Watership Down Page 41

" 'Very well, said El-ahrairah. 'Now, O fortunate dog, go to the crossroads and await the Queen. She is coming on the wings of night. It is far that she must come, but wait patiently. Only wait. Do not fail her and great blessing will be yours,

  " 'Fail her? No, no! cried Rowsby Woof. 'I will wait like a worm upon the road. Her beggar am I, Fairy Wogdog! Her mendicant, her idiot, her-

  " 'Quite right, most excellent, said El-ahrairah. 'Only make haste.

  "As soon as Rowsby Woof had gone, El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle went quickly through the laurels, round the end of the fence and along to the back door. El-ahrairah pulled the cloth out of the hole above the drain with his teeth and led the way into the kitchen.

  "The kitchen was as warm as this bank and at one end was a great pile of vegetables ready for the hrududu in the morning-cabbages, brussels sprouts and parsnips. They were thawed out and the delicious smell was quite overpowering. El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle began at once to make amends for the past days of frozen grass and tree bark.

  " 'Good, faithful fellow, said El-ahrairah with his mouth full. 'How grateful he will be to the Queen for keeping him waiting. He will be able to show her the full extent of his loyalty, won't he? Have another parsnip, Rabscuttle.

  "Meanwhile, down at the crossroads, Rowsby Woof waited eagerly in the frost, listening for the coming of Queen Dripslobber. After a long time he heard footsteps. They were not the steps of a dog but of a man. As they came near, he realized that they were the steps of his own master. He was too stupid to run away or hide, but merely remained where he was until his master-who was returning home-came up to the crossroads.

  " 'Why, Rowsby Woof, said his master, 'what are you doing here?

  "Rowsby Woof looked foolish and nosed about. His master was puzzled. Then a thought came to him.

  " 'Why, good old chap, he said, 'you came to meet me, did you? Good fellow, then! Come on, we'll go home together.

  "Rowsby Woof tried to slip away, but his master grabbed him by the collar, tied him by a bit of string he had in his pocket and led him home.

  "Their arrival took El-ahrairah by surprise. It fact, he was so busy stuffing cabbage that he heard nothing until the doorhandle rattled. He and Rabscuttle had only just time to slip behind a pile of baskets before the man came in, leading Rowsby Woof. Rowsby Woof was quiet and dejected and did not even notice the smell of rabbit, which anyway was all mixed up with the smell of the fire and the larder. He lay on the mat while the man made some sort of drink for himself.

  "El-ahrairah was watching his chance to dash out of the hole in the wall. But the man, as he sat drinking and puffing away at a white stick, suddenly looked round and got up. He had noticed the draft coming in through the open hole. To the rabbits' horror, he picked up a sack and plugged the hole up very tightly indeed. Then he finished his drink, made up the fire and went away to sleep, leaving Rowsby Woof shut in the kitchen. Evidently he thought it too cold to turn him out for the night.

  "At first Rowsby Woof whined and scratched at the door, but after a time he came back to the mat by the fire and lay down. El-ahrairah moved very quietly along the wall until he was behind a big metal box in the corner under the sink. There were sacks and old papers here, too, and he felt fairly sure that Rowsby Woof could not manage to see behind it. As soon as Rabscuttle had joined him, he spoke.

  " 'O Rowsby Woof! whispered El-ahrairah.

  "Rowsby Woof was up in a flash.

  " 'Fairy Wogdog! he cried. 'Is that you I hear?

  " 'It is indeed, said El-ahrairah. 'I am sorry for your disappointment, Rowsby Woof. You did not meet the Queen.

  " 'Alas, no, said Rowsby Woof: and he told what had happened at the crossroads.

  " 'Never mind, said El-ahrairah. Do not be downhearted, Rowsby Woof. There was good reason why the Queen did not come. She received news of danger-ah, great danger, Rowsby Woof! — and avoided it in time. I myself am here at the risk of my own safety to warn you. You are lucky indeed that I am your friend, for otherwise your good master must have been stricken with mortal plague.

  " 'With plague? cried Rowsby Woof. 'Oh, how, good fairy?

