Chapter 4 We pack 
　  
　　The next day，which was Friday，we collected all these things together．In the evening we met to pack． 
　　We got a big suitcase for the clothes．There were two large baskets with lids，for the food and for the pans and things to cook with．We moved the table over to the window．Then we put everything in the middle of the floor． 
　　After we had done that，we sat there and we looked at it． 
　　I said that I would pack． 
　　I think that I am very good at packing．It is one of the things that I do best．So I told the others that I would organize it．They agreed to this idea too quickly．That was rather strange．George lit his pipe and sat back in the armchair．Harris put his feet on the table and lit a cigarette． 
　　This was not，of course，what I had expected．When I said that I would organize it，I meant that I would tell them what to do．Then I would sit and watch them do it． 
　　However，I said nothing，and I started to pack the clothes．It took much longer than I had expected，but in the end it was finished．I sat on the suitcase and closed it．George and Harris watched me with great interest． 
　　'Aren't you going to put the boots in？'Harris asked． 
　　I looked round，and saw the boots．Why did Harris wait until I had closed the suitcase？ 
　　George laughed quietly． 
　　I opened the suitcase，and I put the boots in．It was not easy！And just as I was going to close the suitcase again，an awful idea came to me．Had I packed my toothbrush？ 
　　Of course，I had to look for it，and，of course，I could not find it．I had to take everything out again．I found George's tooth-brush．I found Harris's toothbrush，but I could not find mine．In the end，I found it inside a boot． 
　　I packed everything again． 
　　When I had finished，George asked if the soap was in the suitcase．I said I did not care about the soap．I threw down the lid of the suitcase，and I closed it again．Then I found my cigarettes were inside it． 
　　I finished the suitcase at five past ten，and the food was still not packed！ 
　　Harris said，'We have to start the holiday in twelve hours．Perhaps George and I had better do the rest of the packing．' 
　　I agreed，and I sat down． 
　　They began quite happily．I said nothing．I only waited．I looked at all the plates and cups，and bottles，and tomatoes，and cakes，etc．I felt that it was soon going to get exciting． 
　　It did．They started by breaking a cup．That was just to show you what they could do and to get you interested．Then Harris packed a pan on top of a tomato and…well，they had to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon． 
　　And then it was George's turn，and he stepped on the butter．I did not say anything，but I got up and went over to the table and watched them．This annoyed them more than anything，and it made them worried and excited．They stepped on things，and they put things behind them．And then they could not find them when they wanted them．They packed soft things at the bottom of the basket，and then put heavy things on top of them． 
