glinda of oz-第22章

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at　him。



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

the　ape's　mouth。



Ervic　saw　another　bench；　empty；　just　beyond　him；　so

he　stepped　over　the　crocodile；　sat　down　upon　the　bench

and　carefully　placed　the　kettle　beside　him。



〃Get　out！〃　again　cried　the　voice。



Ervic　shook　his　head。



〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I'm　going　to　stay。〃



The　spiders　left　their　four　corners；　dropped　to　the

floor　and　made　a　rush　toward　the　young　Skeezer；

circling　around　his　legs　with　their　pinchers　extended。

Ervic　paid　no　attention　to　them。　An　enormous　black　rat

ran　up　Ervic's　body；　passed　around　his　shoulders　and

uttered　piercing　squeals　in　his　ears；　but　he　did　not

wince。　The　green…and…red　lizard；　coming　from　the

window…sill；　approached　Ervic　and　began　spitting　a

flaming　fluid　at　him；　but　Ervic　merely　stared　at　the

creature　and　its　flame　did　not　touch　him。



The　crocodile　raised　its　tail　and；　swinging　around；

swept　Ervic　off　the　bench　with　a　powerful　blow。　But　the

Skeezer　managed　to　save　the　kettle　from　upsetting　and

he　got　up；　shook　off　the　horned　toads　that　were

crawling　over　him　and　resumed　his　seat　on　the　bench。



All　the　creatures；　after　this　first　attack；　remained

motionless；　as　if　awaiting　orders。　The　old　gray　ape

knitted　on；　not　looking　toward　Ervic　now；　and　the　young

Skeezer　stolidly　kept　his　seat。　He　expected　something

else　to　happen；　but　nothing　did。　A　full　hour　passed　and

Ervic　was　growing　nervous。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　the　ape　asked　at　last。



〃Nothing；〃　said　Ervic。



〃You　may　have　that！〃　retorted　the　ape；　and　at　this

all　the　strange　creatures　in　the　room　broke　into　a

chorus　of　cackling　laughter。



Another　long　wait。



〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　questioned　the　ape。



〃You　must　be　Reera　the　Red　　the　Yookoohoo；〃　Ervic

answered。



〃Knowing　so　much；　you　must　also　know　that　I　do　not

like　strangers。　Your　presence　here　in　my　home　annoys

me。　Do　you　not　fear　my　anger？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　young　man。



〃Do　you　intend　to　obey　me；　and　leave　this　house？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Ervic；　just　as　quietly　as　the　Yookoohoo

