voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第16节
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！
Beauchamp Conckley。〃
〃Now；〃 said Mr。 Jenkyns； bringing out a notebook； 〃tell me a little
more about yourself； Doctor。 You took your degree as Doctor of Medicine
57
… Page 58…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
at Durham； I think you said。 And the name of your last book was？〃
I could not hear any more for they talked in whispers； and I fell to
looking round the court again。
Of course I could not understand everything that was going on； though
it was all very interesting。 People kept getting up in the place the Doctor
called the witness…box； and the lawyers at the long table asked them
questions about 〃the night of the 29th。〃 Then the people would get down
again and somebody else would get up and be questioned。
One of the lawyers （who； the Doctor told me afterwards； was called
the Prosecutor） seemed to be doing his best to get the Hermit into trouble
by asking questions which made it look as though he had always been a
very bad man。 He was a nasty lawyer； this Prosecutor； with a long nose。
Most of the time I could hardly keep my eyes off poor Luke； who sat
there between his two policemen； staring at the floor as though he weren't
interested。 The only time I saw him take any notice at all was when a
small dark man with wicked； little； watery eyes got up into the witness…
box。 I heard Bob snarl under my chair as this person came into the court…
room and Luke's eyes just blazed with anger and contempt。
This man said his name was Mendoza and that he was the one who
had guided the Mexican police to the mine after Bluebeard Bill had been
killed。 And at every word he said I could hear Bob down below me
muttering between his teeth；
〃It's a lie！ It's a lie！ I'll chew his face。 It's a lie！〃
And both the Doctor and I had hard work keeping the dog under the
seat。
Then I noticed that our Mr。 Jenkyns had disappeared from the Doctor's
side。 But presently I saw him stand up at the long table to speak to the
judge。
〃Your Honor；〃 said he； 〃I wish to introduce a new witness for the
defense； Doctor John Dolittle； the naturalist。 Will you please step into the
witness…stand； Doctor？〃
There was a buzz of excitement as the Doctor made his way across the
crowded room； and I noticed the nasty lawyer with the long nose lean
down and whisper something to a friend； smiling in an ugly way which
58
… Page 59…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
made me want to pinch him。
Then Mr。 Jenkyns asked the Doctor a whole lot of questions about
himself and made him answer in a loud voice so the whole court could
hear。 He finished up by saying；
〃And you are prepared to swear； Doctor Dolittle； that you understand
the language of dogs and can make them understand you。 Is that so？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Doctor； 〃that is so。〃
〃And what； might I ask；〃 put in the judge in a very quiet； dignified
voice； 〃has all this to do with the killing of ererBluebeard Bill？〃
〃This； Your Honor；〃 said Mr。 Jenkyns； talking in a very grand manner
as though he were on a stage in a theatre： 〃there is in this court…room at the
present moment a bulldog； who was the only living thing that saw the man
killed。 With the Court's permission I propose to put that dog in the
witness…stand and have him questioned before you by the eminent scientist；
Doctor John Dolittle。〃
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE JUDGE'S DOG
AT first there was a dead silence in the Court。 Then everybody began
whispering or giggling at the same time； till the whole room sounded like
a great hive of bees。 Many people seemed to be shocked； most of them
were amused； and a few were angry。 Presently up sprang the nasty lawyer
with the long nose。
〃I protest； Your Honor；〃 he cried； waving his arms wildly to the judge。
〃I object。 The dignity of this court is in peril。 I protest。〃
〃I am the one to take care of the dignity of this court；〃 said the judge。
Then Mr。 Jenkyns got up again。 （If it hadn't been such a serious matter；
it was almost like a Punch…and…Judy show： somebody was always popping
down and somebody else popping up）。
〃If there is any doubt on the score of our being able to do as we say；
Your Honor will have no objection； I trust； to the Doctor's giving the Court
a demonstration of his powers of showing that he actually can
59
… Page 60…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
understand the speech of animals？〃 I thought I saw a twinkle of
amusement come into the old judge's eyes as he sat considering a moment
before he answered。
〃No；〃 he said at last； 〃I don't think so。〃 Then he turned to the Doctor。
〃Are you quite sure you can do this？〃 he asked。
〃Quite； Your Honor；〃 said the Doctor〃quite sure。〃 〃Very well then；〃
said the judge。 〃If you can satisfy us that you really are able to understand
canine testimony； the dog shall be admitted as a witness。 I do not see； in
that case； how I could object to his being heard。 But I warn you that if you
are trying to make a laughing…stock of this Court it will go hard with you。〃
〃I protest； I protest！〃 yelled the long…nosed Prosecutor。 〃This is a
scandal； an outrage to the Bar！〃
〃Sit down！〃 said the judge in a very stern voice。
〃What animal does Your Honor wish me to talk with？〃 asked the
Doctor。
〃I would like you to talk to my own dog；〃 said the judge。 〃He is
outside in the cloak…room。 I will have him brought in； and then we shall
see what you can do。〃
Then someone went out and fetched the judge's dog； a lovely great
Russian wolf…hound with slender legs and a shaggy coat。 He was a proud
and beautiful creature。
〃Now； Doctor；〃 said the judge； 〃did you ever see this dog before？
Remember you are in the witness…stand and under oath。〃
〃No； Your Honor； I never saw him before。〃
〃Very well then； will you please ask him to tell you what I had for
supper last night？ He was with me and watched me while I ate。〃
Then the Doctor and the dog started talking to one another in signs and
sounds； and they kept at it for quite a long time。 And the Doctor began to
giggle and get so interested that he seemed to forget all about the Court
and the judge and everything else。
〃What a time he takes！〃 I heard a fat woman in front of me whispering。
〃He's only pretending。 Of course he can't do it！ Who ever heard of talking
to a dog？ He must think we're children。〃
〃Haven't you finished yet？〃 the judge asked the Doctor。 〃It shouldn't
60
… Page 61…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
take that long just to ask what I had for supper。〃 〃Oh no； Your Honor；〃 said
the Doctor。 〃The dog told me that long ago。 But then he went on to tell me
what you did after supper。〃
〃Never mind that；〃 said the judge。 Tell me what answer he gave you to
my question。〃
〃He says you had a mutton…chop； two baked potatoes； a pickled walnut
and a glass of ale。〃
The Honorable Eustace Beauchamp Conckley went white to the lips。
〃Sounds like witchcraft；〃 he muttered。 〃I never dreamed〃
〃And after your supper；〃 the Doctor went on； 〃he says you went to see
a prize…fight and then sat up playing cards for money till twelve o'clock
and came home singing； 'We wont get' 〃
〃That will do；〃 the judge interrupted； 〃I am satisfied you can do as you
say。 The prisoner's dog shall be admitted as a witness。〃
〃I protest； I object！〃 screamed the Prosecutor。 〃Your Honor； this is〃
〃Sit down！〃 roared the judge。 〃I say the dog shall be heard。 That ends
the matter。 Put the witness in the stand。〃
And then for the first time in the solemn history of England a dog was
put in the witness…stand of Her Majesty's Court of Assizes。 And it was I；
Tommy Stubbins （when the Doctor made a sign to me across the room）
who proudly led Bob up the aisle； through the astonished crowd； past the
frowning； spluttering； long…nosed Prosecutor； and made him comfortable
on
