David and the Phoenix (Full Audiobook) - Chapter 08

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter eight of David in the Phoenix. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Recording by Greg Weeks. David in the Phoenix by Edward
ormand Dryde chapter eight, in which David and the phoenix

(00:22):
visit a banshee and a surprise is planted in the
enemy's camp. Next day, Mother asked David to help her
straighten out the garden, which had been trampled by the repairman,
so he could not go to see the phoenix until
after lunch. But when that was finished, he rushed up
the mountain side as fast as he could, wondering all

(00:42):
the way what he and the phoenix were going to
do now. The ledge was empty. When he got there.
He shouted Phoenix and listened. Hell came a faint, answering
cry from the other end of the ledge. David jumped
through the thicket. A pitiful sight met his eyes. There
was the phoenix, dangling by one foot from the snare,

(01:02):
its wings fably struggling, and its free foot clawing the air.
The feathers of its wings and tail were singed. Great
beads of sweat rolled from its forehead into a puddle
on the ground below. The snared foot was blue and swollen.
Get me down, gasped the phoenix weakly. David took a

(01:23):
running leap at the sapling, which broke under the sudden
increase of weight, and the two of them crashed to
the ground. He unfastened the noose and dragged the phoenix
to the shadiest, softest spot on the ledge hoist with
my own petards, said the phoenix, bitterly rub my foot.
Will you, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, hurts. What happened?

(01:45):
David asked, as he rubbed the swollen foot. How long
have you been caught? Missed my way in the dark,
said the phoenix, wiping its brow. Thought I was on
the other side of the ledge and landed right on
that fool trap. Hung there all night and all morning.
Thought you would never come, My boy, Oh dear, oh dear,

(02:06):
what a horrible experience. My tail was still on fire
when I landed too. I fully expected to be burned
to a crisp. A large tear rolled down the phoenix's beak.
David murmured, soothing words and continued to chafe the phoenix's foot.
Does it feel any better now? The feeling is coming back,

(02:28):
my boy, said the phoenix, gritting its beak, ouch all
pins and needles. It flexed its toes gingerly. Rub a
bit more, please gently, The swelling began to go down.
With a handful of damp grass, David soothed the marks
left by the noose. That stupid electric company, the phoenix
suddenly burst out, putting everyone in danger with a short

(02:51):
circuited power line. Let this be a lesson to you,
my boy. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. They
will hear from us. Believe me, we shall write them
a stiff complaint. Well, phoenix, said David. Hopefully we can
set the snare again if we can find another good sapling.
And we still have the other one, so we're pretty

(03:12):
well protected. And why couldn't we meet every night by
the hedge the way we did last night. The bell
was a good idea, but we could get along without it.
The phoenix sighed, I suppose you are right, my boy.
There is no use crying over spilt milk. One must
set one's jaw and good heavens, my boy, duck the

(03:34):
phoenix threw itself to the ground and wildly motioned to
David to do the same. He flattened himself out beside
the bird and said, what is it? Phoenix? Down the
mountain side, whispered the phoenix. Look, do not stick your
head over too far. David wormed his way to the edge,
peered down and gasped below him on the grassy slope

(03:55):
at the foot of the scarp with figure clad in khaki.
It was the science. Do you think he saw us?
The phoenix whispered, I don't think so. David whispered back,
he's looking off to the left, Oh, phoenix, what if
he comes up here? What'll we do? Listen, hissed the phoenix.
Run down there, talk to him, lead him away, distract

(04:17):
his attention. Anything, only be quick, all right. The phoenix
melted into the thicket, and David jumped to his feet.
As he dashed down the trail, his brain whirled with questions.
What should he do, what could he say? How could
he lead the scientist away? Where would the phoenix go?
In his haste, he forgot one important thing. His foot

(04:39):
tripped over the pile of grass and leaves on the trail.
The released sapling sprang upward. The noose tightened with a
cruel jerk around his ankle, and he was snatched into
the air. As the blood rushed to his head, he
lost control of himself and began to struggle wildly and
shout at the top of his voice. The flat, dry

(04:59):
voice of the Sun scientist drifted to him as if
through a long tunnel. What's all this? What are you
doing here? Who set this snare? Get me down? David choked, please.
A hand seized him by the scruff of the neck.
A knife flashed through the air and cut the rope.
David landed on his feet, but his legs gave way
and he dropped to his knees. He felt dizzy as

