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I often look back upon that night long； long ago。 And if I close my
eyes and think hard I can see that parlor just as it was then： a funny little
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
man in coat…tails； with a round kind face； playing away on the flute in
front of the fire； my mother on one side of him and my father on the other；
holding their breath and listening with their eyes shut； myself； with Jip；
squatting on the carpet at his feet； staring into the coals； and Polynesia
perched on the mantlepiece beside his shabby high hat； gravely swinging
her head from side to side in time to the music。 I see it all； just as though it
were before me now。
And then I remember how； after we had seen the Doctor out at the
front door； we all came back into the parlor and talked about him till it was
still later； and even after I did go to bed （I had never stayed up so late in
my life before） I dreamed about him and a band of strange clever animals
that played flutes and fiddles and drums the whole night through。
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
SHELLFISH TALK
THE next morning； although I had gone to bed so late the night before；
I was up frightfully early。 The first sparrows were just beginning to chirp
sleepily on the slates outside my attic window when I jumped out of bed
and scrambled into my clothes。
I could hardly wait to get back to the little house with the big garden
to see the Doctor and his private zoo。 For the first time in my life I forgot
all about breakfast； and creeping down the stairs on tip…toe； so as not to
wake my mother and father； I opened the front door and popped out into
the empty； silent street。
When I got to the Doctor's gate I suddenly thought that perhaps it was
too early to call on any one： and I began to wonder if the Doctor would be
up yet。 I looked into the garden。 No one seemed to be about。 So I opened
the gate quietly and went inside。
As I turned to the left to go down a path between some hedges； I heard
a voice quite close to me say；
〃Good morning。 How early you are！〃
I turned around； and there； sitting on the top of a privet hedge； was the
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
gray parrot； Polynesia。
〃Good morning；〃 I said。 〃I suppose I am rather early。 Is the Doctor still
in bed？〃
〃Oh no；〃 said Polynesia。 〃He has been up an hour and a half。 You'll
find him in the house somewhere。 The front door is open。 Just push it and
go in； He is sure to be in the kitchen cooking breakfastor working in his
study。 Walk right in。 I am waiting to see the sun rise。 But upon my word I
believe it's forgotten to rise。 It is an awful climate； this。 Now if we were in
Africa the world would be blazing with sunlight at this hour of the
morning。 Just see that mist rolling over those cabbages。 It is enough to
give you rheumatism to look at it。 Beastly climateBeastly！ Really I don't
know why anything but frogs ever stay in EnglandWell； don't let me
keep you。 Run along and see the Doctor。〃
〃Thank you；〃 I said。 〃I'll go and look for him。〃
When I opened the front door I could smell bacon frying； so I made
my way to the kitchen。 There I discovered a large kettle boiling away over
the fire and some bacon and eggs in a dish upon the hearth。 It seemed to
me that the bacon was getting all dried up with the heat。 So I pulled the
dish a little further away from the fire and went on through the house
looking for the Doctor。
I found him at last in the Study。 I did not know then that it was called
the Study。 It was certainly a very interesting room； with telescopes and
microscopes and all sorts of other strange things which I did not
understand about but wished I did。 Hanging on the walls were pictures of
animals and fishes and strange plants and collections of birds' eggs and
sea…shells in glass cases。
The Doctor was standing at the main table in his dressing…gown。 At
first I thought he was washing his face。 He had a square glass box before
him full of water。 He was holding one ear under the water while he
covered the other with his left hand。 As I came in he stood up。
〃Good morning； Stubbins；〃 said he。 〃Going to be a nice day； don't you
think？ I've just been listening to the Wiff…Waff。 But he is very
disappointingvery。〃
〃Why？〃 I said。 〃Didn't you find that he has any language at all？〃
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
〃Oh yes；〃 said the Doctor； 〃he has a language。 But it is such a poor
languageonly a few words； like 'yes' and 'no''hot' and 'cold。' That's all
he can say。 It's very disappointing。 You see he really belongs to two
different families of fishes。 I thought he was going to be tremendously
helpfulWell； well！〃
〃I suppose；〃 said I； 〃that means he hasn't very much sense if his
language is only two or three words？〃
〃Yes； I suppose it does。 Possibly it is the kind of life he leads。 You see；
they are very rare now； these Wiff…Waffsvery rare and very solitary。 They
swim around in the deepest parts of the ocean entirely by themselves
always alone。 So I presume they really don't need to talk much。〃
〃Perhaps some kind of a bigger shellfish would talk more；〃 I said。
〃After all； he is very small； isn't he？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Doctor； 〃that's true。 Oh I have no doubt that there are
shellfish who are good talkersnot the least doubt。 But the big shellfish
the biggest of them； are so hard to catch。 They are only to be found in the
deep parts of the sea； and as they don't swim very much； but just crawl
along the floor of the ocean most of the time； they are very seldom taken
in nets。 I do wish I could find some way of going down to the bottom of
the sea。 I could learn a lot if I could only do that。 But we are forgetting all
about breakfastHave you had； breakfast yet； Stubbins？〃
I told the Doctor that I had forgotten all about it and he at once led the
way into the kitchen。
〃Yes；〃 he said； as he poured the hot water from the kettle into the tea…
pot； 〃if a man could only manage to get right down to the bottom of the
sea； and li