  " 'Many fairies and spirits there are in the animal kingdoms of the East, said El-ahrairah. 'Some are friends and there are those-may misfortune strike them down-who are our deadly enemies. Worst of them all, Rowsby Woof, is the great rat spirit, the giant of Sumatra, the curse of Hamelin. He dares not openly fight our noble Queen, but he works by stealth, by poison, by disease. Soon after you left me, I learned that he has sent his hateful rat goblins through the clouds, carrying sickness. I warned the Queen; but still I remained here, Rowsby Woof, to warn you. If the sickness falls-and the goblins are very near-it will harm not you, but your master it will slay-and me, too, I fear. You can save him, and you alone. I cannot.

  " 'Oh, horror! cried Rowsby Woof. 'There is no time to be lost! What must I do, Fairy Wogdog?

  " 'The sickness works by a spell, said El-ahrairah. 'But if a real dog of flesh and blood could run four times round the house, barking as loudly as he could, then the spell would be broken and the sickness would have no power. But alas! I forgot! You are shut in, Rowsby Woof. What is to be done? I fear that all is lost!

  " 'No, no! said Rowsby Woof. 'I will save you, Fairy Wogdog, and my dear master, too. Leave it to me!

  "Rowsby Woof began to bark. He barked to raise the dead. The windows shook. The coal fell in the grate. The noise was terrifying. They could hear the man upstairs, shouting and cursing. Still Rowsby Woof barked. The man came stamping down. He flung open the window and listened for thieves, but he could hear nothing, partly because there was nothing to hear and partly because of the ceaseless barking. At last he picked up his gun, flung open the door and went cautiously out to see what was the matter. Out shot Rowsby Woof, bellowing like a bull, land tore around the house. The man followed him at a run, leaving the door wide.

  " 'Quick! said El-ahrairah. 'Quicker than Wogdog from the Tartar's bow! Come on!

  "El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle dashed into the garden and disappeared through the laurels. In the field beyond they paused for a moment. From behind came the sounds of yelping and woofing, mixed with shouts and angry cries of 'Come 'ere, damn you!

  " 'Noble fellow, said El-ahrairah. 'He has saved his master, Rabscuttle. He has saved us all. Let us go home and sleep sound in our burrow.

  "For the rest of his life Rowsby Woof never forgot the night when he had waited for the great Dog Queen. True, it was a disappointment, but this, he felt, was a small matter, compared with the recollection of his own noble conduct and of how he had saved both his master and the good fairy Wogdog from the wicked rat spirit."

  42. News at Sunset

  You will be sure to prove that the act is unjust and hateful to the gods?

  Yes, indeed, Socrates; at least, if they will listen to me.

  Plato, Euthyphro

  As he came to the end of his story, Dandelion remembered that he was supposed to be relieving Acorn as sentry. The post was a little way away, near the eastern corner of the wood, and Hazel-who wanted to see how Boxwood and Speedwell were getting on with a hole they were digging-went with Dandelion along the foot of the bank. He was just going down the new hole when he noticed that some small creature was pattering about in the grass. It was the mouse that he had saved from the kestrel. Pleased to see that he was still safe and sound, Hazel turned back to have a word with him. The mouse recognized him and sat up, washing his face with his front paws and chattering effusively.

  "Is a good a days, a hot a days. You like? Plenty for eata, keepa warm is a no trouble. Down in a bottom a hill is a harvest. I go for a corn a, but is a long a way. I tink a you go away, is a not a long a you come a back, yes?"

  "Yes," said Hazel, "a lot of us went away, but we found what we were looking for and now we've come back for good."

  "Is a good. Is a lots of rabbits a now, keepa grass a short."

  "What difference does it make to him if the grass is short?" said Bigwig, who, with B
lackavar, was lolloping and nibbling close by. "He doesn't eat it."

  "Is a good a for get about, you know?" said the mouse in a familiar tone which made Bigwig shake his ears with irritation. "Is a run along the queek-but is a no seeds a from a short a grass. Now is a warren a here and now a today is a new a rabbits a come, soon is another warren a more. New rabbits is a your friends a too?"

  "Yes, yes, all friends," said Bigwig, turning away. "There was something I wanted to say, Hazel, about the newborn rabbits, when they're ready to come above ground."

  Hazel, however, had remained where he was, looking intently at the mouse.

  "Wait a moment, Bigwig," he said. "What did you say, mouse, about another warren? Where is there going to be another warren?"

  The mouse was surprised. "You not a know? Not a your friends?"

