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| 21 | | SENT-END WHEN THE SUNLIGHT STRIKES RAINDROPS IN THE AIR THEY ACT AS A PRISM AND FORM A RAINBOW THE RAINBOW IS A DIVISION OF LIGHT WHITE LIGHT INTO MANY BEAUTIFUL COLORS THESE TAKE THE SHAPE OF A LONG ROUND ARCH WITH ITS PATH HIGH ABOVE AND ITS TWO ENDS APPARENTLY BEYOND THE HORIZON THERE IS ACCORDING TO LEGEND A BOILING POT OF GOLD AT ONE END PEOPLE LOOK BUT NO ONE EVER FINDS IT WHEN A MAN LOOKS FOR SOMETHING BEYOND HIS REACH HIS FRIENDS SAY HE IS LOOKING FOR THE POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES PEOPLE HAVE EXPLAINED THE RAINBOW IN VARIOUS WAYS SOME HAVE ACCEPTED IT AS A MIRACLE WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXPLANATIONS TO THE HEBREWS IT WAS A TOKEN THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE UNIVERSAL FLOODS THE GREEKS USED TO IMAGINE THAT IT WAS A SIGN FROM THE GODS TO FORETELL WAR OR HEAVY RAIN THE NORSEMEN CONSIDERED THE RAINBOW AS A BRIDGE OVER WHICH THE GODS PASSED FROM EARTH TO THEIR HOME IN THE SKY OTHERS HAVE TRIED TO EXPLAIN THE PHENOMENON PHYSICALLY ARISTOTLE THOUGHT THAT THE RAINBOW WAS CAUSED BY REFLECTION OF THE SUN'S RAYS BY THE RAIN SINCE THEN PHYSICISTS HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS NOT REFLECTION BUT REFRACTION BY THE RAINDROPS WHICH CAUSES THE RAINBOWS MANY COMPLICATED IDEAS ABOUT THE RAINBOW HAVE BEEN FORMED THE DIFFERENCE IN THE RAINBOW DEPENDS CONSIDERABLY UPON THE SIZE OF THE DROPS AND THE WIDTH OF THE COLORED BAND INCREASES AS THE SIZE OF THE DROPS INCREASES THE ACTUAL PRIMARY RAINBOW OBSERVED IS SAID TO BE THE EFFECT OF SUPER IMPOSITION OF A NUMBER OF BOWS IF THE RED OF THE SECOND BOW FALLS UPON THE GREEN OF THE FIRST THE RESULT IS TO GIVE A BOW WITH A ABNORMALLY WIDE YELLOW BAND SINCE RED AND GREEN LIGHT WHEN MIXED FORM YELLOW THIS IS NOT THIS IS A VERY COMMON TYPE OF BOW ONE SHOWING MAINLY RED AND YELLOW WITH LITTLE OR NO GREEN OR BLUE SENT-END == [12953 frames] -59.7915 [Ac=-774478.9 LM=0.0] (Act=25.0) |
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| | 20 | Created lattice with 3869 nodes / 3868 arcs from label file |
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| | 21 | No tokens survived to final node of network at beam 250.0 |
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| | 22 | SENT-END THIS IS A LIBRIVOX RECORDING ALL LIBRIVOX RECORDINGS ARE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO VOLUNTEER PLEASE VISIT LIBRIVOX DOT ORG RECORDED BY CHRIS GORINGE THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE BY HUGH LOFTING PART FOUR CHAPTER TWO THE FIDGIT'S STORY WELL NOW THAT HE WAS STARTED ONCE MORE UPON HIS OLD HOBBY OF THE SHELLFISH LANGUAGES THERE WAS NO STOPPING THE DOCTOR HE WORKED RIGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT A LITTLE AFTER MIDNIGHT I FELL ASLEEP IN A CHAIR ABOUT TWO IN THE MORNING BUMPO FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND FOR FIVE HOURS THE CURLEW WAS ALLOWED TO DRIFT WHERE SHE LIKED BUT STILL JOHN DOLITTLE WORKED ON TRYING HIS HARDEST TO UNDERSTAND THE FIDGIT'S LANGUAGE STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE FIDGIT UNDERSTAND HIM WHEN I WOKE UP IT WAS BROAD DAYLIGHT AGAIN THE DOCTOR WAS STILL STANDING AT THE LISTENING TANK LOOKING AS TIRED AS AN OWL AND DREADFULLY WET BUT ON HIS FACE THERE WAS A PROUD AND HAPPY SMILE STUBBINS HE SAID AS SOON AS HE SAW ME STIR I'VE DONE IT I'VE GOT THE KEY TO THE FIDGIT'S LANGUAGE IT'S A FRIGHTFULLY DIFFICULT LANGUAGE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING I EVER HEARD THE ONLY THING IT REMINDS ME OF SLIGHTLY IS ANCIENT HEBREW IT ISN'T SHELLFISH BUT IT'S A BIG STEP TOWARDS IT NOW THE NEXT THING I WANT YOU TO TAKE A PENCIL AND A FRESH NOTEBOOK AND WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING I SAY THE FIDGIT HAS PROMISED TO TELL ME THE STORY OF HIS LIFE I WILL TRANSLATE IT INTO ENGLISH AND YOU PUT IT DOWN IN THE BOOK ARE YOU READY ONCE MORE THE DOCTOR LOWERED HIS EAR BENEATH THE LEVEL OF THE WATER AND AS HE BEGAN TO SPEAK I STARTED TO WRITE AND THIS IS THE STORY THAT THE FIDGIT TOLD US THIRTEEN MONTHS IN AN AQUARIUM I WAS BORN IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN CLOSE TO THE COAST OF CHILE I WAS ONE OF A FAMILY OF TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND TEN SOON AFTER OUR MOTHER AND FATHER LEFT US WE YOUNGSTERS GOT SCATTERED THE FAMILY WAS BROKEN UP BY A HERD OF WHALES WHO CHASED US I AND MY SISTER CLIPPA SHE WAS MY FAVORITE SISTER HAD A VERY NARROW ESCAPE FOR OUR LIVES AS A RULE WHALES ARE NOT VERY HARD TO GET AWAY FROM IF YOU ARE GOOD AT DODGING IF YOU'VE ONLY GOT A QUICK SWERVE BUT THIS ONE THAT CAME AFTER CLIPPA AND MYSELF WAS A VERY MEAN WHALE EVERY TIME HE LOST US UNDER A STONE OR SOMETHING HE'D COME BACK AND HUNT AND HUNT TILL HE ROUTED US OUT INTO THE OPEN AGAIN I NEVER SAW SUCH A NASTY PERSEVERING BRUTE WELL WE SHOOK HIM AT LAST THOUGH NOT BEFORE HE HAD WORRIED US FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES NORTHWARD UP THE WEST COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA BUT LUCK WAS AGAINST US THAT DAY WHILE WE WERE RESTING AND TRYING TO GET OUR BREATH ANOTHER FAMILY OF FIDGITS CAME RUSHING BY SHOUTING COME ON SWIM FOR YOUR LIVES THE DOG FISH ARE COMING NOW DOG FISH ARE PARTICULARLY FOND OF FIDGITS WE ARE YOU MIGHT SAY THEIR FAVORITE FOOD AND FOR THAT REASON WE ALWAYS KEEP AWAY FROM DEEP MUDDY WATERS WHAT'S MORE DOG FISH ARE NOT EASY TO ESCAPE FROM THEY ARE TERRIBLY FAST AND CLEVER HUNTERS SO UP WE HAD TO JUMP AND ON AGAIN AFTER WE HAD GONE A FEW MORE HUNDRED MILES WE LOOKED BACK AND SAW THAT THE DOG FISH WERE GAINING ON US SO WE TURNED INTO A HARBOR IT HAPPENED TO BE ONE ON THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES HERE WE GUESSED AND HOPED THE DOG FISH WOULD NOT BE