第5部分(第4/7 页)

e　thing；　and　friendship　is　another；　and

they　should　not　be　confused。　Why；　the　words　are　spelt　differently；　and

mean　quite　different　things。　Everybody　can　see　that。'

〃'How　well　you　talk'！　said　the　Miller's　Wife；　pouring　herself　out　a　large

glass　of　warm　ale；　'really　I　feel　quite　drowsy。　It　is　just　like　being　in

church。'

〃'Lots　of　people　act　well；'　answered　the　Miller；　'but　very　few　people

talk　well；　which　shows　that　talking　is　much　the　more　difficult　thing　of　the

two；　and　much　the　finer　thing　also'；　and　he　looked　sternly　across　the　table

at　his　little　son；　who　felt　so　ashamed　of　himself　that　he　hung　his　head

down；　and　grew　quite　scarlet；　and　began　to　cry　into　his　tea。　However；　he

was　so　young　that　you　must　excuse　him。〃

〃Is　that　the　end　of　the　story？〃　asked　the　Water…rat。

〃Certainly　not；〃　answered　the　Lin；　〃that　is　the　beginning。〃

〃Then　you　are　quite　behind　the　age；〃　said　the　Water…rat。　〃Every　good

story…teller　nowadays　starts　with　the　end；　and　then　goes　on　to　the

beginning；　and　concludes　with　the　middle。　That　is　the　new　method。　I

heard　all　about　it　the　other　day　from　a　critic　who　was　walking　round　the

pond　with　a　young　man。　He　spoke　of　the　matter　at　great　length；　and　I　am

sure　he　must　have　been　right；　for　he　had　blue　spectacles　and　a　bald　head；

and　whenever　the　young　man　made　any　remark；　he　always　answered

'Pooh！'　But　pray　go　on　with　your　story。　I　like　the　Miller　immensely。　I

have　all　kinds　of　beautiful　sentiments　myself；　so　there　is　a　great　sympathy

between　us。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　Lin；　hopping　now　on　one　leg　and　now　on　the　other；

〃as　soon　as　the　winter　was　over；　and　the　primroses　began　to　open　their