voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第27节
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matadors' dressing…room opened and the Doctor strolled into the ring。 As
soon as his fat figure； dressed In sky…blue velvet； appeared； the crowd
rocked in their seats with laughter。
Juan Hagapoco； as they had called him； walked out into the centre of
the ring and bowed ceremoniously to the ladies in the boxes。 Then he
bowed to the bull。 Then he bowed to Pepito。 While he was bowing to
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Pepito's assistant the bull started to rush at him from behind。
〃Look out！ Look out！The bull！ You will be killed！〃 yelled the crowd。
But the Doctor calmly finished his bow。 Then turning round he folded
his arms； fixed the on…rushing bull with his eye and frowned a terrible
frown。
Presently a curious thing happened： the bull's speed got slower and
slower。 It almost looked as though he were afraid of that frown。 Soon he
stopped altogether。 The Doctor shook his finger at him。 He began to
tremble。 At last； tucking his tail between his legs； the bull turned round
and ran away。
The crowd gasped。 The Doctor ran after him。 Round and round the
ring they went； both of them puffing and blowing like grampuses。 Excited
whispers began to break out among the people。 This was something new
in bullfighting； to have the bull running away from the man； instead of the
man away from the bull。 At last in the tenth lap； with a final burst of speed；
Juan Hagapoco； the English matador； caught the poor bull by the tail。
Then leading the now timid creature into the middle of the ring； the
Doctor made him do all manner of tricks： standing on the hind legs；
standing on the front legs； dancing； hopping； rolling over。 He finished up
by making the bull kneel down； then he got on to his back and did
handsprings and other acrobatics on the beast's horns。
Pepito and his assistant had their noses sadly out of joint。 The crowd
had forgotten them entirely。 They were standing together by the fence not
far from where I sat； muttering to one another and slowly growing green
with jealousy。
Finally the Doctor turned towards Don Enrique's seat and bowing said
in a loud voice； 〃This bull is no good any more。 He's terrified and out of
breath。 Take him away； please。〃
〃Does the caballero wish for a fresh bull？〃 asked Don Enrique。
〃No；〃 said the Doctor； 〃I want five fresh bulls。 And I would like them
all in the ring at once； please。〃
At this a cry of horror burst from the people。 They had been used to
seeing matadors escaping from one bull at a time。 But FIVE！That must
mean certain death。
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Pepito sprang forward and called to Don Enrique not to allow it；
saying it was against all the rules of bullfighting。 （〃Ha！〃 Polynesia
chuckled into my ear。 〃It's like the Doctor's navigation： he breaks all the
rules； but he gets there。 If they'll only let him； he'll give them the best
show for their money they ever saw。〃） A great argument began。 Half the
people seemed to be on Pepito's side and half on the Doctor's side。 At last
the Doctor turned to Pepito and made another very grand bow which burst
the last button off his waistcoat。
〃Well； of course if the caballero is afraid〃 he began with a bland
smile。
〃Afraid！〃 screamed Pepito。 〃I am afraid of nothing on earth。 I am the
greatest matador in Spain。 With this right hand I have killed nine hundred
and fifty…seven bulls。〃
〃All right then；〃 said the Doctor； 〃let us see if you can kill five more。
Let the bulls in！〃 he shouted。 〃Pepito de Malaga is not afraid。〃
A dreadful silence hung over the great theatre as the heavy door into
the bull pen was rolled back。 Then with a roar the five big bulls bounded
into the ring。
〃Look fierce；〃 I heard the Doctor call to them in cattle language。
〃Don't scatter。 Keep close。 Get ready for a rush。 Take Pepito； the one in
purple； first。 But for Heaven's sake don't kill him。 Just chase him out of the
ringNow then； all together； go for him！〃
The bulls put down their heads and all in line； like a squadron of
cavalry； charged across the ring straight for poor Pepito。
For one moment the Spaniard tried his hardest to look brave。 But the
sight of the five pairs of horns coming at him at full gallop was too much。
He turned white to the lips； ran for the fence； vaulted it and disappeared。
〃Now the other one；〃 the Doctor hissed。 And in two seconds the
gallant assistant was nowhere to be seen。 Juan Hagapoco； the fat matador；
was left alone in the ring with five rampaging bulls。
The rest of the show was really well worth seeing。 First； all five bulls
went raging round the ring； butting at the fence with their horns； pawing
up the sand； hunting for something to kill。 Then each one in turn would
pretend to catch sight of the Doctor for the first time and giving a bellow
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of rage； would lower his wicked looking horns and shoot like an arrow
across the ring as though he meant to toss him to the sky。
It was really frightfully exciting。 And even I who knew it was all
arranged beforehand； held my breath in terror for the Doctor's life when I
saw how near they came to sticking him。 But just at the last moment； when
the horns' points were two inches from the sky…blue waistcoat； the Doctor
would spring nimbly to one side and the great brutes would go thundering
harmlessly by； missing him by no more than a hair。
Then all five of them went for him together； completely surrounding
him； slashing at him with their horns and bellowing with fury。 How he
escaped alive I don't know。 For several minutes his round figure could
hardly be seen at all in that scrimmage of tossing heads； stamping hoofs
and waving tails。It was； as Polynesia had prophesied； the greatest
bullfight ever seen。
One woman in the crowd got quite hysterical and screamed up to Don
Enrique；
〃Stop the fight！ Stop the fight！ He is too brave a man to be killed。 This
is the most wonderful matador in the world。 Let him live！ Stop the fight！〃
But presently the Doctor was seen to break loose from the mob of
animals that surrounded him。 Then catching each of them by the horns；
one after another； he would give their heads a sudden twist and throw
them down flat on the sand。 The great fellows acted their parts extremely
well。 I have never seen trained animals in a circus do better。 They lay there
panting on the ground where the Doctor threw them as if they were
exhausted and completely beaten。
Then with a final bow to the ladies John Dolittle took a cigar from his
pocket； lit it and strolled out of the ring。
THE NINTH CHAPTER
WE DEPART IN A HURRY
AS soon as the door closed behind the Doctor the most tremendous
noise I have ever heard broke loose。 Some of the men appeared to be
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angry （friends of Pepito's； I suppose） ； but the ladies called and called to
have the Doctor come back into the ring。
When at length he did so； the women seemed to go entirely mad over
him。 They blew kisses to him。 They called him a darling。 Then they started
taking off their flowers； their rings； their necklaces； and their brooches and
threw them down at his feet。 You never saw anything like ita perfect
shower of jewelry and roses。
But the Doctor just smiled up at them； bowed once more and backed
out。
〃Now； Bumpo；〃 said Polynesia； 〃this is where you go down and gather
up all those trinkets and we'll sell 'em。 That's what the big matadors do：
leave the jewelry on the ground and their assistants collect it for them。 We
might as well lay in a good supply of money while we've got the chance
you never know when you may n
