round.

  It was General Woundwort.

  37. The Thunder Builds Up

  You k'n hide de fier, but w'at you gwine do wid de smoke?

  Joel Chandler Harris, Proverbs of Uncle Remus

  Bigwig's first impulse was to fight Woundwort on the spot. He realized immediately that this would be futile and would only bring the whole place round his ears. There was nothing to do but obey. He followed Woundwort through the undergrowth and into the shade of the bridle path. Despite the sunset, the evening seemed heavy with cloud and among the trees it was sultry and gray. The thunder was building up. He looked at Woundwort and waited.

  "You were out of the Near Hind burrows this afternoon?" began Woundwort.

  "Yes, sir," replied Bigwig. He still disliked addressing Woundwort as "sir," but since he was supposed to be an Efrafan officer, he could not very well do otherwise. However, he did not add that Chervil had given him permission. He had not been accused of anything as yet.

  "Where did you go?"

  Bigwig swallowed his annoyance. No doubt Woundwort knew perfectly well where he had been.

  "I went to the Left Flank Mark, sir. I was in their burrows."

  "Why did you go?"

  "To pass the time and learn something from listening to the officers."

  "Did you go anywhere else?"

  "No, sir."

  "You met one of the Left Flank Owsla-a rabbit named Groundsel."

  "Very likely. I didn't learn all their names."

  "Have you ever seen that rabbit before?"

  "No, sir. How could I?"

  There was a pause.

  "May I ask what this is all about, sir?" said Bigwig.

  "I'll ask the questions," said Woundwort. "Groundsel has seen you before. He knew you by the fur on your head. Where do you think he saw you?"

  "I've no idea."

  "Have you ever run from a fox?"

  "Yes, sir, a few days ago, while I was coming here."

  "You led it onto some other rabbits and it killed one of them. Is that correct?"

  "I didn't intend to lead it onto them. I didn't know they were there."

  "You didn't tell us anything about this?"

  "It never occurred to me. There's nothing wrong in running from a fox."

  "You've caused the death of an Efrafan officer."

  "Quite by accident. And the fox might have got him anyway, even if I'd not been there."

  "It wouldn't," said Woundwort. "Mallow wasn't the rabbit to run onto a fox. Foxes aren't dangerous to rabbits who know their business."

  "I'm sorry the fox got him, sir. It was a stroke of very bad luck."

  Woundwort stared at him out of his great, pale eyes.

  "Then one more question, Thlayli. That patrol was on the track of a band of rabbits-strangers. What do you know about them?"

  "I saw their tracks too, about that time. I can't tell you any more than that."

  "You weren't with them?"

  "If I'd been with them, sir, would I have come to Efrafa?"

  "I told you I'd ask the questions. You can't tell me where they might have gone?"

  "I'm afraid I can't, sir."

  Woundwort stopped staring and sat silent for some time. Bigwig felt that the General was waiting for him to ask if that was all and whether he could now go. He determined to remain silent himself.

  "Now there's another thing," said Woundwort at last. "About this white bird in the field this morning. You're not afraid of these birds?"

  "No, sir. I've never heard of one hurting a rabbit."

  "But they have been known to, for all your wide experience, Thlayli. Anyway, why did you go near it?"

  Bigwig thought quickly. "To tell you the truth, sir, I think I may have been trying to make an impression on Captain Chervil."

  "Well, you could have a worse reason. But if you're going to impress anyone, you'd better start with me. The day after tomorrow I'm taking out a Wide Patrol myself. It will cross the iron road and try to pick up traces of those rabbits-the rabbits Mallow would have found if you hadn't gone and blundered into him. So you'd better come along and show us how good you are then."

  "Very well, sir; I shall be glad to."

  There was another silence. This time Bigwig decided to make as if to go. He did so, and immediately a fresh question stopped him short.

  "When you were with Hyzenthlay, did she tell you why she was put into the Near Hind Mark?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "I'm not at all sure the trouble's over there, Thlayli. Keep an eye on it. If she'll talk to you, so much the better. Perhaps those does are settling down and perhaps they aren't. I want to know."

  "Very well, sir," said Bigwig.

  "That's all," said Woundwort. "You'd better get back to your Mark now."

  Bigwig
made his way into the field. The silflay was almost over, the sun had set and it was growing dark. Heavy clouds dimmed the afterlight. Kehaar was nowhere to be seen. The sentries came in and the Mark began to go underground. Sitting alone in the grass, he waited until the last rabbit had disappeared. There was still no sign of Kehaar. He hopped slowly to the hole. Entering, he knocked into one of the police escort, who was blocking the mouth to make sure that Blackavar did not try to bolt as he was taken down.

  "Get out of my way, you dirty little tale-bearing bloodsucker," said Bigwig. "Now go and report that," he added over his shoulder, as he went down to his burrow.

  * * *

  As the light faded from the thick sky, Hazel slipped once more across the hard, bare earth under the railway arch, came out on the north side and sat up to listen. A few moments later Fiver joined him and they crept a little way into the field, toward Efrafa. The air was close and warm and smelled of rain and ripening barley. There was no sound close by, but behind and below them, from the water meadow on the nearer bank of the Test, came faintly the shrill, incessant fussing of a pair of sandpipers. Kehaar flew down from the top of the embankment.

  "You're sure he said tonight?" asked Hazel for the third time.

  "Ees bad," said Kehaar. "Maybe dey catch 'im. Ees finish Meester Pigvig. You t'ink?"

  Hazel made no reply.

  "I can't tell," said Fiver. "Clouds and thunder. That place up the field-it's like the bottom of a river. Anything could be happening in there."

  "Bigwig's there. Suppose he's dead? Suppose they're trying to make him tell them-"

  "Hazel," said Fiver. "Hazel-rah, you won't help him by staying here in the dark and worrying. Quite likely there's nothing wrong. He's just had to sit tight for some reason. Anyway, he won't come tonight-that's certain now-and our rabbits are in danger here. Kehaar can go up tomorrow at dawn and bring us another message."

  "I dare say you're right," said Hazel, "but I hate to go. Just suppose he were to come. Let Silver take them back and I'll stay here."