Doctor Dolittle's Circus (Musaicum Children's Classics). Hugh Lofting
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Название: Doctor Dolittle's Circus (Musaicum Children's Classics)
Автор: Hugh Lofting
Издательство: Bookwire
Жанр: Книги для детей: прочее
isbn: 4064066384661
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“Get up on the platform,” said Matthew. “Climb up and talk to him.”
So the Doctor clambered up one corner of the stage and then suddenly got frightfully embarrassed to find himself facing so large a gathering of people. However, once there, he plucked up his courage and, tapping the shouting showman on the arm, he said:
“Excuse me.”
Mr. Blossom stopped roaring about the “greatest show on earth” and gazed down at the little round man who had suddenly appeared beside him.
“Er – er—” the Doctor began.
Then there was a silence. The people began to titter.
Blossom, like most showmen, was never at a loss for words and seldom missed an opportunity of being funny at somebody else’s expense. And while John Dolittle was still wondering how to begin, the manager suddenly turned to the crowd again and, waving his arm towards the Doctor, shouted:
“And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the original Humpty-Dumpty – the one what gave the king’s men so much trouble. Pay your money and come in! Walk up and see ’im fall off the wall!”
At that the crowd roared with laughter and the poor Doctor got more embarrassed than ever.
“Talk to him, Doctor, talk to him!” called the Cat’s-Meat-Man from down below.
Soon, when the laughter had subsided, the Doctor made another attempt. He had just opened his mouth when a single piercing cry rang from amidst the crowd – “John!”
The Doctor turned and gazed over the heads of the people to see who was calling him by name. And there on the outskirts of the throng he saw a woman waving violently to him with a green parasol.
“Who is it?” said the Cat’s-Meat-Man.
“Heaven preserve us!” groaned the Doctor, shamefacedly climbing down off the stage. “What’ll we do now? Matthew – it’s Sarah!”
Chapter 3
Business Arrangements
“Well, well, Sarah!” said John Dolittle when he had finally made his way to her. “My, how well and plump you’re looking!”
“I’m nothing of the sort, John,” said Sarah, severely. “Will you please tell me what you mean by gallivanting around on that platform like a clown? Wasn’t it enough for you to throw away the best practice in the West Country for the sake of pet mice and frogs and things? Have you no pride? What are you doing up there?”
“I was thinking of going into the circus business,” said the Doctor.
Sarah gasped and put her hand to her head as though about to swoon. Then a long lean man in parson’s clothes who was standing behind her came and took her by the arm.
“What is it, my dear?” said he.
“Launcelot,” said Sarah weakly, “this is my brother, John Dolittle. John, this is the Reverend Launcelot Dingle, rector of Grimbledon, my husband. But, John, you can’t be serious. Go into the circus business! How disgraceful! You must be joking – and who is this person?” she added as Matthew Mugg shuffled up and joined the party.
“This is Matthew Mugg,” said the Doctor. “You remember him, of course?”
“Ugh! – the rat-catcher,” said Sarah, closing her eyes in horror.
“Not at all. He’s a meat merchant,” said the Doctor. “Mr. Mugg, the Reverend Launcelot Dingle.” And the Doctor introduced his ragged greasy friend as if he had been a king. “He’s my most prominent patient,” he added.
“But, listen, John,” said Sarah, “if you do go into this mad business, promise me you’ll do it under some other name. Think what it would mean to our position here if it got known that the Rector’s brother-in-law was a common showman!”
The Doctor thought a moment. Then he smiled.
“All right, Sarah, I’ll use some other name. But I can’t help it if someone recognizes me, can I?”
After they had bidden farewell to Sarah, the Doctor and Matthew again sought out the manager. They found him counting money at the gate, and this time were able to talk to him at their ease.
John Dolittle described the wonderful animal that he had at home and said he wanted to join the circus with him. Alexander Blossom admitted he would like to see the creature, and told the Doctor to bring him here. But John Dolittle said it would be better and easier if the manager came to Puddleby to look at him.
This was agreed upon. And after they had explained to Blossom how to get to the little house on the Oxenthorpe Road, they set out for home again, very pleased with their success so far.
“If you do go with Blossom’s Circus,” Matthew asked, as they tramped along the road chewing sardine sandwiches, “will you take me with you, Doctor? I’d come in real handy, taking care of the caravan, feeding and cleaning and the likes o’ that.”
“You’re very welcome to come, Matthew,” said the Doctor. “But what about your own business?”
“Oh, that,” said Matthew, biting viciously into another sandwich. “There ain’t no money in that. Besides, it’s so tame, handing out bits of meat on skewers to overfed poodles! There’s no – no what d’y’ call it?” – (he waved his sandwich towards the sky) – “no adventure in it. I’m naturally venturesome – reckless like – always was, from my cradle up. Now the circus: that’s the real life! That’s a man’s job.”
He waved his sandwich towards the sky
“But how about your wife?” asked the Doctor.
“Theodosia? Oh, she’d come along. She’s venturesome, like me. She could mend the clothes and do odd jobs. What do you think?”
“What do I think?” asked the Doctor, who was staring down at the road as he walked. “I was thinking of Sarah.”
“Queer gent, that what she married, ain’t he,” said Matthew, “the Reverend Dangle?”
“Dingle,” the Doctor corrected. “Yes. He’s venturesome too. It’s a funny world – Poor dear Sarah! – Poor old Dingle! – Well, well.”
Late that night, when the Grimbledon Fair had closed, Mr. Blossom, the ringmaster, came to the Doctor’s house in Puddleby.
After he had been shown by the light of a lantern the pushmi-pullyu grazing on the lawn, he СКАЧАТЬ