the story of doctor dolittle-第5章

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〃I'm　not　that　kind　of　a　bird；〃　said　the　parrot；

climbing　out　of　the　pocket　in　the　tail　of　the

Doctor's　coat。　　〃You　see；　I'm　small　enough　to

get　through　the　bars　of　that　window；　and　I　was

afraid　they　would　put　me　in　a　cage　instead。

So　while　the　King　was　busy　talking；　I　hid　in

the　Doctor's　pocketand　here　I　am！　　That's

what　you　call　a　‘ruse；'〃　she　said；　smoothing

down　her　feathers　with　her　beak。



〃Good　Gracious！〃　cried　the　Doctor。

〃You're　lucky　I　didn't　sit　on　you。〃　　



〃Now　listen；〃　said　Polynesia；　〃to…night；　as

soon　as　it　gets　dark；　I　am　going　to　creep　through

the　bars　of　that　window　and　fly　over　to　the

palace。　　And　thenyou'll　seeI'll　soon　find

a　way　to　make　the　King　let　us　all　out　of　prison。〃　　



〃Oh；　what　can　YOU　do？〃　said　Gub…Gub；

turning　up　his　nose　and　beginning　to　cry　again。

〃You're　only　a　bird！〃



〃Quite　true；〃　said　the　parrot。　　〃But　do　not

forget　that　although　I　am　only　a　bird；　I　CAN　TALK

LIKE　A　MANand　I　know　these　people。〃　　



So　that　night；　when　the　moon　was　shining

through　the　palm…trees　and　all　the　King's　men

were　asleep；　the　parrot　slipped　out　through　the

bars　of　the　prison　and　flew　across　to　the　palace。

The　pantry　window　had　been　broken　by　a　tennis

ball　the　week　before；　and　Polynesia　popped

in　through　the　hole　in　the　glass。



She　heard　Prince　Bumpo　snoring　in　his　bed…

room　at　the　back　of　the　palace。　　Then　she　tip…

toed　up　the　stairs　till　she　came　to　the　King's

bedroom。　　She　opened　the　door　gently　and

peeped　in。



The　Queen　was　away　at　a　dance　that　night

at　her　cousin's；　but　the　King　was　in　bed　fast

asleep。



Polynesia　crept　in；　very　softly；　and　got　under

the　bed。



Then　she　coughedjust　the　way　Doctor

Dolittle　used　to　cough。　　Polynesia　could　mimic

any　one。



The　King　opened　his　eyes　and　said　sleepily：

〃Is　that　you；　Ermintrude？〃　（He　thought　it

was　the　Queen　come　back　from　the　dance。）



Then　the　parrot　coughed　againloud；　like　a

man。　　And　the　King　sat　up；　wide　awake；　and

said；　〃Who's　that？〃



〃I　am　Doctor　Dolittle；〃　said　the　parrotjust

the　way　the　Doctor　would　have　said　it。



〃What　are　you　doing　in　my　bedroom？〃　cried

the　King。　　〃How　dare　you　get　out　of　prison！

Where　are　you？I　don't　see　you。〃　　



But　the　parrot　just　laugheda　long；　deep

jolly　laugh；　like　the　Doctor's。



〃Stop　laughing　and　come　here　at　once；　so　I

can　see　you；〃　said　the　King。



〃Foolish　King！〃　answered　Polynesia。　　〃Have

you　forgotten　that　you　are　talking　to　John

Dolittle；　M。D。the　most　wonderful　man　on　earth？

Of　course　you　cannot　see　me。　　I　have　made　myself

invisible。　　There　is　nothing　I　cannot　do。

Now　listen：　I　have　come　here　to…night　to　warn

you。　　If　you　don't　let　me　and　my　animals　travel

through　your　kingdom；　I　will　make　you　and　all

your　people　sick　like　the　monkeys。　　For　I　can

make　people　well：　and　I　can　make　people　ill

just　by　raising　my　little　finger。　　Send　your

soldiers　at　once　to　open　the　dungeon　door；　or　you

shall　have　mumps　before　the　morning　sun　has

risen　on　the　hills　of　Jolliginki。〃　　



Then　the　King　began　to　tremble　and　was

very　much　afraid。



〃Doctor；〃　he　cried；　〃it　shall　be　as　you　say。

Do　not　raise　your　little　finger；　please！〃　　And　he

jumped　out　of　bed　and　ran　to　tell　the　soldiers

to　open　the　prison　door。



As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　Polynesia　crept

downstairs　and　left　the　palace　by　the　pantry　window。



But　the　Queen；　who　was　just　letting　herself

in　at　the　backdoor　with　a　latch…key；　saw　the　par…

rot　getting　out　through　the　broken　glass。　　And

when　the　King　came　back　to　bed　she　told　him