had　spoken。



The　ape　knitted　for　a　long　time　before　resuming　the

conversation。



〃Curiosity；〃　it　said；　〃has　led　to　many　a　man's

undoing。　I　suppose　in　some　way　you　have　learned　that　I

do　tricks　of　magic；　and　so　through　curiosity　you　have

come　here。　You　may　have　been　told　that　I　do　not　injure

anyone；　so　you　are　bold　enough　to　disobey　my　commands

to　go　away。　You　imagine　that　you　may　witness　some　of

the　rites　of　witchcraft；　and　that　they　may　amuse　you。

Have　I　spoken　truly？〃



〃Well；〃　remarked　Ervic；　who　had　been　pondering　on　the

strange　circumstances　of　his　coming　here；　〃you　are

right　in　some　ways；　but　not　in　others。　I　am　told　that

you　work　magic　only　for　your　own　amusement。　That　seems

to　me　very　selfish。　Few　people　understand　magic。　I'm

told　that　you　are　the　only　real　Yookoohoo　in　all　Oz。

Why　don't　you　amuse　others　as　well　as　yourself？〃



〃What　right　have　you　to　question　my　actions？〃



〃None　at　all。〃



〃And　you　say　you　are　not　here　to　demand　any

favors　of　me？〃



〃For　myself　I　want　nothing　from　you。〃



〃You　are　wise　in　that。　I　never　grant　favors。〃



〃That　doesn't　worry　me；〃　declared　Ervic。



〃But　you　are　curious？　You　hope　to　witness　some　of　my

magic　transformations？〃



〃If　you　wish　to　perform　any　magic；　go　ahead；〃　said

Ervic。　〃It　may　interest　me　and　it　may　not。　If　you'd

rather　go　on　with　your　knitting；　it's　all　the　same　to

me。　I　am　in　no　hurry　at　all。〃



This　may　have　puzzled　Red　Reera；　but　the　face　beneath

the　lace　cap　could　show　no　expression；　being　covered

with　hair。　Perhaps　in　all　her　career　the　Yookoohoo　had

never　been　visited　by　anyone　who；　like　this　young　man；

asked　for　nothing；　expected　nothing；　and　had　no　reason

for　coming　except　curiosity。　This　attitude　practically

disarmed　the　witch　and　she　began　to　regard　the　Skeezer

in　a　more　friendly　way。　She　knitted　for　some　time；

seemingly　in　deep　thought；　and　then　she　arose　and

walked　to　a　big　cupboard　that　stood　against　the　wall　of

the　room。　When　the　cupboard　door　was　opened　Ervic　could

see　a　lot　of　drawers　inside；　and　into　one　of　these

drawers　　the　second　from　the　bottom　　Reera　thrust　a

hairy　hand。



Until　now　Ervic　could　see　over　the　bent　form　of　the

ape；　but　suddenly　the　form；　with　its　back　to　him；

seemed　to　straighten　up　and　blot　out　the　cupboard　of

drawers。　The　ape　had　changed　to　the　form　of　a　woman；

dressed　in　the　pretty　Gillikin　costume；　and　when　she

turned　around　he　saw　that　it　was　a　young　woman；　whose

face　was　quite　attractive。



〃Do　you　like　me　better　this　way？〃　Reera　inquired　with

a　smile。



〃You　look　better；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃but　I'm　not　sure

I　like　you　any　better。〃



She　laughed；　saying：　〃During　the　heat　of　the　day　I

like　to　be　an　ape；　for　an　ape　doesn't　wear　any　clothes

to　speak　of。　But　if　one　has　gentlemen　callers　it　is

proper　to　dress　up。〃



Ervic　noticed　her　right　hand　was　closed；　as　if　she

held　something　in　it。　She　shut　the　cupboard　door；　bent

over　the　crocodile　and　in　a　moment　the　creature　had

changed　to　a　red　wolf。　It　was　not　pretty　even　now；　and

the　wolf　crouched　beside　its　mistress　as　a　dog　might

have　done。　Its　teeth　looked　as　dangerous　as　had　those

of　the　crocodile。



Next　the　Yookoohoo　went　about　touching　all　the

lizards　and　toads；　and　at　her　touch　they　became

kittens。　The　rats　she　changed　into　chipmunks。　Now　the

only　horrid　creatures　remaining　were　the　four　great

spiders；　which　hid　themselves　behind　their　thick　webs。



〃There！〃　Reera　cried；　〃now　my　cottage　presents　a　more

comfortable　appearance。　I　love　the　toads　and　lizards

and　rats；　because　most　people　hate　them；　but　I　would

tire　of　them　if　they　always　remained　the　same。

Sometimes　I　change　their　forms　a　dozen　times　a　day。〃



〃You　are　clever；〃　said　Ervic。　〃I　did　not　hear　you

utter　any　incantations　or　magic　words。　All　you　did　was

to　touch　the　creatures。〃



〃Oh；　do　you　think　so？〃　she　replied。　〃Well；　touch　them

yourself；　if　you　like；　and　see　if　you　can　change　their

forms。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　Skeezer；　〃I　don't　understand　magic　and

if　I　did　I　would　not　try　to　imitate　your　skill。　You　are

a　wonderful　Yookoohoo；　while　I　am　only　a　common

Skeezer。〃



This　confession　seemed　to　please　Reera；　who　liked　to

have　her　witchcraft　appreciated。



〃Will　you　go　away　now？〃　she　asked。　〃I　prefer　to　be

alone。〃



〃I　prefer　to　stay　here；〃　said　Ervic。



〃In　another　person's　home；　where　you　are　not　wanted？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Is　not　your　curiosity　yet　satisfied？〃　demanded

Reera；　with　a　smile。



〃I　don't　know。　Is　there　anything　else　you　can　do？〃



〃Many　things。　But　why　should　I　exhibit　my　powers　to　a

stranger？〃



〃I　can　think　of　no　reason　at　all；〃　he　replied。



She　looked　at　him　curiously。



〃You　want　no　power　for　yourself；　you　say；　and　you're

too　stupid　to　be　able　to　steal　my　secrets。　This　isn't　a

pretty　cottage；　while　outside　are　sunshine；　broad

prairies　and　beautiful　wildflowers。　Yet　you　insist　on

sitting　on　that　bench　and　annoying　me　with　your

unwelcome　presence。　What　have　you　in　that　kettle？〃



〃Three　fishes；〃　he　answered　readily。



〃Where　did　you　get　them？〃



〃I　caught　them　in　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers。〃



〃What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　the　fishes？〃



〃I　shall　carry　them　to　the　home　of　a　friend　of　mine

who　has　three　children。　The　children　will　love　to　have

the　fishes　for　pets。〃



She　came　over　to　the　bench　and　looked　into　the

kettle；　where　the　three　fishes　were　swimming　quietly　in

the　water。



〃They're　pretty；〃　said　Reera。　〃Let　me　transform　them

into　something　else。〃



〃No；〃　objected　the　Skeezer。



〃I　love　to　transform　things；　it's　so　interesting。　And

I've　never　transformed　any　fishes　in　all　my　life。〃



〃Let　them　alone；〃　said　Ervic。



〃What　shapes　would　you　prefer　them　to　have？　I　can

make　them　turtles；　or　cute　little　sea…horses；　or　I

could　make　them　pi