有声英语儿童童话故事 绒布兔子 第13章

Weeks passed, and the littleRabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He lovedhim so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his earsturned grey, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape, and hescarcely looked like a rabbit any more, except to the Boy. To him he was alwaysbeautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mindhow he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, andwhen you are Real shabbiness doesn’t matter.

And then, one day, the Boy wasill.

His face grew very flushed, andhe talked in his sleep, and his little body was so hot that it burned theRabbit when he held him close. Strange people came and went in the nursery, anda light burned all night and through it all the little Velveteen Rabbit laythere, hidden from sight under the bedclothes, and he never stirred, for he wasafraid that if they found him some one might take him away, and he knew thatthe Boy needed him.