voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第52节
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way up the beach。 Polynesia and I now went and joined them。 Half an
hour passed。 What success the porpoises had met with； we did not know；
till suddenly the Doctor left the snail's side and came splashing out to us。
quite breathless。
〃What do you think？〃 he cried； 〃while I was talking to the snail just
now he offered； of his own accord； to take us all back to England inside
his shell。 He says he has got to go on a voyage of discovery anyway； to
hunt up a new home； now that the Deep Hole is closed。 Said it wouldn't be
much out of his way to drop us at Puddleby River； if we cared to come
alongGoodness； what a chance！ I'd love to go。 To examine the floor of
the ocean all the way from Brazil to Europe！ No man ever did it before。
What a glorious trip！ Oh that I had never allowed myself to be made
king！ Now I must see the chance of a lifetime slip by。〃
He turned from us and moved down the sands again to the middle
beach； gazing wistfully； longingly out at the snail。 There was something
peculiarly sad and forlorn about him as he stood there on the lonely；
moonlit shore； the crown upon his head； his figure showing sharply black
against the glittering sea behind。
Out of the darkness at my elbow Polynesia rose and quietly moved
down to his side。
〃Now Doctor；〃 said she in a soft persuasive voice as though she were
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talking to a wayward child； 〃you know this king business is not your real
work in life。 These natives will be able to get along without younot so
well as they do with you of course but they'll managethe same as they
did before you came。 Nobody can say you haven't done your duty by them。
It was their fault： they made you king。 Why not accept the snail's offer；
and just drop everything now； and go？ The work you'll do； the information
you'll carry home； will be of far more value than what you're doing here。〃
〃Good friend；〃 said the Doctor turning to her sadly； 〃I cannot。 They
would go back to their old unsanitary ways： bad water； uncooked fish； no
drainage； enteric fever and the rest。 。 。 。 No。 I must think of their health；
their welfare。 I began life as a people's doctor： I seem to have come back
to it in the end。 I cannot desert them。 Later perhaps something will turn up。
But I cannot leave them now。〃
〃That's where you're wrong； Doctor；〃 said she。 〃Now is when you
should go。 Nothing will 'turn up。' The longer you stay； the harder it will be
to leave Go now。 Go to…night。〃
〃What； steal away without even saying good…bye to them！ Why；
Polynesia； what a thing to suggest！〃
〃A fat chance they would give you to say good…bye！〃 snorted
Polynesia growing impatient at last。 〃I tell you； Doctor； if you go back to
that palace tonight； for goodbys or anything else； you will stay there。
Nowthis moment is the time for you to go。〃
The truth of the old parrot's words seemed to be striking home； for the
Doctor stood silent a minute； thinking。
〃But there are the note…books；〃 he said presently： 〃I would have to go
back to fetch them。〃
〃I have them here； Doctor；〃 said I； speaking up〃 all of them。〃
Again he pondered。
〃And Long Arrow's collection；〃 he said。 〃I would have to take that also
with me。〃
〃It is here； Oh Kindly One；〃 came the Indian's deep voice from the
shadow beneath the palm。
〃But what about provisions；〃 asked the Doctor〃 food for the
journey？〃
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〃We have a week's supply with us； for our holiday；〃 said Polynesia
〃that's more than we will need。〃
For a third time the Doctor was silent and thoughtful。
〃And then there's my hat；〃 he said fretfully at last。 〃That settles it： I'll
HAVE to go back to the palace。 I can't leave without my hat。 How could I
appear in Puddleby with this crown on my head？〃
〃Here it is； Doctor；〃 said Bumpo producing the hat； old； battered and
beloved； from under his coat。 Polynesia had indeed thought of everything。
Yet even now we could see the Doctor was still trying to think up
further excuses。
〃Oh Kindly One；〃 said Long Arrow； 〃why tempt ill fortune？ Your way
is clear。 Your future and your work beckon you back to your foreign home
beyond the sea。 With you will go also what lore I too have gathered for
mankind to lands where it will be of wider use than it can ever here。 I see
the glimmerings of dawn in the eastern heaven。 Day is at hand。 Go before
your subjects are abroad。 Go before your project is discovered。 For truly I
believe that if you go not now you will linger the remainder of your days a
captive king in Popsipetel。〃
Great decisions often take no more than a moment in the making。
Against the now paling sky I saw the Doctor's figure suddenly stiffen。
Slowly he lifted the Sacred Crown from off his head and laid it on the
sands。
And when he spoke his voice was choked with tears。
〃They will find it here；〃 he murmured； 〃when they come to search for
me。 And they will know that I have gone。 。 。 。 My children； my poor
children！ I wonder will they ever understand why it was I left them。 。 。 。 I
wonder will they ever understandand forgive。〃
He took his old hat from Bumpo； then facing Long Arrow； gripped his
outstretched hand in silence。
〃You decide aright； oh Kindly One；〃 said the Indian〃though none
will miss and mourn you more than Long Arrow； the son of Golden
ArrowFarewell； and may good fortune ever lead you by the hand！〃
It was the first and only time I ever saw the Doctor weep。 Without a
word to any of us； he turned and moved down the beach into the shallow
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water of the sea。
The snail humped up its back and made an opening between its
shoulders and the edge of its shell。 The Doctor clambered up and passed
within。 We followed him； after handing up the baggage。 The opening shut
tight with a whistling suction noise。
Then turning in the direction of the East； the great creature began
moving smoothly forward； down the slope into the deeper waters。
Just as the swirling dark green surf was closing in above our heads； the
big morning sun popped his rim up over the edge of the ocean。 And
through our transparent walls of pearl we saw the watery world about us
suddenly light up with that most wondrously colorful of visions； a
daybreak beneath the sea。
The rest of the story of our homeward voyage is soon told。
Our new quarters we found very satisfactory。 Inside the spacious shell；
the snail's wide back was extremely comfortable to sit and lounge on
better than a sofa； when you once got accustomed to the damp and
clammy feeling of it。 He asked us； shortly after we started； if we wouldn't
mind taking off our boots； as the hobnails in them hurt his back as we ran
excitedly from one side to another to see the different sights。
The motion was not unpleasant； very smooth and even； in fact； but for
the landscape passing outside； you would not know； on the level going；
that you were moving at all。
I had always thought for some reason or other that the bottom of the
sea was flat。 I found that it was just as irregular and changeful as the
surface of the dry land。 We climbed over great mountain…ranges； with
peaks towering above peaks。 We threaded our way through dense forests
of tall sea…plants。 We crossed wide empty stretches of sandy mud； like
desertsso vast that you went on for a whole day with nothing ahead of
you but a dim horizon。 Sometimes the scene was moss…covered； rolling
country； green and restful to the eye like rich pastures； so that you almost
looked to see sheep cropping on these underwater downs。 And sometimes
the snail would roll us forward inside him like peas； when he suddenly
dipped downward to descend into some deep secluded v