what　she　had　seen。



Then　the　King　understood　that　he　had　been

tricked；　and　he　was　dreadfully　angry。　　He　hurried

back　to　the　prison　at　once



But　he　was　too　late。　　The　door　stood　open。

The　dungeon　was　empty。　　The　Doctor　and　all

his　animals　were　gone。







THE　SEVENTH　CHAPTER



THE　BRIDGE　OF　APES



QUEEN　ERMINTRUDE　had　never　in　her　life　seen　her　husband

so　terrible　as　he　got　that　night。　　He　gnashed　his　teeth

with　rage。　　He　called　everybody　a　fool。　　He　threw　his

tooth…brush　at　the　palace　cat。　　He　rushed　round

in　his　night…shirt　and　woke　up　all　his　army　and

sent　them　into　the　jungle　to　catch　the　Doctor。

Then　he　made　all　his　servants　go　toohis　cooks

and　his　gardeners　and　his　barber　and　Prince

Bumpo's　tutoreven　the　Queen；　who　was　tired

from　dancing　in　a　pair　of　tight　shoes；　was　packed

off　to　help　the　soldiers　in　their　search。



All　this　time　the　Doctor　and　his　animals　were

running　through　the　forest　towards　the　Land　of

the　Monkeys　as　fast　as　they　could　go。



Gub…Gub；　with　his　short　legs；　soon　got　tired；

and　the　Doctor　had　to　carry　himwhich　made

it　pretty　hard　when　they　had　the　trunk　and　the

hand…bag　with　them　as　well。



The　King　of　the　Jolliginki　thought　it　would

be　easy　for　his　army　to　find　them；　because　the

Doctor　was　in　a　strange　land　and　would　not

know　his　way。　　But　he　was　wrong；　because　the

monkey；　Chee…Chee；　knew　all　the　paths　through

the　junglebetter　even　than　the　King's　men

did。　　And　he　led　the　Doctor　and　his　pets　to　the

very　thickest　part　of　the　foresta　place　where

no　man　had　ever　been　beforeand　hid　them　all

in　a　big　hollow　tree　between　high　rocks。



〃We　had　better　wait　here；〃　said　Chee…Chee；

〃till　the　soldiers　have　gone　back　to　bed。　　Then

we　can　go　on　into　the　Land　of　the　Monkeys。〃　　



So　there　they　stayed　the　whole　night　through。



They　often　heard　the　King's　men　searching

and　talking　in　the　jungle　round　about。　　But

they　were　quite　safe；　for　no　one　knew　of　that

hiding…place　but　Chee…Cheenot　even　the

other　monkeys。



At　last；　when　daylight　began　to　come　through

the　thick　leaves　overhead；　they　heard　Queen

Ermintrude　saying　in　a　very　tired　voice　that　it

was　no　use　looking　any　morethat　they　might

as　well　go　back　and　get　some　sleep。



As　soon　as　the　soldiers　had　all　gone　home；

Chee…Chee　brought　the　Doctor　and　his　animals

out　of　the　hiding…place　and　they　set　off　for　the

Land　of　the　Monkeys。



It　was　a　long；　long　way；　and　they　often　got

very　tiredespecially　Gub…Gub。　　But　when　he

cried　they　gave　him　milk　out　of　the　cocoanuts

which　he　was　very　fond　of。



They　always　had　plenty　to　eat　and　drink；

because　Chee…Chee　and　Polynesia　knew　all　the

different　kinds　of　fruits　and　vegetables　that　grow

in　the　jungle；　and　where　to　find　themlike

dates　and　figs　and　ground…nuts　and　ginger　and

yams。　　They　used　to　make　their　lemonade　out　of

the　juice　of　wild　oranges；　sweetened　with　honey

which　they　got　from　the　bees'　nests　in　hollow

trees。　　No　matter　what　it　was　they　asked　for；

Chee…Chee　and　Polynesia　always　seemed　to　be

able　to　get　it　for　themor　something　like　it。

They　even　got　the　Doctor　some　tobacco　one　day；

when　he　had　finished　what　he　had　brought　with

him　and　wanted　to　smoke。



At　night　they　slept　in　tents　made　of　palm…

leaves；　on　thick；　soft　beds　of　dried　grass。　　And

after　a　while　they　got　used　to　walking　such　a　lot

and　did　not　get　so　tired　and　enjoyed　the　life　of

travel　very　much。



But　they　were　always　glad　when　the　night

came　and　they　stopped　for　their　resting…time。

Then　the　Doctor　used　to　make　a　little　fire　of

sticks；　and　after　they　had　had　their　supper；　they