(05:21):
the blood rushed away from his head again. The scientist
tilted his sun helmet back and said, well, well, David,
in a disagreeable tone. His eyes narrowed behind the spectacles.
What is this snare doing here? David struggled to his
feet and clutched a bush for support. Thank you for
cutting me down, he said. The cold blue eyes found

(05:43):
David's and held them in a hypnotic stare. What is
this trap doing here? Who said it? I? I was
coming down the trail, and and I was caught in it.
David stammered, You are avoiding my question, young man, said
the scientist who set this snare. Answer me. There was
a brilliant flash of gold and blue in the sunlight,

(06:06):
the whistle of feathers cleaving the air, the sharp thwock
of fisted talons striking. The scientist pitched forward with a
surprised grunt and lay still across the trail, and the phoenix,
executing a flip in the air to check its speed,
settled down beside David view Halloo, it shouted excitedly. Yoicks

(06:28):
and tally ho. Did you see that stoop? My boy?
By jove, the best trained falcon could not have done better.
Believe me, I have been saving that blow for a
long time. By jove, what a magnificent stoop. I think
I shall take up scientist hunting as a regular thing.
Thank goodness, phoenix, David exclaimed, another minute, and you would

(06:51):
have been too late, But I hope you haven't hurt
him very much. Nonsense, my boy, said the phoenix, a
head so stuffed with scientific fee, in fact, cannot be injured.
He will come too in a short while. The phoenix
lifted the scientist's sun helmet and examined the back of
his head. A large lump is developing, my boy, A

(07:11):
most pleasant sight. I fear. The sun helmet is now useless,
crushed like an egg shell, and the phoenix smiled proudly. Well,
I hope it isn't serious, David said doubtfully. In away.
We'll have to do something precisely, my boy. But I
think we should have a drink first. The phoenix detached
a canteen from the scientist's belt and took a deep swig.

(07:32):
Ah delicious. Our friend is well prepared, my boy. And
indeed the scientist had all sorts of things with him,
a hand axe, a sheath knife, a compass, a camera, binoculars,
a stopwatch, notebooks and pencils, a coil of rope maps.
There was also a packet of sandwiches, which the phoenix
opened and began to eat. Now, listen, Phoenix, we have

(07:56):
to do something quite right, my boy, the phoenix mumbled,
with it mouthful. Have a sandwich, spoils of war, peanut butter,
very nourishing. The fact is that I have just thought
of another plan which cannot fail. Have we any money left, Yes,
four gold pieces. Why splendid? Now, my boy, I shall

(08:16):
leave you. When the scientist wakes up, you will help
him down to wherever he lives, find out where his
room is. I shall meet you by the hedge at midnight.
Be sure you have the gold pieces with you? All right?
What are we sure you will not have a sandwich? No?
Thank you? What are we? Very well? Farewell then, my boy,
till midnight. David poured what was left in the canteen

(08:39):
over the scientist's head and fanned him with a notebook.
Presently the man stirred and groaned. Then he sat up
and muttered what hit me? Can you stand up yet?
David said two days to ask any more questions. The
scientist got up, groaning, put on his broken spectacles, collected
his scattered equipment, and leaned on David. The two of

(09:02):
them proceeded slowly down the trail together, frequently sitting down
to rest. The scientist murmured the name of his hotel
and pointed out the direction. Townspeople stared at them as
they passed, but no one stopped them or asked questions,
and they reached the hotel without further incident. They entered
the lobby and the scientists sank into a chair. Let

(09:23):
me help you to your room, said David. In a
few minutes, the scientist got up again and they took
the elevator to the fourth floor. David closely watched the
direction they were going, and when they came into the
scientist's room, he looked quickly through the window. There was
a fire escape just outside. He had the information now,
fourth floor, west side, fire escape by window. The scientist

(09:48):
eased himself on to the bed with a groan. Then
he turned to David and said severely, there's something strange
about all this, and I intend to get to the
bottom of it. You'll be hearing from me, young mad
all right, said David, closing the door, And you'll be
hearing from us. He added in an undertone, if I know.
The phoenix flying at night was colder than flying by day,