LIKELY TO FOLLOW US AS IT HAPPENED THEY DIDN'T EVEN SEE US TURN IN BUT DASHED ON NORTHWARD AND WE NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN I HOPE THEY FROZE TO DEATH IN THE ARCTIC SEAS BUT AS I SAID LUCK WAS AGAINST US THAT DAY WHILE I AND MY SISTER WERE CRUISING GENTLY ROUND THE SHIPS ANCHORED IN THE HARBOR LOOKING FOR ORANGE PEELS A GREAT DELICACY WITH US SWOOP BANG WE WERE CAUGHT IN A NET WE STRUGGLED FOR ALL WE WERE WORTH BUT IT WAS NO USE THE NET WAS SMALL MESHED AND STRONGLY MADE KICKING AND FLIPPING WE WERE HAULED UP THE SIDE OF THE SHIP AND DUMPED DOWN ON THE DECK HIGH AND DRY IN A BLAZING NOON DAY SUN HERE A COUPLE OF OLD MEN IN WHISKERS AND SPECTACLES LEANT OVER US MAKING STRANGE SOUNDS SOME CODLING HAD GOT CAUGHT IN THE NET THE SAME TIME AS WE WERE THESE THE OLD MEN THREW BACK INTO THE SEA BUT US THEY SEEMED TO THINK VERY PRECIOUS THEY PUT US CAREFULLY INTO A LARGE JAR AND AFTER THEY HAD TAKEN US ON SHORE THEY WENT TO A BIG HOUSE AND CHANGED US FROM THE JAR INTO GLASS BOXES FULL OF WATER THIS HOUSE WAS ON THE EDGE OF THE HARBOR AND A SMALL STREAM OF SEA WATER WAS MADE TO FLOW THROUGH THE GLASS TANK SO WE COULD BREATHE PROPERLY OF COURSE WE HAD NEVER LIVED INSIDE GLASS WALLS BEFORE AND AT FIRST WE KEPT ON TRYING TO SWIM THROUGH THEM AND GOT OUR NOSES AWFULLY SORE BUMPING THE GLASS AT FULL SPEED THEN FOLLOWED WEEKS AND WEEKS OF WEARY IDLENESS THEY TREATED US WELL SO FAR AS THEY KNEW HOW THE OLD FELLOWS IN SPECTACLES CAME AND LOOKED AT US PROUDLY TWICE A DAY AND SAW THAT WE HAD THE PROPER FOOD TO EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LIGHT AND THAT THE WATER WAS NOT TOO HOT OR TOO COLD BUT OH THE DULLNESS OF THAT LIFE IT SEEMED WE WERE A KIND OF A SHOW AT A CERTAIN HOUR EVERY MORNING THE BIG DOORS OF THE HOUSE WERE THROWN OPEN AND EVERYBODY IN THE CITY WHO HAD NOTHING SPECIAL TO DO CAME IN AND LOOKED AT US THERE WERE OTHER TANKS FILLED WITH DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISHES ALL ROUND THE WALLS OF THE BIG ROOM AND THE CROWDS WOULD GO FROM TANK TO TANK LOOKING IN AT US THROUGH THE GLASS WITH THEIR MOUTHS OPEN LIKE HALF WITTED FLOUNDERS WE GOT SO SICK OF IT THAT WE USED TO OPEN OUR MOUTHS BACK AT THEM AND THIS THEY SEEMED TO THINK HIGHLY COMICAL ONE DAY MY SISTER SAID TO ME THINK YOU BROTHER THAT THESE STRANGE CREATURES WHO HAVE CAPTURED US CAN TALK SURELY SAID I HAVE YOU NOT NOTICED THAT SOME TALK WITH THE LIPS ONLY SOME WITH THE WHOLE FACE AND YET OTHERS DISCOURSE WITH THE HANDS WHEN THEY COME QUITE CLOSE TO THE GLASS YOU CAN HEAR THEM LISTEN AT THAT MOMENT A FEMALE LARGER THAN THE REST PRESSED HER NOSE UP AGAINST THE GLASS POINTED AT ME AND SAID TO HER YOUNG BEHIND HER OH LOOK HERE'S A QUEER ONE AND THEN WE NOTICED THAT THEY NEARLY ALWAYS SAID THIS WHEN THEY LOOKED IN AND FOR A LONG TIME WE THOUGHT THAT SUCH WAS THE WHOLE EXTENT OF THE LANGUAGE THIS BEING A PEOPLE OF BUT FEW IDEAS TO HELP PASS