The Willows in Winter (30 page)

Even the stoats and the weasels accepted with
good grace the further postponement of the party at Badger’s that had been so
long promised, and for which, finally, the precious invitations had gone out.

Yet, for all the disappointment, it would be
idle to think that the party, despite the postponement, or even the prospect of
spring, was uppermost in animals’ minds — though greatly looked forward to
those events undoubtedly were.

No, it was of Toad that most thought, and of
him for a time that all talked.

Of the Badger’s letter, and the mission of the
stoat who delivered it, but little was known. The Badger was never inclined to
talk of such
things,
and braggart though the stoat was
tempted to be, there was really little that he could say. It was enough that he
had earned one of the few invitations that had gone out to his kind, and enough
that he knew that the Badger would honour it.

But with his return, a great deal of news came
back to the river: news of Toad’s heroic struggle with his flying machine to
prevent it crashing upon the Town (as it was reported); of Toad’s subsequent
escapades and crimes and achievements (as his follies were variously
described); and of Toad’s incarceration and hearing before the Seven Judges
(“It was a hearing,
not
a trial!” Toad’s defenders insisted).

So too did the news, more important still, that
Toad, by his own brilliant representation of himself and with a mite of
Badger’s influence and that of Lord Prendergast (the butler had been elevated
ever higher with successive telling of the tale), by these and other devices as
yet unknown, Toad had been given his liberty and set upon the road back home.

Such matters had served to preoccupy all those
along the river before winter’s ill-timed return.

Then, when Toad had not come, and the days had
grown dark with winter once
more,
and there was still
no sign of him, the discussions grew more worried, and more grim. Some said his
experiences had been so terrible that he had been driven mad and was even now
wandering the countryside not knowing who he was or where to turn; others were
certain that Toad was now bored with the river and Toad Hall, and had set off
for pastures new never to return. Perhaps, too, he had heard of the ruin of Toad
Hall and had not the heart to return.

A third group, and in this must be counted the
Mole, the Water Rat and the Badger himself, was more silent, and more worried.
For the winter
had
grown severe once more, and it seemed
quite impossible that Toad could survive long in such weather.
True, he
would no doubt have found somewhere warm and comfortable to see the bad weather
out — but he had surely had opportunity enough to send a message to them.

More than that, of his own accord, and without
either the Mole or the Badger knowing, the Water Rat had taken advantage of the
days before the weather worsened to journey the open roads searching for Toad.
But he had failed. Wherever he went there was neither sight nor sound of him.

The Rat had come home disconsolate, almost
caught up himself in the renewed wintry blizzards, and had reluctantly reported
what he had found — or rather, not found. So there was little enough cheer
about the river in those hard long weeks, and one by one the animals became
silent on the subject of Toad, and fearful, including Mole, and Rat — and even
Badger.

Winter’s attempt to thwart the spring finally
began to peter out in April, and the party, long awaited, could no longer be
delayed. The Badger’s honour was at stake, as the Rat had said before, and if
there was any more procrastination then with the warmer weather now on the way,
who would have time for a get-together in the Wild Wood?

Certainly not the river
animals,
for already the river was
astir with the gentler and more positive life
of spring, and there was much to do, and much to see.

“It’s this weekend or never!” the Rat told the
Badger firmly, having brought the Mole and his Nephew, as well as the Otter and
Portly, along for support. They all nodded grimly, though the two youngsters
were nervous of this role which the Water Rat had thrust upon them, and would
certainly have turned tail and run if the Badger had growled loudly and
expressed his irritation.

But he did not.

He knew not only when he was beaten, but when
the time had come to do the right thing, and he gave in with good grace.

“We’ll have it this weekend, just as you say,
Water Rat — and the rest of you! We had better send out a new set of
invitations after all this delay — Mole, you can help me check the list and
you, Nephew, can organise the distribution. We have to be absolutely certain
that the right animals get the right invitations or there’ll be all sorts of
trouble.

“Now, Otter, I’ve had a word with you already
about the food, and I believe —”

The Otter nodded enthusiastically. He was liked
and respected all along the river — probably further
afield
than any of them — and had long since readied his troops for the preparation of
a feast the like of which the Wild Wood was unlikely to see again.

“The helpers are all just waiting for you to
give the word, Badger, and I tell you, those involved are looking forward to
it, though it beats me why But some people positively like baking and cooking
and basting and steaming and —”

The Badger raised a hand to stop him.

“My dear chap, no doubt they do, but I prefer
not to know
If
you start telling me what’s involved
I’ll take fright and postpone the whole thing again —”

“Say no more, Badger; all you need to do is to
take the place of honour and declare the feast begun! We’ll do the rest!”

“Now,” said the Badger, turning to the Water
Rat, “I want you to attend to details in my home — it goes without saying that
with stoats and weasels about the place we had best lock all my valuables away.
I regret to say this but I really think we had better search animals as they
leave, so —The Rat laughed and said, “I have to thank Mole for a suggestion
that may deal with that matter
most
effectively, Badger. Mole, perhaps
you can —The Mole came forward to address a meeting that was rapidly beginning
to sound like a war council, and said, “You’ll remember that I had to deal with
those untrustworthy fellows during that time some years ago when we had to
wrest Toad Hall back from their power?”

