fb.ozmaofoz-第20章

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　　〃I　fear　so；　too；〃　said　Dorothy；　sadly。
　　〃If　Smith　&　Tin…ker　had　giv…en　me　a　guess…ing　clock…work　at…tach…ment；〃　continued　Tiktok；　〃I　might　have　de…fied　the　Nome　King。But　my　thoughts　are　plain　and　sim…ple；　and　are　not　of　much　use　in　this　case。〃
　　〃Do　the　best　you　can；〃　said　Dorothy；　encouragingly；　〃and　if　you　fail　I　will　watch　and　see　what　shape　you　are　changed　into。〃
　　So　Tiktok　touched　a　yellow　glass　vase　that　had　daisies　painted　on　one　side；　and　he　spoke　at　the　same　time　the　word　〃Ev。〃
　　In　a　flash　the　machine　man　had　disappeared；　and　although　the　girl　looked　quickly　in　every　direction；　she　could　not　tell　which　of　the　many　ornaments　the　room　contained　had　a　moment　before　been　her　faithful　friend　and　servant。
　　So　all　she　could　do　was　to　accept　the　hopeless　task　set　her；　and　make　her　guesses　and　abide　by　the　result。
　　〃It　can't　hurt　very　much；〃　she　thought；　〃for　I　haven't　heard　any　of　them　scream　or　cry　out…not　even　the　poor　officers。Dear　me！I　wonder　if　Uncle　Henry　or　Aunt　Em　will　ever　know　I　have　bee　an　orn'ment　in　the　Nome　King's　palace；　and　must　stand　forever　and　ever　in　one　place　and　look　pretty…'cept　when　I'm　moved　to　be　dusted。It　isn't　the　way　I　thought　I'd　turn　out；　at　all；　but　I　s'pose　it　can't　be　helped。〃
　　She　walked　through　all　the　rooms　once　more；　and　examined　with　care　all　the　objects　they　contained；　but　there　were　so　many；　they　bewildered　her；　and　she　decided；　after　all；　as　Ozma　had　done；　that　it　could　be　only　guess　work　at　the　best；　and　that　the　chances　were　much　against　her　guessing　aright。
　　Timidly　she　touched　an　alabaster　bowl　and　said：　〃Ev。〃
　　〃That's　one　failure；　anyhow；〃　she　thought。〃But　how　am　I　to　know　which　thing　is　enchanted；　and　which　is　not？〃
　　Next　she　touched　the　image　of　a　purple　kitten　that　stood　on　the　corner　of　a　mantel；　and　as　she　pronounced　the　word　〃Ev〃　the　kitten　disappeared；　and　a　pretty；　fair…haired　boy　stood　beside　her。At　the　same　time　a　bell　rang　somewhere　in　the　distance；　and　as　Dorothy　started　back；　partly　in　surprise　and　partly　in　joy；　the　little　one　exclaimed：
　　〃Where　am　I？And　who　are　you？And　what　has　happened　to　me？〃
　　〃Well；　I　declare！〃　said　Dorothy。〃I've　really　done　it。〃
　　〃Done　what？〃　asked　the　boy。
　　〃Saved　myself　from　being　an　ornament；〃　replied　the　girl；　with　a　laugh；　〃and　saved　you　from　being　forever　a　purple　kitten。〃
　　〃A　purple　kitten？〃　he　repeated。〃There　IS　no　such　thing。〃
　　〃I　know；〃　she　answered。〃But　there　was；　a　minute　ago。Don't　you　remember　standing　on　a　corner　of　the　mantel？〃
　　〃Of　course　not。I　am　a　Prince　of　Ev；　and　my　name　is　Evring；〃　the　little　one　announced；　proudly。〃But　my　father；　the　King；　sold　my　mother　and　all　her　children　to　the　cruel　ruler　of　the　Nomes；　and　after　that　I　remember　nothing　at　all。〃
　　〃A　purple　kitten　can't　be　'spected　to　remember；　Evring；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃But　now　you　are　yourself　again；　and　I'm　going　to　try　to　save　some　of　your　brothers　and　sisters；　and　perhaps　your　mother；　as　well。So　e　with　me。〃
　　She　seized　the　child's　hand　and　eagerly　hurried　here　and　there；　trying　to　decide　which　object　to　choose　next。The　third　guess　was　another　failure；　and　so　was　the　fourth　and　the　fifth。
　　Little　Evring　could　not　imagine　what　she　was　doing；　but　he　trotted　along　beside　her　very　willingly；　for　he　liked　the　new　panion　he　had　found。
　　Dorothy's　further　quest　proved　unsuccessful；　but　after　her　first　disappointment　was　over；　the　little　girl　was　filled　with　joy　and　thankfulness　to　think　that　after　all　she　had　been　able　to　save　one　member　of　the　royal　family　of　Ev；　and　could　restore　the　little　Prince　to　his　sorrowing　country。Now　she　might　return　to　the　terrible　Nome　King　in　safety；　carrying　with　her　the　prize　she　had　won　in　the　person　of　the　fair…haired　boy。
　　So　she　retraced　her　steps　until　she　found　the　entrance　to　the　palace；　and　as　she　approached；　the　massive　doors　of　rock　opened　of　their　own　accord；　allowing　both　Dorothy　and　Evring　to　pass　the　portals　and　enter　the　throne　room。
　　
　　　15。Billina　Frightens　the　Nome　King
　　
　　Now　when　Dorothy　had　entered　the　palace　to　make　her　guesses　and　the　Scarecrow　was　left　with　the　Nome　King；　the　two　sat　in　moody　silence　for　several　minutes。Then　the　monarch　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　of　satisfaction：
