the story of doctor dolittle-第8章

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flashhad　made　themselves　into　a　bridge；　just

by　holding　hands　and　feet。



And　the　big　one　shouted　to　the　Doctor；　〃Walk

over！　　Walk　overall　of　youhurry！〃



Gub…Gub　was　a　bit　scared；　walking　on　such

a　narrow　bridge　at　that　dizzy　height　above　the

river。　　But　he　got　over　all　right；　and　so　did　all

of　them。



John　Dolittle　was　the　last　to　cross。　　And　just

as　he　was　getting　to　the　other　side；　the　King's

men　came　rushing　up　to　the　edge　of　the　cliff。



Then　they　shook　their　fists　and　yelled　with

rage。　　For　they　saw　they　were　too　late。　　The

Doctor　and　all　his　animals　were　safe　in　the　Land

of　the　Monkeys　and　the　bridge　was　pulled　across

to　the　other　side。



Then　Chee…Chee　turned　to　the　Doctor　and

said；



〃Many　great　explorers　and　gray…bearded

naturalists　have　lain　long　weeks　hidden　in　the

jungle　waiting　to　see　the　monkeys　do　that　trick。

But　we　never　let　a　white　man　get　a　glimpse　of　it

before。　　You　are　the　first　to　see　the　famous

‘Bridge　of　Apes。'〃



And　the　Doctor　felt　very　pleased。







THE　EIGHTH　CHAPTER



THE　LEADER　OF　THE　LIONS



JOHN　DOLITTLE　now　became　dreadfully；　awfully　busy。

He　found　hundreds　and　thousands　of　monkeys　sickgorillas；

orangoutangs；　chimpanzees；　dog…faced　baboons；　marmosettes；

gray　monkeys；　red　onesall　kinds。　　And　many　had　died。



The　first　thing　he　did　was　to　separate　the

sick　ones　from　the　well　ones。　　Then　he　got

Chee…Chee　and　his　cousin　to　build　him　a　little

house　of　grass。　　The　next　thing：　he　made　all

the　monkeys　who　were　still　well　come　and　be

vaccinated。



And　for　three　days　and　three　nights　the

monkeys　kept　coming　from　the　jungles　and　the

valleys　and　the　hills　to　the　little　house　of　grass；

where　the　Doctor　sat　all　day　and　all　night；

vaccinating　and　vaccinating。



Then　he　had　another　house　madea　big　one；

with　a　lot　of　beds　in　it；　and　he　put　all　the　sick

ones　in　this　house。



But　so　many　were　sick；　there　were　not　enough

well　ones　to　do　the　nursing。　　So　he　sent

messages　to　the　other　animals；　like　the　lions　and　the

leopards　and　the　antelopes；　to　come　and　help

with　the　nursing。



But　the　Leader　of　the　Lions　was　a　very　proud

creature。　　And　when　he　came　to　the　Doctor's

big　house　full　of　beds　he　seemed　angry　and

scornful。



〃Do　you　dare　to　ask　me；　Sir？〃　he　said；　glaring

at　the　Doctor。　　〃Do　you　dare　to　ask　meME；

THE　KING　OF　BEASTS；　to　wait　on　a　lot　of　dirty

monkeys？　　Why；　I　wouldn't　even　eat　them

between　meals！〃



Although　the　lion　looked　very　terrible；　the

Doctor　tried　hard　not　to　seem　afraid　of　him。



〃I　didn't　ask　you　to　eat　them；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃And　besides；　they're　not　dirty。　　They've　all

