the story of doctor dolittle- 第3部分

writing　in　a　book；　Polynesia　sat　in　the　window

as　she　nearly　always　didlooking　out　at

the　leaves　blowing　about　in　the　garden。

Presently　she　laughed　aloud。



〃What　is　it；　Polynesia？〃　asked　the　Doctor；

looking　up　from　his　book。



〃I　was　just　thinking；〃　said　the　parrot；　and

she　went　on　looking　at　the　leaves。



〃What　were　you　thinking？〃



〃I　was　thinking　about　people；〃　said　Polynesia。

〃People　make　me　sick。　　They　think　they're　so

wonderful。　　The　world　has　been　going　on　now

for　thousands　of　years；　hasn't　it？　　And　the　only

thing　in　animal…language　that　PEOPLE　have

learned　to　understand　is　that　when　a　dog　wags

his　tail　he　means　‘I'm　glad！'It's　funny；　isn't

it？　　You　are　the　very　first　man　to　talk　like　us。

Oh；　sometimes　people　annoy　me　dreadfully

such　airs　they　put　ontalking　about　‘the　dumb

animals。'　DUMB！Huh！　　Why　I　knew　a

macaw　once　who　could　say　‘Good　morning！'　in

seven　different　ways　without　once　opening　his

mouth。　　He　could　talk　every　languageand

Greek。　　An　old　professor　with　a　gray　beard

bought　him。　　But　he　didn't　stay。　　He　said　the

old　man　didn't　talk　Greek　right；　and　he　couldn't

stand　listening　to　him　teach　the　language　wrong。

I　often　wonder　what's　become　of　him。　　That

bird　knew　more　geography　than　people　will　ever

know。PEOPLE；　Golly！　　I　suppose　if　people

ever　learn　to　flylike　any　common　hedge…

sparrowwe　shall　never　hear　the　end　of　it！〃



〃You're　a　wise　old　bird；〃　said　the　Doctor。

〃How　old　are　you　really？　　I　know　that　parrots

and　elephants　sometimes　live　to　be　very；　very　old。〃　　



〃I　can　never　be　quite　sure　of　my　age；〃　said

Polynesia。　　〃It's　either　a　hundred　and　eighty…

three　or　a　hundred　and　eighty…two。　　But　I

know　that　when　I　first　came　here　from　Africa；

King　Charles　was　still　hiding　in　the　oak…tree

because　I　saw　him。　　He　looked　scared　to　death。〃　　







THE　THIRD　CHAPTER



MORE　MONEY　TROUBLES



AND　soon　now　the　Doctor　began　to　make　money

again；　and　his　sister；　Sarah；　bought　a　new

dress　and　was　happy。　　Some　of　the　animals

who　came　to　see　him　were　so　sick　that　they　had

to　stay　at　the　Doctor's　house　for　a　week。　　And

when　they　were　getting　better　they　used　to　sit　in

chairs　on　the　lawn。



And　often　even　after　they　got　well；　they　did

not　want　to　go　awaythey　liked　the　Doctor

and　his　house　so　much。　　And　he　never　had　the

heart　to　refuse　them　when　they　asked　if　they

could　stay　with　him。　　So　in　this　way　he　went

on　getting　more　and　more　pets。



Once　when　he　was　sitting　on　his　garden　wall；

smoking　a　pipe　in　the　evening；　an　Italian　organ…

grinder　came　round　with　a　monkey　on　a　string。

The　Doctor　saw　at　once　that　the　monkey's　collar

was　too　tight　and　that　he　was　dirty　and

unhappy。　　So　he　took　the　monkey　away　from　the

Italian；　gave　the　man　a　shilling　and　told　him

to　go。　　The　organ…grinder　got　awfully　angry

and　said　that　he　wanted　to　keep　the　monkey。

But　the　Doctor　told　him　that　if　he　didn't　go

away　he　would　punch　him　on　the　nose。　　John

Dolittle　was　a　strong　man；　though　he　wasn't

very　tall。　　So　the　Italian　went　away　saying　rude

things　and　the　monkey　stayed　with　Doctor

Dolittle　and　had　a　good　home。　　The　other

animals　in　the　house　called　him　〃Chee…Chee〃

which　is　a　common　word　in　monkey…language；

meaning　〃ginger。〃　　