(10:11):
but it was more thrilling too. They whistled through an
immense blackness. Stars glittered overhead, and quicksilver patches of moonlight
and shadow flashed across the clouds below. They were going
to Ireland, but why, David did not know. The phoenix
was playing its weight and sea game again. In an
hour or so. They shot out over the edge of

(10:34):
the cloud mass, and David could see a rocky coast below,
dark and cold in the half light. The phoenix began
to slant down toward it, and presently they landed in
a little meadow. One side of the meadow ran down
to a bog filled with reeds, and on the other
side was a gloomy wood. Everything was dark and indistinct,

(10:54):
but David thought he could tell why the phoenix had
called this the Emerald Isle. The grass beneath their feet
was the thickest he had ever felt. He touched a
boulder and found it furry with moss. With the wood
and the reed choked bog, the whole place would be
rich with various greens in the daylight. Just then they
saw a little man approaching them from the wood. He

(11:16):
was three feet tall, dressed all in green, and had
a long white beard. When he reached them, he raised
his cap politely and said, good evenin to you. A
fine evening to you, my good leprechaun, said the phoenix.
Could you kindly tell us, will you have a cigar?
The Leprekahan interrupted with a surprised thank you very much.

(11:38):
The phoenix took the cigar bit off the end and
popped it into its beak. The leprechaun lighted it, and
the phoenix puffed away. Stick A gum, lad, said the
leprechaun to David, holding out a pack. Why, yes, thank you,
said David. He took the stick of gum from the
pack and was immediately sorry for it. The stick was

(11:58):
made of wood and had a small fires spring like
a mouse trap, which snapped down on his finger and
made him yelp with pain. At the same instant, the
phoenix's cigar exploded, knocking the startled bird backwards into a bush.
Ha ha ha, shouted the leprechaun, rolling on the ground
and holding his sides. Ha ha ha. In a trice,

(12:19):
the phoenix had pounced on the leprechaun and pinned him
to the ground. Let him up, said David furiously. I'll
punch his head for him, I think, my boy, said
the phoenix coldly, that I shall carry the creature up
into the clouds and drop him, or should we take
him back with us and hand him over to the scientist. Now,
don't take a fence, your honor, said the leprechaun. I

(12:42):
thought you'd look at it as kind of comic. Exceedingly comic,
said the phoenix severely. I am quite overcome with mirth
and merriment, But perhaps perhaps I shall let you off
lightly if you tell us where the band she lives
the the banshee of Mare's Nest wood the same speak.

(13:02):
A new light of respect and fear came into the
Leprekauan's eyes. She's a terror, she is. What'll you'll be wanting?
None of your business, roared the phoenix. Where is she?
The leprechaun had begun to tremble. Follow the path yonder
through the wood until you reach the cave, Your honor,
you're not friends of hers, are you? You'll not be

(13:24):
telling on me. I'm really sorry for those jokes, your honor.
The Leprechauan's fright was so genuine now that the Phoenix
relented and let him go. The little creature dashed off
like a rabbit into the bog let. That be a
lesson to you, my boy, said the phoenix. Beware the
leprechaun bearing gifts. But I wonder why the thought of

(13:45):
the band she frightened him. So they followed the path
until they came to the mouth of a cave under
a heap of rocks. The phoenix plunged in, and David
nervously followed. The cave turned out to be a long
passageway that led, after several turns, into a chamber. From
the ceiling of this rocky vault hung an electric light bulb,

(14:07):
which glared feebly through drifts of smoke. All around the
walls were wooden boxes stacked up to make shells and cupboards.
These were filled with an astonishing array of objects, bottles, vials, almbuoks, retorts,
test tubes, decanters, cages, boxes, jars, pots, skulls, books, snake skins, wands,

(14:28):
waxen images, pins and needles, locks of hair, crystal balls,
playing cards, dice which hazel forks, tails of animals, spices,
bottles of ink in several colors, clay pipes, small brass
scale compasses, measuring cups, a piggy bank, which squealed off

(14:50):
and on in a peevish way, balls of string and ribbons,
a pile of magazines called the Warlock Weekly, a broken ukulele,
little heaps of powder, colored stones, candle ends, some potted cacti,
and an enormous cash register. In the middle of the chamber,
a little hideous crone in a mother hubbard crouched over

