the wonderful wizard of oz-第20章

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the　people；　and　she　was　never　known　to　hurt　anyone　who　was　good。

Her　name　was　Gayelette；　and　she　lived　in　a　handsome　palace　built

from　great　blocks　of　ruby。　　Everyone　loved　her；　but　her　greatest

sorrow　was　that　she　could　find　no　one　to　love　in　return；　since　all

the　men　were　much　too　stupid　and　ugly　to　mate　with　one　so　beautiful

and　wise。　　At　last；　however；　she　found　a　boy　who　was　handsome　and

manly　and　wise　beyond　his　years。　　Gayelette　made　up　her　mind　that

when　he　grew　to　be　a　man　she　would　make　him　her　husband；　so　she

took　him　to　her　ruby　palace　and　used　all　her　magic　powers　to

make　him　as　strong　and　good　and　lovely　as　any　woman　could　wish。

When　he　grew　to　manhood；　Quelala；　as　he　was　called；　was　said　to

be　the　best　and　wisest　man　in　all　the　land；　while　his　manly　beauty

was　so　great　that　Gayelette　loved　him　dearly；　and　hastened　to　make

everything　ready　for　the　wedding。



　　　　〃My　grandfather　was　at　that　time　the　King　of　the　Winged　Monkeys

which　lived　in　the　forest　near　Gayelette's　palace；　and　the　old　fellow

loved　a　joke　better　than　a　good　dinner。　　One　day；　just　before　the　wedding；

my　grandfather　was　flying　out　with　his　band　when　he　saw　Quelala　walking

beside　the　river。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　rich　costume　of　pink　silk　and

purple　velvet；　and　my　grandfather　thought　he　would　see　what　he　could　do。

At　his　word　the　band　flew　down　and　seized　Quelala；　carried　him　in　their

arms　until　they　were　over　the　middle　of　the　river；　and　then　dropped　him

into　the　water。



　　　　〃‘Swim　out；　my　fine　fellow；'　cried　my　grandfather；　‘and　see　if

the　water　has　spotted　your　clothes。'　　Quelala　was　much　too　wise

not　to　swim；　and　he　was　not　in　the　least　spoiled　by　all　his　good

fortune。　　He　laughed；　when　he　came　to　the　top　of　the　water；　and

swam　in　to　shore。　　But　when　Gayelette　came　running　out　to　him　she

found　his　silks　and　velvet　all　ruined　by　the　river。



　　　　〃The　princess　was　angry；　and　she　knew；　of　course；　who　did　it。

She　had　all　the　Winged　Monkeys　brought　before　her；　and　she　said　at

first　that　their　wings　should　be　tied　and　they　should　be　treated

as　they　had　treated　Quelala；　and　dropped　in　the　river。　　But　my

grandfather　pleaded　hard；　for　he　knew　the　Monkeys　would　drown　in

the　river　with　their　wings　tied；　and　Quelala　said　a　kind　word　for

them　also；　so　that　Gayelette　finally　spared　them；　on　condition

that　the　Winged　Monkeys　should　ever　after　do　three　times　the

bidding　of　the　owner　of　the　Golden　Cap。　　This　Cap　had　been　made

for　a　wedding　present　to　Quelala；　and　it　is　said　to　have　cost　the

princess　half　her　kingdom。　　Of　course　my　grandfather　and　all　the

other　Monkeys　at　once　agreed　to　the　condition；　and　that　is　how　it

happens　that　we　are　three　times　the　slaves　of　the　owner　of　the

Golden　Cap；　whosoever　he　may　be。〃



　　　　〃And　what　became　of　them？〃　asked　Dorothy；　who　had　been　greatly

interested　in　the　story。



　　　　〃Quelala　being　the　first　owner　of　the　Golden　Cap；〃　replied

the　Monkey；　〃he　was　the　first　to　lay　his　wishes　upon　us。　　As　his

bride　could　not　bear　the　sight　of　us；　he　called　us　all　to　him　in

the　forest　after　he　had　married　her　and　ordered　us　always　to　keep

where　she　could　never　again　set　eyes　on　a　Winged　Monkey；　which　we

were　glad　to　do；　for　we　were　all　afraid　of　her。



　　　　〃This　was　all　we　ever　had　to　do　until　the　Golden　Cap　fell　into

the　hands　of　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West；　who　made　us　enslave　the

Winkies；　and　afterward　drive　Oz　himself　out　of　the　Land　of　the

West。　　Now　the　Golden　Cap　is　yours；　and　three　times　you　have　the

right　to　lay　your　wishes　upon　us。〃



　　　　As　the　Monkey　King　finished　his　story　Dorothy　looked　down

and　saw　the　green；　shining　walls　of　the　Emerald　City　before　them。

She　wondered　at　the　rapid　flight　of　the　Monkeys；　but　was　glad　the

journey　was　over。　　The　strange　creatures　set　the　travelers　down

carefully　before　the　gate　of　the　City；　the　King　bowed　low　to

Dorothy；　and　then　flew　swiftly　away；　followed　by　all　his　band。



　　　　〃That　was　a　good　ride；〃　said　the　little　girl。



　　　　〃Yes；　and　a　quick　way　out　of　our　troubles；〃　replied　the　Lion。

〃How　lucky　it　was　you　brought　away　that　wonderful　Cap！〃









　　　　　　　　　　　　　　15。　　The　Discovery　of　Oz；　the　Terrible





　　　　The　four　travelers　walked　up　to　the　great　gate　of　Emerald　City

and　rang　the　bell。　　After　ringing　several　times；　it　was　opened　by

the　same　Guardian　of　the　Gates　they　had　met　before。



　　　　〃What！　are　you　back　again？〃　he　asked；　in　surprise。



　　　　〃Do　you　not　see　us？〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。



　　　　〃But　I　thought　you　had　gone　to　visit　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West。〃



