fb.ozmaofoz-第5章

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ound　and　was　now　perched　upon　a　point　of　rock　behind　Dorothy；　suddenly　remarked：
　　〃It　looks　something　like　a　door；　doesn't　it？〃
　　〃What　looks　like　a　door？〃　enquired　the　child。
　　〃Why；　that　crack　in　the　rock；　just　facing　you；〃　replied　Billina；　whose　little　round　eyes　were　very　sharp　and　seemed　to　see　everything。〃It　runs　up　one　side　and　down　the　other；　and　across　the　top　and　the　bottom。〃
　　〃What　does？〃
　　〃Why；　the　crack。So　I　think　it　must　be　a　door　of　rock；　although　I　do　not　see　any　hinges。〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Dorothy；　now　observing　for　the　first　time　the　crack　in　the　rock。〃And　isn't　this　a　key…hole；　Billina？〃　pointing　to　a　round；　deep　hole　at　one　side　of　the　door。
　　〃Of　course。If　we　only　had　the　key；　now；　we　could　unlock　it　and　see　what　is　there；〃　replied　the　yellow　hen。〃May　be　it's　a　treasure　chamber　full　of　diamonds　and　rubies；　or　heaps　of　shining　gold；　or〃
　　〃That　reminds　me；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃of　the　golden　key　I　picked　up　on　the　shore。Do　you　think　that　it　would　fit　this　key…hole；　Billina？〃
　　〃Try　it　and　see；〃　suggested　the　hen。
　　So　Dorothy　searched　in　the　pocket　of　her　dress　and　found　the　golden　key。
　　And　when　she　had　put　it　into　the　hole　of　the　rock；　and　turned　it；　a　sudden　sharp　snap　was　heard；　then；　with　a　solemn　creak　that　made　the　shivers　run　down　the　child's　back；　the　face　of　the　rock　fell　outward；　like　a　door　on　hinges；　and　revealed　a　small　dark　chamber　just　inside。
　　〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　Dorothy；　shrinking　back　as　far　as　the　narrow　path　would　let　her。
　　For；　standing　within　the　narrow　chamber　of　rock；　was　the　form　of　a　man…or；　at　least；　it　seemed　like　a　man；　in　the　dim　light。He　was　only　about　as　tall　as　Dorothy　herself；　and　his　body　was　round　as　a　ball　and　made　out　of　burnished　copper。Also　his　head　and　limbs　were　copper；　and　these　were　jointed　or　hinged　to　his　body　in　a　peculiar　way；　with　metal　caps　over　the　joints；　like　the　armor　worn　by　knights　in　days　of　old。He　stood　perfectly　still；　and　where　the　light　struck　upon　his　form　it　glittered　as　if　made　of　pure　gold。
　　〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　called　Billina；　from　her　perch。〃It　isn't　alive。〃
　　〃I　see　it　isn't；〃　replied　the　girl；　drawing　a　long　breath。
　　〃It　is　only　made　out　of　copper；　like　the　old　kettle　in　the　barn…yard　at　home；〃　continued　the　hen；　turning　her　head　first　to　one　side　and　then　to　the　other；　so　that　both　her　little　round　eyes　could　examine　the　object。
　　〃Once；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃I　knew　a　man　made　out　of　tin；　who　was　a　woodman　named　Nick　Chopper。But　he　was　as　alive　as　we　are；　'cause　he　was　born　a　real　man；　and　got　his　tin　body　a　little　at　a　time…first　a　leg　and　then　a　finger　and　then　an　ear…for　the　reason　that　he　had　so　many　accidents　with　his　axe；　and　cut　himself　up　in　a　very　careless　manner。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　said　the　hen；　with　a　sniff；　as　if　she　did　not　believe　the　story。
　　〃But　this　copper　man；〃　continued　Dorothy；　looking　at　it　with　big　eyes；　〃is　not　alive　at　all；　and　I　wonder　what　it　was　made　for；　and　why　it　was　locked　up　in　this　queer　place。〃
　　〃That　is　a　mystery；〃　remarked　the　hen；　twisting　her　head　to　arrange　her　wing…feathers　with　her　bill。
　　Dorothy　stepped　inside　the　little　room　to　get　a　back　view　of　the　copper　man；　and　in　this　way　discovered　a　printed　card　that　hung　between　his　shoulders；　it　being　suspended　from　a　small　copper　peg　at　the　back　of　his　neck。She　unfastened　this　card　and　returned　to　the　path；　where　the　light　was　better；　and　sat　herself　down　upon　a　slab　of　rock　to　read　the　printing。
　　〃What　does　it　say？〃　asked　the　hen；　curiously。
　　Dorothy　read　the　card　aloud；　spelling　out　the　big　words　with　some　difficulty；　and　this　is　what　she　read：
　　
　　SMITH　&　TINKER'S
　　Patent　Double…Action；　Extra…Responsive；
　　Thought…Creating；　Perfect…Talking
　　MECHANICAL　MAN
　　Fitted　with　our　Special　Clock…Work　Attachment。
　　Thinks；　Speaks；　Acts；　and　Does　Everything　but　Live。
　　Manufactured　only　at　our　Works　at　Evna；　Land　of　Ev。
　　All　infringements　will　be　promptly　Prosecuted　according　to　Law。
　　
