glinda of oz-第11章

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Flatheads　I　will　consider　what　next　to　do　with　these

foolish　girls。〃



She　resumed　her　seat　and　the　Lady　Aurex　bowed　low　and

said　in　a　humble　manner：



〃I　obey　your　Majesty's　commands。〃　Then　to　Ozma　and

Dorothy　she　added；　〃Follow　me；〃　and　turned　to　leave　the

throne　room。



Dorothy　looked　to　see　what　Ozma　would　do。　To　her

surprise　and　a　little　to　her　disappointment　Ozma　turned

and　followed　Lady　Aurex。　So　Dorothy　trailed　after　them；

but　not　without　giving　a　parting；　haughty　look　toward

Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　who　had　her　face　turned　the　other　way

and　did　not　see　the　disapproving　look









Chapter　Nine



Lady　Aurex







Lady　Aurex　led　Ozma　and　Dorothy　along　a　street　to　a

pretty　marble　house　near　to　one　edge　of　the　great　glass

dome　that　covered　the　village。　She　did　not　speak　to　the

girls　until　she　had　ushered　them　into　a　pleasant　room；

comfortably　furnished；　nor　did　any　of　the　solemn　people

they　met　on　the　street　venture　to　speak。



When　they　were　seated　Lady　Aurex　asked　if　they　were

hungry；　and　finding　they　were　summoned　a　maid　and

ordered　food　to　be　brought。



This　Lady　Aurex　looked　to　be　about　twenty　years　old；

although　in　the　Land　of　Oz　where　people　have　never

changed　in　appearance　since　the　fairies　made　it　a

fairyland　　where　no　one　grows　old　or　dies　　it　is

always　difficult　to　say　how　many　years　anyone　has

lived。　She　had　a　pleasant；　attractive　face；　even　though

it　was　solemn　and　sad　as　the　faces　of　all　Skeezers

seemed　to　be；　and　her　costume　was　rich　and　elaborate；

as　became　a　lady　in　waiting　upon　the　Queen。



Ozma　had　observed　Lady　Aurex　closely　and　now　asked

her　in　a　gentle　tone：



〃Do　you；　also；　believe　me　to　be　an　impostor？〃



〃I　dare　not　say；〃　replied　Lady　Aurex　in　a　low　tone。



〃Why　are　you　afraid　to　speak　freely？〃　inquired　Ozma。



〃The　Queen　punishes　us　if　we　make　remarks　that　she

does　not　like。〃



〃Are　we　not　alone　then；　in　this　house？〃



〃The　Queen　can　hear　everything　that　is　spoken　on　this

island　　even　the　slightest　whisper；〃　declared　Lady

Aurex。　〃She　is　a　wonderful　witch；　as　she　has　told　you；

and　it　is　folly　to　criticise　her　or　disobey　her

commands。〃



Ozma　looked　into　her　eyes　and　saw　that　she　would　like

to　say　more　if　she　dared。　So　she　drew　from　her　bosom

her　silver　wand；　and　having　muttered　a　magic　phrase　in

a　strange　tongue；　she　left　the　room　and　walked　slowly

around　the　outside　of　the　house；　making　a　complete

circle　and　waving　her　wand　in　mystic　curves　as　she

walked。　Lady　Aurex　watched　her　curiously　and；　when　Ozma

had　again　entered　the　room　and　seated　herself；　she

asked：



〃What　have　you　done？〃



〃I've　enchanted　this　house　in　such　a　manner　that

Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　with　all　her　witchcraft；　cannot　hear

one　word　we　speak　within　the　magic　circle　I　have　made；〃

replied　Ozma。　〃We　may　now　speak　freely　and　as　loudly　as

we　wish；　without　fear　of　the　Queen's　anger。〃



Lady　Aurex　brightened　at　this。



〃Can　I　trust　you？〃　she　asked。



〃Ev'rybody　trusts　Ozma；〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　〃She　is

true　and　honest；　and　your　wicked　Queen　will　be　sorry

she　insulted　the　powerful　Ruler　of　all　the　Land　of　Oz。〃



〃The　Queen　does　not　know　me　yet；〃　said　Ozma；　〃but　I

want　you　to　know　me；　Lady　Aurex；　and　I　want　you　to　tell

me　why　you；　and　all　the　Skeezers；　are　unhappy。　Do　not

fear　Coo…ee…oh's　anger；　for　she　cannot　hear　a　word　we

say；　I　assure　you。〃



Lady　Aurex　was　thoughtful　a　moment；　then　she　said：　〃I

shall　trust　you；　Princess　Ozma；　for　I　believe　you　are

what　you　say　you　are　　our　supreme　Ruler。　If　you　knew

the　dreadful　punishments　our　Queen　inflicts　upon　us；

you　would　not　wonder　we　are　so　unhappy。　The　Skeezers

are　not　bad　people；　they　do　not　care　to　quarrel　and

fight；　even　with　their　enemies　the　Flatheads；　but　they

are　so　cowed　and　fearful　of　Coo…ee…oh　that　they　obey

her　slightest　word；　rather　than　suffer　her　anger。〃



〃Hasn't　she　any　heart；　then？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃She　never　displays　mercy。　She　loves　no　one　but