AWAY THE WEARY HOURS WE LEARNED IT BY HEART OH LOOK HERE'S A QUEER ONE BUT WE NEVER GOT TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANT OTHER PHRASES HOWEVER WE DID GET THE MEANING OF AND WE EVEN LEARNED TO READ A LITTLE IN MAN TALK MANY BIG SIGNS THERE WERE SET UP UPON THE WALLS AND WHEN WE SAW THAT THE KEEPERS STOPPED THE PEOPLE FROM SPITTING AND SMOKING POINTED TO THESE SIGNS ANGRILY AND READ THEM OUT LOUD WE KNEW THEN THAT THESE WRITINGS SIGNIFIED NO SMOKING AND DON'T SPIT THEN IN THE EVENINGS AFTER THE CROWD HAD GONE THE SAME AGED MALE WITH ONE LEG OF WOOD SWEPT UP THE PEANUT SHELLS WITH A BROOM EVERY NIGHT AND WHILE HE WAS SO DOING HE ALWAYS WHISTLED THE SAME TUNE TO HIMSELF THIS MELODY WE RATHER LIKED AND WE LEARNED THAT TOO BY HEART THINKING IT WAS PART OF THE LANGUAGE THUS A WHOLE YEAR WENT BY IN THIS DISMAL PLACE SOME DAYS NEW FISHES WERE BROUGHT IN TO THE OTHER TANKS AND OTHER DAYS OLD FISHES WERE TAKEN OUT AT FIRST WE HAD HOPED WE WOULD ONLY BE KEPT HERE FOR A WHILE AND THAT AFTER WE HAD BEEN LOOKED AT SUFFICIENTLY WE WOULD BE RETURNED TO FREEDOM AND THE SEA BUT AS MONTH AFTER MONTH WENT BY AND WE WERE LEFT UNDISTURBED OUR HEARTS GREW HEAVY WITHIN OUR PRISON WALLS OF GLASS AND WE SPOKE TO ONE ANOTHER LESS AND LESS ONE DAY WHEN THE CROWD WAS THICKEST IN THE BIG ROOM A WOMAN WITH A RED FACE FAINTED FROM THE HEAT I WATCHED THROUGH THE GLASS AND SAW THAT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE GOT HIGHLY EXCITED THOUGH TO ME IT DID NOT SEEM TO BE A MATTER OF VERY GREAT IMPORTANCE THEY THREW COLD WATER ON HER AND CARRIED HER OUT INTO THE OPEN AIR THIS MADE ME THINK MIGHTILY AND PRESENTLY A GREAT IDEA BURST UPON ME SISTER I SAID TURNING TO POOR CLIPPA WHO WAS SULKING AT THE BOTTOM OF OUR PRISON TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND A STONE FROM THE STUPID GAZE OF THE CHILDREN WHO THRONGED ABOUT OUR TANK SUPPOSING THAT WE PRETENDED WE WERE SICK DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD TAKE US ALSO FROM THIS STUFFY HOUSE BROTHER SAID SHE WEARILY THAT THEY MIGHT DO BUT MOST LIKELY THEY WOULD THROW US ON A RUBBISH HEAP WHERE WE WOULD DIE IN THE HOT SUN BUT SAID I WHY SHOULD THEY GO ABROAD TO SEEK A RUBBISH HEAP WHEN THE HARBOR IS SO CLOSE WHILE WE WERE BEING BROUGHT HERE I SAW MEN THROWING THEIR RUBBISH INTO THE WATER IF THEY WOULD ONLY THROW US ALSO THERE WE COULD QUICKLY REACH THE SEA THE SEA MURMURED POOR CLIPPA WITH A FARAWAY LOOK IN HER EYES SHE HAD FINE EYES HAD MY SISTER CLIPPA HOW LIKE A DREAM IT SOUNDS THE SEA OH BROTHER WILL WE EVER SWIM IN IT AGAIN THINK YOU EVERY NIGHT AS I LIE AWAKE ON THE FLOOR OF THIS EVIL SMELLING DUNGEON I HEAR ITS HEARTY VOICE RINGING IN MY EARS HOW I HAVE LONGED FOR IT JUST TO FEEL IT ONCE AGAIN THE NICE BIG WHOLESOME HOMELINESS OF IT ALL TO JUMP JUST TO JUMP FROM THE CREST OF AN ATLANTIC WAVE LAUGHING IN THE TRADE WIND'S SPINDRIFT DOWN INTO THE BLUE GREEN SWIRLING