"Arthur, Robert - The Three Investigators 002 - The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot" - читать интересную книгу автора (Arthur Robert)

way, we can’t. I have no telephone.”
“We can call from the car, sir. We have a mobile
phone.”
“No,” Mr. Fentriss insisted. “However——” He rolled
over and leaned on his elbow to stare at the stocky boy.
“Who are you? How do you happen to be here?”
Jupiter handed him one of The Three Investigators’
cards explaining how Alfred Hitchcock had sent them.
“That was very nice of Alfred,” Mr. Fentriss said.
“Are you sure you don’t want us to call the police?”
Jupiter asked. “Naturally, if you wish us to try to recover
your parrot, The Three Investigators are at your service.
However, you have been assaulted and bound and——”
“No!” Mr. Fentriss said. “I will be very happy to have
you boys undertake the case for me. I feel I can trust you.
I have already been to the police. At first they said my
parrot probably flew away. Then, when I became insist-
ent, they hinted that since I am an actor I was seeking
publicity.”
“I understand, sir,” Jupiter said. “They might think this
was still another attempt at publicity.”
“Yes, my boy.” Mr. Fentriss relaxed. “Therefore—no
police. You must promise.”
They promised, and Jupiter requested all the facts con-
cerning the missing parrot.
“I was very attached to Billy,” the man said. “His full
name is Billy Shakespeare. You know who William
Shakespeare was, of course.”
“Yes, sir,” Jupiter said. “The world’s greatest play-
wright. Born in England in 1564 and died in 1616. His
plays are still popular all over the world. Hamlet is prob-
ably his best-known play.”
“Many’s the time I played Hamlet,” Mr. Fentriss said
with animation. “Oh, I was a great success as Hamlet.”
He put one hand against his chest and stretched out his
18
other hand. In a deep voice, he said, “‘To be, or not to
be, that is the question’.” Then he turned to the boys. “A
line from Hamlet,” he said. “Probably the best-known
line Shakespeare ever wrote. And my parrot used to quote
it. He said it over and over.”
“Your parrot quoted Shakespeare?” Pete asked. “He
must have been a very educated bird.”
“He was, definitely. He quoted it in a very good British
accent. There was only one drawback.”
“Drawback?” Jupiter asked.
“The poor bird stuttered,” Mr. Fentriss told him.
“When he quoted the line, he said, ‘To-to-to be or not to-
to-to-be, that is the question’.”
Jupiter’s eyes lighted with intense interest.