had　a　bath　this　morning。　　YOUR　coat　looks　as

though　it　needed　brushingbadly。　　Now

listen；　and　I'll　tell　you　something：　the　day　may

come　when　the　lions　get　sick。　　And　if　you　don't

help　the　other　animals　now；　the　lions　may

find　themselves　left　all　alone　when　THEY　are

in　trouble。　　That　often　happens　to　proud　people。〃　　



〃The　lions　are　never　IN　troublethey　only

MAKE　trouble；〃　said　the　Leader；　turning　up　his

nose。　　And　he　stalked　away　into　the　jungle；　feeling

he　had　been　rather　smart　and　clever。



Then　the　leopards　got　proud　too　and　said

they　wouldn't　help。　　And　then　of　course　the

antelopesalthough　they　were　too　shy　and　timid

to　be　rude　to　the　Doctor　like　the　lionTHEY

pawed　the　ground；　and　smiled　foolishly；　and　said

they　had　never　been　nurses　before。



And　now　the　poor　Doctor　was　worried　frantic；

wondering　where　he　could　get　help　enough

to　take　care　of　all　these　thousands　of　monkeys

in　bed。



But　the　Leader　of　the　Lions；　when　he　got

back　to　his　den；　saw　his　wife；　the　Queen　Lioness；

come　running　out　to　meet　him　with　her　hair

untidy。



〃One　of　the　cubs　won't　eat；〃　she　said。　　〃I

don't　know　WHAT　to　do　with　him。　　He　hasn't

taken　a　thing　since　last　night。〃　　



And　she　began　to　cry　and　shake　with　nervousness

for　she　was　a　good　mother；　even　though

she　was　a　lioness。



So　the　Leader　went　into　his　den　and　looked

at　his　childrentwo　very　cunning　little　cubs；

lying　on　the　floor。　　And　one　of　them　seemed

quite　poorly。



Then　the　lion　told　his　wife；　quite　proudly；

just　what　he　had　said　to　the　Doctor。　　And　she　got

so　angry　she　nearly　drove　him　out　of　the　den。

〃You　never　DID　have　a　grain　of　sense！〃　she

screamed。　　〃All　the　animals　from　here　to　the

Indian　Ocean　are　talking　about　this　wonderful

man；　and　how　he　can　cure　any　kind　of　sickness；

and　how　kind　he　isthe　only　man　in　the　whole

world　who　can　talk　the　language　of　the　animals！

And　now；　NOWwhen　we　have　a　sick　baby　on

our　hands；　you　must　go　and　offend　him！　　You

great　booby！　　Nobody　but　a　fool　is　ever　rude

to　a　GOOD　doctor。　　You；〃　and　she　started　pulling

her　husband's　hair。



〃Go　back　to　that　white　man　at　once；〃　she

yelled；　〃and　tell　him　you're　sorry。　　And　take

all　the　other　empty…headed　lions　with　you

and　those　stupid　leopards　and　antelopes。　　Then

do　everything　the　Doctor　tells　you。　　Work

hard！　　And　perhaps　he　will　be　kind　enough

to　come　and　see　the　cub　later。　　Now　be　off！

HURRY；　I　tell　you！　　You're　not　fit　to　be　a　father！〃



And　she　went　into　the　den　next　door；　where　another

mother…lion　lived；　and　told　her　all　about　it。



So　the　Leader　of　the　Lions　went　back　to　the

Doctor　and　said；　〃I　happened　to　be　passing　this

way　and　thought　I'd　look　in。　　Got　any　help　yet？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　Doctor。　　〃I　haven't。

And　I'm　dreadfully　worried。〃　　



〃Help's　pretty　hard　to　get　these　days；〃　said

the　lion。　　〃Animals　don't　seem　to　want　to　work

any　more。　　You　can't　blame　themin　a　way。

。。。Well；　seeing　you're　in　difficulties；　I　don't

mind　doing　what　I　canjust　to　oblige　you

so　long　as　I　don't　have　to　wash　the　creatures。

And　I　have　told　all　the　other　hunting　animals

to　come　and　do　their　share。　　The　leopards

should　be　here　any　minute　now。。。。　　Oh；　and

by　the　way；　we've　got　a　sick　cub　at　home。　　I

don't　think　there's　much　the　matter　with　him

myself。　　But　the　wife　is　anxious。　　If　you　are

around　that　way　this　evening；　you　might　take

a　look　at　him；　will　you？〃



Then　the　Doctor　was　very　happy；　for　all　the

lions　and　the　leopards　and　the　antelopes　and

the　giraffes　and　the　zebrasall　the　animals　of

the　forests　and　the　mountains　and　the　plains

came　to　help　him　in　his　work。　　There　were

so　many　of　them　that　he　had　to　send　some　away；

and　only　kept　the　cleverest。



And　now　very　soon　the　monkeys　began　to

get　better。　　At　the　end　of　a　week　the　big　house

full　of　beds　was　half　empty。　　And　at　the　end

of　the　second　week　the　last　monkey　had　got　well。



Then　the　Doctor's　work　was　done；　and　he

was　so　tired　he　went　to　bed　and　slept　for　three

days　without　even　turning　over。







THE　NINTH　CHAPTER



THE　MONKEYS'　COUNCIL



CHEE…CHEE　stood　outside　the　Doctor's　door；　keeping　everybody

away　till　he　woke　up。　　Then　John　Dolittle　told　the

monkeys　that　he　must　now　go　back　to　Puddleby。



They　were　very　surprised　at　this；　for　they

had　thought　that　he　was　going　to　stay　with　them

forever。　　And　that　night　all　the　monkeys　got

together　in　the　jungle　to　talk　it　over。



And　the　Chief　Chimpanzee　rose　up　and　said；



〃Why　is　it　the　good　man　is　going　away？　　Is

he　not　happy　here　with　us？〃



But　none　of　them　could　answer　him。



Then　the　Grand　Gorilla　got　up　and　said；



〃I　think　we　all　should　go　to　him　and　ask　him

to　stay。　　Perhaps　if　we　make　him　a　new　house

and　a　bigger　bed；　and　promise　him　plenty　of

monkey…servants　to　work　for　him　and　to　make

life　pleasant　for　himperhaps　then　he　will

not　wish　to　go。〃　　





Then　Chee…Chee　got　up；　and　all　the　others

whispered；　〃Sh！　　Look！　　Chee…Chee；　the　great

Traveler；　is　about　to　speak！〃



And　Chee…Chee　said　to　the　other　monkeys；



〃My　friends；　I　am　afraid　it　is　useless　to　ask

the　Doctor　to　stay。　　He　owes　money　in　Puddleby；

and　he　says　he　must　go　back　and　pay　it。〃　　



And　the　monkeys　asked　him；　〃What　is　MONEY？〃