voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第32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！
sea； because I know that as soon as I do； I'll think of a hundred other
questions I wanted to ask you。 But I must keep my promise。 Would you
care for anything before you go？it seems a cold day some cracker…
crumbs or something？〃
The Fidgit： 〃No； I won't stop。 All I want just at present is fresh sea…
water。〃
The Doctor： 〃I cannot thank you enough for all the information you
have given me。 You have been very helpful and patient。〃
The Fidgit： 〃Pray do not mention it。 It has been a real pleasure to be of
assistance to the great John Dolittle。 You are； as of course you know；
already quite famous among the better class of fishes。 Goodbye！and
good luck to you； to your ship and to all your plans！〃
The Doctor carried the listening…tank to a porthole； opened it and
emptied the tank into the sea。 〃Good…bye！〃 he murmured as a faint splash
reached us from without。
I dropped my pencil on the table and leaned back with a sigh。 My
fingers were so stiff with writers' cramp that I felt as though I should never
be able to open my hand again。 But I； at least； had had a night's sleep。 As
for the poor Doctor； he was so weary that he had hardly put the tank back
upon the table and dropped into a chair； when his eyes closed and he
116
… Page 117…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
began to snore。
In the passage outside Polynesia scratched angrily at the door。 I rose
and let her in。
〃A nice state of affairs！〃 she stormed。 〃What sort of a ship is this？
There's that colored man upstairs asleep under the wheel； the Doctor
asleep down here； and you making pot…hooks in a copy…book with a pencil！
Expect the ship to steer herself to Brazil？ We're just drifting around the sea
like an empty bottleand a week behind time as it is。 What's happened to
you all？〃
She was so angry that her voice rose to a scream。 But it would have
taken more than that to wake the Doctor。
I put the note…book carefully in a drawer and went on deck to take the
wheel。
THE THIRD CHAPTER
BAD WEATHER
AS soon as I had the Curlew swung round upon her course again I
noticed something peculiar： we were not going as fast as we had been。 Our
favorable wind had almost entirely disappeared。
This； at first； we did not worry about； thinking that at any moment it
might spring up again。 But the whole day went by； then two days； then a
week；ten days； and the wind grew no stronger。 The Curlew just dawdled
along at the speed of a toddling babe。
I now saw that the Doctor was becoming uneasy。 He kept getting out
his sextant （an instrument which tells you what part of the ocean you are
in） and making calculations。 He was forever looking at his maps and
measuring distances on them。 The far edge of the sea； all around us； he
examined with his telescope a hundred times a day。
〃But Doctor；〃 I said when I found him one afternoon mumbling to
himself about the misty appearance of the sky； 〃it wouldn't matter so much
would it； if we did take a little longer over the trip？ We've got plenty to eat
on board now； and the Purple Bird…of…Paradise will know that we have
117
… Page 118…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
been delayed by something that we couldn't help。〃
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 he said thoughtfully。 〃But I hate to keep her
waiting。 At this season of the year she generally goes to the Peruvian
mountains for her health。 And besides； the good weather she prophesied
is likely to end any day now and delay us still further。 If we could only
keep moving at even a fair speed； I wouldn't mind。 It's this hanging around；
almost dead still； that gets me restlessAh； here comes a wind Not very
strongbut maybe it'll grow。〃
A gentle breeze from the Northeast came singing through the ropes；
and we smiled up hopefully at the Curlew's leaning masts。
〃We've only got another hundred and fifty miles to make； to sight the
coast of Brazil；〃 said the Doctor。 〃If that wind would just stay with us；
steady； for a full day we'd see land。〃
But suddenly the wind changed； swung to the East； then back to the
Northeastthen to the North。 It came in fitful gusts； as though it hadn't
made up its mind which way to blow； and I was kept busy at the wheel；
swinging the Curlew this way and that to keep the right side of it。
Presently we heard Polynesia； who was in the rigging keeping a look…
out for land or passing ships； screech down to us；
〃Bad weather coming。 That jumpy wind is an ugly sign。 And look！
over there in the Eastsee that black line； low down？ If that isn't a storm
I'm a land…lubber。 The gales round here are fierce； when they do blowtear
your canvas out like paper。 You take the wheel； Doctor： it'll need a strong
arm if it's a real storm。 I'll go wake Bumpo and Chee…Chee。 This looks bad
to me。 We'd best get all the sail down right away； till we see how strong
she's going to blow。〃
Indeed the whole sky was now beginning to take on a very threatening
look。 The black line to the eastward grew blacker as it came nearer and
nearer。 A low； rumbly； whispering noise went moaning over the sea。 The
water which had been so blue and smiling turned to a ruffled ugly gray。
And across the darkening sky； shreds of cloud swept like tattered witches
flying from the storm。
I must confess I was frightened。 You see I had only so far seen the sea
in friendly moods： sometimes quiet and lazy； sometimes laughing；
118
… Page 119…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
venturesome and reckless； sometimes brooding and poetic； when
moonbeams turned her ripples into silver threads and dreaming snowy
night…clouds piled up fairy…castles in the sky。 But as yet I had not known；
or even guessed at； the terrible strength of the Sea's wild anger。
When that storm finally struck us we leaned right over flatly on our
side； as though some in…visible giant had slapped the poor Curlew on the
cheek。
After that things happened so thick and so fast that what with the wind
that stopped your breath； the driving； blinding water； the deafening noise
and the rest； I haven't a very clear idea of how our shipwreck came about。
I remember seeing the sails； which we were now trying to roll up upon
the deck； torn out of our hands by the wind and go overboard like a penny
balloonvery nearly carrying Chee…Chee with them。 And I have a dim
recollection of Polynesia screeching somewhere for one of us to go
downstairs and close the port…holes。
In spite of our masts being bare of sail we were now scudding along to
the southward at a great pace。 But every once in a while huge gray…black
waves would arise from under the ship's side like nightmare monsters；
swell and climb； then crash down upon us； pressing us into the sea； and the
poor Curlew would come to a standstill； half under water； like a gasping；
drowning pig。
While I was clambering along towards the wheel to see the Doctor；
clinging like a leech with hands and legs to the rails lest I be blown
overboard； one of these tremendous seas tore loose my hold； filled my
throat with water and swept me like a cork the full length of the deck。 My
head struck a door with an awful bang。 And then I fainted。
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
WRECKED！
WHEN I awoke I was very hazy in my head。 The sky was blue and the
sea was calm。 At first I thought that I must have fallen asleep in the sun on
the deck of the Curlew。 And thinking that I would be late for my turn at
119
… Page 120…
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
the wheel； I tried to rise to my feet。 I found I couldn't； my arms were tied
to something behind me with a piece of rope。 By twisting my neck around
I found this to be a mast； broken off short。 Then I realized that I wasn't
sitting
