voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第20节
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page had no map； it just told you that it was printed in Edinburgh in 1808；
and a whole lot more about the book。 The next page was the Solar System；
showing the sun and planets； the stars and the moon。 The third page was
the chart of the North and South Poles。 Then came the hemispheres； the
oceans； the continents and the countries。
As the Doctor began sharpening his pencil a thought came to me。
〃What if the pencil falls upon the North Pole；〃 I asked； 〃will we have
to go there？〃
〃No。 The rules of the game say you don't have to go any place you've
been to before。 You are allowed another try。 I've been to the North Pole；〃
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he ended quietly； 〃so we shan't have to go there。〃 I could hardly speak
with astonishment。
〃YOU'VE BEEN TO THE NORTH POLE！〃 I managed to gasp out at
last。 〃But I thought it was still undiscovered。 The map shows all the places
explorers have reached to； TRYING to get there。 Why isn't your name
down if you discovered it？〃
〃I promised to keep it a secret。 And you must promise me never to tell
any one。 Yes； I discovered the North Pole in April； 1809。 But shortly after
I got there the polar bears came to me in a body and told me there was a
great deal of coal there； buried beneath the snow。 They knew； they said；
that human beings would do anything； and go anywhere； to get coal。 So
would I please keep it a secret。 Because once people began coming up
there to start coal…mines； their beautiful white country would be spoiled
and there was nowhere else in the world cold enough for polar bears to be
comfortable。 So of course I had to promise them I would。 Ah； well； it will
be discovered again some day； by somebody else。 But I want the polar
bears to have their play…ground to themselves as long as possible。 And I
daresay it will be a good while yetfor it certainly is a fiendish place to
get toWell now； are we ready？Good！ Take the pencil and stand here
close to the table。 When the book falls open； wave the pencil round three
times and jab it down。 Ready？All right。 Shut your eyes。〃
It was a tense and fearful momentbut very thrilling。 We both had our
eyes shut tight。 I heard the atlas fall open with a bang。 I wondered what
page it was： England or Asia。 If it should be the map of Asia； so much
would depend on where that pencil would land。 I waved three times in a
circle。 I began to lower my hand。 The pencil…point touched the page。
〃All right；〃 I called out； 〃it's done。〃
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
DESTINY AND DESTINATION
WE both opened our eyes； then bumped our heads together with a
crack in our eagerness to lean over and see where we were to go。
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The atlas lay open at a map called； Chart of the South Atlantic Ocean。
My pencil…point was resting right in the center of a tiny island。 The name
of it was printed so small that the Doctor had to get out his strong
spectacles to read it。 I was trembling with excitement。
〃Spidermonkey Island；〃 he read out slowly。 Then he whistled softly
beneath his breath。 〃Of all the extraordinary things！ You've hit upon the
very island where Long Arrow was last seen on earth I wonderWell；
well！ How very singular！〃
〃We'll go there； Doctor； won't we？〃 I asked。
〃Of course we will。 The rules of the game say we've got to。〃
〃I'm so glad it wasn't Oxenthorpe or Bristol；〃 I said。 〃It'll be a grand
voyage； this。 Look at all the sea we've got to cross。 Will it take us long？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said the Doctor〃not very。 With a good boat and a good
wind we should make it easily in four weeks。 But isn't it extraordinary？ Of
all the places in the world you picked out that one with your eyes shut。
Spidermonkey Island after all！Well； there's one good thing about it： I
shall be able to get some Jabizri beetles。〃 〃What are Jabizri beetles？〃
〃They are a very rare kind of beetles with peculiar habits。 I want to
study them。 There are only three countries in the world where they are to
be found。 Spidermonkey Island is one of them。 But even there they are
very scarce。〃
〃What is this little question…mark after the name of the island for？〃 I
asked； pointing to the map。
〃That means that the island's position in the ocean is not known very
exactlythat it is somewhere ABOUT there。 Ships have probably seen it in
that neighborhood； that is all； most likely。 It is quite possible we shall be
the first white men to land there。 But I daresay we shall have some
difficulty in finding it first。〃
How like a dream it all sounded！ The two of us sitting there at the big
study…table； the candles lit； the smoke curling towards the dim ceiling
from the Doctor's pipethe two of us sitting there； talking about finding an
island in the ocean and being the first white men to land upon it！
〃I'll bet it will be a great voyage；〃 I said。 〃It looks a lovely island on
the map。 Will there be black men there？〃
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〃No。 A peculiar tribe of Red Indians lives on it； Miranda tells me。〃
At this point the poor Bird…of…Paradise stirred and woke up。 In our
excitement we had forgotten to speak low。
〃We are going to Spidermonkey Island； Miranda；〃 said the Doctor。
〃You know where it is； do you not？〃
〃I know where it was the last time I saw it；〃 said the bird。 〃But
whether it will be there still； I can't say。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked the Doctor。 〃It is always in the same place
surely？〃
〃Not by any means；〃 said Miranda。 〃Why； didn't you know？
Spidermonkey Island is a FLOATING island。 It moves around all over the
placeusually somewhere near southern South America。 But of course I
could surely find it for you if you want to go there。〃
At this fresh piece of news I could contain myself no longer。 I was
bursting to tell some one。 I ran dancing and singing from the room to find
Chee…Chee。
At the door I tripped over Dab…Dab； who was just coming in with her
wings full of plates； and fell headlong on my nose；
〃Has the boy gone crazy？〃 cried the duck。 〃Where do you think you're
going； ninny？〃
〃To Spidermonkey Island！〃 I shouted； picking myself up and doing
cart…wheels down the hall〃Spidermonkey Island！ Hooray！And it's a
FLOATING island！〃
〃You're going to Bedlam； I should say；〃 snorted the housekeeper。
〃Look what you've done to my best china！〃
But I was far too happy to listen to her scolding； and I ran on； singing；
into the kitchen to find Chee…Chee。
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
PART THREE
THE FIRST CHAPTER
THE THIRD MAN
THAT same week we began our preparations for the voyage。
Joe； the mussel…man； had the Curlew moved down the river and tied it
up along the river…wall； so it would be more handy for loading。 And for
three whole days we carried provisions down to our beautiful new boat
and stowed them away。
I was surprised to find how roomy and big she was inside。 There were
three little cabins； a saloon （or dining…room） and underneath all this； a big
place called the hold where the food and extra sails and other things were
kept。
I think Joe must have told everybody in the town about our coming
voyage； because there was always a regular crowd watching us when we
brought the things down to put aboard。 And of course sooner or later old
Matthew Mugg was bound to turn up。
〃My Goodness； Tommy；〃 said he； as he watched me carrying on some
sacks of flour； 〃but that's a pretty boat！ Where might the Doctor be going
to this voyage？〃
〃We're going to Spidermonkey Island；〃 I said proudly。
〃And be you the only one the Doctor's taking along？〃
〃Well； he has spoken of wanting to take another man；〃 I said； 〃bu
