ACT I
9
RAT (cheerily)
Prefer home life? I know. Very good thing too in its way.
MOLE
Yes, you see, I— This is a river, isn't it?
RAT
The River.
MOLE (simply)
I've never seen a river before.
RAT (staggered)
Never seen a— You never— Well, I— What have you
been doing then?
MOLE
Is it as nice as that?
RAT
Nice? My dear young friend, believe me, it's the only thing. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about by a river. (Dreamily) Simply messing, messing about by a river, or in a river or on a river. It doesn't matter which.
MOLE
But what do you do?
RAT
Nothing. Just mess about. That's the charm of it. You're
