glinda of oz-第15章

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escorted　Ozma　and　Dorothy　to　the　palace；　where　all　of

Coo…ee…oh's　former　servants　were　eager　to　wait　upon

them。　Ozma　invited　Lady　Aurex　to　stay　at　the　palace

also；　for　she　knew　all　about　the　Skeezers　and　their

island　and　had　also　been　a　favorite　of　the　former

Queen；　so　her　advice　and　information　were　sure　to　prove

valuable。



Ozma　was　somewhat　disappointed　in　what　she　found　in

the　palace。　One　room　of　Coo…ee…oh's　private　suite　was

entirely　devoted　to　the　practice　of　witchcraft；　and

here　were　countless　queer　instruments　and　jars　of

ointments　and　bottles　of　potions　labeled　with　queer

names；　and　strange　machines　that　Ozma　could　not　guess

the　use　of；　and　pickled　toads　and　snails　and　lizards；

and　a　shelf　of　books　that　were　written　in　blood；　but　in

a　language　which　the　Ruler　of　Oz　did　not　know。



〃I　do　not　see；〃　said　Ozma　to　Dorothy；　who　accompanied

her　in　her　search；　〃how　Coo…ee…oh　knew　the　use　of　the

magic　tools　she　stole　from　the　three　Adept　Witches。

Moreover；　from　all　reports　these　Adepts　practiced　only

good　witchcraft；　such　as　would　be　helpful　to　their

people；　while　Coo…ee…oh　performed　only　evil。〃



〃Perhaps　she　turned　the　good　things　to　evil　uses？〃

suggested　Dorothy。



〃Yes；　and　with　the　knowledge　she　gained　Coo…ee…oh

doubtless　invented　many　evil　things　quite　unknown　to

the　good　Adepts；　who　are　now　fishes；〃　added　Ozma。　〃It

is　unfortunate　for　us　that　the　Queen　kept　her　secrets

so　closely　guarded；　for　no　one　but　herself　could　use

any　of　these　strange　things　gathered　in　this　room。〃



〃Couldn't　we　capture　the　Diamond　Swan　and　make　her

tell　the　secrets？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃No；　even　were　we　able　to　capture　her；　Coo…ee…oh　now

has　forgotten　all　the　magic　she　ever　knew。　But　until　we

ourselves　escape　from　this　dome　we　could　not　capture

the　Swan；　and　were　we　to　escape　we　would　have　no　use　for

Coo…ee…oh's　magic。〃



〃That's　a　fact；〃　admitted　Dorothy。　〃But　　say；　Ozma；

here's　a　good　idea！　　Couldn't　we　capture　the　three

fishes　　the　gold　and　silver　and　bronze　ones；　and

couldn't　you　transform　'em　back　to　their　own　shapes；

and　then　couldn't　the　three　Adepts　get　us　out　of　here？〃



〃You　are　not　very　practical；　Dorothy　dear。　It　would

be　as　hard　for　us　to　capture　the　three　fishes；　from

among　all　the　other　fishes　in　the　lake；　as　to　capture

the　Swan。〃



〃But　if　we　could；　it　would　be　more　help　to　us；〃

persisted　the　little　girl。



〃That　is　true；〃　answered　Ozma；　smiling　at　her

friend's　eagerness。　〃You　find　a　way　to　catch　the　fish；

and　I'll　promise　when　they　are　caught　to　restore　them

to　their　proper　forms。〃



〃I　know　you　think　I　can't　do　it；〃　replied　Dorothy；

〃but　I'm　going　to　try。〃



She　left　the　palace　and　went　to　a　place　where　she

could　look　through　a　clear　pane　of　the　glass　dome　into

the　surrounding　water。　Immediately　she　became

interested　in　the　queer　sights　that　met　her　view。



The　Lake　of　the　Skeezers　was　inhabited　by　fishes　of

many　kinds　and　many　sizes。　The　water　was　so　transparent

that　the　girl　could　see　for　a　long　distance　and　the

fishes　came　so　close　to　the　glass　of　the　dome　that

sometimes　they　actually　touched　it。　On　the　white　sands

at　the　bottom　of　the　lake　were　star…fish；　lobsters；

crabs　and　many　shell　fish　of　strange　shapes　and　with

shells　of　gorgeous　hues。　The　water　foliage　was　of

brilliant　colors　and　to　Dorothy　it　resembled　a　splendid

garden。



But　the　fishes　were　the　most　interesting　of　all。　Some

were　big　and　lazy；　floating　slowly　along　or　lying　at

rest　with　just　their　fins　waving。　Many　with　big　round

eyes　looked　full　at　the　girl　as　she　watched　them　and

Dorothy　wondered　if　they　could　hear　her　through　the

glass　if　she　spoke　to　them。　In　Oz；　where　all　the

animals　and　birds　can　talk；　many　fishes　are　able　to

talk　also；　but　usually　they　are　more　stupid　than　birds

and　animals　because　they　think　slowly　and　haven't　much

to　talk　about。



In　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers　the　fish　of　smaller　size

