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〃But aren't you going to speak to Luke？〃 I said〃 to ask him if he'll
come on the voyage？〃
〃It wouldn't be a bit of use；〃 said the Doctor。 〃His wife's come for him。
No man stands any chance of going on a voyage when his wife hasn't seen
him in fifteen years。 Come along。 Let's get home to tea。 We didn't have
any lunch； remember。 And we've earned something to eat。 We'll have one
of those mixed meals； lunch and tea combined with watercress and ham。
Nice change。 Come along。〃
Just as we were going to step out at a side door I heard the crowd
shouting；
〃The Doctor！ The Doctor！ Where's the Doctor？ The Hermit would
have hanged if it hadn't been for the Doctor。 Speech！ Speech！The
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Doctor！〃
And a man came running up to us and said；
〃The people are calling for you； Sir。〃
〃I'm very sorry；〃 said the Doctor； 〃but I'm in a hurry。〃
〃The crowd won't be denied； Sir；〃 said the man。 〃They want you to
make a speech in the marketplace。〃
〃Beg them to excuse me；〃 said the Doctor〃with my compliments。 I
have an appointment at my housea very important one which I may not
break。 Tell Luke to make a speech。 Come along； Stubbins； this way。〃
〃Oh Lord！〃 he muttered as we got out into the open air and found
another crowd waiting for him at the side door。 〃Let's go up that alleyway…
…to the left。 Quick！Run！〃
We took to our heels； darted through a couple of side streets and just
managed to get away from the crowd。
It was not till we had gained the Oxenthorpe Road that we dared to
slow down to a walk and take our breath。 And even when we reached the
Doctor's gate and turned to look backwards towards the town； the faint
murmur of many voices still reached us on the evening wind。
〃They're still clamoring for you；〃 I said。 〃Listen！〃
The murmur suddenly swelled up into a low distant roar； and although
it was a mile and half away you could distinctly hear the words；
〃Three cheers for Luke the Hermit： Hooray！Three cheers for his dog：
Hooray！Three cheers for his wife： Hooray！Three cheers for the Doctor：
Hooray！ Hooray！ HOO…R…A…Y！〃
THE NINTH CHAPTER
THE PURPLE BIRD…OF…PARADISE
POLYNESIA was waiting for us in the front porch。 She looked full of
some important news。
〃Doctor；〃 said she； 〃the Purple Bird…of…Paradise has arrived！〃
〃At last！〃 said the Doctor。 〃I had begun to fear some accident had
befallen her。 And how is Miranda？〃
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From the excited way in which the Doctor fumbled his key into the
lock I guessed that we were not geing to get our tea right away； even now。
〃Oh； she seemed all right when she arrived；〃 said Polynesia〃tired
from her long journey of course but otherwise all right。 But what DO you
think？ That mischief…making sparrow； Cheapside； insulted her as soon as
she came into the garden。 When I arrived on the scene she was in tears and
was all for turning round and going straight back to Brazil to…night。 I had
the hardest work persuading her to wait till you came。 She's in the study。 I
shut Cheapside in one of your book…cases and told him I'd tell you exactly
what had happened the moment you got home。〃
The Doctor frowned； then walked silently and quickly to the study。
Here we found the candles lit； for the daylight was nearly gone。 Dab…
Dab was standing on the floor mounting guard over one of the glass…
fronted book…cases in which Cheapside had been imprisoned。 The noisy
little sparrow was still fluttering angrily behind the glass when we came
in。
In the centre of the big table； perched on the ink…stand； stood the most
beautiful bird I have ever seen。 She had a deep violet…colored breast；
scarlet wings and a long； long sweeping tail of gold。 She was
unimaginably beautiful but looked dreadfully tired。 Already she had her
head under her wing； and she swayed gently from side to side on top of
the ink…stand like a bird that has flown long and far。
〃Sh！〃 said Dab…Dab。 〃Miranda is asleep。 I've got this little imp
Cheapside in here。 Listen； Doctor： for Heaven's sake send that sparrow
away before he does any more mischief。 He's nothing but a vulgar little
nuisance。 We've had a perfectly awful time trying to get Miranda to stay。
Shall I serve your tea in here； or will you come into the kitchen when
you're ready？〃
〃We'll come into the kitchen； Dab…Dab；〃 said the Doctor。 〃Let
Cheapside out before you go； please。〃
Dab…Dab opened the bookcase…door and Cheapside strutted out trying
hard not to look guilty。
〃Cheapside；〃 said the Doctor sternly； 〃what did you say to Miranda
when she arrived？〃
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〃I didn't say nothing； Doc； straight I didn't。 That is； nothing much。 I
was picking up crumbs off the gravel path when she comes swanking into
the garden； turning up her nose in all directions； as though she owned the
earthjust because she's got a lot of colored plumage。 A London sparrow's
as good as her any day。 I don't hold by these gawdy bedizened foreigners
nohow。 Why don't they stay in their own country？〃
〃But what did you say to her that got her so offended？〃
〃All I said was； 'You don't belong in an English garden； you ought to
be in a milliner's window。 That's all。〃
〃You ought to be ashamed of yourself； Cheapside。 Don't you realize
that this bird has come thousands of miles to see me only to be insulted
by your impertinent tongue as soon as she reaches my garden？ What do
you mean by it？If she had gone away again before I got back to…night I
would never have forgiven you Leave the room。〃
Sheepishly； but still trying to look as though he didn't care； Cheapside
hopped out into the passage and Dab…Dab closed the door。
The Doctor went up to the beautiful bird on the ink…stand and gently
stroked its back。 Instantly its head popped out from under its wing。
THE TENTH CHAPTER
LONG ARROW； THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROW
WELL； Miranda；〃 said the Doctor