　　　　〃We　did　visit　her；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。



　　　　〃And　she　let　you　go　again？〃　asked　the　man；　in　wonder。



　　　　〃She　could　not　help　it；　for　she　is　melted；〃　explained　the　Scarecrow。



　　　　〃Melted！　　Well；　that　is　good　news；　indeed；〃　said　the　man。

〃Who　melted　her？〃



　　　　〃It　was　Dorothy；〃　said　the　Lion　gravely。



　　　　〃Good　gracious！〃　exclaimed　the　man；　and　he　bowed　very　low　indeed

before　her。



　　　　Then　he　led　them　into　his　little　room　and　locked　the　spectacles

from　the　great　box　on　all　their　eyes；　just　as　he　had　done　before。

Afterward　they　passed　on　through　the　gate　into　the　Emerald　City。

When　the　people　heard　from　the　Guardian　of　the　Gates　that　Dorothy

had　melted　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West；　they　all　gathered　around

the　travelers　and　followed　them　in　a　great　crowd　to　the　Palace　of　Oz。



　　　　The　soldier　with　the　green　whiskers　was　still　on　guard　before

the　door；　but　he　let　them　in　at　once；　and　they　were　again　met　by

the　beautiful　green　girl；　who　showed　each　of　them　to　their　old

rooms　at　once；　so　they　might　rest　until　the　Great　Oz　was　ready　to

receive　them。



　　　　The　soldier　had　the　news　carried　straight　to　Oz　that　Dorothy

and　the　other　travelers　had　come　back　again；　after　destroying　the

Wicked　Witch；　but　Oz　made　no　reply。　　They　thought　the　Great　Wizard

would　send　for　them　at　once；　but　he　did　not。　　They　had　no　word

from　him　the　next　day；　nor　the　next；　nor　the　next。　　The　waiting

was　tiresome　and　wearing；　and　at　last　they　grew　vexed　that　Oz

should　treat　them　in　so　poor　a　fashion；　after　sending　them　to

undergo　hardships　and　slavery。　　So　the　Scarecrow　at　last　asked　the

green　girl　to　take　another　message　to　Oz；　saying　if　he　did　not

let　them　in　to　see　him　at　once　they　would　call　the　Winged　Monkeys

to　help　them；　and　find　out　whether　he　kept　his　promises　or　not。

When　the　Wizard　was　given　this　message　he　was　so　frightened　that　he

sent　word　for　them　to　come　to　the　Throne　Room　at　four　minutes　after

nine　o'clock　the　next　morning。　　He　had　once　met　the　Winged　Monkeys

in　the　Land　of　the　West；　and　he　did　not　wish　to　meet　them　again。



　　　　The　four　travelers　passed　a　sleepless　night；　each　thinking　of　the

gift　Oz　had　promised　to　bestow　on　him。　　Dorothy　fell　asleep　only　once；

and　then　she　dreamed　she　was　in　Kansas；　where　Aunt　Em　was　telling　her

how　glad　she　was　to　have　her　little　girl　at　home　again。



　　　　Promptly　at　nine　o'clock　the　next　morning　the　green…whiskered

soldier　came　to　them；　and　four　minutes　later　they　all　went　into

the　Throne　Room　of　the　Great　Oz。



　　　　Of　course　each　one　of　them　expected　to　see　the　Wizard　in　the　shape

he　had　taken　before；　and　all　were　greatly　surprised　when　they　looked

about　and　saw　no　one　at　all　in　the　room。　　They　kept　close　to　the　door

and　closer　to　one　another；　for　the　stillness　of　the　empty　room　was　more

dreadful　than　any　of　the　forms　they　had　seen　Oz　take。



　　　　Presently　they　heard　a　solemn　Voice；　that　seemed　to　come　from

somewhere　near　the　top　of　the　great　dome；　and　it　said：



　　　　〃I　am　Oz；　the　Great　and　Terrible。　　Why　do　you　seek　me？〃



　　　　They　looked　again　in　every　part　of　the　room；　and　then；　seeing

no　one；　Dorothy　asked；　〃Where　are　you？〃



　　　　〃I　am　everywhere；〃　answered　the　Voice；　〃but　to　the　eyes　of

common　mortals　I　am　invisible。　　I　will　now　seat　myself　upon　my

throne；　that　you　may　converse　with　me。〃　　Indeed；　the　Voice　seemed

just　then　to　come　straight　from　the　throne　its