　　〃How　queer！〃　said　the　yellow　hen。〃Do　you　think　that　is　all　true；　my　dear？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Dorothy；　who　had　more　to　read。〃Listen　to　this；　Billina：〃
　　
　　DIRECTIONS　FOR　USING：
　　For　THINKING：…Wind　the　Clock…work　Man　under　his
　　left　arm；　（marked　No。　1。）
　　For　SPEAKING：…Wind　the　Clock…work　Man　under　his
　　right　arm；　（marked　No。　2。）
　　For　WALKING　and　ACTION：…Wind　Clock…work　in　the
　　middle　of　his　back；　（marked　No。　3。）
　　N。　B。…This　Mechanism　is　guaranteed　to　work｜　｜　perfectly　for　a　thousand　years
　　
　　〃Well；　I　declare！〃　gasped　the　yellow　hen；　in　amazement；　〃if　the　copper　man　can　do　half　of　these　things　he　is　a　very　wonderful　machine。But　I　suppose　it　is　all　humbug；　like　so　many　other　patented　articles。〃
　　〃We　might　wind　him　up；〃　suggested　Dorothy；　〃and　see　what　he'll　do。〃
　　〃Where　is　the　key　to　the　clock…work？〃　asked　Billina。
　　〃Hanging　on　the　peg　where　I　found　the　card。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　the　hen；　〃let　us　try　him；　and　find　out　if　he　will　go。He　is　warranted　for　a　thousand　years；　it　seems；　but　we　do　not　know　how　long　he　has　been　standing　inside　this　rock。〃
　　Dorothy　had　already　taken　the　clock　key　from　the　peg。
　　〃Which　shall　I　wind　up　first？〃　she　asked；　looking　again　at　the　directions　on　the　card。
　　〃Number　One；　I　should　think；〃　returned　Billina。〃That　makes　him　think；　doesn't　it？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Dorothy；　and　wound　up　Number　One；　under　the　left　arm。
　　〃He　doesn't　seem　any　different；〃　remarked　the　hen；　critically。
　　〃Why；　of　course　not；　he　is　only　thinking；　now；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃I　wonder　what　he　is　thinking　about。〃
　　〃I'll　wind　up　his　talk；　and　then　perhaps　he　can　tell　us；〃　said　the　girl。
　　So　she　wound　up　Number　Two；　and　immediately　the　clock…work　man　said；　without　moving　any　part　of　his　body　except　his　lips：
　　〃Good　morn…ing；　lit…tle　girl。Good　morn…ing；　Mrs。　Hen。〃
　　The　words　sounded　a　little　hoarse　and　creaky；　and　they　were　uttered　all　in　the　same　tone；　without　any　change　of　expression　whatever；　but　both　Dorothy　and　Billina　understood　them　perfectly。
　　〃Good　morning；　sir；〃　they　answered；　politely。
　　〃Thank　you　for　res…cu…ing　me；〃　continued　the　machine；　in　the　same　monotonous　voice；　which　seemed　to　be　worked　by　a　bellows　inside　of　him；　like　the　little　toy　lambs　and　cats　the　children　squeeze　so　that　they　will　make　a　noise。
　　〃Don't　mention　it；〃　answered　Dorothy。And　then；　being　very　curious；　she　asked：　〃How　did　you　e　to　be　locked　up　in　this　place？〃
　　〃It　is　a　long　sto…ry；〃　replied　the　copper　man；　〃but　I　will　tell　it　to　you　brief…ly。I　was　pur…chased　from　Smith　&　Tin…ker；　my　man…u…fac…tur…ers；　by　a　cru…el　King　of　Ev；　named　Ev…ol…do；　who　used　to　beat　all　his　serv…ants　un…til　they　died。How…ev…er；　he　was　not　a…ble　to　kill　me；　be…cause　I　was　not　a…live；　and　one　must　first　live　in　or…der　to　die。So　that　all　his　beat…ing　did　me　no　harm；　and　mere…ly　kept　my　cop…per　bod…y　well　pol…ished。
　　〃This　cru…el　king　had　a　love…ly　wife　and　ten　beau…ti…ful　chil…dren…five　boys　and　five　girls…but　in　a　fit　of　an…ger　he　sold　them　all　to　the　Nome　King；　who　by　means　of　his　mag…ic　arts　changed　them　all　in…to　oth…er　forms　and　put　them　in　his　un…der…ground　pal…ace　to　or…na…ment　the　rooms。
　　〃Af…ter…ward　the　King　of　Ev　re…gret…ted　his　wick…ed　ac…tion；　and　tried　to　get　his　wife　and　chil…dren　a…way　from　the　Nome　King；　but　with…out　a…vail。So；　in　de…spair；　he　locked　me　up　in　this　rock；　threw　the　key　in…to　the　o…cean；　and　then　jumped　in　af…ter　it　and　was　drowned。〃
　　〃How　very　dreadful！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。
　　〃It　is；　in…deed；〃　said　the　machine。〃When　I　found　my…self　im…pris…oned　I　shout…ed　for　help　un…til　my　voice　ran　down；　and　then　I　walked　back　and　forth　in　this　lit…tle　room　un…til　my　ac…tion　ran　down；　and　then　I　stood　still　and　thought　un…til　my　thoughts　ran　down。　Af…ter　that　I　re…mem…ber　noth…ing　un…til　you　wound　me　up　a…gain。〃
　　〃It's　a　very　wonderful　story；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　proves　that　the　Land　of　Ev　is　really　a　fairy　land；　as　I　thought　it　was。〃
　　〃Of　course　it　is；〃　answered　the　copper　man。〃I　do　not　sup…pose　such　a　per…fect　ma…chine　as　I　am　could　be　made　in　an…y　place　but　a　fair…y　land。〃
　　〃I've　never　seen　one　in　Kansas；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃But　where　did　you　get　the　key　to　un…lock　this　door？〃　asked　t