fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第12章

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ers　of　more　modest　dwellings。
　　The　Scarecrow　became　greatly　animated　at　this　sight；　and　exclaimed：　〃How　delighted　I　shall　be　to　see　my　old　friend　the　Tin　Woodman　again！　I　hope　that　he　rules　his　people　more　successfully　than　I　have　ruled　mine！〃　Is　the　Tin　Woodman　the　Emperor　of　the　Winkies？〃　asked　the　horse。
　　〃Yes；　indeed。　They　invited　him　to　rule　over　them　soon　after　the　Wicked　Witch　was　destroyed；　and　as　Nick　Chopper　has　the　best　heart　in　all　the　world　I　am　sure　he　has　proved　an　excellent　and　able　emperor。〃
　　〃I　thought　that　'Emperor'　was　the　title　of　a　person　who　rules　an　empire；〃　said　Tip；　〃and　the　Country　of　the　Winkies　is　only　a　Kingdom。〃
　　〃Don't　mention　that　to　the　Tin　Woodman！〃　exclaimed　the　Scarecrow；　earnestly。　〃You　would　hurt　his　feelings　terribly。　He　is　a　proud　man；　as　he　has　every　reason　to　be；　and　it　pleases　him　to　be　termed　Emperor　rather　than　King。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　it　makes　no　difference　to　me；〃　replied　the　boy。
　　The　Saw…Horse　now　ambled　forward　at　a　pace　so　fast　that　its　riders　had　hard　work　to　stick　upon　its　back；　so　there　was　little　further　conversation　until　they　drew　up　beside　the　palace　steps。
　　An　aged　Winkie；　dressed　in　a　uniform　of　silver　cloth；　came　forward　to　assist　them　to　alight。　Said　the　Scarecrow　to　his　personage：　〃Show　us　at　once　to　your　master；　the　Emperor。〃　The　man　looked　from　one　to　another　of　the　party　in　an　embarrassed　way；　and　finally　answered：　〃I　fear　I　must　ask　you　to　wait　for　a　time。　The　Emperor　is　not　receiving　this　morning。〃
　　〃How　is　that？〃　enquired　the　Scarecrow；　anxiously。〃　I　hope　nothing　has　happened　to　him。〃
　　〃Oh；　no；　nothing　serious；〃　returned　the　man。　〃But　this　is　his　Majesty's　day　for　being　polished；　and　just　now　his　august　presence　is　thickly　smeared　with　putz…pomade。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　see！〃　cried　the　Scarecrow；　greatly　reassured。　〃My　friend　was　ever　inclined　to　be　a　dandy；　and　I　suppose　he　is　now　more　proud　than　ever　of　his　personal　appearance。〃
　　〃He　is；　indeed；〃　said　the　man；　with　a　polite　bow。　〃Our　mighty　Emperor　has　lately　caused　himself　to　be　nickel…plated。〃
　　〃Good　Gracious！〃　the　Scarecrow　exclaimed　at　hearing　this。　〃If　his　wit　bears　the　same　polish；　how　sparkling　it　must　be！　But　show　us　in　…　I'm　sure　the　Emperor　will　receive　us；　even　in　his　present　state〃
　　〃The　Emperor's　state　is　always　magnificent；〃　said　the　man。　〃But　I　will　venture　to　tell　him　of　your　arrival；　and　will　receive　his　mands　concerning　you。〃　So　the　party　followed　the　servant　into　a　splendid　ante…room；　and　the　Saw…　Horse　ambled　awkwardly　after　them；　having　no　knowledge　that　a　horse　might　be　expected　to　remain　outside。
　　The　travelers　were　at　first　somewhat　awed　by　their　surroundings；　and　even　the　Scarecrow　seemed　impressed　as　he　examined　the　rich　hangings　of　silver　cloth　caught　up　into　knots　and　fastened　with　tiny　silver　axes。　Upon　a　handsome　center…table　stood　a　large　silver　oil…can；　richly　engraved　with　scenes　from　the　past　adventures　of　the　Tin　Woodman；　Dorothy；　the　Cowardly　Lion　and　the　Scarecrow：　the　lines　of　the　engraving　being　traced　upon　the　silver　in　yellow　gold。　On　the　walls　hung　several　portraits；　that　of　the　Scarecrow　seeming　to　be　the　most　prominent　and　carefully　executed；　while　a　the　large　painting　of　the　famous　Wizard　of　Oz；　in　act　of　presenting　the　Tin　Woodman　with　a　heart；　covered　almost　one　entire　end　of　the　room。
　　While　the　visitors　gazed　at　these　things　in　silent　admiration　they　suddenly　heard　a　loud　voice　in　the　next　room　exclaim：　〃Well！　well！　well！　What　a　great　surprise！〃　And　then　the　door　burst　open　and　Nick　Chopper　rushed　into　their　midst　and　caught　the　Scarecrow　in　a　close　and　loving　embrace　that　creased　him　into　many　folds　and　wrinkles。
　　〃My　dear　old　friend！　My　noble　rade！〃　cried　the　Tin　Woodman；　joyfully。　〃how　delighted！；〃　I　am　to　meet　you　once　again。
　　And　then　he　released　the　Scarecrow　and　held　him　at　arms'　length　while　he　surveyed　the　beloved；　painted　features。
　　But；　alas！　the　face　of　the　Scarecrow　and　many　portions　of　his　body　bore　great　blotches　of　putz…pomade；　for　the　Tin　Woodman；　in　his　eagerness　to　wele　his　friend；　had　quite　forgotten　the　condition　of　his　toilet　and　had　rubbed　the　thick　coating　of　paste　from　his　own　body　to　that　of　his　rade。