TROUGH TO CHASE THE SHRIMPS ON A SUMMER EVENING WHEN THE SKY IS RED AND THE LIGHT'S ALL PINK WITHIN THE FOAM TO LIE ON THE TOP IN THE DOLDRUMS NOONDAY CALM AND WARM YOUR TUMMY IN THE TROPIC SUN TO WANDER HAND IN HAND ONCE MORE THROUGH THE GIANT SEAWEED FORESTS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN SEEKING THE DELICIOUS EGGS OF THE POP POP TO PLAY HIDE AND SEEK AMONG THE CASTLES OF THE CORAL TOWNS WITH THEIR PEARL AND JASPER WINDOWS SPANGLING THE FLOOR OF THE SPANISH MAIN TO PICNIC IN THE ANEMONE MEADOWS DIM BLUE AND LILAC GRAY THAT LIE IN THE LOWLANDS BEYOND THE SOUTH SEA GARDEN TO THROW SOMERSAULTS ON THE SPRINGY SPONGE BEDS OF THE MEXICAN GULF TO POKE ABOUT AMONG THE DEAD SHIPS AND SEE WHAT WONDERS AND ADVENTURES LIE INSIDE AND THEN ON WINTER NIGHTS WHEN THE NORTHEASTER WHIPS THE WATER INTO FROTH TO SWOOP DOWN AND DOWN TO GET AWAY FROM THE COLD DOWN TO WHERE THE WATER'S WARM AND DARK DOWN AND STILL DOWN TILL WE SPY THE TWINKLE OF THE FIRE EELS FAR BELOW WHERE OUR FRIENDS AND COUSINS SIT CHATTING ROUND THE COUNCIL GROTTO CHATTING BROTHER OVER THE NEWS AND GOSSIP OF THE SEA OH AND THEN SHE BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY SNIFFLING STOP IT I SAID YOU MAKE ME HOMESICK LOOK HERE LET'S PRETEND WE'RE SICK OR BETTER STILL LET'S PRETEND WE'RE DEAD AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY THROW US ON A RUBBISH HEAP AND WE FRY IN THE SUN WE'LL NOT BE MUCH WORSE OFF THAN WE ARE HERE IN THIS SMELLY PRISON WHAT DO YOU SAY WILL YOU RISK IT I WILL SHE SAID AND GLADLY SO NEXT MORNING TWO FIDGITS WERE FOUND BY THE KEEPER FLOATING ON THE TOP OF THE WATER IN THEIR TANK STIFF AND DEAD WE GAVE A MIGHTY GOOD IMITATION OF DEAD FISH ALTHOUGH I SAY IT MYSELF THE KEEPER RAN AND GOT THE OLD GENTLEMEN WITH SPECTACLES AND WHISKERS THEY THREW UP THEIR HANDS IN HORROR WHEN THEY SAW US LIFTING US CAREFULLY OUT OF THE WATER THEY LAID US ON WET CLOTHS THAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF ALL IF YOU'RE A FISH AND GET TAKEN OUT OF THE WATER YOU HAVE TO KEEP OPENING AND SHUTTING YOUR MOUTH TO BREATHE AT ALL AND EVEN THAT YOU CAN'T KEEP UP FOR LONG AND ALL THIS TIME WE HAD TO STAY STIFF AS STICKS AND BREATHE SILENTLY THROUGH HALF CLOSED LIPS WELL THE OLD FELLOWS POKED US AND FELT US AND PINCHED US TILL I THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER BE DONE THEN WHEN THEIR BACKS WERE TURNED A MOMENT A WRETCHED CAT GOT UP ON THE TABLE AND NEARLY ATE US LUCKILY THE OLD MEN TURNED ROUND IN TIME AND SHOOED HER AWAY YOU MAY BE SURE THOUGH THAT WE TOOK A COUPLE OF GOOD GULPS OF AIR WHILE THEY WEREN'T LOOKING AND THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED US FROM CHOKING I WANTED TO WHISPER TO CLIPPA TO BE BRAVE AND STICK IT OUT BUT I COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW MOST KINDS OF FISH TALK CANNOT BE HEARD NOT EVEN A SHOUT UNLESS YOU'RE UNDER WATER THEN JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO GIVE IT UP AND LET ON THAT WE WERE ALIVE ONE OF THE OLD MEN SHOOK HIS HEAD SADLY LIFTED US UP AND CARRIED US OUT OF THE BUILDING NOW FOR IT I THOUGHT TO MYSELF WE'LL SOON KNOW OUR FATE LIBERTY OR THE GARBAGE CAN OUTSIDE TO OUR UNSPEAKABLE HORROR HE MADE STRAIGHT FOR A LARGE ASH BARREL WHICH STOOD AGAINST THE WALL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A YARD MOST HAPPILY FOR US HOWEVER WHILE HE WAS CROSSING THIS YARD A VERY DIRTY MAN WITH A WAGON AND HORSES DROVE UP AND TOOK THE ASH BARREL AWAY I SUPPOSE IT WAS HIS PROPERTY THEN THE OLD MAN LOOKED AROUND FOR SOME OTHER PLACE TO THROW US HE SEEMED ABOUT TO CAST US UPON THE GROUND BUT HE EVIDENTLY THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD MAKE THE YARD UNTIDY AND HE DESISTED THE SUSPENSE WAS TERRIBLE HE MOVED OUTSIDE THE YARD GATE AND MY HEART SANK ONCE MORE AS I SAW THAT HE NOW INTENDED TO THROW US IN THE GUTTER OF THE ROADWAY BUT FORTUNE WAS INDEED WITH US THAT DAY A LARGE MAN IN BLUE CLOTHES AND SILVER BUTTONS STOPPED HIM IN THE NICK OF TIME EVIDENTLY FROM THE WAY THE LARGE MAN LECTURED AND WAVED A SHORT THICK STICK IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES OF THE TOWN TO THROW DEAD FISH IN THE STREETS AT LAST TO OUR UNUTTERABLE JOY THE OLD MAN TURNED AND MOVED OFF WITH US TOWARDS THE HARBOR HE WALKED SO SLOWLY MUTTERING TO HIMSELF ALL THE WAY AND WATCHING THE MAN IN BLUE OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE THAT I WANTED TO BITE HIS FINGER TO MAKE HIM HURRY UP BOTH CLIPPA AND I WERE ACTUALLY AT OUR LAST GASP FINALLY HE REACHED THE SEA WALL AND GIVING US ONE LAST SAD LOOK HE DROPPED US INTO THE WATERS OF THE HARBOR NEVER HAD WE REALIZED ANYTHING LIKE THE THRILL OF THAT MOMENT AS WE FELT THE SALT WETNESS CLOSE OVER OUR HEADS WITH ONE FLICK OF OUR TAILS WE CAME TO LIFE AGAIN THE OLD MAN WAS SO SURPRISED THAT HE FELL RIGHT INTO THE WATER ALMOST ON TOP OF US FROM THIS HE WAS RESCUED BY A SAILOR WITH A BOAT HOOK AND THE LAST WE SAW OF HIM THE MAN IN BLUE WAS DRAGGING HIM AWAY BY THE COAT COLLAR LECTURING HIM AGAIN APPARENTLY IT WAS ALSO AGAINST THE RULES OF THE TOWN TO THROW DEAD FISH INTO THE HARBOR BUT WE WHAT TIME OR THOUGHT HAD WE FOR HIS TROUBLES WE WERE FREE IN LIGHTNING LEAPS IN CURVING SPURTS IN CRAZY ZIG ZAGS WHOOPING SHRIEKING WITH DELIGHT WE SPED FOR HOME AND THE OPEN SEA THAT IS ALL OF MY STORY AND I WILL NOW AS I PROMISED LAST NIGHT TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK ABOUT THE SEA ON CONDITION THAT I AM SET AT LIBERTY AS SOON AS YOU HAVE DONE THE DOCTOR IS THERE ANY PART OF THE SEA DEEPER THAN THAT KNOWN AS THE NERO DEEP I MEAN THE ONE NEAR THE ISLAND OF GUAM THE FIDGIT WHY CERTAINLY THERE'S ONE MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE AMAZON RIVER BUT IT'S SMALL AND HARD TO FIND WE CALL IT THE DEEP HOLE AND THERE'S ANOTHER IN THE ANTARCTIC SEA THE DOCTOR CAN YOU