the enchanted island of yew-第22章
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was walking up and down in front of this building; with his head bowed low; but when he heard the sound of approaching horses' hoofs he looked up and stared for a moment in amazement。 Then; with a shout of rage; he rushed toward them and caught Prince Marvel's horse by the bridle。
〃How dare you!〃 he cried; 〃how dare you enter my forest?〃
Marvel jerked his bridle from the man's grasp and said in return:
〃Who are you?〃
〃Me! Who am I? Why; I am the great and powerful Kwytoffle! So beware! Beware my sorcery!〃
They all looked at the man curiously。 He was short and very fat; and had a face like a puff…ball; with little red eyes and scarcely any nose at all。 He wore a black gown with scarlet grasshoppers and june…bugs embroidered upon the cloth; and his hat was high and peaked; with an imitation grasshopper of extraordinary size perched upon its point。 In his right hand he carried a small black wand; and around his neck hung a silver whistle on a silver cord。
Seeing that the strangers were gazing on him so earnestly; Kwytoffle thought they were frightened; so he said again; in a big voice:
〃Beware my vengeance!〃
〃Beware yourself!〃 retorted the prince。 〃For if you do not treat us more respectfully; I shall have you flogged。〃
〃What! Flog me!〃 shouted Kwytoffle; furiously。 〃For this I will turn every one of you into grasshoppersunless you at once give me all the wealth you possess!〃
〃Poor man!〃 exclaimed Nerle; 〃I can see you are longing for that flogging。 Will you have it now?〃 and he raised his riding…whip above his head。
Kwytoffle stumbled backward a few paces and blew shrilly upon his silver whistle。 Instantly a number of soldiers came running from the building; others following quickly after them until fully a hundred rough…looking warriors; armed with swords and axes; had formed in battle array; facing the little party of Prince Marvel。
〃Arrest these strangers!〃 commanded Kwytoffle; in a voice like a roar。 〃Capture them and bind them securely; and then I will change them all into grasshoppers!〃
〃All right;〃 answered the captain of the soldiers; and then he turned to his men and shouted: 〃Forwarddouble…quickmarch!〃
They came on with drawn swords; at first running; and then gradually dropping into a walk; as they beheld Nerle; Wul…Takim; King Terribus and Marvel standing quietly waiting to receive them; weapons in hand and ready for battle。 A few paces off the soldiers hesitated and stopped altogether; and Kwytoffle yelled at the captain:
〃Why don't you go on? Why don't you capture them? Why don't you fight them?〃
〃Why; they have drawn their swords!〃 responded the captain; reproachfully。
〃Who cares?〃 roared the sorcerer。
〃We care;〃 said the captain; giving a shudder; as he looked upon the strangers。 〃Their swords are sharp; and some of us would get hurt。〃
〃You're cowards!〃 shrieked the enraged Kwytoffle。 〃I'll turn you all into June…bugs!〃
At this threat the soldiers dropped their swords and axes; and all fell upon their knees; trembling visibly and imploring their cruel master not to change them into june…bugs。
〃Bah!〃 cried Nerle; scornfully; 〃why don't you fight? If we kill you; then you will escape being June…bugs。〃
〃The fact is;〃 said the captain; woefully; 〃we simply can't fight。 For our swords are only tin; and our axes are made of wood; with silver…paper pasted over them。〃
〃But why is that?〃 asked Wul…Takim; while all the party showed their surprise。
〃Why; until now we have never had any need to fight;〃 said the captain; 〃for every one has quickly surrendered to us or run away the moment we came near。 But you people do not appear to be properly frightened; and now; alas! since you have drawn upon us the great sorcerer's anger; we shall all be transformed into June…bugs。〃
〃Yes!〃 roared Kwytoffle; hopping up and down with anger; 〃you shall all be June…bugs; and these strangers I will transform into grasshoppers!〃
〃Very well;〃 said Prince Marvel; quietly; 〃you can do it now。〃
〃I will! I will!〃 cried the sorcerer。