  "I don't know until you tell me. What did you mean about new rabbits and another warren soon?" His tone was urgent and inquisitive.

  The mouse became nervous and, after the manner of his kind, began to say what he thought the rabbits would like to hear.

  "Maybe is a no warren. Is a plenty good a rabbits 'ere, is all a my friends. Is a no more rabbits. Not a for want other rabbits."

  "But what other rabbits?" persisted Hazel.

  "No, sir. No, sir, no other rabbits, is a not a go for soon a rabbits, all stay 'ere are my friends, a save a me a very good a my life, zen 'ow can I if a she mek me?" twittered the mouse.

  Hazel considered this lot briefly, but it beat him.

  "Oh, come on, Hazel," said Bigwig. "Let the poor little beast alone. I want to talk to you."

  Hazel ignored him. Going close to the mouse, he bent his head and spoke quietly and firmly.

  "You've often said you're our friend," he said. "If you are, tell me, and don't be afraid, what you know about other rabbits coming."

  The mouse looked confused. Then he said, "I not see other rabbits, sir, but a my brother 'e say yellowhammer say is a new rabbits, plenty, plenty rabbits, come to combe over on a morning side. Maybe is a lots a rubbish. I tell you a wrong, you no like a mouse for more, not a friend a more."

  "No, that's all right," said Hazel. "Don't worry. Just tell me again. Where did the bird say these new rabbits were?"

  " 'E say is a come just a now on a morning side. I not a see."

  "Good fellow," said Hazel. "That's very helpful." He turned back to the others. "What d'you make of this, Bigwig?" he asked.

  "Not much," answered Bigwig. "Long-grass rumors. These little creatures say anything and change it five times a day. Ask him again fu Inlé-he'll tell you something else."

  "If you're right, then I'm wrong and we can all forget it," said Hazel. "But I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Someone must go and see. I'd go myself, but I've got no speed with this leg."

  "Well, leave it for tonight, anyway," said Bigwig. "We can-"

  "Someone must go and see," repeated Hazel firmly. "A good patroller, too. Blackavar, go and get Holly for me, will you?"

  "I'm here, as it happens," said Holly, who had come along the top of the bank while Hazel was speaking. "What's the trouble, Hazel-rah?"

  "There's a rumor of strangers on the down, on the morning side," replied Hazel, "and I wish I knew more. Can you and Blackavar run over that way-say, as far as the top of the combe-and find out what's going on?"

  "Yes, of course, Hazel-rah," said Holly. "If there really are some other rabbits there, we'd better bring them back with us, hadn't we? We could do with a few more."

  "It depends who they are," said Hazel. "That's what I want to find out. Go at once, Holly, will you? Somehow it worries me not to know."

  Holly and Blackavar had hardly set off when Speedwell appeared above ground. He had an excited, triumphant look which attracted everyone's attention immediately. He squatted in front of Hazel and looked round him in silence, to make sure of his effect.

  "You've finished the hole?" asked Hazel.

  "Never mind the hole," answered Speedwell. "I didn't come up to say that. Clover's had her litter. All good, healthy kittens. Three bucks and three does, she says."

  "You'd better go up in the beech tree and sing that," said Hazel. "See that everybody knows! But tell them not to go crowding down disturbing her."

  "I shouldn't think they would," said Bigwig. "Who'd be a kitten again, or even want to see one-blind and deaf and no fur?"

  "Some of the does may want to see them," said Hazel. "They're excited, you know. But we don't want Clover disturbed into eating them or anything miserable like that."

  "It looks as though we really are going to live a natural life again at last, doesn't it?" said Bigwig, as they browsed their way along the bank. "What a summer it's been! I keep dreaming I'm back in Efrafa, you know; but it'll pass off, I suppose. One thing I brought back out of that place, though, and that's the value of keeping a warren hidden. As we get bigger, Hazel, we ought to take care of that. We'll do better than Efrafa, though. When we've reached the right size, rabbits can be encouraged to leave."

  "Well, don't you leave," said Hazel, "or I'll tell Kehaar to bring you back by the scruff of the neck. I'm relying on you to produce us a really good Owsla."