TALK ANY SHELLFISH LANGUAGE YOURSELF THE FIDGIT NO NOT A WORD WE REGULAR FISHES DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE SHELLFISH WE CONSIDER THEM A LOW CLASS THE DOCTOR BUT WHEN YOU'RE NEAR THEM CAN YOU HEAR THE SOUND THEY MAKE TALKING I MEAN WITHOUT NECESSARILY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY SAY THE FIDGIT ONLY WITH THE VERY LARGEST ONES SHELLFISH HAVE SUCH WEAK SMALL VOICES IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY BUT THEIR OWN KIND TO HEAR THEM BUT WITH THE BIGGER ONES IT IS DIFFERENT THEY MAKE A SAD BOOMING NOISE RATHER LIKE AN IRON PIPE BEING KNOCKED WITH A STONE ONLY NOT NEARLY SO LOUD OF COURSE THE DOCTOR I AM MOST ANXIOUS TO GET DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA TO STUDY MANY THINGS BUT WE LAND ANIMALS AS YOU NO DOUBT KNOW ARE UNABLE TO BREATHE UNDER WATER HAVE YOU ANY IDEAS THAT MIGHT HELP ME THE FIDGIT I THINK THAT FOR BOTH YOUR DIFFICULTIES THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO WOULD BE TO TRY AND GET HOLD OF THE GREAT GLASS SEA SNAIL THE DOCTOR ER WHO OR WHAT IS THE GREAT GLASS SEA SNAIL THE FIDGIT HE IS AN ENORMOUS SALT WATER SNAIL ONE OF THE WINKLE FAMILY BUT AS LARGE AS A BIG HOUSE HE TALKS QUITE LOUDLY WHEN HE SPEAKS BUT THIS IS NOT OFTEN HE CAN GO TO ANY PART OF THE OCEAN AT ALL DEPTHS BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF ANY CREATURE IN THE SEA HIS SHELL IS MADE OF TRANSPARENT MOTHER O PEARL SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THROUGH IT BUT IT'S THICK AND STRONG WHEN HE IS OUT OF HIS SHELL AND HE CARRIES IT EMPTY ON HIS BACK THERE IS ROOM IN IT FOR A WAGON AND A PAIR OF HORSES HE HAS BEEN SEEN CARRYING HIS FOOD IN IT WHEN TRAVELING THE DOCTOR I FEEL THAT THAT IS JUST THE CREATURE I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR HE COULD TAKE ME AND MY ASSISTANT INSIDE HIS SHELL AND WE COULD EXPLORE THE DEEPEST DEPTHS IN SAFETY DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GET HIM FOR ME THE FIDGIT ALAS NO I WOULD WILLINGLY IF I COULD BUT HE IS HARDLY EVER SEEN BY ORDINARY FISH HE LIVES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DEEP HOLE AND SELDOM COMES OUT AND INTO THE DEEP HOLE THE LOWER WATERS OF WHICH ARE MUDDY FISHES SUCH AS WE ARE AFRAID TO GO THE DOCTOR DEAR ME THAT'S A TERRIBLE DISAPPOINTMENT ARE THERE MANY OF THIS KIND OF SNAIL IN THE SEA THE FIDGIT OH NO HE IS THE ONLY ONE IN EXISTENCE SINCE HIS SECOND WIFE DIED LONG LONG AGO HE IS THE LAST OF THE GIANT SHELLFISH HE BELONGS TO PAST AGES WHEN THE WHALES WERE LAND ANIMALS AND ALL THAT THEY SAY HE IS OVER SEVENTY THOUSAND YEARS OLD THE DOCTOR GOOD GRACIOUS WHAT WONDERFUL THINGS HE COULD TELL ME I DO WISH I COULD MEET HIM THE FIDGIT WERE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS YOU WISHED TO ASK ME THIS WATER IN YOUR TANK IS GETTING QUITE WARM AND SICKLY I'D LIKE TO BE PUT BACK INTO THE SEA AS SOON AS YOU CAN SPARE