large/2531/davidandphoenix_0902_librivox_64kb_mp3/davidandthephoenix_02_ormondroyd_64kb_59
large/2531/davidandphoenix_0902_librivox_64kb_mp3/davidandthephoenix_02_ormondroyd_64kb
English
2531
Yet there was the bird, unmistakably before him, undeniably studying its book and speaking to itself. David's mind caught hold of a phrase and repeated it over and over again: "What on _earth_? What on _earth_?" But of course there was no answer to that question. YET THERE WAS THE BIRD UNMISTAKABLY BEFORE HIM UNDENIABLY STUDYING ITS BOOK AND SPEAKING TO ITSELF DAVID'S MIND CAUGHT HOLD OF A PHRASE AND REPEATED IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHAT ON EARTH WHAT ON EARTH BUT OF COURSE THERE WAS NO ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION
rd 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?" 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. "_Vivo, vives, vive_--quite correct so far. Ah--_vi_--ah--Oh, dear, these verbs! Where was I? Oh, yes. _Vivo_--" David's head reeled as he watched this amazing performance. There was no need to pinch himself to see if he were dreaming: he was perfectly wide awake. Everything else around him was behaving in a normal way. The mountain was solid beneath him, the sunlight streamed down as before.  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 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 VIVO VIVASSE VIVE QUITE CORRECT SO FAR AH V AH OH DEAR THESE VERBS WHERE WAS I OH YES VI VO DAVID'S HEAD REELED AS HE WATCHED THIS AMAZING PERFORMANCE THERE WAS NO NEED TO PINCH HIMSELF TO SEE IF HE WERE DREAMING HE WAS PERFECTLY WIDE AWAKE EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND HIM WAS BEHAVING IN A NORMAL WAY THE MOUNTAIN WAS SOLID BENEATH HIM THE SUNLIGHT STREAMED DOWN AS BEFORE
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