were　more　active　than　the　big　ones　and　darted　quickly

in　and　out　among　the　swaying　weeds；　as　if　they　had

important　business　and　were　in　a　hurry。　It　was　among

the　smaller　varieties　that　Dorothy　hoped　to　spy　the

gold　and　silver　and　bronze　fishes。　She　had　an　idea　the

three　would　keep　together；　being　companions　now　as　they

were　in　their　natural　forms；　but　such　a　multitude　of

fishes　constantly　passed；　the　scene　shifting　every

moment；　that　she　was　not　sure　she　would　notice　them

even　if　they　appeared　in　view。　Her　eyes　couldn't　look

in　all　directions　and　the　fishes　she　sought　might　be　on

the　other　side　of　the　dome；　or　far　away　in　the　lake。



〃P'raps；　because　they　were　afraid　of　Coo…ee…oh；

they've　hid　themselves　somewhere；　and　don't　know　their

enemy　has　been　transformed；〃　she　reflected。



She　watched　the　fishes　for　a　long　time；　until　she

became　hungry　and　went　back　to　the　palace　for　lunch。

But　she　was　not　discouraged。



〃Anything　new；　Ozma？〃　she　asked。



〃No；　dear。　Did　you　discover　the　three　fishes？〃



〃Not　yet。　But　there　isn't　anything　better　for　me　to

do；　Ozma；　so　I　guess　I'll　go　back　and　watch　again。〃









Chapter　Thirteen



The　Alarm　Bell







Glinda；　the　Good；　in　her　palace　in　the　Quadling

Country；　had　many　things　to　occupy　her　mind；　for　not

only　did　she　look　after　the　weaving　and　embroidery　of

her　bevy　of　maids；　and　assist　all　those　who　came　to　her

to　implore　her　help　　beasts　and　birds　as　well　as

people　　but　she　was　a　close　student　of　the　arts　of

sorcery　and　spent　much　time　in　her　Magical　Laboratory；

where　she　strove　to　find　a　remedy　for　every　evil　and　to

perfect　her　skill　in　magic。



Nevertheless；　she　did　not　forget　to　look　in　the　Great

Book　of　Records　each　day　to　see　if　any　mention　was　made

of　the　visit　of　Ozma　and　Dorothy　to　the　Enchanted

Mountain　of　the　Flatheads　and　the　Magic　Isle　of　the

Skeezers。　The　Records　told　her　that　Ozma　had　arrived　at

the　mountain；　that　she　had　escaped；　with　her　companion；

and　gone　to　the　island　of　the　Skeezers；　and　that　Queen

Coo…ee…oh　had　submerged　the　island　so　that　it　was

entirely　under　water。　Then　came　the　statement　that　the

Flatheads　had　come　to　the　lake　to　poison　the　fishes　and

that　their　Supreme　Dictator　had　transformed　Queen　Coo…

ee…oh　into　a　swan。



No　other　details　were　given　in　the　Great　Book　and　so

Glinda　did　not　know　that　since　Coo…ee…oh　had　forgotten

her　magic　none　of　the　Skeezers　knew　how　to　raise　the

island　to　the　surface　again。　So　Glinda　was　not　worried

about　Ozma　and　Dorothy　until　one　morning；　while　she　sat

with　her　maids；　there　came　a　sudden　clang　of　the

great　alarm　bell。　This　was　so　unusual　that　every　maid

gave　a　start　and　even　the　Sorceress　for　a　moment　could

not　think　what　the　alarm　meant。



Then　she　remembered　the　ring　she　had　given　Dorothy

when　she　left　the　palace　to　start　on　her　venture。　In

giving　the　ring　Glinda　had　warned　the　little　girl　not

to　use　its　magic　powers　unless　she　and　Ozma　were　in

real　danger；　but　then　she　was　to　turn　it　on　her　finger

once　to　the　right　and　once　to　the　left　and　Glinda's

alarm　bell　would　ring。



So　the　Sorceress　now　knew　that　danger　threatened　her

beloved　Ruler　and　Princess　Dorothy；　and　she　hurried　to

her　magic　room　to　seek　information　as　to　what　sort　of

danger　it　was。　The　answer　to　her　question　was　not　very

satisfactory；　for　it　was　only：　〃Ozma　and　Dorothy　are

prisoners　in　the　great　Dome　of　the　Isle　of　the

Skeezers；　and　the　Dome　is　under　the　water　of　the　lake。〃



〃Hasn't　Ozma　the　power　to　raise　the　island　to　the

surface？〃　inquired　Glinda。



〃No；〃　was　the　reply；　and　the　Record　refused　to　say

more　except　that　Queen　Coo…ee…oh；　who　alone　could

command　the　island　to　rise；　had　been　transformed　by　the

Flathead　Su…dic　into　a　Diamond　Swan。



Then　Glinda　consulted　the　past　records　of　the

Skeezers　in　the　Great　Book。　After　diligent　search　she

discovered　that　Coo…ee…oh　was　a　powerful　sorceress　who

had　gained　most　of　her　power　by　treacherously

transforming　the　Adepts