[英文]绿野仙踪(英文版)-第20章

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　　　　〃What　promise？〃　asked　Oz。
　　　　〃You　promised　to　send　me　back　to　Kansas　when　the　Wicked　Witch
was　destroyed；〃　said　the　girl。
　　　　〃And　you　promised　to　give　me　brains；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　　　〃And　you　promised　to　give　me　a　heart；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman。
　　　　〃And　you　promised　to　give　me　courage；〃　said　the　Cowardly　Lion。
　　　　〃Is　the　Wicked　Witch　really　destroyed？〃　asked　the　Voice；
and　Dorothy　thought　it　trembled　a　little。
　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃I　melted　her　with　a　bucket　of　water。〃
　　　　〃Dear　me；〃　said　the　Voice；　〃how　sudden！　　Well；　come　to　me
tomorrow；　for　I　must　have　time　to　think　it　over。〃
　　　　〃You've　had　plenty　of　time　already；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman　angrily。
　　　　〃We　shan't　wait　a　day　longer；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　　　〃You　must　keep　your　promises　to　us！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。
　　　　The　Lion　thought　it　might　be　as　well　to　frighten　the　Wizard；
so　he　gave　a　large；　loud　roar；　which　was　so　fierce　and　dreadful
that　Toto　jumped　away　from　him　in　alarm　and　tipped　over　the　screen
that　stood　in　a　corner。　　As　it　fell　with　a　crash　they　looked
that　way；　and　the　next　moment　all　of　them　were　filled　with　wonder。
For　they　saw；　standing　in　just　the　spot　the　screen　had　hidden；
a　little　old　man；　with　a　bald　head　and　a　wrinkled　face；　who　seemed
to　be　as　much　surprised　as　they　were。　　The　Tin　Woodman；　raising
his　axe；　rushed　toward　the　little　man　and　cried　out；　〃Who　are　you？〃
　　　　〃I　am　Oz；　the　Great　and　Terrible；〃　said　the　little　man；　in　a
trembling　voice。　　〃But　don't　strike　meplease　don'tand　I'll
do　anything　you　want　me　to。〃
　　　　Our　friends　looked　at　him　in　surprise　and　dismay。
　　　　〃I　thought　Oz　was　a　great　Head；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　　　〃And　I　thought　Oz　was　a　lovely　Lady；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　　　〃And　I　thought　Oz　was　a　terrible　Beast；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman。
　　　　〃And　I　thought　Oz　was　a　Ball　of　Fire；〃　exclaimed　the　Lion。
　　　　〃No；　you　are　all　wrong；〃　said　the　little　man　meekly。　　〃I　have
been　making　believe。〃
　　　　〃Making　believe！〃　cried　Dorothy。　　〃Are　you　not　a　Great　Wizard？〃
　　　　〃Hush；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　　〃Don't　speak　so　loud；　or　you　will　be
overheardand　I　should　be　ruined。　　I'm　supposed　to　be　a　Great　Wizard。〃
　　　　〃And　aren't　you？〃　she　asked。
　　　　〃Not　a　bit　of　it；　my　dear；　I'm　just　a　common　man。〃
　　　　〃You're　more　than　that；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　in　a　grieved　tone；
〃you're　a　humbug。〃
　　　　〃Exactly　so！〃　declared　the　little　man；　rubbing　his　hands
together　as　if　it　pleased　him。　　〃I　am　a　humbug。〃
　　　　〃But　this　is　terrible；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman。　　〃How　shall　I
ever　get　my　heart？〃
　　　　〃Or　I　my　courage？〃　asked　the　Lion。
　　　　〃Or　I　my　brains？〃　wailed　the　Scarecrow；　wiping　the　tears　from
his　eyes　with　his　coat　sleeve。
　　　　〃My　dear　friends；〃　said　Oz；　〃I　pray　you　not　to　speak　of　these
little　things。　　Think　of　me；　and　the　terrible　trouble　I'm　in　at
being　found　out。〃
　　　　〃Doesn't　anyone　else　know　you're　a　humbug？〃　asked　Dorothy。
　　　　〃No　one　knows　it　but　you　fourand　myself；〃　replied　Oz。　　〃I
have　fooled　everyone　so　long　that　I　thought　I　should　never　be
found　out。　　It　was　a　great　mistake　my　ever　letting　you　into　the
Throne　Room。　　Usually　I　will　not　see　even　my　subjects；　and　so　they
believe　I　am　something　terrible。〃
　　　　〃But；　I　don't　understand；〃　said　Dorothy；　in　bewilderment。
〃How　was　it　that　you　appeared　to　me　as　a　great　Head？〃
　　　　〃That　was　one　of　my　tricks；〃　answered　Oz。　　〃Step　this　way；
please；　and　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。〃
　　　　He　led　the　way　to　a　small　chamber　in　the　rear　of　the　Throne
Room；　and　they　all　followed　him。　　He　pointed　to　one　corner；　in
which　lay　the　great　Head；　made　out　of　many　thicknesses　of　paper；
and　with　a　carefully　painted　face。
　　　　〃This　I　hung　from　the　ceiling　by　a　wire；〃　said　Oz。　　〃I　stood
behind　the　screen　and　pulled　a　thread；　to　make　the　eyes　move　and
the　mouth　open。〃
　　　　〃But　how　about　the　voice？〃　she　inquired。
　　　　〃Oh；　I　am　a　ventriloquist；〃　said　the　little　man。　　〃I　can　throw
the　sound　of　my　voice　wherever　I　wish；　so　that　you　thought　it　was
coming　out　of　the　Head。　　Here　are　the　other　things　I　used　to
