the lost princess of oz-第36章

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agreed；　although　rather　ungraciously；　to　put　the　little



Bear's　wisdom　to　the　test　once　more。　So　he　sat　the



little　one　on　his　knee　and　turned　the　crank　and　the



Wizard　himself　asked　the　questions　in　a　very



respectful　tone　of　voice。







〃Where　is　Ozma？〃　was　his　first　query。







〃Here；　in　this　room；〃　answered　the　little　Pink　Bear。







They　all　looked　around　the　room；　but　of　course　did



not　see　her。







〃In　what　part　of　this　room　is　she？〃　was　the　Wizard's



next　question。







〃In　Button…Bright's　pocket；〃　said　the　little　Pink



Bear。







This　reply　amazed　them　all；　you　may　be　sure；　and



although　the　three　girls　smiled　and　Scraps　yelled：



〃Hoo…ray！〃　in　derision；　the　Wizard　seemed　to　consider



the　matter　with　grave　thoughtfulness。







〃In　which　one　of　Button…Bright's　pockets　is　Ozma？〃　he



presently　inquired。







〃In　the　lefthand　jacket…pocket；〃　said　the　little　Pink



Bear。







〃The　pink　one　has　gone　crazy！〃　exclaimed　Button…



Bright；　staring　hard　at　the　little　bear　on　the　big



bear's　knee。







〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　declared　the　Wizard。　〃If



Ozma　proves　to　be　really　in　your　pocket；　then　the



little　Pink　Bear　spoke　truly　when　he　said　Ozma　was　in



that　hole　in　the　ground。　For　at　that　time　you　were　also



in　the　hole；　and　after　we　had　pulled　you　out　of　it　the



little　Pink　Bear　said　Ozma　was　not　in　the　hole。〃







〃He　never　makes　a　mistake；〃　asserted　the　Bear　King；



stoutly。







〃Empty　that　pocket；　Button…Bright；　and　let's　see



what's　in　it；〃　requested　Dorothy。







So　Button…Bright　laid　the　contents　of　his　left



jacket…pocket　on　the　table。　These　proved　to　be　a　peg…



top；　a　bunch　of　string；　a　small　rubber　ball　and　a



golden　peach…pit。







〃What's　this？〃　asked　the　Wizard；　picking　up　the



peach…pit　and　examining　it　closely。







〃Oh；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　saved　that　to　show　to　the



girls；　and　then　forgot　all　about　it。　It　came　out　of　a



lonesome　peach　that　I　found　in　the　orchard　back　yonder；



and　which　I　ate　while　I　was　lost。　It　looks　like　gold；



and　I　never　saw　a　peach…pit　like　it　before。〃







〃Nor　I；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　that　makes　it　seem



suspicious。〃







All　heads　were　bent　over　the　golden　peach…pit。　The



Wizard　turned　it　over　several　times　and　then　took　out



his　pocket…knife　and　pried　the　pit　open。







As　the　two　halves　fell　apart　a　pink；　cloud…like　haze



came　pouring　from　the　golden　peach…pit；　almost　filling



the　big　room；　and　from　the　haze　a　form　took　shape　and



settled　beside　them。　Then；　as　the　haze　faded　away；　a



sweet　voice　said：　〃Thank　you；　my　friends！〃　and　there



before　them　stood　their　lovely　girl　Ruler；　Ozma　of　Oz。







With　a　cry　of　delight　Dorothy　rushed　forward　and



embraced　her。　Scraps　turned　gleeful　flip　flops　all



around　the　room。　Button…Bright　gave　a　low　whistle　of



astonishment。　The　Frogman　took　off　his　tall　hat　and



bowed　low　before　the　beautiful　girl　who　had　been　freed



from　her　enchantment　in　so　startling　a　manner。







For　a　time　no　sound　was　heard　beyond　the　low　murmur



of　delight　that　came　from　the　amazed　group；　but



presently　the　growl　of　the　big　Lavender　Bear　grew



louder　and　he　said　in　a　tone　of　triumph：







〃He　never　makes　a　mistake！〃



















Chapter　Twenty…Five







Ozma　of　Oz











〃It's　funny；〃　said　Toto；　standing　before　his　friend　the



Lion　and　wagging　his　tail；　〃but　I've　found　my　growl　at



last！　I　am　positive；　now；　that　it　was　the　cruel



magician　who　stole　it。〃







〃Let's　hear　your　growl；〃　requested　the　Lion。







〃Gr…r…r…r…r…r！〃　said　Toto。







〃That　is　fine；〃　declared　the　big　beast。　〃It　isn't　as



loud　or　as　deep　as　the　growl　of　the　big　Lavender　Bear；



but　it　is　a　very　respectable　growl　for　a　small　dog。



Where　did　you　find　it；　Toto？〃







〃I　was　smelling　in　the　corner；　yonder；〃　said　Toto；



〃when　suddenly　a　mouse　ran　out　　and　I　growled！〃







The　others　were　all　busy　congratulating　Ozma；　who　was



very　happy　at　being　released　from　the　confinement　of



the　golden　peach…pit；　where　the　magician　had　placed　her



with　the　notion　that　she　never　could　be　found　or



liberated。







〃And　only　to　think；〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃that　Button…



