voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第30节
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terribly fast and clever hunters。 So up we had to jump and on again。
〃After we had gone a few more hundred miles we looked back and
saw that the dog…fish were gaining on us。 So we turned into a harbor。 It
happened to be one on the west coast of the United States。 Here we
guessed； and hoped； the dog…fish would not be likely to follow us。 As it
happened； they didn't even see us turn in； but dashed on northward and we
never saw them again。 I hope they froze to death in the Arctic Seas。
〃But； as I said； luck was against us that day。 While I and my sister
were cruising gently round the ships anchored in the harbor looking for
orange…peels； a great delicacy with us…SWOOP！ BANG！ we were
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caught in a net。
〃We struggled for all we were worth； but it was no use。 The net was
small…meshed and strongly made。 Kicking and flipping we were hauled up
the side of the ship and dumped down on the deck； high and dry in a
blazing noon…day sun。
〃Here a couple of old men in whiskers and spectacles leant over us；
making strange sounds。 Some codling had got caught in the net the same
time as we were。 These the old men threw back into the sea； but us they
seemed to think very precious。 They put us carefully into a large jar and
after they had taken us on shore they went to a big house and changed us
from the jar into glass boxes full of water。 This house was on the edge of
the harbor； and a small stream of sea…water was made to flow through the
glass tank so we could breathe properly。 Of course we had never lived
inside glass walls before； and at first we kept on trying to swim through
them and got our noses awfully sore bumping the glass at full speed。
〃Then followed weeks and weeks of weary idleness。 They treated us
well； so far as they knew how。 The old fellows in spectacles came and
looked at us proudly twice a day and saw that we had the proper food to
eat； the right amount of light and that the water was not too hot or too cold。
But oh； the dullness of that life！ It seemed we were a kind of a show。 At a
certain hour every morning the big doors of the house were thrown open
and everybody in the city who had nothing special to do came in and
looked at us。 There were other tanks filled with different kinds of fishes all
round the walls of the big room。 And the crowds would go from tank to
tank； looking in at us through the glasswith their mouths open； like half…
witted flounders。 We got so sick of it that we used to open our mouths
back at them； and this they seemed to think highly comical。
〃One day my sister said to me； 'Think you； Brother； that these strange
creatures who have captured us can talk？'
〃 'Surely；' said I； 'have you not noticed that some talk with the lips only；
some with the whole face； and yet others discourse with the hands？ When
they come quite close to the glass you can hear them。 Listen！'
〃At that moment a female； larger than the rest； pressed her nose up
against the glass； pointed at me and said to her young behind her； 'Oh； look；
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here's a queer one！'
〃And then we noticed that they nearly always said this when they
looked in。 And for a long time we thought that such was the whole extent
of the language； this being a people of but few ideas。 To help pass away
the weary hours we learned it by heart； 'Oh； look； here's a queer one！' But
we never got to know what it meant。 Other phrases； however； we did get
the meaning of； and we even learned to read a little in man…talk。 Many big
signs there were； set up upon the walls； and when we saw that the keepers
stopped the people from spitting and smoking； pointed to these signs
angrily and read them out loud； we knew then that these writings signified；
No Smoking and Don't Spit。 〃Then in the evenings； after the crowd had
gone； the same aged male with one leg of wood； swept up the peanut…
shells with a broom every night。 And while he was so doing he always
whistled the same tune to himself。 This melody we rather liked； and we
learned that too by heart thinking it was part of the language。
〃Thus a whole year went by in this dismal place。 Some days new
fishes were brought in to the other tanks； and other days old fishes were
taken out。 At first we had hoped we would only be kept here for a while；
and that after we had been looked at sufficiently we would be returned to
freedom and the sea。 But as month after month went by； and we were left
undisturbed； our hearts grew heavy within our prison…walls of glass and
we spoke to one another less and less。
〃One day； when the crowd was thickest in the big room； a woman with
a red face fainted from the heat。 I watched through the glass and saw that
the rest of the people got highly excited though to me it did not seem to
be a matter of very great importance。 They threw cold water on her and
carried her out into the open air。
〃This made me think mightily； and presently a great idea burst upon
me。
〃 'Sister；' I said； turning to poor Clippa who was sulking at the bottom
of our prison trying to hide behind a stone from the stupid gaze of the
children who thronged about our tank； 'supposing that we pretended we
were sick： do you think they would take us also from this stuffy house？'
〃 'Brother；' said she wearily； 'that they might do。 But most likely they
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would throw us on a rubbish…heap； where we would die in the hot sun。'
〃 'But；' said I； 'why should they go abroad to seek a rubbish…heap；
when the harbor is so close？ While we were being brought here I saw men
throwing their rubbish into the water。 If they would only throw us also
there； we could quickly reach the sea。'
〃 'The Sea！' murmured poor Clippa with a faraway look in her eyes
（she had fine eyes； had my sister； Clippa）。 'How like a dream it sounds
the Sea！ Oh brother； will we ever swim in it again； think you？ Every night
as I lie awake on the floor of this evil…smelling dungeon I hear its hearty
voice ringing in my ears。 How I have longed for it！ Just to feel it once
again； the nice； big； wholesome homeliness of it all！ To jump； just to jump
from the crest of an Atlantic wave； laughing in the trade wind's spindrift；
down into the blue…green swirling trough！ To chase the shrimps on a
summer evening； when the sky is red and the light's all pink within the
foam！ To lie on the top； in the doldrums' noonday calm； and warm your
tummy in the tropic sun！ To wander hand in hand once more through the
giant seaweed forests of the Indian Ocean； seeking the delicious eggs of
the pop…pop！ To play hide…and…seek among the castles of the coral towns
with their pearl and jasper windows spangling the floor of the Spanish
Main！ To picnic in the anemone…meadows； dim blue and lilac…gray； that lie
in the lowlands beyond the South Sea Garden！ To throw somersaults on
the springy sponge…beds of the Mexican Gulf！ To poke about among the
dead ships and see what wonders and adventures lie inside！And then； on
winter nights when the Northeaster whips the water into froth； to swoop
down and down to get away from the cold； down to where the water's
warm and dark； down and still down； till we spy the twinkle of the fire…
eels far below where our friends and cousins sit chatting round the Council
Grottochatting； Brother； over the news and gossip of THE SEA！ 。 。 。 Oh
'
〃And then she broke down completely； sniffling。
〃 'Stop it！' I said。 'You make me homesick。 Look here： let's pretend
we're sickor better still； let's pretend we're dead； and see what happens。 If
they throw us on a rubbish…heap and we fry in the sun； we'll not be much
worse off than we are here in this smelly prison。 What do you say？ Will
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