voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第11节
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that you thought of？〃
〃Well； I thought；〃 said I； 〃that perhaps you would come and see my
mother and father and tell them that if they let me live here with you and
work hard； that you will teach me to read and write。 You see my mother is
awfully anxious to have me learn reading and writing。 And besides； I
couldn't be a proper naturalist without； could I？〃
〃Oh； I don't know so much about that；〃 said the Doctor。 〃It is nice； I
admit； to be able to read and write。 But naturalists are not all alike； you
know。 For example： this young fellow Charles Darwin that people are
talking about so much nowhe's a Cambridge graduatereads and writes
very well。 And then Cuvierhe used to be a tutor。 But listen； the greatest
naturalist of them all doesn't even know how to write his own name nor to
read the A B C。〃
〃Who is he？〃 I asked。
〃He is a mysterious person；〃 said the Doctor〃a very mysterious
person。 His name is Long Arrow； the son of Golden Arrow。 He is a Red
Indian。〃
〃Have you ever seen him？〃 I asked。
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〃No；〃 said the Doctor； 'I've never seen him。 No white man has ever
met him。 I fancy Mr。 Darwin doesn't even know that he exists。 He lives
almost entirely with the animals and with the different tribes of Indians
usually somewhere among the mountains of Peru。 Never stays long in one
place。 Goes from tribe to tribe； like a sort of Indian tramp。〃
〃How do you know so much about him？〃 I asked〃if you've never
even seen him？〃
〃The Purple Bird…of…Paradise；〃 said the Doctor〃 she told me all about
him。 She says he is a perfectly marvelous naturalist。 I got her to take a
message to him for me last time she was here。 I am expecting her back any
day now。 I can hardly wait to see what answer she has brought from him。
It is already almost the last week of August。 I do hope nothing has
happened to her on the way。〃
〃But why do the animals and birds come to you when they are sick？〃 I
said〃Why don't they go to him； if he is so very wonderful？〃
〃It seems that my methods are more up to date；〃 said the Doctor。 〃But
from what the Purple Bird…of…Paradise tells me； Long Arrow's knowledge
of natural history must be positively tremendous。 His specialty is botany
plants and all that sort of thing。 But he knows a lot about birds and animals
too。 He's very good on bees and beetlesBut now tell me； Stubbins； are
you quite sure that you really want to be a naturalist？〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃my mind is made up。〃
〃Well you know； it isn't a very good profession for making money。 Not
at all； it isn't。 Most of the good naturalists don't make any money whatever。
All they do is SPEND money； buying butterfly…nets and cases for birds'
eggs and things。 It is only now； after I have been a naturalist for many
years； that I am beginning to make a little money from the books I write。〃
〃I don't care about money；〃 I said。 〃I want to be a naturalist。 Won't you
please come and have dinner with my mother and father next ThursdayI
told them I was going to ask youand then you can talk to them about it。
You see； there's another thing： if I'm living with you； and sort of belong to
your house and business； I shall be able to come with you next time you
go on a voyage。〃
〃Oh； I see；〃 said he； smiling。 〃So you want to come on a voyage with
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me； do you？Ah hah！〃
〃I want to go on all your voyages with you。 It would be much easier
for you if you had someone to carry the butterfly…nets and note…books。
Wouldn't it now？〃
For a long time the Doctor sat thinking； drumming on the desk with
his fingers； while I waited； terribly impatiently； to see what he was going
to say。
At last he shrugged his shoulders and stood up。
〃Well； Stubbins；〃 said he； 〃I'll come and talk it over with you and your
parents next Thursday。 Andwell； we'll see。 We'll see。 Give your mother
and father my compliments and thank them for their invitation； will you？〃
Then I tore home like the wind to tell my mother that the Doctor had
promised to come。
THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER
A TRAVELER ARRIVES
THE next day I was sitting on the wall of the Doctor's garden after tea；
talking to Dab…Dab。 I had now learned so much from Polynesia that I
could talk to most birds and some animals without a great deal of
difficulty。 I found Dab…Dab a very nice； old； motherly birdthough not
nearly so clever and interesting as Polynesia。 She had been housekeeper
for the Doctor many years now。
Well； as I was saying； the old duck and I were sitting on the flat top of
the garden…wall that evening； looking down into the Oxenthorpe Road
below。 We were watching some sheep being driven to market in Puddleby；
and Dab…Dab had just been telling me about the Doctor's adventures in
Africa。 For she had gone on a voyage with him to that country long ago。
Suddenly I heard a curious distant noise down the road； towards the
town。 It sounded like a lot of people cheering。 I stood up on the wall to see
if I could make out what was coming。 Presently there appeared round a
bend a great crowd of school…children following a very ragged； curious…
looking woman。
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〃What in the world can it be？〃 cried Dab…Dab。
The children were all laughing and shouting。 And certainly the woman
they were following was most extraordinary。 She had very long arms and
the most stooping shoulders I have ever seen。 She wore a straw hat on the
side of her head with poppies on it； and her skirt was so long for her it
dragged on the ground like a ball…gown's train。 I could not see anything of
her face because of the wide hat pulled over her eyes。 But as she got
nearer to us and the laughing of the children grew louder； I noticed that her
hands were very dark in color； and hairy； like a witch's。
Then all of a sudden Dab…Dab at my side startled me by crying out in a
loud voice；
〃Why； it's Chee…Chee！Chee…Chee come back at last！ How dare those
children tease him！ I'll give the little imps something to laugh at！〃
And she flew right off the wall down into the road and made straight
for the children； squawking away in a most terrifying fashion and pecking
at their feet and legs。 The children made off down the street back to the
town as hard as they could run。
The strange…looking figure in the straw hat stood gazing after them a
moment and then came wearily up to the gate。 It didn't bother to undo the
latch but just climbed right over the gate as though it were something in
the way。 And then I noticed that it took hold of the bars with its feet； so
that it really had four hands to climb with。 But it was only when I at last
got a glimpse of the face under the hat that I could be really sure it was a
monkey。
Chee…Cheefor it was hefrowned at me suspiciously from the top of
the gate； as though he thought I was going to laugh at him like the other
boys and girls。 Then he dropped into the garden on the inside and
immediately started taking off his clothes。 He tore the straw hat in two and
threw it down into the road。 Then he took off his bodice and skirt； jumped
on them savagely and began kicking them round the front garden。
Presently I heard a screech from the house； and out flew Polynesia；
followed by the Doctor and Jip。
〃Chee…Chee！Chee…Chee！〃 shouted the parrot。 〃You've come at last！ I
always told the Doctor you'd find a way。 How ever did you do it？〃
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They all gathered round him shaking him by his four hands； laughing
and asking him a million questions at once。 Then they all started back for
the house。
〃Run up to my bedroom； Stubbins；〃 said the Doctor； turning to me。
〃You'll find a bag of peanuts in the small left…hand drawer of the bureau。 I
have always kept them there in case he might come back unexpectedly
some day。 An
