“ They're all right in a way—I'm very good friends with them—pass the time of day when we meet, and all that—but they break out sometimes, there's no denying it, and then—well, you can't really trust them, and that's the fact. ”
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (1908). copy citation
| Author | Kenneth Grahame |
|---|---|
| Source | The Wind in the Willows |
| Topic | trust friendship |
| Date | 1908 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/289/289-h/289-h.htm |
Context
“They'd better not,' he added significantly.
'Why, who SHOULD interfere with him?' asked the Mole.
'Well, of course—there—are others,' explained the Rat in a hesitating sort of way.
'Weasels—and stoats—and foxes—and so on. They're all right in a way—I'm very good friends with them—pass the time of day when we meet, and all that—but they break out sometimes, there's no denying it, and then—well, you can't really trust them, and that's the fact.'
The Mole knew well that it is quite against animal-etiquette to dwell on possible trouble ahead, or even to allude to it; so he dropped the subject.
'And beyond the Wild Wood again?' he asked: 'Where it's all blue and dim, and one sees what may be hills or perhaps they mayn't, and something like the smoke of towns, or is it only cloud-drift?'” source
'Why, who SHOULD interfere with him?' asked the Mole.
'Well, of course—there—are others,' explained the Rat in a hesitating sort of way.
'Weasels—and stoats—and foxes—and so on. They're all right in a way—I'm very good friends with them—pass the time of day when we meet, and all that—but they break out sometimes, there's no denying it, and then—well, you can't really trust them, and that's the fact.'
The Mole knew well that it is quite against animal-etiquette to dwell on possible trouble ahead, or even to allude to it; so he dropped the subject.
'And beyond the Wild Wood again?' he asked: 'Where it's all blue and dim, and one sees what may be hills or perhaps they mayn't, and something like the smoke of towns, or is it only cloud-drift?'” source
Meaning and analysis
