"There’s cold chicken inside it," replied the Rat briefly: "cold​tongue​cold​ham​cold​beef​pickled​gherkins​salad​french​rolls​cress​sandwiches​potted​meat​ginger​beer​lemonade​soda​water—"

"O stop, stop!" cried the Mole in ecstasies. "This is too much!"

"Do you really think so?" enquired the Rat seriously. "It’s only what I always take on these little excursions; and the other animals are always telling me that I’m a mean beast and cut it very fine!"

 

“It is in my nature to decline.” Both the Wolf and the Deer seemed to acknowledge that there wasn’t much more to be said.

“And I suppose,” said Graham, “it is in my nature to know that.”