glinda of oz-第24章

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laughing　in　his　face；　〃and　you　have　promised　me　to

abide　by　their　decision。　So；　friend　Skeezer；　I　shall

perform　the　transformation　whether　you　like　it　or　not。〃



Ervic　seated　himself　on　the　bench　again；　a　deep　scowl

on　his　face　but　joy　in　his　heart。　Reera　moved　over　to

the　cupboard；　took　something　from　the　drawer　and

returned　to　the　copper　kettle。　She　was　clutching

something　tightly　in　her　right　hand；　but　with　her　left

she　reached　within　the　kettle；　took　out　the　three

fishes　and　laid　them　carefully　on　the　floor；　where　they

gasped　in　distress　at　being　out　of　water。



Reera　did　not　keep　them　in　misery　more　than　a　few

seconds；　for　she　touched　each　one　with　her　right　hand

and　instantly　the　fishes　were　transformed　into　three

tall　and　slender　young　women；　with　fine；　intelligent

faces　and　clothed　in　handsome；　clinging　gowns。　The　one

who　had　been　a　goldfish　had　beautiful　golden　hair　and

blue　eyes　and　was　exceedingly　fair　of　skin；　the　one　who

had　been　a　bronzefish　had　dark　brown　hair　and　clear

gray　eyes　and　her　complexion　matched　these　lovely

features。　The　one　who　had　been　a　silverfish　had　snow…

white　hair　of　the　finest　texture　and　deep　brown　eyes。

The　hair　contrasted　exquisitely　with　her　pink　cheeks

and　ruby…red　lips；　nor　did　it　make　her　look　a　day　older

than　her　two　companions。



As　soon　as　they　secured　these　girlish　shapes；　all

three　bowed　low　to　the　Yookoohoo　and　said：



〃We　thank　you；　Reera。〃



Then　they　bowed　to　the　Skeezer　and　said：



〃We　thank　you；　Ervic。〃



〃Very　good！〃　cried　the　Yookoohoo；　examining　her　work

with　critical　approval。　〃You　are　much　better　and　more

interesting　than　fishes；　and　this　ungracious　Skeezer

would　scarcely　allow　me　to　do　the　transformations。　You

surely　have　nothing　to　thank　him　for。　But　now　let　us

dine　in　honor　of　the　occasion。〃



She　clapped　her　hands　together　and　again　a　table

loaded　with　food　appeared　in　the　cottage。　It　was　a

longer　table；　this　time；　and　places　were　set　for　the

three　Adepts　as　well　as　for　Reera　and　Ervic。



〃Sit　down；　friends；　and　eat　your　fill；〃　said　the

Yookoohoo；　but　instead　of　seating　herself　at　the　head

of　the　table　she　went　to　the　cupboard；　saying　to　the

Adepts：　〃Your　beauty　and　grace；　my　fair　friends；　quite

outshine　my　own。　So　that　I　may　appear　properly　at　the

banquet　table　I　intend；　in　honor　of　this　occasion；　to

take　upon　myself　my　natural　shape。〃



Scarcely　had　she　finished　this　speech　when　Reera

transformed　herself　into　a　young　woman　fully　as　lovely

as　the　three　Adepts。　She　was　not　quite　so　tall　as　they；

but　her　form　was　more　rounded　and　more　handsomely

clothed；　with　a　wonderful　jeweled　girdle　and　a　necklace

of　shining　pearls。　Her　hair　was　a　bright　auburn　red；

and　her　eyes　large　and　dark。



〃Do　you　claim　this　is　your　natural　form？〃　asked　Ervic

of　the　Yookoohoo。



〃Yes；〃　she　replied。　〃This　is　the　only　form　I　am

really　entitled　to　wear。　But　I　seldom　assume　it　because

there　is　no　one　here　to　admire　or　appreciate　it　and　I

get　tired　admiring　it　myself。〃



〃I　see　now　why　you　are　named　Reera　the　Red；〃　remarked

Ervic。



〃It　is　on　account　of　my　red　hair；〃　she　explained

smiling。　〃I　do　not　care　for　red　hair　myself；　which　is

one　reason　I　usually　wear　other　forms。〃



〃It　is　beautiful；〃　asserted　the　young　man；　and　then

remembering　the　other　women　present　he　added：　〃But；　of

course；　all　women　should　not　have　red　hair；　because

that　would　make　it　too　common。　Gold　and　silver　and

brown　hair　are　equally　handsome。〃



The　smiles　that　he　saw　interchanged　between　the　four

filled　the　poor　Skeezer　with　embarrassment；　so　he　fell

silent　and　attended　to　eating　his　supper；　leaving　the

others　to　do　the　talking。　The　three　Adepts　frankly　told

Reera　who　they　were。　how　they　became　fishes　and　how

they　had　planned　secretly　to　induce　the　Yookoohoo　to

transform　them。　They　admitted　that　they　had　feared；　had

they　asked　her　to　help；　that　she　would　have　refused

