glinda of oz-第20章

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It　seemed　to　Ervic　that　he　had　walked　miles　and

miles。　Indeed　the　moon　sank　low　and　day　was　beginning

to　dawn　when　finally　he　discovered　by　the　roadside　a

pretty　little　cottage；　painted　purple　with　white

trimmings。　It　was　a　lonely　place　　no　other　buildings

were　anywhere　about　and　the　ground　was　not　tilled　at

all。　No　farmer　lived　here；　that　was　certain。　Who　would

care　to　dwell　in　such　an　isolated　place？



But　Ervic　did　not　bother　his　head　long　with　such

questions。　He　went　up　to　the　gate　that　led　to　the

cottage；　set　the　copper　kettle　carefully　down　and

bending　over　it　asked：



〃What　next？〃









Chapter　Seventeen



Under　the　Great　Dome







When　Glinda　the　Good　and　her　followers　of　the　Rescue

Expedition　came　in　sight　of　the　Enchanted　Mountain　of

the　Flatheads；　it　was　away　to　the　left　of　them；　for　the

route　they　had　taken　through　the　Great　Forest　was　some

distance　from　that　followed　by　Ozma　and　Dorothy。



They　halted　awhile　to　decide　whether　they　should　call

upon　the　Supreme　Dictator　first；　or　go　on　to　the　Lake

of　the　Skeezers。



〃If　we　go　to　the　mountain；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃we　may

