the wonderful wizard of oz-第14章

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but　he　had　too　much　sense　to　let　this　worry　him；　so　he　sprang　upon

the　bed　and　rolled　himself　up　like　a　cat　and　purred　himself　asleep

in　a　minute。



　　　　The　next　morning；　after　breakfast；　the　green　maiden　came　to

fetch　Dorothy；　and　she　dressed　her　in　one　of　the　prettiest　gowns；

made　of　green　brocaded　satin。　　Dorothy　put　on　a　green　silk　apron

and　tied　a　green　ribbon　around　Toto's　neck；　and　they　started

for　the　Throne　Room　of　the　Great　Oz。



　　　　First　they　came　to　a　great　hall　in　which　were　many　ladies　and

gentlemen　of　the　court；　all　dressed　in　rich　costumes。　　These

people　had　nothing　to　do　but　talk　to　each　other；　but　they　always

came　to　wait　outside　the　Throne　Room　every　morning；　although　they

were　never　permitted　to　see　Oz。　　As　Dorothy　entered　they　looked　at

her　curiously；　and　one　of　them　whispered：



　　　　〃Are　you　really　going　to　look　upon　the　face　of　Oz　the　Terrible？〃



　　　　〃Of　course；〃　answered　the　girl；　〃if　he　will　see　me。〃



　　　　〃Oh；　he　will　see　you；〃　said　the　soldier　who　had　taken　her

message　to　the　Wizard；　〃although　he　does　not　like　to　have　people

ask　to　see　him。　　Indeed；　at　first　he　was　angry　and　said　I　should

send　you　back　where　you　came　from。　　Then　he　asked　me　what　you

looked　like；　and　when　I　mentioned　your　silver　shoes　he　was　very

much　interested。　　At　last　I　told　him　about　the　mark　upon　your

forehead；　and　he　decided　he　would　admit　you　to　his　presence。〃



　　　　Just　then　a　bell　rang；　and　the　green　girl　said　to　Dorothy；

〃That　is　the　signal。　　You　must　go　into　the　Throne　Room　alone。〃



　　　　She　opened　a　little　door　and　Dorothy　walked　boldly　through　and

found　herself　in　a　wonderful　place。　　It　was　a　big；　round　room　with

a　high　arched　roof；　and　the　walls　and　ceiling　and　floor　were　covered

with　large　emeralds　set　closely　together。　　In　the　center　of　the　roof

was　a　great　light；　as　bright　as　the　sun；　which　made　the　emeralds

sparkle　in　a　wonderful　manner。



　　　　But　what　interested　Dorothy　most　was　the　big　throne　of　green

marble　that　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　　It　was　shaped　like　a

chair　and　sparkled　with　gems；　as　did　everything　else。　　In　the

center　of　the　chair　was　an　enormous　Head；　without　a　body　to

support　it　or　any　arms　or　legs　whatever。　　There　was　no　hair　upon

this　head；　but　it　had　eyes　and　a　nose　and　mouth；　and　was　much

bigger　than　the　head　of　the　biggest　giant。



　　　　As　Dorothy　gazed　upon　this　in　wonder　and　fear；　the　eyes　turned

slowly　and　looked　at　her　sharply　and　steadily。　　Then　the　mouth

moved；　and　Dorothy　heard　a　voice　say：



　　　　〃I　am　Oz；　the　Great　and　Terrible。　　Who　are　you；　and　why　do　you

seek　me？〃



　　　　It　was　not　such　an　awful　voice　as　she　had　expected　to　come

from　the　big　Head；　so　she　took　courage　and　answered：



　　　　〃I　am　Dorothy；　the　Small　and　Meek。　　I　have　come　to　you　for　help。〃



　　　　The　eyes　looked　at　her　thoughtfully　for　a　full　minute。

Then　said　the　voice：



　　　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　silver　shoes？〃



　　　　〃I　got　them　from　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　East；　when　my　house

fell　on　her　and　killed　her；〃　she　replied。



　　　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　mark　upon　your　forehead？〃　continued　the　voice。



　　　　〃That　is　where　the　Good　Witch　of　the　North　kissed　me　when　she

bade　me　good…bye　and　sent　me　to　you；〃　said　the　girl。



　　　　Again　the　eyes　looked　at　her　sharply；　and　they　saw　she　was

telling　the　truth。　　Then　Oz　asked；　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃



　　　　〃Send　me　back　to　Kansas；　where　my　Aunt　Em　and　Uncle　Henry　are；〃

she　answered　earnestly。　　〃I　don't　like　your　country；　although　it　is

so　beautiful。　　And　I　am　sure　Aunt　Em　will　be　dreadfully　worried　over

my　being　away　so　long。〃



　　　　The　eyes　winked　three　times；　and　then　they　turned　up　to　the

ceiling　and　down　to　the　floor　and　rolled　around　so　queerly　that

they　seemed　to　see　every　part　of　the　room。　　And　at　last　they

looked　at　Dorothy　again。



　　　　〃Why　should　I　do　this　for　you？〃　asked　Oz。



　　　　〃Because　you　are　strong　and　I　am　weak；　because　you　are　a　Great

Wizard　and　I　am　only　a　little　girl。〃



　　　　〃But　you　were　strong　enough　to　kill　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　East；〃

