glinda of oz-第21章

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

well　as　it　did　the　command　of　witchcraft。　After　I　have

given　a　little　thought　to　the　matter；　the　boat　will

take　us　wherever　we　desire　to　go。〃



〃Not　all　of　us；〃　returned　the　Wizard；　〃for　it　won't

hold　so　many。　But；　most　noble　Sorceress；　provided　you

can　make　the　boat　go；　of　what　use　will　it　be　to　us？〃



〃Can't　we　use　it　to　catch　the　three　fishes？〃　asked

Button　Bright。



〃It　will　not　be　necessary　to　use　the　boat　for　that

purpose；〃　replied　Glinda。　〃Wherever　in　the　lake　the

enchanted　fishes　may　be；　they　will　answer　to　my　call。

What　I　am　trying　to　discover　is　how　the　boat　came　to　be

on　this　shore；　while　the　island　on　which　it　belongs　is

under　water　yonder。　Did　Coo…ee…oh　come　here　in　the　boat

to　meet　the　Flatheads　before　the　island　was　sunk；　or

afterward？〃



No　one　could　answer　that　question；　of　course；　but

while　they　pondered　the　matter　three　young　men　advanced

from　the　line　of　trees；　and　rather　timidly　bowed　to　the

strangers。



〃Who　are　you；　and　where　did　you　come　from？〃　inquired

the　Wizard。



〃We　are　Skeezers；〃　answered　one　of　them；　〃and　our

home　is　on　the　Magic　Isle　of　the　Lake。　We　ran　away　when

we　saw　you　coming；　and　hid　behind　the　trees；　but　as　you

are　Strangers　and　seem　to　be　friendly　we　decided　to

meet　you；　for　we　are　in　great　trouble　and　need

assistance。〃



〃If　you　belong　on　the　island；　why　are　you　here？〃

demanded　Glinda。



So　they　told　her　all　the　story：　How　the　Queen　had

defied　the　Flatheads　and　submerged　the　whole　island　so

that　her　enemies　could　not　get　to　it　or　destroy　it；

how；　when　the　Flatheads　came　to　the　shore；　Coo…ee…oh

had　commanded　them；　together　with　their　friend　Ervic；

to　go　with　her　in　the　submarine　to　conquer　the　Su…dic；

and　how　the　boat　had　shot　out　from　the　basement　of　the

sunken　isle；　obeying　a　magic　word；　and　risen　to　the

surface；　where　it　opened　and　floated　upon　the　water。



Then　followed　the　account　of　how　the　Su…dic　had

transformed　Coo…ee…oh　into　a　swan；　after　which　she　had

forgotten　all　the　witchcraft　she　ever　knew。　The　young

men　told　how；　in　the　night　when　they　were　asleep；　their

comrade　Ervic　had　mysteriously　disappeared；　while　the

boat　in　some　strange　manner　had　floated　to　the　shore

and　stranded　upon　the　beach。



That　was　all　they　knew。　They　had　searched　in　vain　for

three　days　for　Ervic。　As　their　island　was　under　water

and　they　could　not　get　back　to　it；　the　three　Skeezers

had　no　place　to　go；　and　so　had　waited　patiently　beside

their　boat　for　something　to　happen。



Being　questioned　by　Glinda　and　the　Wizard；　they　told

all　they　knew　about　Ozma　and　Dorothy　and　declared　the

two　girls　were　still　in　the　village　under　the　Great

Dome。　They　were　quite　safe　and　would　be　well　cared　for

by　Lady　Aurex；　now　that　the　Queen　who　opposed　them　was

out　of　the　way。



When　they　had　gleaned　all　the　information　they　could

from　these　Skeezers；　the　Wizard　said　to　Glinda：



〃If　you　find　you　can　make　this　boat　obey　your

sorcery；　you　could　have　it　return　to　the　island；

submerge　itself；　and　enter　the　door　in　the　basement

from　which　it　came。　But　I　cannot　see　that　our　going　to

the　sunken　island　would　enable　our　friends　to　escape。

We　would　only　Join　them　as　prisoners。〃



〃Not　so；　friend　Wizard；〃　replied　Glinda。　〃If　the　boat

would　obey　my　commands　to　enter　the　basement　door；　it

would　also　obey　my　commands　to　come　out　again；　and　I

could　bring　Ozma　and　Dorothy　back　with　me。〃



〃And　leave　all　of　our　people　still　imprisoned？〃　asked

one　of　the　Skeezers　reproachfully。



〃By　making　several　trips　in　the　boat；　Glinda　could

fetch　all　your　people　to　the　shore；〃　replied　the

Wizard。



〃But　what　could　they　do　then？〃　inquired　another

Skeezer。　〃They　would　have　no　homes　and　no　place　to　go；

and　would　be　at　the　mercy　of　their　enemies；　the

Flatheads。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　said　Glinda　the　Good。　〃And　as　these

