voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第13节
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And then； thoughtless； selfish little imp that I was； I leaned over and
whispered in the Doctor's ear；
〃Please don't forget to say something about the voyages。〃
〃Oh； by the way；〃 said John Dolittle； 〃of course occasionally my work
requires me to travel。 You will have no objection； I take it； to your son's
coming with me？〃
My poor mother looked up sharply； more unhappy and anxious than
ever at this new turn； while I stood behind the Doctor's chair； my heart
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thumping with excitement； waiting for my father's answer。
〃No；〃 he said slowly after a while。 〃If we agree to the other
arrangement I don't see that we've the right to make any objection to that。〃
Well； there surely was never a happier boy in the world than I was at
that moment。 My head was in the clouds。 I trod on air。 I could scarcely
keep from dancing round the parlor。 At last the dream of my life was to
come true！ At last I was to be given a chance to seek my fortune； to have
adventures！ For I knew perfectly well that it was now almost time for the
Doctor to start upon another voyage。 Polynesia had told me that he hardly
ever stayed at home for more than six months at a stretch。 Therefore he
would be surely going again within a fortnight。 And II； Tommy Stubbins；
would go with him！ Just to think of it！ to cross the Sea； to walk on
foreign shores； to roam the World！
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
PART TWO
THE FIRST CHAPTER
THE CREW OF 〃THE CURLEW〃
FROM that time on of course my position in the town was very
different。 I was no longer a poor cobbler's son。 I carried my nose in the air
as I went down the High Street with Jip in his gold collar at my side； and
snobbish little boys who had despised me before because I was not rich
enough to go to school now pointed me out to their friends and whispered；
〃You see him？ He's a doctor's assistantand only ten years old！〃
But their eyes would have opened still wider with wonder if they had
but known that I and the dog that was with me could talk to one another。
Two days after the Doctor had been to our house to dinner he told me
very sadly that he was afraid that he would have to give up trying to learn
the language of the shellfish at all events for the present。
〃I'm very discouraged； Stubbins； very。 I've tried the mussels and the
clams； the oysters and the whelks； cockles and scallops； seven different
kinds of crabs and all the lobster family。 I think I'll leave it for the present
and go at it again later on。〃
〃What will you turn to now？〃 I asked。
〃Well； I rather thought of going on a voyage； Stubbins。 It's quite a time
now since I've been away。 And there is a great deal of work waiting for me
abroad。〃
〃When shall we start？〃 I asked。
〃Well； first I shall have to wait till the Purple Bird…of…Paradise gets
here。 I must see if she has any message for me from Long Arrow。 She's
late。 She should have been here ten days ago。 I hope to goodness she's all
right。〃
〃Well； hadn't we better be seeing about getting a boat？〃 I said。 〃She is
sure to be here in a day or so； and there will be lots of things to do to get
ready in the mean time； won't there？〃
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〃Yes； indeed；〃 said the Doctor。 〃Suppose we go down and see your
friend Joe； the mussel…man。 He will know about boats。〃
〃I'd like to come too；〃 said Jip。
〃All right； come along；〃 said the Doctor； and off we went。
Joe said yes； he had a boatone he had just bought but it needed
three people to sail her。 We told him we would like to see it anyway。
So the mussel…man took us off a little way down the river and showed
us the neatest； prettiest； little vessel that ever was built。 She was called The
Curlew。 Joe said he would sell her to us cheap。 But the trouble was that the
boat needed three people； while we were only two。
〃Of course I shall be taking Chee…Chee；〃 said the Doctor。 〃But
although he is very quick and clever； he is not as strong as a man。 We
really ought to have another person to sail a boat as big as that。〃
〃I know of a good sailor； Doctor；〃 said Joe〃a first…class seaman who
would be glad of the job。〃
〃No； thank you； Joe；〃 said Doctor Dolittle。 〃I don't want any seamen。 I
couldn't afford to hire them。 And then they hamper me so； seamen do；
when I'm at sea。 They're always wanting to do things the proper way； and I
like to do them my wayNow let me see： who could we take with us？〃
〃There's Matthew Mugg； the cat's…meat…man；〃 I said。
〃No； he wouldn't do。 Matthew's a very nice fellow； but he talks too
much mostly about his rheumatism。 You have to be frightfully particular
whom you take with you on long voyages。〃
〃How about Luke the Hermit？〃 I asked。
〃That's a good ideasplendidif he'll come。 Let's go and ask him right
away。〃
THE SECOND CHAPTER
LUKE THE HERMIT
THE Hermit was an old friend of ours； as I have already told you。 He
was a very peculiar person。 Far out on the marshes he lived in a little bit of
a shackall alone except for his brindle bulldog。 No one knew where he
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came fromnot even his name。 just 〃Luke the Hermit〃 folks called him。
He never came into the town； never seemed to want to see or talk to
people。 His dog； Bob； drove them away if they came near his hut。 When
you asked anyone in Puddleby who he was or why he lived out in that
lonely place by himself； the only answer you got was； 〃Oh； Luke the
Hermit？ Well； there's some mystery about him。 Nobody knows what it is。
But there's a mystery。 Don't go near him。 He'll set the dog on you。〃
Nevertheless there were two people who often went out to that little
shack on the fens： the Doctor and myself。 And Bob； the bulldog； never
barked when he heard us coming。 For we liked Luke； and Luke liked us。
This afternoon； crossing the marshes we faced a cold wind blowing
from the East。 As we approached the hut Jip put up his ears and said；
〃That's funny！〃
〃What's funny？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃That Bob hasn't come out to meet us。 He should have heard us long
ago or smelt us。 What's that queer noise？〃
〃Sounds to me like a gate creaking；〃 said the Doctor。 〃Maybe it's
Luke's door； only we can't see the door from here； it's on the far side of the
shack。〃
〃I hope Bob isn't sick；〃 said Jip； and he let out a bark to see if that
would call him。 But the only answer he got was the wailing of the wind
across the wide； salt fen。
We hurried forward； all three of us thinking hard。
When we reached the front of the shack we found the door open；
swinging and creaking dismally in the wind。 We looked inside。 There was
no one there。
〃Isn't Luke at home then？〃 said I。 〃Perhaps he's out for a walk。〃
〃He is ALWAYS at home；〃 said the Doctor frowning in a peculiar sort
of way。 〃And even if he were out for a。 walk he wouldn't leave his door
banging in the wind behind him。 There is something queer about this
What are you doing in there； Jip？〃
〃Nothing muchnothing worth speaking of；〃 said Jip examining the
floor of the hut extremely carefully。
〃Come here； Jip；〃 said the Doctor in a stern voice。 〃You are hiding
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something from me。 You see signs and you know somethingor you guess
it。 What has happened？ Tell me。 Where is the Hermit？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Jip looking very guilty and uncomfortable。 〃I don't
know where he is。〃
〃Well； you know something。 I can tell it from the look in your eye。
What is it？〃
