"'Who is there?' cried the Doctor, putting his head out of his bedroom window.

  "'Little Hans, Doctor.'

  "'What do you want, little Hans?'

  "'The Miller's son has fallen from a ladder, and has hurt himself, and the Miller wants you to come at once.'

  "'All right!' said the Doctor; and he ordered his horse, and his big boots, and his lantern, and came downstairs, and rode off in the direction of the Miller's house, little Hans trudging behind him.

  "But the storm grew worse and worse, and the rain fell in torrents, and little Hans could not see where he was going, or keep up with the horse. At last he lost his way, and wandered off on the moor, which was a very dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes, and there poor little Hans was drowned. His body was found the next day by some goatherds, floating in a great pool of water, and was brought back by them to the cottage.

 

 

【词汇简析】

trudge v. 跋涉

torrent n. 急流，喷发

goatherd n. 牧羊人