people　are　Ozma's　subjects；　I　think　she　would　refuse　to

escape　with　Dorothy　and　leave　the　others　behind；　or　to

abandon　the　island　which　is　the　lawful　home　of　the

Skeezers。　I　believe　the　best　plan　will　be　to　summon　the

three　fishes　and　learn　from　them　how　to　raise　the

island。〃



The　little　Wizard　seemed　to　think　that　this　was

rather　a　forlorn　hope。



〃How　will　you　summon　them；〃　he　asked　the　lovely

Sorceress；　〃and　how　can　they　hear　you？〃



〃That　is　something　we　must　consider　carefully；〃

responded　stately　Glinda；　with　a　serene　smile。　　〃I

think　I　can　find　a　way。〃



All　of　Ozma's　counsellors　applauded　this　sentiment；

for　they　knew　well　the　powers　of　the　Sorceress。




〃Very　well；〃　agreed　the　Wizard。　〃Summon　them；　most

noble　Glinda。〃









Chapter　Eighteen



The　Cleverness　of　Ervic







We　must　now　return　to　Ervic　the　Skeezer；　who；　when　he

had　set　down　the　copper　kettle　containing　the　three

fishes　at　the　gate　of　the　lonely　cottage；　had　asked；

〃What　next？〃



The　goldfish　stuck　its　head　above　the　water　in　the

kettle　and　said　in　its　small　but　distinct　voice：



〃You　are　to　lift　the　latch；　open　the　door；　and　walk

boldly　into　the　cottage。　Do　not　be　afraid　of　anything

you　see；　for　however　you　seem　to　be　threatened　with

dangers；　nothing　can　harm　you。　The　cottage　is　the　home

of　a　powerful　Yookoohoo；　named　Reera　the　Red；　who

assumes　all　sorts　of　forms；　sometimes　changing　her　form

several　times　in　a　day；　according　to　her　fancy。　What

her　real　form　may　be　we　do　not　know。　This　strange

creature　cannot　be　bribed　with　treasure；　or　coaxed

through　friendship；　or　won　by　pity。　She　has　never

assisted　anyone；　or　done　wrong　to　anyone；　that　we　know

of。　All　her　wonderful　powers　are　used　for　her　own

selfish　amusement。　She　will　order　you　out　of　the　house

but　you　must　refuse　to　go。　Remain　and　watch　Reera

closely　and　try　to　see　what　she　uses　to　accomplish　her

transformations。　If　you　can　discover　the　secret

whisper　it　to　us　and　we　will　then　tell　you　what　to　do

next。〃



〃That　sounds　easy；〃　returned　Ervic；　who　had　listened

carefully。　〃But　are　you　sure　she　will　not　hurt　me；　or

try　to　transform　me？〃



〃She　may　change　your　form；〃　replied　the　goldfish；

〃but　do　not　worry　if　that　happens；　for　we　can　break

that　enchantment　easily。　You　may　be　sure　that　nothing

will　harm　you；　so　you　must　not　be　frightened　at

anything　you　see　or　hear。〃



Now　Ervic　was　as　brave　as　any　ordinary　young　man；　and

he　knew　the　fishes　who　spoke　to　him　were　truthful　and

to　be　relied　upon；　nevertheless　he　experienced　a

strange　sinking　of　the　heart　as　he　picked　up　the　kettle

and　approached　the　door　of　the　cottage。　His　hand

trembled　as　he　raised　the　latch；　but　he　was　resolved　to

obey　his　instructions。　He　pushed　the　door　open；　took

three　strides　into　the　middle　of　the　one　room　the

cottage　contained；　and　then　stood　still　and　looked

around　him。



The　sights　that　met　his　gaze　were　enough　to　frighten

anyone　who　had　not　been　properly　warned。　On　the　floor

just　before　Ervic　lay　a　great　crocodile；　its　red　eyes

gleaming　wickedly　and　its　wide　open　mouth　displaying

rows　of　sharp　teeth。　Horned　toads　hopped　about；　each

of　the　four　upper　corners　of　the　room　was　festooned

with　a　thick　cobweb；　in　the　center　of　which　sat　a

spider　as　big　around　as　a　washbasin；　and　armed　with

pincher…like　claws；　a　red…and…green　lizard　was

stretched　at　full　length　on　the　window…sill　and　black

rats　darted　in　and　out　of　the　holes　they　had　gnawed　in

the　floor　of　the　cottage。



But　the　most　startling　thing　was　a　huge　gray　ape

which　sat　upon　a　bench　and　knitted。　It　wore　a　lace　cap；

such　as　old　ladies　wear；　and　a　little　apron　of　lace；

but　no　other　clothing。　Its　eyes　were　bright　and　looked

as　if　coals　were　burning　in　them。　The　ape　moved　as

naturally　as　an　ordinary　person　might；　and　on　Ervic's

entrance　stopped　knitting　and　raised　its　head　to　look

at　him。



〃Get　out！〃　cried　a　sharp　voice；　seeming　to　come　from

the　ape's　mouth。



Ervic　saw　another　bench；　empty；　just　be