large/2531/davidandphoenix_0902_librivox_64kb_mp3/davidandthephoenix_02_ormondroyd_64kb_64
large/2531/davidandphoenix_0902_librivox_64kb_mp3/davidandthephoenix_02_ormondroyd_64kb
English
2531
Here the temptation to peek overcame it for an instant, and its head wavered. But it said, "No, no!" in a firm tone, looked carefully the other way, and began once more. HERE THE TEMPTATION TO PIQUE OVERCAME IT FOR AN INSTANT AND ITS HEAD WAVERED BUT IT SAID NO NO IN A FIRM TONE LOOKED CAREFULLY THE OTHER WAY AND BEGAN ONCE MORE
an eagle's, with a hooked bird-of-prey beak, but the expression in its brown eyes was mild. The long wings were blunt at the tips, the tail was short and broad. The legs, feathered halfway down, ended in taloned feet. An iridescent sheen sparkled on its plumage, reflecting sunlight from the scarlet crest, the golden neck and back, the breast of silver, the sapphire wings and tail. Its size alone would have been enough to take David's breath away. He could have stood beneath the arch of that neck with room to spare. But the most astonishing thing was that the bird had an open book on the ground and was apparently trying to learn part of it by heart. "_Vivo, vives, vive_," the bird read, very slowly and distinctly, staring hard at the book. "_Vivimos, vivís, viven._ _That_ is simple enough, you blockhead! Now, then, without looking." It cleared its throat, looked away from the book, and repeated in a rapid mutter: "_Vivo vives vive vi_--ah--_vivi_--oh, dear, what _is_ the matter with me?  ELEGANT CURVE OF A SWAN'S NECK ITS HEAD WAS AGAIN LIKE AN EAGLE'S WITH A HOOKED BIRD OF PREY BEAK BUT THE EXPRESSION IN ITS BROWN EYES WAS MILD THE LONG WINGS WERE BLUNT AT THE TIPS THE TAIL WAS SHORT AND BROAD THE LEGS FEATHERED HALF WAY DOWN ENDED IN TALONED FEET AN IRIDESCENT SHEEN SPARKLED ON ITS PLUMAGE REFLECTING SUNLIGHT FROM THE SCARLET CREST THE GOLDEN NECK AND BACK THE BREAST OF SILVER THE SAPPHIRE WINGS AND TAIL ITS SIZE ALONE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO TAKE DAVID'S BREATH AWAY HE COULD HAVE STOOD BENEATH THE ARCH OF THAT NECK WITH ROOM TO SPARE BUT THE MOST ASTONISHING THING WAS THAT THE BIRD HAD AN OPEN BOOK ON THE GROUND AND WAS APPARENTLY TRYING TO LEARN PART OF IT BY HEART VI VO VI VESE VI THE BIRD READ VERY SLOWLY AND DISTINCTLY STARING HARD AT THE BOOK VIVIMOS VIVIUS VIVIN THAT IS SIMPLE ENOUGH YOU BLOCKHEAD NOW THEN WITHOUT LOOKING IT CLEARED ITS THROAT LOOKED AWAY FROM THE BOOK AND REPEATED IN A RAPID MUTTER VIVO VIVESE VIVE VI A VIVO DEER WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH ME
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