Bright　has　been　carrying　you　in　his　pocket　all　this



time；　and　we　never　knew　it！〃







〃The　little　Pink　Bear　told　you；〃　said　the　Bear　King；



〃but　you　wouldn't　believe　him。〃







〃Never　mind；　my　dears；〃　said　Ozma　graciously；　〃all　is



well　that　ends　well；　and　you　couldn't　be　expected　to



know　I　was　inside　the　peach…pit。　Indeed；　I　feared　I



would　remain　a　captive　much　longer　than　I　did；　for　Ugu



is　a　bold　and　clever　magician　and　he　had　hidden　me　very



securely。〃







〃You　were　in　a　fine　peach；〃　said　Button…Bright；　〃the



best　I　ever　ate。〃







〃The　magician　was　foolish　to　make　the　peach　so



tempting；〃　remarked　the　Wizard；　〃but　Ozma　would　lend



beauty　to　any　transformation。〃







〃How　did　you　manage　to　conquer　Ugu　the　Shoemaker？〃



inquired　the　girl　Ruler　of　Oz。







Dorothy　started　to　tell　the　story　and　Trot　helped



her；　and　Button…Bright　wanted　to　relate　it　in　his　own



way；　and　the　Wizard　tried　to　make　it　clear　to　Ozma；　and



Betsy　had　to　remind　them　of　important　things　they　left



out；　and　all　together　there　was　such　a　chatter　that　it



was　a　wonder　that　Ozma　understood　any　of　it。　But　she



listened　patiently；　with　a　smile　on　her　lovely　face　at



their　eagerness；　and　presently　had　gleaned　all　the



details　of　their　adventures。







Ozma　thanked　the　Frogman　very　earnestly　for　his



assistance　and　she　advised　Cayke　the　Cookie　Cook　to　dry



her　weeping　eyes；　for　she　promised　to　take　her　to　the



Emerald　City　and　see　that　her　cherished　dishpan　was



restored　to　her。　Then　the　beautiful　Ruler　took　a　chain



of　emeralds　from　around　her　own　neck　and　placed　it



around　the　neck　of　the　little　Pink　Bear。







〃Your　wise　answers　to　the　questions　of　my　friends；〃



said　she；　〃helped　them　to　rescue　me。　Therefore　I　am



deeply　grateful　to　you　and　to　your　noble　King。〃







The　bead　eyes　of　the　little　Pink　Bear　stared



unresponsive　to　this　praise　until　the　Big　Lavender　Bear



turned　the　crank　in　its　side；　when　it　said　in　its



squeaky　voice：







〃I　thank　Your　Majesty。〃







〃For　my　part；〃　returned　the　Bear　King；　〃I　realize



that　you　were　well　worth　saving；　Miss　Ozma；　and　so　I　am



much　pleased　that　we　could　be　of　service　to　you。　By



means　of　my　Magic　Wand　I　have　been　creating　exact



images　of　your　Emerald　City　and　your　Royal　Palace；　and



I　must　confess　that　they　are　more　attractive　than　any



places　I　have　ever　seen　　not　excepting　Bear　Center。〃







〃I　would　like　to　entertain　you　in　my　palace；〃



returned　Ozma；　sweetly；　〃and　you　are　welcome　to　return



with　me　and　to　make　me　a　long　visit；　if　your　bear



subjects　can　spare　you　from　your　own　kingdom。〃







〃As　for　that；〃　answered　the　King；　〃my　kingdom　causes



me　little　worry；　and　I　often　find　it　somewhat　tame　and



uninteresting。　Therefore　I　am　in　no　hurry　to　return　to



it　and　will　be　glad　to　accept　your　kind　invitation。



Corporal　Waddle　may　be　trusted　to　care　for　my　bears



in　my　absence。〃







〃And　you'll　bring　the　little　Pink　Bear？〃　asked



Dorothy　eagerly。







〃Of　course；　my　dear；　I　would　not　willingly　part　with



him。〃







They　remained　in　the　wicker　castle　for　three　days；



carefully　packing　all　the　magical　things　that　had　been



stolen　by　Ugu　and　also　taking　whate