herself；〃　asserted　Lady　Aurex；　but　she　trembled　as　she

said　it；　as　if　afraid　even　yet　of　her　terrible　Queen。



〃That's　pretty　bad；〃　said　Dorothy；　shaking　her　head

gravely。　〃I　see　you've　a　lot　to　do　here；　Ozma；　in　this

forsaken　corner　of　the　Land　of　Oz。　First　place；　you've

got　to　take　the　magic　away　from　Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　and

from　that　awful　Su…dic；　too。　My　idea　is　that　neither　of

them　is　fit　to　rule　anybody；　'cause　they're　cruel　and

hateful。　So　you'll　have　to　give　the　Skeezers　and

Flatheads　new　rulers　and　teach　all　their　people　that

they're　part　of　the　Land　of　Oz　and　must　obey；　above

all；　the　lawful　Ruler；　Ozma　of　Oz。　Then；　when　you've

done　that；　we　can　go　back　home　again。〃



Ozma　smiled　at　her　little　friend's　earnest　counsel；

but　Lady　Aurex　said　in　an　anxious　tone：



〃I　am　surprised　that　you　suggest　these　reforms　while

you　are　yet　prisoners　on　this　island　and　in　Coo…ee…oh's

power。　That　these　things　should　be　done；　there　is　no

doubt；　but　just　now　a　dreadful　war　is　likely　to　break

out；　and　frightful　things　may　happen　to　us　all。　　Our

Queen　has　such　conceit　that　she　thinks　she　can　overcome

the　Su…dic　and　his　people；　but　it　is　said　Su…dic's

magic　is　very　powerful；　although　not　as　great　as　that

possessed　by　his　wife　Rora；　before　Coo…ee…oh

transformed　her　into　a　Golden　Pig。〃



〃I　don't　blame　her　very　much　for　doing　that；〃

remarked　Dorothy；　〃for　the　Flatheads　were　wicked　to　try

to　catch　your　beautiful　fish　and　the　Witch　Rora　wanted

to　poison　all　the　fishes　in　the　lake。〃



〃Do　you　know　the　reason？〃　asked　the　Lady　Aurex。



〃I　don't　s'pose　there　was　any　reason；　'cept　just

wickedness；〃　replied　Dorothy。



〃Tell　us　the　reason；〃　said　Ozma　earnestly。



〃Well；　your　Majesty；　once　　a　long　time　ago　　the

Flatheads　and　the　Skeezers　were　friendly。　They　visited

our　island　and　we　visited　their　mountain；　and

everything　was　pleasant　between　the　two　peoples。　At

that　time　the　Flatheads　were　ruled　by　three　Adepts　in

Sorcery；　beautiful　girls　who　were　not　Flatheads；　but

had　wandered　to　the　Flat　Mountain　and　made　their　home

there。　These　three　Adepts　used　their　magic　only　for

good；　and　the　mountain　people　gladly　made　them　their

rulers。　They　taught　the　Flatheads　how　to　use　their

canned　brains　and　how　to　work　metals　into　clothing　that

would　never　wear　out；　and　many　other　things　that　added

to　their　happiness　and　content。



〃Coo…ee…oh　was　our　Queen　then；　as　now；　but　she　knew

no　magic　and　so　had　nothing　to　be　proud　of。　But　the

three　Adepts　were　very　kind　to　Coo…ee…oh。　They　built

for　us　this　wonderful　dome　of　glass　and　our　houses　of

marble　and　taught　us　to　make　beautiful　clothing　and

many　other　things。　Coo…ee…oh　pretended　to　be　very

grateful　for　these　favors；　but　it　seems　that　all　the

time　she　was　jealous　of　the　three　Adepts　and　secretly

tried　to　discover　their　arts　of　magic。　In　this　she　was

more　clever　than　anyone　suspected。　She　invited　the

three　Adepts　to　a　banquet　one　day；　and　while　they　were

feasting　Coo…ee…oh　stole　their　charms　and　magical

instruments　and　transformed　them　into　three　fishes　　a

gold　fish；　a　silver　fish　and　a　bronze　fish。　While　the

poor　fishes　were　gasping　and　flopping　helplessly　on　the

floor　of　the　banquet　room　one　of　them　said

reproachfully：　'You　will　be　punished　for　this；　Coo…ee…

oh；　for　if　one　of　us　dies　or　is　destroyed；　you　will

become　shrivelled　and　helpless；　and　all　your　stolen

magic　will　depart　from　you。'　Frightened　by　this　threat；

Coo…ee…oh　at　once　caught　up　the　three　fish　and　ran　with

them　to　the　shore　of　the　lake；　where　she　cast　them　into

the　water。　This　revived　the　three　Adepts　and　they　swam

away　and　disappeared。



〃I；　myself；　witnessed　this　shocking　scene；〃　continued

Lady　Aurex；　〃and　so　did　many　other　Skeezers。　The　news

was　carried　to　the　Flatheads；　who　then　turned　from

friends　to　enemies。　The　Su…dic　and　his　wife　Rora　were

the　only　ones　on　the　mountain　who　were　glad　the　three

Adepts　had　been　lost　to　them；　and　they　at　o