would　sit　round　it　in　a　ring；　listening　to

Polynesia　singing　songs　about　the　sea；　or　to　Chee…

Chee　telling　stories　of　the　jungle。



And　many　of　the　tales　that　Chee…Chee　told

were　very　interesting。　　Because　although　the

monkeys　had　no　history…books　of　their　own

before　Doctor　Dolittle　came　to　write　them　for

them；　they　remember　everything　that　happens　by

telling　stories　to　their　children。　　And　Chee…Chee

spoke　of　many　things　his　grandmother　had　told

himtales　of　long；　long；　long　ago；　before　Noah

and　the　Floodof　the　days　when　men　dressed

in　bear…skins　and　lived　in　holes　in　the　rock　and

ate　their　mutton　raw；　because　they　did　not　know

what　cooking　washaving　never　seen　a　fire。

And　he　told　them　of　the　Great　Mammoths　and

Lizards；　as　long　as　a　train；　that　wandered　over

the　mountains　in　those　times；　nibbling　from　the

tree…tops。　　And　often　they　got　so　interested

listening；　that　when　he　had　finished　they　found

their　fire　had　gone　right　out；　and　they　had　to

scurry　round　to　get　more　sticks　and　build　a　new

one。



Now　when　the　King's　army　had　gone　back

and　told　the　King　that　they　couldn't　find　the

Doctor；　the　King　sent　them　out　again　and　told

them　they　must　stay　in　the　jungle　till　they　caught

him。　　So　all　this　time；　while　the　Doctor　and　his

animals　were　going　along　towards　the　Land　of

the　Monkeys；　thinking　themselves　quite　safe；

they　were　still　being　followed　by　the　King's　men。

If　Chee…Chee　had　known　this；　he　would　most

likely　have　hidden　them　again。　　But　he　didn't

know　it。



One　day　Chee…Chee　climbed　up　a　high　rock

and　looked　out　over　the　tree…tops。　　And　when

he　came　down　he　said　they　were　now　quite　close

to　the　Land　of　the　Monkeys　and　would　soon

be　there。



And　that　same　evening；　sure　enough；　they　saw

Chee…Chee's　cousin　and　a　lot　of　other　monkeys；

who　had　not　yet　got　sick；　sitting　in　the　trees　by

the　edge　of　a　swamp；　looking　and　waiting　for

them。　　And　when　they　saw　the　famous　doctor

really　come；　these　monkeys　made　a　tremendous

noise；　cheering　and　waving　leaves　and　swinging

out　of　the　branches　to　greet　him。



They　wanted　to　carry　his　bag　and　his　trunk

and　everything　he　hadand　one　of　the　bigger

ones　even　carried　Gub…Gub　who　had　got　tired

again。　　Then　two　of　them　rushed　on　in　front　to

tell　the　sick　monkeys　that　the　great　doctor　had

come　at　last。



But　the　King's　men；　who　were　still　following；

had　heard　the　noise　of　the　monkeys　cheering；

and　they　at　last　knew　where　the　Doctor　was；

and　hastened　on　to　catch　him。



The　big　monkey　carrying　Gub…Gub　was　coming

along　behind　slowly；　and　he　saw　the　Captain

of　the　army　sneaking　through　the　trees。

So　he　hurried　after　the　Doctor　and　told　him　to

run。



Then　they　all　ran　harder　than　they　had　ever

run　in　their　lives；　and　the　King's　men；　coming

after　them；　began　to　run　too；　and　the　Captain

ran　hardest　of　all。



Then　the　Doctor　tripped　over　his　medicine…

bag　and　fell　down　in　the　mud；　and　the　Captain

thought　he　would　surely　catch　him　this　time。



But　the　Captain　had　very　long　earsthough

his　hair　was　very　short。　　And　as　he　sprang　forward

to　take　hold　of　the　Doctor；　one　of　his　ears

caught　fast　in　a　tree；　and　the　rest　of　the　army

had　to　stop　and　help　him。



By　this　time　the　Doctor　had　picked　himself

up；　and　on　they　went　again；　running　and　running。

And　Chee…Chee　shouted；



〃It's　all　right！　　We　haven't　far　to　go　now！〃



But　before　they　could　get　into　the　Land　of

the　Monkeys；　they　came　to　a　steep　cliff　with　a

river　flowing　below。　　This　was　the　end　of　the

Kingdom　of　Jolliginki；　and　the　Land　of　the

Monkeys　was　on　the　other　sideacross　the

river。



And　Jip；　the　dog；　looked　down　over　the　edge