voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第9节
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through a telescope。
It was the kind of a garden where you could wander and explore for
days and daysalways coming upon something new； always glad to find
the old spots over again。 That first time that I saw the Doctor's garden I
was so charmed by it that I felt I would like to live in italways and
always and never go outside of it again。 For it had everything within its
walls to give happiness； to make living pleasantto keep the heart at peace。
It was the Garden of Dreams。
One peculiar thing I noticed immediately I came into it； and that was
what a lot of birds there were about。 Every tree seemed to have two or
three nests in it。 And heaps of other wild creatures appeared to be making
themselves at home there； too。 Stoats and tortoises and dormice seemed to
be quite common； and not in the least shy。 Toads of different colors and
sizes hopped about the lawn as though it belonged to them。 Green lizards
（which were very rare in Puddleby） sat up on the stones in the sunlight and
blinked at us。 Even snakes were to be seen。
〃You need not be afraid of them；〃 said the Doctor； noticing that I
started somewhat when a large black snake wiggled across the path right
in front of us。 〃These fellows are not poisonous。 They do a great deal of
good in keeping down many kinds of garden…pests。 I play the flute to them
sometimes in the evening。 They love it。 Stand right up on their tails and
carry on no end。 Funny thing； their taste for music。〃
〃Why do all these animals come and live here？〃 I asked。 〃I never saw
a garden with so many creatures in it。〃
〃Well； I suppose it's because they get the kind of food they like； and
nobody worries or disturbs them。 And then； of course； they know me。 And
if they or their children get sick I presume they find it handy to be living in
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a doctor's gardenLook！ You see that sparrow on the sundial； swearing at
the blackbird down below？ Well； he has been coming here every summer
for years。 He comes from London。 The country sparrows round about here
are always laughing at him。 They say he chirps with such a Cockney
accent。 He is a most amusing birdvery brave but very cheeky。 He loves
nothing better than an argument； but he always ends it by getting rude。 He
is a real city bird。 In London he lives around St。 Paul's Cathedral。
'Cheapside；' we call him。〃
〃Are all these birds from the country round here？〃 I asked。
〃Most of them；〃 said the Doctor。 〃But a few rare ones visit me every
year who ordinarily never come near England at all。 For instance； that
handsome little fellow hovering over the snapdragon there； he's a Ruby…
throated Humming…bird。 Comes from America。 Strictly speaking； he has
no business in this climate at all。 It is too cool。 I make him sleep in the
kitchen at night。 Then every August； about the last week of the month； I
have a Purple Bird…of…Paradise come all the way from Brazil to see me。
She is a very great swell。 Hasn't arrived yet of course。 And there are a few
others； foreign birds from the tropics mostly； who drop in on me in the
course of the summer months。 But come； I must show you the zoo。〃
THE TENTH CHAPTER
THE PRIVATE ZOO
I DID not think there could be anything left in that garden which we
had not seen。 But the Doctor took me by the arm and started off down a
little narrow path and after many windings and twistings and turnings we
found ourselves before a small door in a high stone wall。 The Doctor
pushed it open。
Inside was still another garden。 I had expected to find cages with
animals inside them。 But there were none to be seen。 Instead there were
little stone houses here and there all over the garden； and each house had a
window and a door。 As we walked in； many of these doors opened and
animals came running out to us evidently expecting food。
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〃Haven't the doors any locks on them？〃 I asked the Doctor。 〃Oh yes；〃
he said； 〃every door has a lock。 But in my zoo the doors open from the
inside； not from the out。 The locks are only there so the animals can go
and shut themselves in any time they want to get away from the
annoyance of other animals or from people who might come here。 Every
animal in this zoo stays here because he likes it； not because he is made
to。〃
〃They all look very happy and clean；〃 I said。 〃Would you mind telling
me the names of some of them？〃
〃Certainly。 Well now： that funny…looking thing with plates on his back；
nosing under the brick over there； is a South American armadillo。 The
little chap talking to him is a Canadian woodchuck。 They both live in
those holes you see at the foot of the wall。 The two little beasts doing
antics in the pond are a pair of Russian minks and that reminds me： I
must go and get them some herrings from the town before noonit is
early…closing to…day。 That animal just stepping out of his house is an
antelope； one of the smaller South African kinds。 Now let us move to the
other side of those bushes there and I will show you some more。〃
〃Are those deer over there？〃 I asked。
〃DEER！〃 said the Doctor。 〃Where do you mean？〃
〃Over there；〃 I said； pointing〃nibbling the grass border of the bed。
There are two of them。〃
〃Oh； that；〃 said the Doctor with a smile。 〃That isn't two animals： that's
one animal with two headsthe only two…headed animal in the world。 It's
called the 'pushmi…pullyu。' I brought him from Africa。 He's very tame
acts as a kind of night…watchman for my zoo。 He only sleeps with one
head at a time； you see very handythe other head stays awake all night。〃
〃Have you any lions or tigers？〃 I asked as we moved on。
〃No；〃 said the Doctor。 〃It wouldn't be possible to keep them here and
I wouldn't keep them even if I could。 If I had my way； Stubbins； there
wouldn't be a single lion or tiger in captivity anywhere in the world。 They
never take to it。 They're never happy。 They never settle down。 They are
always thinking of the big countries they have left behind。 You can see it
in their eyes； dreamingdreaming always of the great open spaces where
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they were born； dreaming of the deep； dark jungles where their mothers
first taught them how to scent and track the deer。 And what are they given
in exchange for all this？〃 asked the Doctor； stopping in his walk and
growing all red and angry〃What are they given in exchange for the glory
of an African sunrise； for the twilight breeze whispering through the palms；
for the green shade of the matted； tangled vines； for the cool； big…starred
nights of the desert； for the patter of the waterfall after a hard day's hunt？
What； I ask you； are they given in exchange for THESE？ Why； a bare cage
with iron bars； an ugly piece of dead meat thrust in to them once a day；
and a crowd of fools to come and stare at them with open mouths！No；
Stubbins。 Lions and tigers； the Big Hunters； should never； never be seen in
zoos。〃
The Doctor seemed to have grown terribly seriousalmost sad。 But
suddenly his manner changed again and he took me by the arm with his
same old cheerful smile。
〃But we haven't seen the butterfly…houses yetnor the aquariums。
Come along。 I am very proud of my butterfly…houses。〃
Off we went again and came presently into a hedged enclosure。 Here I
saw several big huts made of fine wire netting； like cages。 Inside the
netting all sorts of beautiful flowers were growing in the sun； with
butterflies skimming over them。 The Doctor pointed to the end of one of
the huts where little boxes with holes in them stood in a row。
〃Those are the hatching…boxes；〃 said he。 〃There I put the different
kinds of caterpillars。 And as soon as they turn into butterflies and moths
they come out into these flower…gardens to feed。〃
〃Do butterflies have a languag