ME THE DOCTOR JUST ONE MORE THING WHEN CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS CROSSED THE ATLANTIC IN FOURTEEN NINETY TWO HE THREW OVERBOARD TWO COPIES OF HIS DIARY SEALED UP IN BARRELS ONE OF THEM WAS NEVER FOUND IT MUST HAVE SUNK I WOULD LIKE TO GET IT FOR MY LIBRARY DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE IT IS THE FIDGIT YES I DO THAT TOO IS IN THE DEEP HOLE WHEN THE BARREL SANK THE CURRENTS DRIFTED IT NORTHWARDS DOWN WHAT WE CALL THE ORINOCO SLOPE TILL IT FINALLY DISAPPEARED INTO THE DEEP HOLE IF IT WAS ANY OTHER PART OF THE SEA I'D TRY AND GET IT FOR YOU BUT NOT THERE THE DOCTOR WELL THAT IS ALL I THINK I HATE TO PUT YOU BACK INTO THE SEA BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AS SOON AS I DO I'LL THINK OF A HUNDRED OTHER QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK YOU BUT I MUST KEEP MY PROMISE WOULD YOU CARE FOR ANYTHING BEFORE YOU GO IT SEEMS A COLD DAY SOME CRACKER CRUMBS OR SOMETHING THE FIDGIT NO I WON'T STOP ALL I WANT JUST AT PRESENT IS FRESH SEA WATER THE DOCTOR I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE GIVEN ME YOU HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND PATIENT THE FIDGIT PRAY DO NOT MENTION IT IT HAS BEEN A REAL PLEASURE TO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO THE GREAT JOHN DOLITTLE YOU ARE AS OF COURSE YOU KNOW ALREADY QUITE FAMOUS AMONG THE BETTER CLASS OF FISHES GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU TO YOUR SHIP AND TO ALL YOUR PLANS THE DOCTOR CARRIED THE LISTENING TANK TO A PORTHOLE OPENED IT AND EMPTIED THE TANK INTO THE SEA GOOD BYE HE MURMURED AS A FAINT SPLASH REACHED US FROM WITHOUT I DROPPED MY PENCIL ON THE TABLE AND LEANED BACK WITH A SIGH MY FINGERS WERE SO STIFF WITH WRITERS CRAMP THAT I FELT AS THOUGH I SHOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO OPEN MY HAND AGAIN BUT I AT LEAST HAD HAD A NIGHT'S SLEEP AS FOR THE POOR DOCTOR HE WAS SO WEARY THAT HE HAD HARDLY PUT THE TANK BACK UPON THE TABLE AND DROPPED INTO A CHAIR WHEN HIS EYES CLOSED AND HE BEGAN TO SNORE IN THE PASSAGE OUTSIDE POLYNESIA SCRATCHED ANGRILY AT THE DOOR I ROSE AND LET HER IN A NICE STATE OF AFFAIRS SHE STORMED WHAT SORT OF A SHIP IS THIS THERE'S THAT COLORED MAN UPSTAIRS ASLEEP UNDER THE WHEEL THE DOCTOR ASLEEP DOWN HERE AND YOU MAKING POT HOOKS IN A COPY BOOK WITH A PENCIL EXPECT THE SHIP TO STEER HERSELF TO BRAZIL WE'RE JUST DRIFTING AROUND THE SEA LIKE AN EMPTY BOTTLE AND A WEEK BEHIND TIME AS IT IS WHAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU ALL SHE WAS SO ANGRY THAT HER VOICE ROSE TO A SCREAM BUT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE THAN THAT TO WAKE THE DOCTOR I PUT THE NOTE BOOK CAREFULLY IN A DRAWER AND WENT ON DECK TO TAKE THE WHEEL END OF CHAPTER TWO SENT-END == [115364 frames] -65.7609 [Ac=-7586434.7 LM=0.0] (Act=48.5) |
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