And　another　time；　when　the　circus　came　to

Puddleby；　the　crocodile　who　had　a　bad　tooth…

ache　escaped　at　night　and　came　into　the　Doctor's

garden。　　The　Doctor　talked　to　him　in

crocodile…language　and　took　him　into　the　house

and　made　his　tooth　better。　　But　when　the　crocodile

saw　what　a　nice　house　it　waswith　all　the

different　places　for　the　different　kinds　of

animalshe　too　wanted　to　live　with　the　Doctor。

He　asked　couldn't　he　sleep　in　the　fish…pond　at

the　bottom　of　the　garden；　if　he　promised　not

to　eat　the　fish。　　When　the　circus…men　came　to

take　him　back　he　got　so　wild　and　savage　that

he　frightened　them　away。　　But　to　every　one　in

the　house　he　was　always　as　gentle　as　a　kitten。



But　now　the　old　ladies　grew　afraid　to　send

their　lap…dogs　to　Doctor　Dolittle　because　of　the

crocodile；　and　the　farmers　wouldn't　believe　that

he　would　not　eat　the　lambs　and　sick　calves　they

brought　to　be　cured。　　So　the　Doctor　went　to

the　crocodile　and　told　him　he　must　go　back

to　his　circus。　　But　he　wept　such　big　tears；　and

begged　so　hard　to　be　allowed　to　stay；　that　the

Doctor　hadn't　the　heart　to　turn　him　out。



So　then　the　Doctor's　sister　came　to　him　and　said；

〃John；　you　must　send　that　creature　away。

Now　the　farmers　and　the　old　ladies　are　afraid

to　send　their　animals　to　youjust　as　we　were

beginning　to　be　well　off　again。　　Now　we　shall

be　ruined　entirely。　　This　is　the　last　straw。　　I

will　no　longer　be　housekeeper　for　you　if　you

don't　send　away　that　alligator。〃　　



〃It　isn't　an　alligator；〃　said　the　Doctor〃it's

a　crocodile。〃　　



〃I　don't　care　what　you　call　it；〃　said　his　sister。

〃It's　a　nasty　thing　to　find　under　the　bed。　　I

won't　have　it　in　the　house。〃　　



〃But　he　has　promised　me；〃　the　Doctor

answered；　〃that　he　will　not　bite　any　one。　　He

doesn't　like　the　circus；　and　I　haven't　the　money

to　send　him　back　to　Africa　where　he　comes

from。　　He　minds　his　own　business　and　on　the

whole　is　very　well　behaved。　　Don't　be　so　fussy。〃　　



〃I　tell　you　I　WILL　NOT　have　him　around；〃　said

Sarah。　　〃He　eats　the　linoleum。　　If　you　don't　send

him　away　this　minute　I'llI'll　go　and　get　married！〃



〃All　right；〃　said　the　Doctor；　〃go　and　get

married。　　It　can't　be　helped。〃　　　And　he　took

down　his　hat　and　went　out　into　the　garden。



So　Sarah　Dolittle　packed　up　her　things　and

went　off；　and　the　Doctor　was　left　all　alone　with

his　animal　family。



And　very　soon　he　was　poorer　than　he　had

ever　been　before。　　With　all　these　mouths　to　fill；

and　the　house　to　look　after；　and　no　one　to　do

the　mending；　and　no　money　coming　in　to　pay

the　butcher's　bill；　things　began　to　look　very

difficult。　　But　the　Doctor　didn't　worry　at　all。



〃Money　is　a　nuisance；〃　he　used　to　say。

〃We'd　all　be　much　better　off　if　it　had　never

been　invented。　　What　does　money　matter；　so

long　as　we　are　happy？〃



But　soon　the　animals　themselves　began　to　get

worried。　　And　one　evening　when　the　Doctor

was　asleep　in　his　chair　before　the　kitchen…fire

they　began　talking　it　over　among　themselves　in

whispers。　　And　the　owl；　Too…Too；　who　was

good　at　arithmetic；　figured　it　out　that　there　was

only　money　enough　left　to　last　another　week

if　they　each　had　one　meal　a　day　and　no　more。



Then　the　parrot　said；　〃I　think　we　all　ought

to　do　the　housework　ourselves。　　At　least　we　can

do　that　much。　　After　all；　it　is　for　our　sakes　that