(15:12):
a saucepan, stirring it with a wooden spoon. The saucepan
was resting in the coals of an open fire, and
smoke and steam together spread out in a murky, foul
smelling fog. The crone peered at them over the top
of her spectacles and cackled, Come in, Come in, dearies.
I'll be with you as soon as ever I finished
this brew. The phoenix, who had been gazing around the

(15:36):
chamber in surprise, said, my dear banshee, since when have
you taken up witchcraft? This is most unexpected, ah tis
the phoenix, exclaimed the hag, peering at them again. Well
fancy that now, ah you may well ask, and I'll
be telling you tis a poor life being a banshee,
long hours and not so much as sixpence in it

(15:58):
for a full night's work. And I got that sick
of it, so I changed me trade. Sure you'll never
make a go of it, they told me. And at
your age, they says, And once you've got your station
in life, they says, there's no changing it. It's in
the prime of me life, I am, says I, and
I'll not be changing me mind for all your cackling,

(16:21):
says I. And if certain mouths don't shut up, says I,
I'll cast spells that'll make certain people wish they were dead,
that set them back on their heels. You may be
sure well, twas the best decision of me life. The
money pours in like sorrows to a widow, and I'll
be retiring within the year to live out my days
like a proper queen. Then the band. She caught sight

(16:45):
of David and hobbled over to him, peering into his
frightened eyes. Ah, the wee darling, she crooned, the plump
little mannikin What a broth he'd make. To be sure,
she pinched his arm and he started back in terror.
So firm and plump to make the mouth water. Sell
them to me, Phoenix, nonsense, says the phoenix, sharply what

(17:07):
we desire at this instant. The contents of the saucepan
began to hiss and bubble. Whoops, dearies, the brew is boiling,
shrieked the banshee, and she hobbled back to the fire
to resume her work. She looked in a recipe book, stirred,
clapped her hands, sang hair raising incantations in a quavery voice,

(17:28):
and added a pinch of salt and sulfur. She sprinkled
spices from a shaker, waved her wand popped in a
dead toad, and fanned up the fire with an ostrich plume.
Now for the hard part, she said, grinning at them toothlessly.
She measured out a spoonful of green powder, weighed it
in the scales, and flung it into the saucepan. There

(17:50):
was a loud explosion. A huge blast of steam flared
out and engulfed them. When it had cleared, they saw
the banshee tilting the saucepan over a small bottle. One
ruby drop of fluid fell into the bottle. It darted
forth rays of light as it fell, and tinkled like
a silver coin, rolling down flights of marble steps the band.

(18:14):
She corked the bottle and held it up proudly to
the light. Will you look at that now? She crooned,
the finest ever, I brood ah the mystic droplet. Some
swain will be buying that now and putting it in
a lasses cup of tea, and she'll be pining away
for love of him before the day's out. She put
the bottle on the shelf, pasted a label on it,

(18:36):
and turned to them with a business like air. Now, dearies,
what'll you be wanting? Filters poison? I've a special today,
only five shillings of vile a spell? What about your fortunes?
One shilling if seen in the crystal ball, one and
six if read from the palm a hex. I've the

(18:56):
finest in six counties. A ticket to the wall. Purchase
night ball. We want a whale, said the phoenix, and
we shall accept nothing but the best and loudest you have. Ah,
a banche's whale, is it? Cried the hag. You've come
to the right shop, dearies, to be sure. Now let
me see. She hobbled to a shelf which contained a

(19:18):
row of boxes, ran her finger along them, stopped at one,
and took it down. Here we are key of c sharp,
two minutes long. Only five shillings threepence. No, no, said
the phoenix. A larger one. We have something more than
mice to frighten A bigger one. Ah, here's a lovely one.

(19:40):
Now five minutes long, ascending scale with a sob at
the end, guaranteed to scare a statue yours for ten
and six. I call that a real bargain now, Bah,
said the phoenix, impatiently, enough of these squeaks. We want
a real whale, my dear banshee, such a whale as
never before was heard on the face of this earth.

