voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第19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！
there。 What's the use？ I'm here anyway。〃
〃Tell me；〃 said the Doctor as though he had been impatiently waiting
to say something for a long time： 〃what did Long Arrow say when you
gave him my message？〃
The Purple Bird…of…Paradise hung her head。
〃That's the worst part of it；〃 she said。 〃I might almost as well have not
come at all。 I wasn't able to deliver your message。 I couldn't find him。
LONG ARROW； THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROW； HAS
DISAPPEARED！〃
〃Disappeared！〃 cried the Doctor。 〃Why； what's become of him？〃
〃Nobody knows；〃 Miranda answered。 〃He had often disappeared
before； as I have told youso that the Indians didn't know where he was。
But it's a mighty hard thing to hide away from the birds。 I had always been
able to find some owl or martin who could tell me where he wasif I
wanted to know。 But not this time。 That's why I'm nearly a fortnight late in
coming to you： I kept hunting and hunting； asking everywhere。 I went over
the whole length and breadth of South America。 But there wasn't a living
thing could tell me where he was。〃
There was a sad silence in the room after she had finished； the Doctor
was frowning in a peculiar sort of way and Polynesia scratched her head。
〃Did you ask the black parrots？〃 asked Polynesia。 〃They usually know
everything。〃
〃Certainly I did；〃 said Miranda。 〃And I was so upset at not being able
to find out anything； that I forgot all about observing the weather…signs
before I started my flight here。 I didn't even bother to break my journey at
the Azores； but cut right across； making for the Straits of Gibraltar as
though it were June or July。 And of course I ran into a perfectly frightful
storm in mid…Atlantic。 I really thought I'd never come through it。 Luckily I
found a piece of a wrecked vessel floating in the sea after the storm had
partly died down； and I roosted on it and took some sleep。 If I hadn't been
able to take that rest I wouldn't be here to tell the tale。〃
〃Poor Miranda！ What a time you must have had！〃 said the Doctor。
〃But tell me； were you able to find out whereabouts Long Arrow was last
69
… Page 70…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
seen？〃
〃Yes。 A young albatross told me he had seen him on Spidermonkey
Island？〃
〃Spidermonkey Island？ That's somewhere off the coast of Brazil； isn't
it？〃
〃Yes； that's it。 Of course I flew there right away and asked every bird
on the islandand it is a big island； a hundred miles long。 It seems that
Long Arrow was visiting some peculiar Indians that live there； and that
when last seen he was going up into the mountains looking for rare
medicine…plants。 I got that from a tame hawk； a pet； which the Chief of the
Indians keeps for hunting partridges with。 I nearly got caught and put in a
cage for my pains too。 That's the worst of having beautiful feathers： it's as
much as your life is worth to go near most humansThey say； 'oh how
pretty！' and shoot an arrow or a bullet into you。 You and Long Arrow were
the only two men that I would ever trust myself nearout of all the people
in the world。〃
〃But was he never known to have returned from the mountains？〃
〃No。 That was the last that was seen or heard of him。 I questioned the
sea…birds around the shores to find out if he had left the island in a canoe。
But they could tell me nothing。〃
〃Do you think that some accident has happened to him？〃 asked the
Doctor in a fearful voice。
〃I'm afraid it must have；〃 said Miranda shaking her head。
〃Well；〃 said John Dolittle slowly； 〃if I could never meet Long Arrow
face to face it would be the greatest disappointment in my whole life。 Not
only that； but it would be a great loss to the knowledge of the human race。
For； from what you have told me of him； he knew more natural science
than all the rest of us put together； and if he has gone without any one to
write it down for him； so the world may be the better for it； it would be a
terrible thing。 But you don't really think that he is dead； do you？〃
〃What else can I think？〃 asked Miranda； bursting into tears； 〃when for
six whole months he has not been seen by flesh； fish or fowl。〃
70
… Page 71…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER
BLIND TRAVEL
THIS news about Long Arrow made us all very sad。 And I could see
from the silent dreamy way the Doctor took his tea that he was dreadfully
upset。 Every once in a while he would stop eating altogether and sit staring
at the spots on the kitchen table…cloth as though his thoughts were far
away； till Dab…Dab； who was watching to see that he got a good meal；
would cough or rattle the pots in the sink。
I did my best to cheer him up by reminding him of all he had done for
Luke and his wife that afternoon。 And when that didn't seem to work； I
went on talking about our preparations for the voyage。
〃But you see； Stubbins；〃 said he as we rose from the table and Dab…
Dab and Chee…Chee began to clear away； 〃I don't know where to go now。 I
feel sort of lost since Miranda brought me this news。 On this voyage I had
planned going to see Long Arrow。 I had been looking forward to it for a
whole year。 I felt he might help me in learning the language of the
shellfishand perhaps in finding some way of getting to the bottom of the
sea。 But now？He's gone！ And all his great knowledge has gone with
him。〃
Then he seemed to fall a…dreaming again。
〃Just to think of it！〃 he murmured。 〃Long Arrow and I； two students
Although I'd never met him； I felt as though I knew him quite well。 For； in
his waywithout any schoolinghe has； all his life； been trying to do the
very things which I have tried to do in mine And now he's gone！A
whole world lay between usAnd only a bird knew us both！〃
We went back into the study； where Jip brought the Doctor his slippers
and his pipe。 And after the pipe was lit and the smoke began to fill the
room the old man seemed to cheer up a little。
〃But you will go on some voyage； Doctor； won't you？〃 I asked〃even
if you can't go to find Long Arrow。〃
He looked up sharply into my face； and I suppose he saw how anxious
I was。 Because he suddenly smiled his old； boyish smile and said；
71
… Page 72…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
〃Yes； Stubbins。 Don't worry。 We'll go。 We mustn't stop working and
learning； even if poor Long Arrow has disappearedBut where to go：
that's the question。 Where shall we go？〃
There were so many places that I wanted to go that I couldn't make up
my mind right away。 And while I was still thinking； the Doctor sat up in
his chair and said；
〃I tell you what we'll do； Stubbins： it's a game I used to play when I
was youngbefore Sarah came to live with me。 I used to call it Blind
Travel。 Whenever I wanted to go on a voyage； and I couldn't make up my
mind where to go； I would take the atlas and open it with my eyes shut。
Next； I'd wave a pencil； still without looking； and stick it down on
whatever page had fallen open。 Then I'd open my eyes and look。 It's a very
exciting game； is Blind Travel。 Because you have to swear； before you
begin； that you will go to the place the pencil touches； come what way。
Shall we play it？〃
〃Oh； let's！〃 I almost yelled。 〃How thrilling！ I hope it's China or
Borneoor Bagdad。〃
And in a moment I had scrambled up the bookcase； dragged the big
atlas from the top shelf and laid it on the table before the Doctor。
I knew every page in that atlas by heart。 How many days and nights I
had lingered over its old faded maps； following the blue rivers from the
mountains to the sea； wondering what the little towns really looked like；
and how wide were the sprawling lakes！ I had had a lot of fun with that
atlas； traveling； in my mind； all over the world。 I can see it now： the first
page had no map； it just told you that it was printed in Edinburgh in 1808；
and a whole lot more about the
