Chapter 9 Mr. Toad It was a bright morning in the early part of the summer.
A hot sun seemed to be pulling everything green and bushy up out of the earth.
The mole and the water rat had been up since dawn, busy on matters connected with the opening of boating season.
Painting, mending paddles, repairing cushions, and so on.
They were finishing breakfast in their little parlor when a heavy knock sounded at the door.
The mole went to answer it, and the rat heard him utter a cry of surprise.
The badger strode heavily into the room.
The rat let his spoon fall on the tablecloth and sat open-mouthed.
The hour has come, said the badger at last.
What hour? asked the rat uneasily, glancing at the clock on the mantle.
Whose hour, you should rather say, replied the badger.
Why, the hour of Toad.
Toad's hour, of course, cried the mole delightedly.
We plan last winter to teach him to be a sensible toad.
Right you are, cried the rat, jumping up.
We'll rescue the poor, unhappy animal.
We'll convert him.
He'll be the most converted toad that ever was before we're done with him.
They reached the carriage drive of Toad Hall to find a shiny new motorcar of great size and painted bright red, sitting in front of the house.
As they neared the house, the door was flung open and Mr Toad, in goggles, cap and enormous overcoat, came swaggering down the steps, drawing on his gloves.
"'Hello!
Come on, you fellows!' he cried cheerfully as he saw them.
"'It just isn't time to come with me for jolly, um, um, jolly—'
His smile fell away as he noticed the serious look on the faces of his silent friends.
The badger strode up the steps.
Take him inside, he said sternly to his companion.
Then Toad was hustled through the door, struggling and protesting.
Now then, Badger said to the toad when the four of them together stood in the hall.
First of all, take those ridiculous things off.
Well, replied Toad with great spirit, what is the meaning of this outrage?
Take them off him, then, ordered the badger.
Then the rat and the mole got Toad's motor clothes off bit by bit, and they stood him on his legs again.
Now that he was merely Toad and no longer the terror of the highway.
He giggled feebly, seeming to understand the situation.
You knew it must come to this, sooner or later, Toad, the badger explained severely.
You spent all the money your father left you and you're getting us animals a bad name by your smashes and fights with the police.
Now you will come with me and hear some hard facts about yourself.
He took Toad firmly by the arm, led him into another room, and closed the door behind him.
After some three-quarters of an hour, the door opened and the badger reappeared, leading by the paw, a very dejected Toad.
His legs wobbled and his cheeks were furrowed by tears.
Sit down there, Toad, said the badger kindly, pointing to a chair.
My friends.
He went on.
I am pleased to inform you that Toad has at last seen the great error of his ways.
He had undertaken to give up motor-cars entirely and forever.
That is very good news, said the Mole gravely.
There's only one thing more to be done, continued the Badger.
I want you to repeat before your friends what you fully admitted to me just now.
First, you are sorry for what you have done, and you see the folly of it all.
There was a long, long pause.
Toad looked this way and that, while the other animals waited in silence.
No, he said a little sullenly.
I'm not sorry, and it wasn't folly at all.
It was simply glorious.
What, cried the batter, didn't you tell me just now, in there?
Oh, yes, in there, said Toad impatiently.
I'd have said anything in there, but I've been searching my mind and I find that I'm not a bit sorry.
Then you don't promise, said the batter, never to touch a motor-car again.
Certainly not.
On the contrary, I promise that the very first motor-car I see, boop, boop, off I go in it.
Very well, then, said the Badger firmly, rising to his feet.
I feared it would come to this all along.
You've often asked us three to come in and stay with you, Toad, in this handsome house of yours.
Well, now we're going to.
Take him upstairs, you two, and lock him up in his bedroom.
It's for your own good Toadie, you know, said the rat kindly, as Toad kicking and struggling, was hauled up the stairs by his two friends.
We'll take great care of everything for you until you're well, Toad, said the mole.
No more of those regrettable incidents with the police.
Toad said the rat as they thrust him into his bedroom.
They came back downstairs, Toad shouting abuse at them through the keyhole, and the three friends then met to talk about the situation.
It's going to be hard, said the badger, sighing.
I've never seen Toad so determined.
However, we shall see it out till the poison has worked itself out of his system.
Each animal took it in turns to sleep in Toad's room at night, and they divided the day up among them.
At first, Toad was very difficult with his careful guardians.
He would arrange bedroom chairs to look like a motor car and stare straight ahead, making terrible noises.
As time passed, however, this happened less and less.
But his spirits did not seem to revive, and he grew depressed.