　　〃Very　good！〃
　　〃Who　is　very　good？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃The　machine　man。He　won't　need　to　be　wound　up　any　more；　for　he　has　now　bee　a　very　neat　ornament。Very　neat；　indeed。〃
　　〃How　about　Dorothy？〃　the　Scarecrow　enquired。
　　〃Oh；　she　will　begin　to　guess；　pretty　soon；〃　said　the　King；　cheerfully。
　　〃And　then　she　will　join　my　collection；　and　it　will　be　your　turn。〃
　　The　good　Scarecrow　was　much　distressed　by　the　thought　that　his　little　friend　was　about　to　suffer　the　fate　of　Ozma　and　the　rest　of　their　party；　but　while　he　sat　in　gloomy　reverie　a　shrill　voice　suddenly　cried：
　　〃Kut；　kut；　kut…ka…daw…kutt！Kut；　kut；　kut…ka…daw…kutt！〃
　　The　Nome　King　nearly　jumped　off　his　seat；　he　was　so　startled。
　　〃Good　gracious！What's　that？〃　he　yelled。
　　〃Why；　it's　Billina；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃What　do　you　mean　by　making　a　noise　like　that？〃　shouted　the　King；　angrily；　as　the　yellow　hen　came　from　under　the　throne　and　strutted　proudly　about　the　room。
　　〃I've　got　a　right　to　cackle；　I　guess；〃　replied　Billina。〃I've　just　laid　my　egg。〃
　　〃What！Laid　an　egg！In　my　throne　room！How　dare　you　do　such　a　thing？〃　asked　the　King；　in　a　voice　of　fury。
　　〃I　lay　eggs　wherever　I　happen　to　be；〃　said　the　hen；　ruffling　her　feathers　and　then　shaking　them　into　place。
　　〃But…thunder…ation！Don't　you　know　that　eggs　are　poison？〃　roared　the　King；　while　his　rock…colored　eyes　stuck　out　in　great　terror。
　　〃Poison！　well；　I　declare；〃　said　Billina；　indignantly。〃I'll　have　you　know　all　my　eggs　are　warranted　strictly　fresh　and　up　to　date。　Poison；　indeed！〃
　　〃You　don't　understand；〃　retorted　the　little　monarch；　nervously。〃Eggs　belong　only　to　the　outside　world…to　the　world　on　the　earth's　surface；　where　you　came　from。Here；　in　my　underground　kingdom；　they　are　rank　poison；　as　I　said；　and　we　Nomes　can't　bear　them　around。〃
　　〃Well；　you'll　have　to　bear　this　one　around；〃　declared　Billina；　〃for　I've　laid　it。〃
　　〃Where？〃　asked　the　King。
　　〃Under　your　throne；〃　said　the　hen。
　　The　King　jumped　three　feet　into　the　air；　so　anxious　was　he　to　get　away　from　the　throne。
　　〃Take　it　away！Take　it　away　at　once！〃　he　shouted。
　　〃I　can't；〃　said　Billina。〃I　haven't　any　hands。〃
　　〃I'll　take　the　egg；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。〃I'm　making　a　collection　of　Billina's　eggs。There's　one　in　my　pocket　now；　that　she　laid　yesterday。〃
　　Hearing　this；　the　monarch　hastened　to　put　a　good　distance　between　himself　and　the　Scarecrow；　who　was　about　to　reach　under　the　throne　for　the　egg　when　the　hen　suddenly　cried：
　　〃Stop！〃
　　〃What's　wrong？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Don't　take　the　egg　unless　the　King　will　allow　me　to　enter　the　palace　and　guess　as　the　others　have　done；〃　said　Billina。
　　〃Pshaw！〃　returned　the　King。〃You're　only　a　hen。How　could　you　guess　my　enchantments？〃
　　〃I　can　try；　I　suppose；〃　said　Billina。〃And；　if　I　fail；　you　will　have　another　ornament。〃
　　〃A　pretty　ornament　you'd　make；　wouldn't　you？〃　growled　the　King。〃But　you　shall　have　your　way。It　will　properly　punish　you　for　daring　to　lay　an　egg　in　my　presence。After　the　Scarecrow　is　enchanted　you　shall　follow　him　into　the　palace。But　how　will　you　touch　the　objects？〃
　　〃With　my　claws；〃　said　the　hen；　〃and　I　can　speak　the　word　'Ev'　as　plainly　as　anyone。Also　I　must　have　the　right　to　guess　the　enchantments　of　my　friends；　and　to　release　them　if　I　succeed。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　said　the　King。〃You　have　my　promise。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　Billina　to　the　Scarecrow；　〃you　may　get　the　egg。〃
　　He　knelt　down　and　reached　underneath　the　throne　and　found　the　egg；　which　he　placed　in　another　pocket　of　his　jacket；　fearing　that　if　both　eggs　were　in　one　pocket　they　would　knock　together　and　get　broken。
　　Just　then　a　bell　above　the　throne　rang　briskly；　and　the　King　gave　another　nervous　jump。
　　〃Well；　well！〃　said　he；　with　a　rueful　face；　〃the　girl　has　actually　done　it。〃
　　〃Done　what？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃She　has　made　one　guess　that　is　right；　and　broken　one　of　my　neatest　enchantments。By　ricketty；　it's　too　bad！I　never　thought　she　would　do　it