　　〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　Scarecrow　dolefully。　〃What　a　mess　I'm　in！〃
　　〃Never　mind；　my　friend；〃　returned　the　Tin　Woodman；〃　I'll　send　you　to　my　Imperial　Laundry；　and　you'll　e　out　as　good　as　new。〃
　　〃Won't　I　be　mangled？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃No；　indeed！〃　was　the　reply。　〃But　tell　me；　how　came　your　Majesty　here？　and　who　are　your　panions？〃　The　Scarecrow；　with　great　politeness；　introduced　Tip　and　Jack　Pumpkinhead；　and　the　latter　personage　seemed　to　interest　the　Tin　Woodman　greatly。
　　〃You　are　not　very　substantial；　I　must　admit；〃　said　the　Emperor。　〃but　you　are　certainly　unusual；　and　therefore　worthy　to　bee　a　member　of　our　select　society。〃
　　〃I　thank　your　Majesty；　said　Jack；　humbly。
　　〃I　hope　you　are　enjoying　good　health？〃　continued　the　Woodman。
　　〃At　present；　yes；〃　replied　the　Pumpkinhead；　with　a　sigh；　〃but　I　am　in　constant　terror　of　the　day　when　I　shall　spoil。〃
　　〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　Emperor　…　but　in　a　kindly；　sympathetic　tone。　〃Do　not；　I　beg　of　you；　dampen　today's　sun　with　the　showers　of　tomorrow。　For　before　your　head　has　time　to　spoil　you　can　have　it　canned；　and　in　that　way　it　may　be　preserved　indefinitely。〃　Tip；　during　this　conversation；　was　looking　at　the　Woodman　with　undisguised　amazement；　and　noticed　that　the　celebrated　Emperor　of　the　Winkies　was　posed　entirely　of　pieces　of　tin；　neatly　soldered　and　riveted　together　into　the　form　of　a　man。　He　rattled　and　clanked　a　little；　as　he　moved；　but　in　the　main　he　seemed　to　be　most　cleverly　constructed；　and　his　appearance　was　only　marred　by　the　thick　coating　of　polishing…paste　that　covered　him　from　head　to　foot。
　　The　boy's　intent　gaze　caused　the　Tin　Woodman　to　remember　that　he　was　not　in　the　most　presentable　condition；　so　he　begged　his　friends　to　excuse　him　while　he　retired　to　his　private　apartment　and　allowed　his　servants　to　polish　him。　This　was　acplished　in　a　short　time；　and　when　the　emperor　returned　his　nickel…plated　body　shone　so　magnificently　that　the　Scarecrow　heartily　congratulated　him　on　his　improved　appearance。
　　〃That　nickel…plate　was；　I　confess；　a　happy　thought；〃　said　Nick；　〃and　it　was　the　more　necessary　because　I　had　bee　somewhat　scratched　during　my　adventurous　experiences。　You　will　observe　this　engraved　star　upon　my　left　breast。　It　not　only　indicates　where　my　excellent　heart　lies；　but　covers　very　neatly　the　patch　made　by　the　Wonderful　Wizard　when　he　placed　that　valued　organ　in　my　breast　with　his　own　skillful　hands。〃
　　〃Is　your　heart；　then；　a　hand…organ？〃　asked　the　Pumpkinhead；　curiously。
　　〃By　no　means；〃　responded　the　emperor；　with　dignity。　〃It　is；　I　am　convinced；　a　strictly　orthodox　heart；　although　somewhat　larger　and　warmer　than　most　people　possess。〃　Then　he　turned　to　the　Scarecrow　and　asked：　〃Are　your　subjects　happy　and　contented；　my　dear　friend？〃
　　〃I　cannot；　say〃　was　the　reply。　〃for　the　girls　of　Oz　have　risen　in　revolt　and　driven　me　out　of　the　emerald　City。〃
　　〃Great　Goodness！〃　cried　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃What　a　calamity！　They　surely　do　not　plain　of　your　wise　and　gracious　rule？〃
　　〃No；　but　they　say　it　is　a　poor　rule　that　don't　work　both　ways；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow；　〃and　these　females　are　also　of　the　opinion　that　men　have　ruled　the　land　long　enough。　So　they　have　captured　my　city；　robbed　the　treasury　of　all　its　jewels；　and　are　running　things　to　suit　themselves。〃
　　〃Dear　me！　What　an　extraordinary　idea！〃　cried　the　Emperor；　who　was　both　shocked　and　surprised。
　　〃And　I　heard　some　of　them　say；〃　said　Tip；　〃that　they　intend　to　march　here　and　capture　the　castle　and　city　of　the　Tin　Woodman。〃
　　〃Ah！　we　must　not　give　them　time　to　do　that；〃　said　the　Emperor；　quickly；　〃we　will　go　at　once　and　recapture　the　Emerald　City　and　place　the　Scarecrow　again　upon　his　throne。〃
　　〃I　was　sure　you　would　help　me；〃　remarked　the　Scarecrow　in　a　pleased　voice。　〃How　large　an　army　can　you　assemble？〃
　　〃We　do　not　need　an　army；〃　replied　the　Woodman。　〃We　four；　with　the　aid　of　my　gleaming　axe；　are　enough　to　strike　terror　into　the　hearts　of　the　rebels。〃
　　〃We　five；〃　corrected　the　Pumpkinhead。
　　〃Five？〃　repeated