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Insidewefoundmyfatherbusypractisingontheflutebesidethefire.Thishealwaysdid,everyevening,afterhisworkwasover.
TheDoctorimmediatelybegantalkingtohimaboutflutesandpiccolosandbassoons;andpresentlymyfathersaid,
"Perhapsyouperformuponthefluteyourself,Sir.Won'tyouplayusatune?"
"Well,"saidtheDoctor,"itisalongtimesinceItouchedtheinstrument.ButIwouldliketotry.MayI?"
ThentheDoctortooktheflutefrommyfatherandplayedandplayedandplayed.Itwaswonderful.
Mymotherandfathersatasstillasstatues,staringupattheceilingasthoughtheywereinchurch;andevenI,whodidn'tbothermuchaboutmusicexceptonthemouth-organ—evenIfeltallsadandcoldandcreepyandwishedIhadbeenabetterboy.
"OhIthinkthatwasjustbeautiful!"sighedmymotherwhenatlengththeDoctorstopped.
"Youareagreatmusician,Sir,"saidmyfather,"averygreatmusician.Won'tyoupleaseplayussomethingelse?"
"Whycertainly,"saidtheDoctor—"Oh,butlookhere,I'veforgottenallaboutthesquirrel."
"I'llshowhimtoyou,"Isaid."Heisupstairsinmyroom."
SoIledtheDoctortomybedroomatthetopofthehouseandshowedhimthesquirrelinthepacking-casefilledwithstraw.
Theanimal,whohadalwaysseemedverymuchafraidofme—thoughIhadtriedhardtomakehimfeelathome,satupatoncewhentheDoctorcameintotheroomandstartedtochatter.
TheDoctorchatteredbackinthesamewayandthesquirrelwhenhewaslifteduptohavehislegexamined,appearedtoberatherpleasedthanfrightened.
IheldacandlewhiletheDoctortiedthelegupinwhathecalled"splints,"whichhemadeoutofmatch-stickswithhispen-knife.
"Ithinkyouwillfindthathislegwillgetbetternowinaveryshorttime,"saidtheDoctorclosinguphisbag.
"Don'tlethimrunaboutforatleasttwoweeksyet,butkeephimintheopenairandcoverhimupwithdryleavesifthenightsgetcool.
Hetellsmeheisratherlonelyhere,allbyhimself,andiswonderinghowhiswifeandchildrenaregettingon.
Ihaveassuredhimyouareamantobetrusted;andIwillsendasquirrelwholivesinmygardentofindouthowhisfamilyareandtobringhimnewsofthem.Hemustbekeptcheerfulatallcosts.
Squirrelsarenaturallyaverycheerful,activerace.
Itisveryhardforthemtoliestilldoingnothing.Butyouneedn'tworryabouthim.Hewillbeallright."
Thenwewentbackagaintotheparlorandmymotherandfatherkepthimplayingtheflutetillafterteno'clock.
AlthoughmyparentsbothlikedtheDoctortremendouslyfromthefirstmomentthattheysawhim,andwereveryproudtohavehimcomeandplaytous(forwewerereallyterriblypoor)theydidnotrealizethenwhatatrulygreatmanhewasonedaytobecome.
Ofcoursenow,whenalmosteverybodyinthewholeworldhasheardaboutDoctorDolittleandhisbooks,ifyouweretogotothatlittlehouseinPuddlebywheremyfatherhadhiscobbler'sshopyouwouldsee,setinthewallovertheold-fashioneddoor,astonewithwritingonitwhichsays:"JOHNDOLITTLE,THEFAMOUSNATURALIST,PLAYEDTHEFLUTEINTHISHOUSEINTHEYEAR1839."
Ioftenlookbackuponthatnightlong,longago.
AndifIclosemyeyesandthinkhardIcanseethatparlorjustasitwasthen:afunnylittlemanincoat-tails,witharoundkindface,playingawayonthefluteinfrontofthefire;mymotherononesideofhimandmyfatherontheother,holdingtheirbreathandlisteningwiththeireyesshut;myself,withJip,squattingonthecarpetathisfeet,staringintothecoals;andPolynesiaperchedonthemantlepiecebesidehisshabbyhighhat,gravelyswingingherheadfromsidetosideintimetothemusic.
Iseeitall,justasthoughitwerebeforemenow.
AndthenIrememberhow,afterwehadseentheDoctoroutatthefrontdoor,weallcamebackintotheparlorandtalkedabouthimtillitwasstilllater;andevenafterIdidgotobed(Ihadneverstayedupsolateinmylifebefore)Idreamedabouthimandabandofstrangecleveranimalsthatplayedflutesandfiddlesanddrumsthewholenightthrough.
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