　　Then it got worse．After George got the butter off his shoe，they tried to put it in the teapot．At first they could not get it in．Then，when they did get it in，they decided that the teapot was the wrong place．But they could not get the butter out a-gain．However，in the end they did manage to get it out and they put it down on a chair．Harris sat on it，and when he stood up，the butter stuck to his trousers．Then they looked for the butter all over the room．In the end，George got behind Harris，and he saw it． 
　　'There it is！'he cried． 
　　'Where？'Harris asked，and he turned round quickly． 
　　'Stand still！'George shouted． 
　　When they got the butter off Harris，they packed it in the teapot again． 
　　Montmorency was in all this，of course．He sat down on things just when George and Harris were going to pack them；he put his leg into the sugar；he ran away with the teaspoons．He pretended that the oranges were rats，and he got into the food basket and killed three of them． 
　　The packing was completed at ten to one in the morning，and we all went to bed．George said，'What time shall I wake you two？' 
　　Harris said，'Seven．' 
　　I said'Six．' 
　　In the end we said，'Wake us at half past six，George．' 
　  
4 收拾行装 
　  
　　第二天是星期五，晚上我们把那些东西堆在一起，准备收拾。 
　　我们带一个大箱子装衣服，还有两个有盖的篮子，一个装食品，一个装锅和烹饪的东西。我们把桌子搬到窗口，然后把东西一股脑地堆在中间的地板上。 
　　做完这些事，我们坐在那儿，愣愣地看着这一堆东西。 
　　我说，打包的事交给我了。 
　　我对自己的打包能力十分自负，觉得是我最拿手的一件事，所以我对他们俩说我来负责。他们马上欣然同意，毫不犹豫，速度之快有点令我感到蹊跷。乔治点上了烟斗，把自己埋在扶手椅中；哈里斯把脚跷到桌子上，也点了一支香烟。 
　　当然这可出乎我的意料。我的打算是我来组织这个工作，我告诉他们怎么干，然后我坐在那儿看他们干。 
　　尽管如此，我还是二话没说开始装衣服。花的时间可真不少，但我终于还是干完了。我坐在箱子上合住盖。乔治和哈里斯颇有兴致地望着我。 
　　“这些靴子你要不要装进去呀？”哈里斯问。 
　　我回头一看，看见了靴子。这个哈里斯，怎么非等我盖上箱子才说？ 
　　乔治悄悄笑了起来。 
　　我又把箱子打开，把靴子装进去，真不容易啊。我刚想合上箱子盖，忽然又冒出一个糟糕的念头，我的牙刷装进去了没有？ 
　　毫无疑问，我还得找，可我怎么都找不着。我把所有的东西都掏出来，找到了乔治的牙刷，也找到了哈里斯的牙刷，偏偏就是没有我的。最后还是在一只靴子里找到了。 
　　我把东西重新装好。 
　　等到收拾完了，乔治问肥皂装了没有。我才不管什么肥皂不肥皂的呢！我使劲把盖子压下去，合上，这才发现我的烟又给装进去了。 
　　收拾完箱子已经是晚上十点过五分了，可是吃的东西还没装呢！ 
　　哈里斯说：“咱们还有十二个小时就要出发了，其余的东西还是让我和乔治来收拾吧。” 
　　我没有意见，坐在一旁看他们干。 
　　他们一开始还挺高兴。我一言不发，走着瞧吧。看着一大堆盘子、杯子、瓶子、西红柿、和蛋糕什么的，我觉得不一会儿就会有好戏看了。 
　　果不其然。开始是杯子打了，这无非想显示他们很能干，好引起你的兴趣。接着哈里斯把锅压在西红柿上，瞧，只得用茶匙把它们一点一点舀出来。 
　　轮到乔治了。他一脚踩在黄油上面。我一声没吭，起身走到桌子边上看看究竟怎么回事。这更让他们恼怒、烦恼和激动，一会儿又踩着什么了；一会儿把东西搁到身后，转身又忘了，找不着；一会儿把软的东西放到篮子底，把重的压在上面了。 
　　形势越发糟糕了。乔治把黄油从鞋上拿下来，他们使劲把它塞进茶壶里。开始还装不进去，后来装进去了，他们才恍然大悟这儿可不是放黄油的好地方。这次又取不出来了。终于取出来了，他们把黄油放在椅子上，哈里斯一屁股坐上去，起身时全粘到裤子上了。他们四处乱找，后来乔治转到哈里斯背后，才发现了黄油。 
　　“在这儿！”他叫道。 
　　“在哪儿呀？”哈里斯问，不住地转着身子。 
　　“别动！”乔治吼道。 
　　他们总算把黄油从身上取下来，又装进茶壶里去了。 
　　这样的大混乱里，当然少不了“元帅”。乔治和哈里斯装东西的时候，它就坐在上面，一会儿把脚伸进糖罐里，一会儿叼着勺子到处跑，一会儿假装桔子是老鼠，蹿进装食品的篮子里——一下消灭了三个。 
　　凌晨一点差十分，东西包装完毕，大家准备去睡觉。乔治问：“明天什么时候叫醒你们？” 
　　哈里斯说：“七点。” 
　　我说：“六点。” 
　　最后我们说：“乔治，六点半叫我们。” 
　　　    


 