them。



〃You　were　quite　right；〃　returned　the　Yookoohoo。　〃I

make　it　my　rule　never　to　perform　magic　to　assist

others；　for　if　I　did　there　would　always　be　crowd　at　my

cottage　demanding　help　and　I　hate　crowds　and　want　to　be

left　alone。〃



〃However；　now　that　you　are　restored　to　your　proper

shapes；　I　do　not　regret　my　action　and　I　hope　you　will

be　of　use　in　saving　the　Skeezer　people　by　raising　their

island　to　the　surface　of　the　lake；　where　it　really

belongs。　But　you　must　promise　me　that　after　you　go　away

you　will　never　come　here　again；　nor　tell　anyone　what　I

have　done　for　you。〃



The　three　Adepts　and　Ervic　thanked　the　Yookoohoo

warmly。　They　promised　to　remember　her　wish　that　they

should　not　come　to　her　cottage　again　and　so；　with　a

good…bye；　took　their　departure。









Chapter　Twenty



A　Puzzling　Problem







Glinda　the　Good；　having　decided　to　try　her　sorcery

upon　the　abandoned　submarine；　so　that　it　would　obey　her

commands；　asked　all　of　her　party；　including　the

Skeezers；　to　withdraw　from　the　shore　of　the　take　to　the

line　of　palm　trees。　She　kept　with　her　only　the　little

Wizard　of　Oz；　who　was　her　pupil　and　knew　how　to　assist

her　in　her　magic　rites。　When　they　two　were　alone　beside

the　stranded　boat；　Glinda　said　to　the　Wizard：



〃I　shall　first　try　my　magic　recipe　No。　1163；　which　is

intended　to　make　inanimate　objects　move　at　my　command。

Have　you　a　skeropythrope　with　you？〃



〃Yes；　I　always　carry　one　in　my　bag；〃　replied　the

Wizard。　He　opened　his　black　bag　of　magic　tools　and　took

out　a　brightly　polished　skeropythrope；　which　he　handed

to　the　Sorceress。　Glinda　had　also　brought　a　small

wicker　bag；　containing　various　requirements　of　sorcery；

and　from　this　she　took　a　parcel　of　powder　and　a　vial　of

liquid。　She　poured　the　liquid　into　the　skeropythrope

and　added　the　powder。　At　once　the　skeropythrope　began

to　sputter　and　emit　sparks　of　a　violet　color；　which

spread　in　all　directions。　The　Sorceress　instantly

stepped　into　the　middle　of　the　boat　and　held　the

instrument　so　that　the　sparks　fell　all　around　her　and

covered　every　bit　of　the　blackened　steel　boat。　At　the

same　time　Glinda　crooned　a　weird　incantation　in　the

language　of　sorcery；　her　voice　sounding　low　and

musical。



After　a　little　the　violet　sparks　ceased；　and　those

that　had　fallen　upon　the　boat　had　disappeared　and　left

no　mark　upon　its　surface。　The　ceremony　was　ended　and

Glinda　returned　the　skeropythrope　to　the　Wizard；　who

put　it　away　in　his　black　bag。



〃That　ought　to　do　the　business　all　right；〃　he　said

confidently



〃Let　us　make　a　trial　and　see；〃　she　replied。



So　they　both　entered　the　boat　and　seated　themselves。



Speaking　in　a　tone　of　command　the　Sorceress　said　to

the　boat：　〃Carry　us　across　the　lake；　to　the　farther

shore。〃



At　once　the　boat　backed　off　the　sandy　beach；　turned

its　prow　and　moved　swiftly　over　the　water。



〃Very　good　　very　good　indeed！〃　cried　the　Wizard；

when　the　boat　slowed　up　at　the　shore　opposite　from　that

whence　they　had　departed。　〃Even　Coo…ee…oh；　with　all

her　witchcraft；　could　do　no　better。〃



The　Sorceress　now　said　to　the　boat：



〃Close　up；　submerge　and　carry　us　to　the　basement　door

of　the　sunken　island　　the　door　from　which　you　emerged

at　the　command　of　Queen　Coo…ee…oh。〃



The　boat　obeyed。　As　it　sank　into　the　water　the　top

sections　rose　from　the　sides　and　joined　together　over

the　heads　of　Glinda　and　the　Wizard；　who　were　thus

enclosed　in　a　water…proof　chamber。　There　were　four

glass　windows　in　this　covering；　one　on　each　side　and

one　on　either　end；　so　that　the　passengers　could　see

exactly　where　they　were　going。　Moving　under　water　more

slowly　than　on　the　surface；　the　submarine　gradually

approached　the　island　and　halted　with　its　bow　pressed

against　the　huge　marble　door　in　the　basement　under　the

Dome。　This　door　was　tightly　closed　and　it　was　evident

to　both　Glinda　and　the　Wizard　that　it　would　not　open　to

admit　the　underwater　boat　unless　a　magic　word　was

spoken　by　them　or　som