〃Then why don't you begin?〃 inquired the prince。
〃Why don't I begin? Why; I haven't got the enchantments with me; that's why。 Do you suppose we great magicians carry around enchantments in our pockets?〃 returned the other; in a milder tone。
〃Where do you keep your enchantments?〃 asked the prince。
〃They're in my dwelling;〃 snapped Kwytoffle; taking off his hat and fanning his fat face with the brim。
〃Then go and get them;〃 said Marvel。
〃Nonsense! If I went to get the enchantments you would all run away!〃 retorted the sorcerer。
〃Not so!〃 protested Nerle; who was beginning to be amused。 〃My greatest longing in life is to become a grasshopper。〃
〃Oh; yes! PLEASE let us be grasshoppers!〃 exclaimed the High Ki maids in the same breath。
〃We want to hop! We want to hop! PleasePLEASE let us hop!〃 implored the bald…headed Ki; winking their left eyes at Wul…Takim。
〃By all means let us become grasshoppers;〃 said King Terribus; smiling; and Wul…Takim added:
〃I'm sure your soldiers would enjoy being June…bugs; for then they wouldn't have to work。 Isn't that so; boys?〃
The bewildered soldiers looked at one another in perplexity; and the still more bewildered sorcerer gazed on the speakers with staring eyes and wide…open mouth。
〃I insist;〃 said Prince Marvel; 〃upon your turning us into grasshoppers and your soldiers into June…bugs; as you promised。 If you do not; then I will flog youas I promised。〃
〃Very well;〃 returned the sorcerer; with a desperate look upon his face; 〃I'll go and find the enchantment。〃
〃And we'll go with you;〃 remarked the prince; pleasantly。
So the entire party accompanied Kwytoffle into the house; where they entered a large room that was in a state of much disorder。
〃Let me see;〃 said the sorcerer; rubbing his ears; as if trying to think; 〃I wonder if I put them in this cupboard。 You see;〃 he explained; 〃no one has ever before dared me to transform him into a June…bug or grasshopper; so I have almost forgotten where I keep my book of enchantments。 No; it's not in the cupboard;〃 he continued; looking there; 〃but it surely must be in this chest。〃
It was not in the chest; either; and so the sorcerer continued to look in all sorts of queer places for his book of enchantments; without finding it。 Whenever he paused in his search Prince Marvel would say; sternly:
〃Go on! Find the book! Hunt it up。 We are all anxious to become grasshoppers。〃 And then Kwytoffle would set to work again; although big drops of perspiration were now streaming down his face。
Finally he pulled an old book from underneath the pillow of his bed; and crying; 〃Here it is!〃 carried it to the window。
He turned a few leaves of the book and then said:
〃How unfortunate! The compound I require to change you into grasshoppers must be mixed on the first day of September; and as this is now the eighth day of September I must wait nearly a year before I can work the enchantment。〃
〃How about the June…bugs?〃 asked Nerle。
〃Oh! Ah!。 The June…bug mixture can only be made at the dark o' the moon;〃 said the sorcerer; pretending to read; 〃and that is three weeks from now。〃
〃Let me read it;〃 said Prince Marvel; suddenly snatching the book from Kwytoffle's hands。 Then he turned to the title…page and read:
〃'Lives of Famous Thieves and Impostors。' Why; this is not a book of enchantments。〃
〃That is what I suspected;〃 said Terribus。
〃No one but a sorcerer can read the enchantments in this book;〃 declared Kwytoffle; but he hung his head with a sheepish look; for he knew his deception had been well understood。
〃Is your own history written in this volume?〃 inquired Marvel。
〃No;〃 answered the sorcerer。
〃Then it ought to be;〃 said the prince; 〃for you are no sorcerer at all; but merely a thief and an impostor!〃
22。 The Queen of Plenta
The soldiers of Kwytoffle wanted to hang their old master at once; for he had won their enmity by abusing them in many ways; but Prince Marvel would not let them do this。 However; they tied the false sorcerer to a post; and the captain gave him a good whippingone lash for each letter in the words 〃grasshopper〃 and 〃June…bug。〃