voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第49节
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a boy； to sleep through an earthquake and never notice it！Tommy； listen：
here's our chance now。 Wake up； for goodness' sake！〃
〃What's the matter？〃 I asked sitting up with a yawn。
〃Sh！Look！〃 whispered Polynesia pointing out to sea。
Still only half awake； I stared before me with bleary； sleep…laden eyes。
And in the shallow water； not more than thirty yards from shore I saw an
enormous pale pink shell。 Dome…shaped； it towered up in a graceful
rainbow curve to a tremendous height； and round its base the surf broke
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gently in little waves of white。 It could have belonged to the wildest
dream。
〃What in the world is it？〃 I asked。
〃That；〃 whispered Polynesia； 〃is what sailors for hundreds of years
have called the Sea…serpent。 I've seen it myself more than once from the
decks of ships； at long range； curving in and out of the water。 But now that
I see it close and still； I very strongly suspect that the Sea…serpent of
history is no other than the Great Glass Sea…snail that the fidgit told us of。
If that isn't the only fish of its kind in the seven seas； call me a carrion…
crowTommy； we're in luck。 Our job is to get the Doctor down here to
look at that prize specimen before it moves off to the Deep Hole。 If we can；
then trust me； we may leave this blessed island yet。 You stay here and keep
an eye on it while I go after the Doctor。 Don't move or speakdon't even
breathe heavy： he might get scaredawful timid things； snails。 Just watch
him； and I'll be back in two shakes。〃
Stealthily creeping up the sands till she could get behind the cover of
some bushes before she took to her wings； Polynesia went off in the
direction of the town； while I remained alone upon the shore fascinatedly
watching this unbelievable monster wallowing in the shallow sea。
It moved very little。 From time to time it lifted its head out of the
water showing its enormously long neck and horns。 Occasionally it would
try and draw itself up； the way a snail does when he goes to move； but
almost at once it would sink down again as if exhausted。 It seemed to me
to act as though it were hurt underneath； but the lower part of it； which
was below the level of the water； I could not see。
I was still absorbed in watching the great beast when Polynesia
returned with the Doctor。 They approached so silently and so cautiously
that I neither saw nor heard them coming till I found them crouching
beside me on the sand。
One sight of the snail changed the Doctor completely。 His eyes just
sparkled with delight。 I had not seen him so thrilled and happy since the
time we caught the Jabizri beetle when we first landed on the island。
〃It is he！〃 he whispered〃the Great Glass Sea…snail himself not a
doubt of it。 Polynesia； go down the shore a way and see if you can find
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any of the porpoises for me。 Perhaps they can tell us what the snail is
doing here It's very unusual for him to be in shallow water like this。 And
Stubbins； you go over to the harbor and bring me a small canoe。 But be
most careful how you paddle it round into this bay。 If the snail should take
fright and go out into the deeper water； we may never get a chance to see
him again。〃
〃And don't tell any of the Indians；〃 Polynesia added in a whisper as I
moved to go。 〃We must keep this a secret or we'll have a crowd of
sightseers round here in five minutes。 It's mighty lucky we found the snail
in a quiet bay。〃
Reaching the harbor； I picked out a small light canoe from among the
number that were lying there and without telling any one what I wanted it
for； got in and started off to paddle it down the shore。
I was mortally afraid that the snail might have left before I got back。
And you can imagine how delighted I was； when I rounded a rocky cape
and came in sight of the bay； to find he was still there。
Polynesia； I saw； had got her errand done and returned ahead of me；
bringing with her a pair of porpoises。 These were already conversing in
low tones with John Dolittle。 I beached the canoe and went up to listen。
〃What I want to know；〃 the Doctor was saying； 〃is how the snail
comes to be here。 I was given to understand that he usually stayed in the
Deep Hole； and that when he did come to the surface it was always in
mid…ocean。〃
〃Oh； didn't you know？Haven't you heard？〃 the porpoises replied：
〃you covered up the Deep Hole when you sank the island。 Why yes： you
let it down right on top of the mouth of the Holesort of put the lid on； as
it were。 The fishes that were in it at the time have been trying to get out
ever since。 The Great Snail had the worst luck of all： the island nipped him
by the tail just as he was leaving the Hole for a quiet evening stroll。 And
he was held there for six months trying to wriggle himself free。 Finally he
had to heave the whole island up at one end to get his tail loose。 Didn't you
feel a sort of an earthquake shock about an hour ago？〃
〃Yes I did；〃 said the Doctor； 〃it shook down part of the theatre I was
building。〃
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〃Well； that was the snail heaving up the island to get out of the Hole；〃
they said。 〃All the other fishes saw their chance and escaped when he
raised the lid。 It was lucky for them he's so big and strong。 But the strain
of that terrific heave told on him： he sprained a muscle in his tail and it
started swelling rather badly。 He wanted some quiet place to rest up； and
seeing this soft beach handy he crawled in here。〃
〃Dear me！〃 said the Doctor。 〃I'm terribly sorry。 I suppose I should have
given some sort of notice that the island was going to be let down。 But； to
tell the truth； we didn't know it ourselves； it happened by a kind of an
accident。 Do you imagine the poor fellow is hurt very badly？〃
〃We're not sure；〃 said the porpoises； 〃because none of us can speak his
language。 But we swam right around him on our way in here； and he did
not seem to be really seriously injured。〃
〃Can't any of your people speak shellfish？〃 the Doctor asked。
〃Not a word；〃 said they。 〃It's a most frightfully difficult language。〃
〃Do you think that you might be able to find me some kind of a fish
that could？〃
〃We don't know；〃 said the porpoises。 〃We might try。〃
〃I should be extremely grateful to you if you would；〃 said the Doctor。
〃There are many important questions I want to ask this snailAnd besides；
I would like to do my best to cure his tail for him。 It's the least I can do。
After all； it was my fault； indirectly； that he got hurt。〃
〃Well； if you wait here；〃 said the porpoises； 〃we'll see what can be
done。〃
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
THE SHELLFISH RIDDLE SOLVED AT LAST
SO Doctor Dolittle with a crown on his head sat down upon the shore
like King Knut； and waited。 And for a whole hour the porpoises kept going
and coming； bringing up different kinds of sea…beasts from the deep to see
if they could help him。
Many and curious were the creatures they produced。 It would seem
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however that there were very few things that spoke shellfish except the
shellfish themselves。 Still； the porpoises grew a little more hopeful when
they discovered a very old sea…urchin （a funny； ball…like； little fellow with
long whiskers all over him） who said he could not speak pure shellfish； but
he used to understand starfishenough to get alongwhen he was young。
This was coming nearer； even if it wasn't anything to go crazy about。
Leaving the urchin with us； the porpoises went off once more to hunt up a
starfish。
They were not long getting one； for they were quite common in those
parts。 Then； using the sea…urchin as an interpreter； they questioned the
starfish。 He was a rather stupid sort of creatur