deceive　you。〃　　He　showed　the　Scarecrow　the　dress　and　the　mask　he
had　worn　when　he　seemed　to　be　the　lovely　Lady。　　And　the　Tin
Woodman　saw　that　his　terrible　Beast　was　nothing　but　a　lot　of
skins；　sewn　together；　with　slats　to　keep　their　sides　out。　　As　for
the　Ball　of　Fire；　the　false　Wizard　had　hung　that　also　from　the
ceiling。　　It　was　really　a　ball　of　cotton；　but　when　oil　was　poured
upon　it　the　ball　burned　fiercely。
　　　　〃Really；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of
yourself　for　being　such　a　humbug。〃
　　　　〃I　amI　certainly　am；〃　answered　the　little　man　sorrowfully；
〃but　it　was　the　only　thing　I　could　do。　　Sit　down；　please；　there
are　plenty　of　chairs；　and　I　will　tell　you　my　story。〃
　　　　So　they　sat　down　and　listened　while　he　told　the　following　tale。
　　　　〃I　was　born　in　Omaha〃
　　　　〃Why；　that　isn't　very　far　from　Kansas！〃　cried　Dorothy。
　　　　〃No；　but　it's　farther　from　here；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head　at
her　sadly。　　〃When　I　grew　up　I　became　a　ventriloquist；　and　at　that
I　was　very　well　trained　by　a　great　master。　　I　can　imitate　any　kind
of　a　bird　or　beast。〃　　Here　he　mewed　so　like　a　kitten　that　Toto
pricked　up　his　ears　and　looked　everywhere　to　see　where　she　was。
〃After　a　time；〃　continued　Oz；　〃I　tired　of　that；　and　became　a
balloonist。〃
　　　　〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Dorothy。
　　　　〃A　man　who　goes　up　in　a　balloon　on　circus　day；　so　as　to　draw　a
crowd　of　people　together　and　get　them　to　pay　to　see　the　circus；〃
he　explained。
　　　　〃Oh；〃　she　said；　〃I　know。〃
　　　　〃Well；　one　day　I　went　up　in　a　balloon　and　the　ropes　got
twisted；　so　that　I　couldn't　come　down　again。　　It　went　way　up　above
the　clouds；　so　far　that　a　current　of　air　struck　it　and　carried　it
many；　many　miles　away。　　For　a　day　and　a　night　I　traveled　through
the　air；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　second　day　I　awoke　and　found
the　balloon　floating　over　a　strange　and　beautiful　country。
　　　　〃It　came　down　gradually；　and　I　was　not　hurt　a　bit。　　But　I
found　myself　in　the　midst　of　a　strange　people；　who；　seeing　me　come
from　the　clouds；　thought　I　was　a　great　Wizard。　　Of　course　I　let
them　think　so；　because　they　were　afraid　of　me；　and　promised　to　do
anything　I　wished　them　to。
　　　　〃Just　to　amuse　myself；　and　keep　the　good　people　busy；　I
ordered　them　to　build　this　City；　and　my　Palace；　and　they　did　it
all　willingly　and　well。　　Then　I　thought；　as　the　country　was　so
green　and　beautiful；　I　would　call　it　the　Emerald　City；　and　to　make
the　name　fit　better　I　put　green　spectacles　on　all　the　people；　so
that　everything　they　saw　was　green。〃
　　　　〃But　isn't　everything　here　green？〃　asked　Dorothy。
　　　　〃No　more　than　in　any　other　city；〃　replied　Oz；　〃but　when　you
wear　green　spectacles；　why　of　course　everything　you　see　looks
green　to　you。　　The　Emerald　City　was　built　a　great　many　years　ago；
for　I　was　a　young　man　when　the　balloon　brought　me　here；　and　I　am　a
very　old　man　now。　　But　my　people　have　worn　green　glasses　on　their
eyes　so　long　that　most　of　them　think　it　really　is　an　Emerald　City；
and　it　certainly　is　a　beautiful　place；　abounding　in　jewels　and
precious　metals；　and　every　good　thing　that　is　needed　to　make
one　happy。　　I　have　been　good　to　the　people；　and　they　like　me；
but　ever　since　this　Palace　was　built；　I　have　shut　myself　up
and　would　not　see　any　of　them。
　　　　〃One　of　my　greatest　fears　was　the　Witches；　for　while　I　had　no
magical　powers　at　all　I　soon　found　out　that　the　Witches　were
really　able　to　do　wonderful　things。　　There　were　four　of　them　in
this　country；　and　they　ruled　the　people　who　live　in　the　North　and
South　and　East　and　West。　　Fortunately；　the　Witches　of　the　North
and　South　were　good；　and　I　knew　they　would　do　me　no　harm；　but　the
Witches　of　the　East　and　West　were　terribly　wicked；　and　had　they
not　thought　I　was　more　powerful　than　they　themselves；　they　would
surely　have　destroyed　me。　　As　it　was；　I　lived　in　deadly　fear　of
them　for　many　years；　so　you　can　imagine　how　pleased　I　was　when
I　heard　your　house　had　fallen　on　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　East。
When　you　came　to　me；　I　was　willing　to　promise　anything　if　you
would　only　do　away　with　the　other　Witch；　but；　now　that　you　have
melted　her；　I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　I　cannot　keep　my　promises。〃
　　　　〃I　think　you　are　a　very　bad　man；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　　　〃Oh；　no；　my　dear；　I'm　really　a　very　go