“None of us have forgotten, Mole,” said the
Badger appreciatively; and while the Mole brushed this aside with a modest
gesture, his Nephew’s snout went pink with pride and pleasure on his uncle’s
behalf.

“That’s as maybe,” said the Mole, “but the fact
is that I learnt that the weasels and stoats are driven by twin evils — greed
on one hand, and vanity on the other —and we must use the second to control the
first!”

There was a quality in the Mole — firmness
combined with common sense, with a dash of ruthlessness as well — which only
emerged in situations such as this. He was indeed a friend upon whom an animal
could rely.

“Go on,” said the Badger.

“Well then, I suggest we issue attendance
certificates to those who come, and let them know that we shall be doing so —
certificates suitably inscribed in copperplate upon vellum, which they can
frame and put upon their wall. We shall let them know these are to be issued
—but that since we shall be using Toad’s crockery and silver we are honour
bound to protect it to the last.
Which being
so, if so
much as one sugar spoon goes missing, then
no
certificate will be issued
to
any
animal. That should keep them in order!”

The Badger laughed heartily and said, “Mole,
behind that quiet and self-effacing exterior, do you know what you are?
A brute!”

For a further two hours the plans were laid,
the orders given, and the guest list revised and checked.

“And now,” said the Rat finally, “there’s only
one thing left for you to do, Badger!”

“And what’s that?” growled the Badger, who had
been showing signs of impatience once again, for the planning had gone on
rather longer than he had expected, and he had learnt that various females
would be coming in to his quarters to spruce things up a bit — and he did not
like it, not one little bit.

“I’m not going to ask you to do it,” said the
Water Rat very firmly, “I’m going to
order
you to do it, for your good
and everybody else’s.”

This was bold indeed, and a hush fell over the
Badger’s parlour as they waited for his reply.

“Well?” he said in a low and dangerous voice.

But the Rat did not falter. He stood up, he
faced the Badger square
on,
and said, “You are going
to take a little holiday, Badger. If you stay here while the preparations are
made you’ll grumble and grouse and nothing will get done and everybody will get
irritable. Therefore — and I have already discussed this with Mole — you are
going to live in his home for the days till the party itself.”

“I —” began the Badger in protest.

“And while you’re there you will help me
inscribe the certificates!” said the Mole quickly.

“I —”

“Won’t you, Badger?”

The Badger’s mouth closed slowly and then
opened again.
“When?” he said.

“Now,” said the Water Rat. “Pack a bag and off
you go!”

“Well —” said the Badger, out-thought and outmanoeuvred
for once, “well —”

He frowned. He growled. He thumped about a bit.
The only thing he did not do, before he gave up his home to the tender care of
Rat, and allowed Mole to lead him triumphantly away, was to let them see that
despite his frowns and grumpiness there was in his eye the light of good
humour, and the pleasure and satisfaction of knowing that few animals had such
friends as these.

Yet as he left with the Mole at his side he
turned impulsively back and said in a voice full of emotion, “Water Rat! And
you others! Let’s make this party one that no animal is likely to forget! Let’s
do so in memory of one who cannot be with us, and may never now be. One who for
all his faults will be sorely missed! Let us make such a celebration of
friendship and the winter’s end that all who came to it will say, ‘Had Toad
been there,
that
was a party
he
would have enjoyed.’”

It was a very touching moment, for it was the
first time since Toad’s disappearance that the Badger had expressed so clearly
the true loss he felt. Indeed, if by the end of his rousing words his voice was
a little rough, a little choking even, and his eyes moister than they had been
—so much so that when he turned once more to leave he took the opportunity of
brushing aside a tear — then it was all no more than the others felt; and, yes,
this
would
be a party that Toad might have enjoyed.

The next few days passed rapidly, and if the
weather stayed inclement, and winter would not yet admit defeat and be gone,
the spring-like mood among the animals of river, of bank and of Wild Wood made
up for it.

Before long it was as if every animal alive was
involved one way or another with the coming festivity. What with the
preparations of food (in which the rabbits took a leading part) and the
choosing of drink (wherein the weasels and certain of the stoats could not be
excelled) and the decoration (and here certain of the Otter’s female friends
emerged from an anonymity in which he might rather they had stayed), the
highways and byways of those parts were busy with the comings and goings of
those with tasks in hand.

The Water Rat, relying heavily on Mole’s Nephew
as his second-in-command and general factotum, kept close watch from his
headquarters.
which
is to say the Badger’s bedroom.
Here he had placed all Badger’s valuables and most-treasured possessions, along
with Toad’s silver till it was needed, and to the door he had affixed a padlock
for which he had the only key.

At the same time, when it became known that numbers
were strictly limited — and in this respect alone the party differed from any
of Toad’s, to which any Tom, Dick or Harry was inclined to be invited to swell
the numbers — there was a certain amount of rancour. There were even claims
that one or two of the invitations had been traded on the black market, though
these were so scarce that the going rate was very high indeed. But in fact,
those unable to attend had long since decided to hold their own celebrations,
and to invite their own particular friends and neighbours, and many said
(though these, needless to say, were only those not going to the Badger’s
party) that
personally
they felt that the party
they
were going
to was definitely the only one worth attending.