the　old　man　finds　himself　so　lonely　and　so　poor。〃　　



So　it　was　agreed　that　the　monkey；　Chee…Chee；

was　to　do　the　cooking　and　mending；　the　dog

was　to　sweep　the　floors；　the　duck　was　to　dust

and　make　the　beds；　the　owl；　Too…Too；　was　to

keep　the　accounts；　and　the　pig　was　to　do　the

gardening。　　They　made　Polynesia；　the　parrot；

housekeeper　and　laundress；　because　she　was　the　oldest。



Of　course　at　first　they　all　found　their　new

jobs　very　hard　to　doall　except　Chee…Chee；　who

had　hands；　and　could　do　things　like　a　man。　　But

they　soon　got　used　to　it；　and　they　used　to　think

it　great　fun　to　watch　Jip；　the　dog；　sweeping

his　tail　over　the　floor　with　a　rag　tied　onto　it　for

a　broom。　　After　a　little　they　got　to　do　the　work

so　well　that　the　Doctor　said　that　he　had　never

had　his　house　kept　so　tidy　or　so　clean　before。



In　this　way　things　went　along　all　right　for　a

while；　but　without　money　they　found　it　very　hard。



Then　the　animals　made　a　vegetable　and　flower

stall　outside　the　garden…gate　and　sold　radishes

and　roses　to　the　people　that　passed　by　along　the　road。



But　still　they　didn't　seem　to　make　enough

money　to　pay　all　the　billsand　still　the　Doctor

wouldn't　worry。　　When　the　parrot　came　to

him　and　told　him　that　the　fishmonger　wouldn't

give　them　any　more　fish；　he　said；



〃Never　mind。　　So　long　as　the　hens　lay　eggs

and　the　cow　gives　milk　we　can　have　omelettes

and　junket。　　And　there　are　plenty　of　vegetables

left　in　the　garden。　　The　Winter　is　still　a　long

way　off。　　Don't　fuss。　　That　was　the　trouble

with　Sarahshe　would　fuss。　　I　wonder　how

Sarah's　getting　onan　excellent　womanin

some　waysWell；　well！〃



But　the　snow　came　earlier　than　usual　that

year；　and　although　the　old　lame　horse　hauled

in　plenty　of　wood　from　the　forest　outside　the

town；　so　they　could　have　a　big　fire　in　the　kitchen；

most　of　the　vegetables　in　the　garden　were　gone；

and　the　rest　were　covered　with　snow；　and　many

of　the　animals　were　really　hungry。







THE　FOURTH　CHAPTER



A　MESSAGE　FROM　AFRICA



THAT　Winter　was　a　very　cold　one。　　And　one　night　in　December；

when　they　were　all　sitting　round　the　warm　fire　in　the

kitchen；　and　the　Doctor　was　reading　aloud　to　them　out　of

books　he　had　written　himself　in　animal…language；　the　owl；

Too…Too；　suddenly　said；　〃Sh！　　What's　that　noise　outside？〃



They　all　listened；　and　presently　they　heard

the　sound　of　some　one　running。　　Then　the　door

flew　open　and　the　monkey；　Chee…Chee；　ran　in；

badly　out　of　breath。



〃Doctor！〃　he　cried；　〃I've　just　had　a　message

from　a　cousin　of　mine　in　Africa。　　There　is　a

terrible　sickness　among　the　monkeys　out　there。

They　are　all　catching　itand　they　are　dying

in　hundreds。　　They　have　heard　of　you；　and　beg

you　to　come　to　Africa　to　stop　the　sickness。〃　　



〃Who　brought　the　message？〃　asked　the　Doctor；

taking　off　his　spectacles　and　laying　down

his　book。



〃A　swallow；〃　said　Chee…Chee。　　〃She　is

outside　on　the　rain…butt。〃　　



〃Bring　her　in　by　the　fire；〃　said　the　Doctor。

〃She　must　be　perished　with　the　cold。　　The　swallows

flew　South　six　weeks　ago！〃



So　the　swallow　was　brought　in；　all　huddled

and　shivering；　and　although　she　was　a　little

afraid　at　first；　she　soon　got　warmed　up　and　sat

on　the　edge　of　the　mantelpiece　and　began　to　talk。



When　she　had　finished　the　D