  "It's certainly something to look forward to," said Bigwig. "Take a pack of young fellows across to the farm and chase the cats out of the barn to get an appetite. Well, it'll come. I say, this grass is as dry as horsehair on barbed wire, isn't it? What about a run down the hill to the fields-just you and I and Fiver? Corn's been cut, you know, and there should be good pickings. I expect they're going to burn off the field, but they haven't done it yet."

  "No, we must wait a bit," said Hazel. "I want to hear what Holly and Blackavar have to say when they come in."

  "That needn't keep you long," replied Bigwig. "Here they come already, unless I'm much mistaken. Straight down the open track, too! Not bothered about keeping hidden, are they? What a rate they're going!"

  "There's something wrong," said Hazel, staring at the approaching rabbits.

  Holly and Blackavar reached the long shadow of the wood at top speed, as though they were being pursued. The watchers expected them to slow down as they came to the bank, but they kept straight on and appeared actually to be going to run underground. At the last moment Holly stopped, looked about him and stamped twice. Blackavar disappeared down the nearest hole. At the stamping, all the rabbits above ground ran for cover.

  "Here, wait a minute," said Hazel, pushing past Pipkin and Hawkbit as they came across the grass. "Holly, what's the alarm? Tell us something, instead of stamping the place to pieces. What's happened?"

  "Get the holes filled in!" gasped Holly. "Get everyone underground! There's not a moment to lose." His eyes rolled white and he panted foam over his chin.

  "Is it men, or what? There's nothing to be seen, heard or smelled. Come on, tell us something and stop gibbering, there's a good chap."

  "It'll have to be quick, then," said Holly. "That combe-it's full of rabbits from Efrafa."

  "From Efrafa? Fugitives, do you mean?"

  "No," said Holly, "not fugitives. Campion's there. We ran right into him and three or four more that Blackavar recognized. I believe Woundwort's there himself. They've come for us-don't make any mistake about that."

  "You're sure it's more than a patrol?"

  "I'm certain," answered Holly. "We could smell them; and we heard them, too-below us in the combe. We wondered what so many rabbits could be doing there and we were going down to see when we suddenly came face to face with Campion. We looked at him and he looked at us and then I realized what it must mean and we turned and ran. He didn't follow us-probably because he'd had no orders. But how long will it take them to get here?"

  Blackavar had returned from underground, bringing Silver and Blackberry.

  "We ought to leave at once, sir," he said to Hazel. "We might be able to get quite a long way before they come."

  Hazel looked about him. "Anyone who wants to go can go," he said. "I shan't. We made this warren ou
rselves and Frith only knows what we've been through on account of it. I'm not going to leave it now."

  "Neither am I," said Bigwig. "If I'm for the Black Rabbit, there's one or two from Efrafa will come with me."

  There was a short silence.

  "Holly's right to want to stop the holes," went on Hazel. "It's the best thing to do. We fill the holes in, good and thorough. Then they have to dig us out. The warren's deep. It's under a bank, with tree roots all through it and over the top. How long can all those rabbits stay on the down without attracting elil? They'll have to give it up."

  "You don't know these Efrafans," said Blackavar. "My mother used to tell me what happened at Nutley Copse. It would be better to go now."

  "Well, go on, then," answered Hazel. "I'm not stopping you. And I'm not leaving this warren. It's my home." He looked at Hyzenthlay, heavy with young, who was sitting in the mouth of the nearest hole and listening to the talk. "How far do you think she'll get? And Clover-do we leave her or what?"

  "No, we must stay," said Strawberry. "I believe El-ahrairah will save us from this Woundwort; and if he doesn't, I'm not going back to Efrafa, I'll tell you that."

  "Fill in the holes," said Hazel.

  As the sun set, the rabbits fell to clawing and scrabbling in the runs. The sides were hard with the hot weather. It was not easy to get started, and when the soil began to fall, it was light and powdery and did little to block the holes. It was Blackberry who hit upon the idea of working outward from inside the Honeycomb itself, scratching down the ceilings of the runs where they came into the meeting hall and blocking the holes by breaking the underground walls into them. One run, leading up into the wood, was left open for coming and going. It was the one where Kehaar used to shelter and the lobby at the mouth was still cluttered with guano. As Hazel passed the place, it occurred to him that Woundwort did not know that Kehaar had left them. He dug out as much of the mess as he could and scattered it about. Then, as the work went on below, he squatted on the bank and watched the darkening eastern skyline.