said　Oz。



　　　　〃That　just　happened；〃　returned　Dorothy　simply；　〃I　could　not　help　it。〃



　　　　〃Well；〃　said　the　Head；　〃I　will　give　you　my　answer。　　You　have　no

right　to　expect　me　to　send　you　back　to　Kansas　unless　you　do　something

for　me　in　return。　　In　this　country　everyone　must　pay　for　everything

he　gets。　　If　you　wish　me　to　use　my　magic　power　to　send　you　home　again

you　must　do　something　for　me　first。　　Help　me　and　I　will　help　you。〃



　　　　〃What　must　I　do？〃　asked　the　girl。



　　　　〃Kill　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West；〃　answered　Oz。



　　　　〃But　I　cannot！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy；　greatly　surprised。



　　　　〃You　killed　the　Witch　of　the　East　and　you　wear　the　silver　shoes；

which　bear　a　powerful　charm。　　There　is　now　but　one　Wicked　Witch　left

in　all　this　land；　and　when　you　can　tell　me　she　is　dead　I　will　send

you　back　to　Kansasbut　not　before。〃



　　　　The　little　girl　began　to　weep；　she　was　so　much　disappointed；

and　the　eyes　winked　again　and　looked　upon　her　anxiously；　as　if　the

Great　Oz　felt　that　she　could　help　him　if　she　would。



　　　　〃I　never　killed　anything；　willingly；〃　she　sobbed。　　〃Even　if　I

wanted　to；　how　could　I　kill　the　Wicked　Witch？　　If　you；　who　are　Great

and　Terrible；　cannot　kill　her　yourself；　how　do　you　expect　me　to　do　it？〃



　　　　〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　the　Head；　〃but　that　is　my　answer；　and

until　the　Wicked　Witch　dies　you　will　not　see　your　uncle　and　aunt

again。　　Remember　that　the　Witch　is　Wickedtremendously　Wicked

…and　ought　to　be　killed。　　Now　go；　and　do　not　ask　to　see　me　again

until　you　have　done　your　task。〃



　　　　Sorrowfully　Dorothy　left　the　Throne　Room　and　went　back　where

the　Lion　and　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　were　waiting　to

hear　what　Oz　had　said　to　her。　　〃There　is　no　hope　for　me；〃　she

said　sadly；　〃for　Oz　will　not　send　me　home　until　I　have　killed

the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West；　and　that　I　can　never　do。〃



　　　　Her　friends　were　sorry；　but　could　do　nothing　to　help　her；　so

Dorothy　went　to　her　own　room　and　lay　down　on　the　bed　and　cried

herself　to　sleep。



　　　　The　next　morning　the　soldier　with　the　green　whiskers　came　to

the　Scarecrow　and　said：



　　　　〃Come　with　me；　for　Oz　has　sent　for　you。〃



　　　　So　the　Scarecrow　followed　him　and　was　admitted　into　the　great

Throne　Room；　where　he　saw；　sitting　in　the　emerald　throne；　a　most

lovely　Lady。　　She　was　dressed　in　green　silk　gauze　and　wore　upon

her　flowing　green　locks　a　crown　of　jewels。　　Growing　from　her

shoulders　were　wings；　gorgeous　in　color　and　so　light　that　they

fluttered　if　the　slightest　breath　of　air　reached　them。



　　　　When　the　Scarecrow　had　bowed；　as　prettily　as　his　straw　stuffing　would

let　him；　before　this　beautiful　creature；　she　looked　upon　him　sweetly；

and　said：



　　　　〃I　am　Oz；　the　Great　and　Terrible。　　Who　are　you；　and　why　do　you　seek　me？〃



　　　　Now　the　Scarecrow；　who　had　expected　to　see　the　great　Head　Dorothy　had

told　him　of；　was　much　astonished；　but　he　answered　her　bravely。



　　　　〃I　am　only　a　Scarecrow；　stuffed　with　straw。　　Therefore　I　have

no　brains；　and　I　come　to　you　praying　that　you　will　put　brains　in

my　head　instead　of　straw；　so　that　I　may　become　as　much　a　man　as

any　other　in　your　dominions。〃



　　　　〃Why　should　I　do　this　for　you？〃　asked　the　Lady。



　　　　〃Because　you　are　wise　and　powerful；　and　no　one　else　can　help　me；〃

answered　the　Scarecrow。



　　　　〃I　never　grant　favors　without　some　return；〃　said　Oz；　〃but　this

much　I　will　promise。　　If　you　will　kill　for　me　the　Wicked　Witch　of

the　West；　I　will　bestow　upon　you　a　great　many　brains；　and　such

good　brains　that　you　will　be　the　wisest　man　in　all　the　Land　of　Oz。〃



　　　　〃I　thought　you　asked　Dorothy　to　kill　the　Witch；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；

in　surprise。



　　　　〃So　I　did。　　I　don't　care　who　kills　her。　　But　until　she　is　dead

I　will　not　grant　your　wish。　　Now　go；　and　do　not　seek　me　again

until　you　have　earned　the　brains　you　so　greatly　desire。〃



　　　　The　Scarecrow　went　sorrowfully　bac