get　into　trouble　with　that　wicked　Su…dic；　and　then　we

would　be　delayed　in　rescuing　Ozma　and　Dorothy。　So　I

think　our　best　plan　will　be　to　go　to　the　Skeezer

Country；　raise　the　sunken　island　and　save　our　friends

and　the　imprisoned　Skeezers。　Afterward　we　can　visit　the

mountain　and　punish　the　cruel　magician　of　the

Flatheads。〃



〃That　is　sensible；〃　approved　the　Shaggy　Man。　〃I　quite

agree　with　you。〃



The　others；　too；　seemed　to　think　the　Wizard's　plan

the　best；　and　Glinda　herself　commended　it；　so　on　they

marched　toward　the　line　of　palm　trees　that　hid　the

Skeezers'　lake　from　view。



Pretty　soon　they　came　to　the　palms。　These　were　set

closely　together；　the　branches；　which　came　quite　to　the

ground；　being　so　tightly　interlaced　that　even　the　Glass

Cat　could　scarcely　find　a　place　to　squeeze　through。　The

path　which　the　Flatheads　used　was　some　distance　away。



〃Here's　a　job　for　the　Tin　Woodman；〃　said　the

Scarecrow。



So　the　Tin　Woodman；　who　was　always　glad　to　be　of　use；

set　to　work　with　his　sharp；　gleaming　axe；　which　he

always　carried；　and　in　a　surprisingly　short　time　had

chopped　away　enough　branches　to　permit　them　all　to　pass

easily　through　the　trees。



Now　the　clear　waters　of　the　beautiful　lake　were

before　them　and　by　looking　closely　they　could　see　the

outlines　of　the　Great　Dome　of　the　sunken　island；　far

from　shore　and　directly　in　the　center　of　the　lake。



Of　course　every　eye　was　at　first　fixed　upon　this

dome；　where　Ozma　and　Dorothy　and　the　Skeezers　were

still　fast　prisoners。　But　soon　their　attention　was

caught　by　a　more　brilliant　sight；　for　here　was　the

Diamond　Swan　swimming　just　before　them；　its　long　neck

arched　proudly；　the　amethyst　eyes　gleaming　and　all　the

diamond…sprinkled　feathers　glistening　splendidly　under

the　rays　of　the　sun。



〃That；〃　said　Glinda；　〃is　the　transformation　of　Queen

Coo…ce…oh；　the　haughty　and　wicked　witch　who　betrayed

the　three　Adepts　at　Magic　and　treated　her　people　like

slaves。〃



〃She's　wonderfully　beautiful　now；〃　remarked　the

Frogman。



〃It　doesn't　seem　like　much　of　a　punishment；〃　said

Trot。　〃The　Flathead　Su…dic　ought　to　have　made　her　a

toad。〃



〃I　am　sure　Coo…ee…oh　is　punished；〃　said　Glinda；　〃for

she　has　lost　all　her　magic　power　and　her　grand　palace

and　can　no　longer　misrule　the　poor　Skeezers。〃



〃Let　us　call　to　her；　and　hear　what　she　has　to　say；〃

proposed　the　Wizard。



So　Glinda　beckoned　the　Diamond　Swan；　which　swam

gracefully　to　a　position　near　them。　Before　anyone　could

speak　Coo…ee…oh　called　to　them　in　a　rasping　voice　

for　the　voice　of　a　swan　is　always　harsh　and　unpleasant

　and　said　with　much　pride：



〃Admire　me；　Strangers！　　Admire　the　lovely　Coo…ee…oh；

the　handsomest　creature　in　all　Oz。　Admire　me！〃



〃Handsome　is　as　handsome　does；〃　replied　the

Scarecrow。　〃Are　your　deeds　lovely；　Coo…ce…oh？〃



〃Deeds？　　What　deeds　can　a　swan　do　but　swim　around　and

give　pleasure　to　all　beholders？〃　said　the　sparkling

bird。



〃Have　you　forgotten　your　former　life？　Have　you

forgotten　your　magic　and　witchcraft？〃　inquired　the

Wizard。



〃Magic　　witchcraft？　Pshaw；　who　cares　for　such　silly

things？〃　retorted　Coo…ee…oh。　〃As　for　my　past　life；　it

seems　like　an　unpleasant　dream。　I　wouldn't　go　back　to

it　if　I　could。　Don't　you　admire　my　beauty；　Strangers？〃




〃Tell　us；　Coo…ee…oh；〃　said　Glinda　earnestly；　〃if　you

can　recall　enough　of　your　witchcraft　to　enable　us　to

raise　the　sunken　island　to　the　surface　of　the　lake。

Tell　us　that　and　I'll　give　you　a　string　of　pearls　to

wear　around　your　neck　and　add　to　your　beauty。〃



〃Nothing　can　add　to　my　beauty；　for　I'm　the　most

beautiful　creature　anywhere　in　the　whole　world。〃



〃But　how　can　we　raise　the　island？〃



〃I　don't　know　and　I　don't　care。　If　ever　I　knew　I've

forgotten；　and　I'm　glad　of　it；〃　was　the　response。　〃Just

watch　me　circle　around　and　see　me　glitter！



〃It's　no　use；〃　said　Button　Bright；　〃the　old　Swan　is

too　much　in　love　with　herself　to　think　of　anything

else。〃



〃That's　a　fact；〃　agreed　Betsy　with　a　sigh；　〃but　we've

got　to　get　Ozma　and　Dorothy　out　of　that　lake；　somehow

or　other。〃



〃And　we　must　do　it　in　our　own　way；〃　added　the

Scarecrow。



〃But　how？〃　asked　Uncle　Henry　in　a　grave　voice；　for　he

could　not　bear　to　think　of　his　dear　niece　Dorothy　being

out　there　under　water；　〃how　shall　we　do　it？〃



〃Leave　that　to　Glinda；〃　advised　the　Wizard；　realizing

he　was　helpless　to　do　it　himself。



〃If　it　were　just　an　ordinary　sunken　island；〃　said　the

powerful　sorceress；　〃there　would　be　several　ways　by

which　I　might　bring　it　to　the　surface　again。　But　this

is　a　Magic　Isle；　and　by　some　curious　art　of　witchcraft；

unknown　to　any　but　Queen　Coo…ce…oh；　it　obeys　certain

commands　of　magic　and　will　not　respond　to　any　other。　I

do　not　despair　in　the　least；　but　it　will　require　some

deep　study　to　solve　this　difficult　problem。　If　the　Swan

could　only　remember　the　witchcraft　that　she　invented

and　knew　as　a　woman；　I　could　force　her　to　tell　me　the

secret；　but　all　her　former　knowledge　is　now　forgotten。〃



〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　the　Wizard　after　a　brief

silence　had　followed　Glinda's　speech；　〃that　there　are

three　fishes　in　this　lake　that　used　to　be　Adepts　at

Magic　and　from　whom　Coo…ee…oh　stole　much　of　her

knowledge。　If　we　could　find　those　fishes　and　return

them　to　their　former　shapes；　they　could　doubtless　tell

us　what　to　do　to　bring　the　sunken　island　to　the

surface。〃



〃I　have　thought　of　those　fishes；〃　replied　Glinda；

〃but　among　so　many　fishes　as　this　lake　contains　how　are

we　to　single　them　out？〃



You　will　understand；　of　course；　that　had　Glinda　been

at　home　in　her　castle；　where　the　Great　Book　of　Records

was；　she　would　have　known　that　Ervic　the　Skeezer

already　had　taken　the　gold　and　silver　and　bronze　fishes

from　the　lake。　But　that　act　had　been　recorded　in　the

Book　after　Glinda　had　set　out　on　this　journey；　so　it

was　all　unknown　to　her。



〃I　think　I　see　a　boat　yonder　on　the　shore；〃　said　Ojo

the　Munchkin　boy；　pointing　to　a　place　around　the　edge

of　the　lake。　〃If　we　could　get　that　boat　and　row　all

over　the　lake；　calling　to　the　magic　fishes；　we　might　be

able　to　find　them。〃



〃Let　us　go　to　the　boat；〃　said　the　Wizard。



They　walked　around　the　lake　to　where　the　boat　was

stranded　upon　the　beach；　but　found　it　empty。　It　was　a

mere　shell　of　blackened　steel；　with　a　collapsible　roof

that；　when　in　position；　made　the　submarine　watertight；

but　at　present　the　roof　rested　in　slots　on　either　side

of　the　magic　craft。　There　were　no　oars　or　sails；　no

machinery　to　make　the　boat　go；　and　although　Glinda

promptly　realized　it　was　meant　to　be　operated　by

witchcraft；　she　was　not　acquainted　with　that　sort　of

magic。



〃However；〃　said　she；　〃the　boat　is　merely　a　boat；　and

I　believe　I　can　make　it　obey　a　command　of　sorcery；　as