Malcolm got up and had some breakfast. Then he went out for a long walk. He took his books and some bread and cheese with him. It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining brightly. Malcolm felt happy. He walked through the fields and then he sat down and read his book At lunchtime, he ate the bread and cheese. He sat reading all through the afternoon. In the early evening, he came back to the Judge's House. He heard the rats as soon as he opened the door. They were already running about and making a noise. Malcolm lit a fire and made his supper. After supper, he sat down in the big chair by the fire and smoked a cigarette. he down at the big table and went back to work. That night, from the very beginning, the rats were not afraid of Malcolm. They ran up and down the room over and under every piece of furniture. They watched Malcolm out of the holes in the walls. Their little, bright eyes shone in the lamplight. But they did not trouble Malcolm. He became used to them. From time to time, he looked up from his books and watched them playing their games. Malcolm worked for hour after hour. Suddenly he looked up from his books. Once again, there was silence in the room. It was exactly like the night before. The noise of the rats had stopped completely There, on the high-backed chair beside the fire, sat the same enormous rat. The rat looked at Malcolm with its evil eyes. Malcolm quickly picked up a book and threw it at the rat. The book did not hit the rat and the rat did not move. Malcolm stood up and moved towards the rat. The rat ran up the rope in the same way as the night before. As soon as it had disappeared, all the other rats started to squeak and scratch. Malcolm looked at his watch. It was mid night. I'll have another cup of tea, he said to himself. Then l'll get back to my books. Malcolm put some more wood on the fire and made another pot of tea. He sat down again in the high-backed chair. He drank the tea and smoked a cigarette. Then he looked at the alarm bell rope. He reached out and touched the rope. He lifted up the end of the rope and held it in both hands. It was strong, but it also felt soft and smooth. Malcolm had an idea. He thought of a plan to kill the enormous rat. He lifted up the end of the rope and put it on the table. Then he piled up some books and put them near him on the table. Now I am ready for the rat, he thought to himself When it comes again, I'll see the rope move. And I'll have these books to throw at it. This time I'll hit the rat and kill it. Malcolm began his studies once again. He worked for about half an hour. Suddenly the rats stopped the noise. The room was silent. He looked up and saw the enormous rat. It was climbing down the rope. It jumped from the rope onto the high-backed chair. It sat on the chair and looked straight at Malcolm. Malcolm picked up the first book on the pile. He threw it at the rat. The rat moved a little and the book did not hit it. Malcolm threw a second book, then a third and a fourth. This last book hit the rat. It gave a loud squeak. Then it ran up the back of the chair, jumped onto the rope and climbed up quickly Malcolm watched the rat in the lamplight. It climbed up and came near one of the big paintings on the wall. Then it jumped from the rope to the painting. The rat disappeared into a hole in this painting. Malcolm looked at the painting carefully. He wanted to remember it. I'll have good look at that painting in the morning, he thought to himself. I'll be able to see it more clearly in the daylight. It was now very late. Malcolm went to bed and slept well. The next morning, he woke up and felt happy. It was another sunny day. Good, he thought to himself. I'll get out again for a long walk. I'll read my books in the open air. While Malcolm was drinking a cup of tea, a woman came to the house. She was the cleaning woman. She had come to dust and clean the house. "I'm going out for a long walk, Malcolm told the woman. "You can clean the house while I am out. to dust and clean the house. "I'm going out for a long walk,' Malcolm told the woman"You can clean the house while I am out.' Before he left the house, Malcolm spoke again to the woman. He pointed up at the painting on the wall. It was the one with the hole in the corner. The enormous rat had disappeared into this hole.