glinda of oz-第25章

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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　someone　from　within　the　basement　of

the　island。　But　what　was　this　magic　word？　　Neither　of

them　knew。



〃I'm　afraid；〃　said　the　Wizard　regretfully；　〃that　we

can't　get　in；　after　all。　Unless　your　sorcery　can

discover　the　word　to　open　the　marble　door。〃



〃That　is　probably　some　word　only　known　to　Coo…ce…oh；〃

replied　the　Sorceress。　〃I　may　be　able　to　discover　what

it　is；　but　that　will　require　time。　Let　us　go　back

again　to　our　companions。〃



〃It　seems　a　shame；　after　we　have　made　the　boat　obey

us；　to　be　balked　by　just　a　marble　door；〃　grumbled　the

Wizard。



At　Glinda's　command　the　boat　rose　until　it　was　on　a

level　with　the　glass　dome　that　covered　the　Skeezer

village；　when　the　Sorceress　made　it　slowly　circle　all

around　the　Great　Dome。



Many　faces　were　pressed　against　the　glass　from　the

inside；　eagerly　watching　the　submarine；　and　in　one

place　were　Dorothy　and　Ozma；　who　quickly　recognized

Glinda　and　the　Wizard　through　the　glass　windows　of　the

boat。　Glinda　saw　them；　too；　and　held　the　boat　close　to

the　Dome　while　the　friends　exchanged　greetings　in

pantomime。　Their　voices；　unfortunately；　could　not　be

heard　through　the　Dome　and　the　water　and　the　side　of

the　boat。　The　Wizard　tried　to　make　the　girls

understand；　through　signs；　that　he　and　Glinda　had　come

to　their　rescue；　and　Ozma　and　Dorothy　understood　this

from　the　very　fact　that　the　Sorceress　and　the　Wizard

had　appeared。　The　two　girl　prisoners　were　smiling　and

in　safety；　and　knowing　this　Glinda　felt　she　could　take

all　the　time　necessary　in　order　to　effect　their　final

rescue。



As　nothing　more　could　be　done　just　then；　Glinda

ordered　the　boat　to　return　to　shore　and　it　obeyed

readily。　First　it　ascended　to　the　surface　of　the　water；

then　the　roof　parted　and　fell　into　the　slots　at　the

side　of　the　boat；　and　then　the　magic　craft　quickly　made

the　shore　and　beached　itself　on　the　sands　at　the　very

spot　from　which　it　had　departed　at　Glinda's　command。

All　the　Oz　people　and　the　Skeezers　at　once　ran　to　the

boat　to　ask　if　they　had　reached　the　island；　and　whether

they　had　seen　Ozma　and　Dorothy。　The　Wizard　told　them　of

the　obstacle　they　had　met　in　the　way　of　a　marble　door；

and　how　Glinda　would　now　undertake　to　find　a　magic　way

to　conquer　the　door。



Realizing　that　it　would　require　several　days　to

succeed　in　reaching　the　island　raising　it　and

liberating　their　friends　and　the　Skeezer　people；　Glinda

now　prepared　a　camp　half　way　between　the　lake　shore　and

the　palm　trees。



The　Wizard's　wizardry　made　a　number　of　tents　appear

and　the　sorcery　of　the　Sorceress　furnished　these　tents

all　complete；　with　beds；　chairs；　tables；　flags；　lamps

and　even　books　with　which　to　pass　idle　hours。　All　the

tents　had　the　Royal　Banner　of　Oz　flying　from　the

centerpoles　and　one　big　tent；　not　now　occupied；　had

Ozma's　own　banner　moving　in　the　breeze。



Betsy　and　Trot　had　a　tent　to　themselves；　and　Button

Bright　and　Ojo　had　another。　The　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin

Woodman　paired　together　in　one　tent　and　so　did　Jack

Pumpkinhead　and　the　Shaggy　Man；　Cap'n　Bill　and　Uncle

Henry；　Tik…Tok　and　Professor　Wogglebug。　Glinda　had　the

most　splendid　tent　of　all；　except　that　reserved　for

Ozma；　while　the　Wizard　had　a　little　one　of　his　own。

Whenever　it　was　meal　time；　tables　loaded　with　food

magically　appeared　in　the　tents　of　those　who　were　in

the　habit　of　eating；　and　these　complete　arrangements

made　the　rescue　party　just　comfortable　as　they　would

have　been　in　their　own　homes。



Far　into　the　night　Glinda　sat　in　her　tent　studying　a

roll　of　mystic　scrolls　in　search　of　a　word　that　would

open　the　basement　door　of　the　island　and　admit　her　to

the　Great　Dome。　She　also　made　many　magical　experiments；

hoping　to　discover　something　that　would　aid　her。　Yet

the　morning　found　the　powerful　Sorceress　still

unsuccessful。



Glinda's　art　could　have　opened　any　ordinary　door；　you

may　be　sure；　but　you　must　realize　that　this　marble　door

of　the　island　had　been　commanded　not　to　open　save　in

obedience　to　one　magic　word；　and　therefore　all　other

magic　words　could　have　no　effect　upon　it。　The　magic

word　that　guarded　the　door　had　probably　been　invented

by　Coo…ee…oh；　who　had　now　forgotten　it。　The　only　way；

then；　to　gain　entrance　to　the　sunken　island　was　to

break　the　charm　that　held　the　door　fast　shut。　If　this

could　be　done　no　magic　would　be　required　to　open　it。



The　next　day　the　Sorceress　and　the　Wizard　again

entered　the　boat　and　made　it　submerge　and　go　to　the

marble　door；　which　they　tried　in　various　ways　to　open；

but　without　success。



〃We　shall　have　to　abandon　this　attempt；　I　think；〃

said　Glinda。　〃The　easiest　way　to　raise　the　island　would

be　for　us　to　gain　admittance　to　the　Dome　and　then

descend　to　the　basement　and　see　in　what　manner

Coo…ee…oh　made　the　entire　island　sink　or　rise　at　her

command。　It　naturally　occurred　to　me　that　the　easiest

way　to　gain　admittance　would　be　by　having　the　boat　take

us　into　the　basement　through　the　marble　door　from　which

Coo…ee…oh　launched　it。　But　there　must　be　other　ways　to

get　inside　the　Dome　and　join　Ozma　and　Dorothy；　and　such

ways　we　must　find　by　study　and　the　proper　use　of　our

powers　of　magic。〃



〃It　won't　be　easy；〃　declared　the　Wizard；　〃for　we　must

not　forget　that　Ozma　herself　understands　considerable

magic；　and　has　doubtless　tried　to　raise　the　island　or

find　other　means　of　escape　from　it　and　failed。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　returned　Glinda；　〃but　Ozma's　magic　is

fairy　magic；　while　you　are　a　Wizard　and　I　am　a

Sorceress。　In　this　way　the　three　of　us　have　a　great

variety　of　magic　to　work　with；　and　if　we　should　all

fail　it　will　be　because　the　island　is　raised　and

lowered　by　a　magic　power　none　of　us　is　acquainted　with。

My　idea　therefore　is　to　seek　　by　such　magic　as　we

possess　　to　accomplish　our　object　in　another　way。〃



They　made　the　circle　of　the　Dome　again　in　their　boat；

and　once　more　saw　Ozma　and　Dorothy　through　their

windows　and　exchanged　signals　with　the　two　imprisoned

girls。



Ozma　realized　that　her　friends　were　doing　all　in

their　power　to　rescue　her　and　smiled　an　encouragement

to　their　efforts。　Dorothy　seemed　a　little　anxious　but

was　trying　to　be　as　brave　as　her　companion。



After　the　boat　had　returned　to　the　camp　and　Glinda

was　seated　in　her　tent；　working　out　various　ways　by

which　Ozma　and　Dorothy　could　be　rescued；　the　Wizard

stood　on　the　shore　dreamily　eying　the　outlines　of　the

Great　Dome　which　showed　beneath　the　clear　water；　when

he　raised　his　eyes　and　saw　a　group　of　strange　people

approaching　from　around　the　lake。　Three　were　young

women　of　stately　presence；　very　beautifully　dressed；

who　moved　with　remarkable　grace。　They　were　followed　at

a　little　distance　by　a　good…looking　young　Skeezer。



The　Wizard　saw　at　a　glance　that　these　people　might　be

very　important；　so　he　advanced　to　meet　them。　The　three

maidens　received　him　graciously　and　the　one　with　the

golden　hair　said：



〃I　believe　you　are　the　famous　Wizard　of　Oz；　of　whom　I

have　often　heard。　We　are　seeking　Glinda；　the　Sorceress；

and　perhaps　you　can　lead　us　to　her。〃



〃I　can；　and　will；　right　gladly；〃　answered　the　Wizard。

〃Follow　me；　please。〃



The　little　Wizard　was　puzzled　as　to　the　identity　of

the　three　lovely　visitors　but　he　gave　no　sign　that

might　embarrass　them。



He　understood　they　did　not　wish　to　be　questioned；　and

so　he　made　no　remarks　as　he　led　the　way　to　Glinda's

tent。



With　a　courtly　bow　the　Wizard　ushered　the　three

visitors　into　the　gracious　presence　of　Glinda；　the

Good。









Chapter　Twenty…One



The　Three　Adepts







The　Sorceress　looked　up　from　her　work　as　the　three

maidens　entered；　and　something　in　their　appearance　and

manner　led　her　to　rise　and　bow　to　them　in　her　most

dignified　manner。　The　three　knelt　an　instant　before　the

great　Sorceress　and　then　stood　upr