按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
starfish。 He was a rather stupid sort of creature； but he tried his best to be
helpful。 And after a little patient examination we found to our delight that
he could speak shellfish moderately well。
Feeling quite encouraged； the Doctor and I now got into the canoe； and；
with the porpoises； the urchin and the starfish swimming alongside； we
paddled very gently out till we were close under the towering shell of the
Great Snail。
And then began the most curious conversation I have ever witnessed。
First the starfish would ask the snail something； and whatever answer the
snail gave； the starfish would tell it to the sea…urchin； the urchin would tell
it to the porpoises and the porpoises would tell it to the Doctor。
In this way we obtained considerable information； mostly about the
very ancient history of the Animal Kingdom； but we missed a good many
of the finer points in the snail's longer speeches on account of the stupidity
of the starfish and all this translating from one language to another。
While the snail was speaking； the Doctor and I put our ears against the
wall of his shell and found that we could in this way hear the sound of his
voice quite plainly。 It was； as the fidgit had described； deep and bell…like。
But of course we could not understand a single word he said。 However the
Doctor was by this time terrifically excited about getting near to learning
the language he had sought so long。 And presently by making the other
fishes repeat over and over again short phrases which the snail used； he
began to put words together for himself。 You see； he was already familiar
with one or two fish languages； and that helped him quite a little。 After he
182
… Page 183…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
had practised for a while like this he leant over the side of the canoe and
putting his face below the water； tried speaking to the snail direct。
It was hard and difficult work； and hours went by before he got any
results。 But presently I could tell by the happy look on his face； that little
by little he was succeeding。
The sun was low in the West and the cool evening breeze was
beginning to rustle softly through the bamboo…groves when the Doctor
finally turned from his work and said to me；
〃Stubbins； I have persuaded the snail to come in on to the dry part of
the beach and let me examine his tail。 Will you please go back to the town
and tell the workmen to stop working on the theatre for to…day？ Then go
on to the palace and get my medicine…bag。 I think I left it under the throne
in the Audience Chamber。〃
〃And remember；〃 Polynesia whispered as I turned away； 〃not a word
to a soul。 If you get asked questions； keep your mouth shut。 Pretend you
have a toothache or something。〃
This time when I got back to the shorewith the medicine…bag I
found the snail high and dry on the beach。 Seeing him in his full length
like this； it was easy to understand how old…time； superstitious sailors had
called him the Sea…serpent。 He certainly was a most gigantic； and in his
way； a graceful； beautiful creature。 John Dolittle was examining a swelling
on his tail。
From the bag which I had brought the Doctor took a large bottle of
embrocation and began rubbing the sprain。 Next he took all the bandages
he had in the bag and fastened them end to end。 But even like that； they
were not long enough to go more than halfway round the enormous tail。
The Doctor insisted that he must get the swelling strapped tight somehow。
So he sent me off to the palace once more to get all the sheets from the
Royal Linen…closet。 These Polynesia and I tore into bandages for him。 And
at last； after terrific exertions； we got the sprain strapped to his
satisfaction。
The snail really seemed to be quite pleased with the attention he had
received； and he stretched himself in lazy comfort when the Doctor was
done。 In this position； when the shell on his back was empty； you could
183
… Page 184…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
look right through it and see the palm…trees on the other side。
〃I think one of us had better sit up with him all night；〃 said the Doctor。
〃We might put Bumpo on that duty； he's been napping all day； I knowin
the summer…house。 It's a pretty bad sprain； that； and if the snail shouldn't
be able to sleep； he'll be happier with some one with him for company。
He'll get all right thoughin a few days I should judge。 If I wasn't so
confoundedly busy I'd sit up with him myself。 I wish I could； because I
still have a lot of things to talk over with him。〃
〃But Doctor；〃 said Polynesia as we prepared to go back to the town；
〃you ought to take a holiday。 All Kings take holidays once in the while
every one of them。 King Charles； for instance of course Charles was
before your timebut he！why； he was ALWAYS holiday…making。 Not
that he was ever what you would call a model king。 But just the same； he
was frightfully popular。 Everybody liked him even the golden…carp in the
fish…pond at Hampton Court。 As a king； the only thing I had against him
was his inventing those stupid； little； snappy dogs they call King Charles
Spaniels。 There are lots of stories told about poor Charles； but that； in my
opinion； is the worst thing he did。 However； all this is beside the point。 As
I was saying； kings have to take holidays the same as anybody else。 And
you haven't taken one since you were crowned； have you now？〃
〃No；〃 said the Doctor； 〃I suppose that's true。〃
〃Well now I tell you what you do；〃 said she： 〃as soon as you get back
to the palace you publish a royal proclamation that you are going away for
a week into the country for your health。 And you're going WITHOUT
ANY SERVANTS； you understandjust like a plain person。 It's called
traveling incognito； when kings go off like that。 They all do itIt's the
only way they can ever have a good time。 Then the week you're away you
can spend lolling on the beach back there with the snail。 How's that？〃
〃I'd like to；〃 said the Doctor。 〃It sounds most attractive。 But there's that
new theatre to be built； none of our carpenters would know how to get
those rafters on without me to show them And then there are the babies：
these native mothers are so frightfully ignorant。〃
〃Oh bother the theatreand the babies too；〃 snapped Polynesia。 〃The
theatre can wait a week。 And as for babies； they never have anything more