(20:02):
And stopped this babbling about shillings and pence. We are
prepared to pay in gold. The phoenix took the four
pieces of gold from David and carelessly tossed them into
the air. The Bandshe's eyes flew wide open, and she
twirled herself around like a top. Ah. The sweet music
of its tinklings, she exclaimed, the lovely sheen of light

(20:26):
upon it. There's a sight for eyes used to nought
but silver. Ah, But, dearies, I've no whale worth four
pieces of gold. I'll have to make one up special.
She hobbled rapidly around the chamber until she found a
box as large as a bird cage and an ear trumpet.
She opened the box, shook it to make sure it

(20:47):
was empty, and put in two heads of cabbage. Such
monstrous appetites, these whales do have, she explained. She fastened
the lid carefully with a catch lock, and inserted the
ear trumpet in a hole in one side of the box.
Then she disappeared through a sound proof door, which they
had not seen before on account of the smoke. Fifteen

(21:10):
minutes later, the band she came out with the box,
plugging up the hole in its side with a bit
of wax. She was pale and trembling, and beads of
sweat covered her face. She smiled weakly at them, seized
an earthenware jug and drained it in one gulp. The
color began to return to her face. Houshed, she gasped,

(21:31):
wiping her brow with the sleeve of her mother. Hubbard, Ah, dearies,
that was an effort of me. Life tis a wail
to make one burst with pride, though I do say so, meself.
Thirteen minutes long by the clock, with a range of
ten octaves, twould frightened the old nick himself. Splendid, said
the phoenix. The fact is, I sometimes suspect that that

(21:53):
is precisely with whom we are dealing at home. The
light suddenly dawned on David Phoenix. He cried, I bet
we're going to give the whale to the scientist precisely,
my boy. The phoenix beamed, Oh, golly, golly, golly, David
sang as he danced around, and I'll guarantee it, dearies

(22:13):
the band, she cackled, one hundred percent satisfaction or your
money back, Defeat and confusion to the enemy, the Phoenix shouted,
giving the special squawk, which was its battle cry. The band.
She received her gold. The Phoenix told David for goodness
sake not to drop the box or let the lid
pop open, or they would regret it to their dying day. David,

(22:38):
hearing the rustle of the whale as it ravenously attacked
the cabbages inside the box, assured the Phoenix that he
would be careful. The band she said, Ah, Phoenix, do
sell the laddie to me, but her tone was more
teasing than serious, and they all laughed. Good Byes were
set all around, and David and the Phoenix left. The

(22:59):
last thing they heard as they felt their way up
the dark passage was the happy cackling of the bansheet
and the clang of the cash register. They got back
to the hotel before dawn and very carefully crept down
the fire escape into the scientist's room. They put the
box on the bedside table, stuck out their tongues at
the sleeping scientists, and crept out again. Then they went home,

(23:22):
the Phoenix to the ledge, and David to bed, where
he fell asleep instantly. The whale was wildly successful. The
scientists released it from its box at seven o'clock in
the morning. People living in the hotel thought the world
had come to its end. The rest of the town
wondered if it was a riot or an earthquake, or both.
With three steam kaliopes thrown in for good measure, David,

(23:46):
who lived twelve blocks from the hotel, stirred in his
sleep and dreamed he was riding a fire engine. Even
the Phoenix claimed later that a kind of moan was
borne on the breeze all the way up to the ledge.
The hotel burst into activity like a kicked ant hill.
People poured down the fire escapes, shot out through the doors,
lowered themselves into the street with ropes of knotted blankets.

(24:10):
Others barricaded themselves in their rooms by piling furniture against
the doors and windows. One guest found his way to
the cellar and hid in an ash can for two days.
The manager crawled into the office safe and locked the door,
without even bothering to remember that he was the only
one who knew the combination. The telephone exchange was jammed

(24:30):
as calls flooded in to mobilize the Boy Scouts, the
Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the National Guard, and the
Volunteer Flood Control Association. When the whale finally died out,
which was not until seven thirty because it had devoured
both cabbages during the night and had grown to more
than twice its original size, the police entered the hotel

(24:51):
in force, armed to the eyebrows. They found nothing. At
the end of a three hour search, the chief handed
in his resignation. As for the scientist, he disappeared completely.
A farmer living three miles out of town said he
saw a man dressed in a night shirt and a
head bandage running down the valley road. The farmer guessed

(25:12):
the man's speed to be thirty five miles an hour,
but he added there was such a cloud of dust
being raised that he could not see very well. It
might have been fifty miles an hour. He said no
one doubted him. End of chapter eight,