glinda of oz-第27章

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the　background。



At　the　right　of　the　Sorceress　stood　Audah　and　Aurah；

while　at　the　left　stood　the　Wizard　and　Aujah。　Together

they　stretched　their　arms　over　the　water's　edge　and　in

unison　the　five　chanted　a　rhythmic　incantation。



This　chant　they　repeated　again　and　again；　swaying

their　arms　gently　from　side　to　side；　and　in　a　few

minutes　the　watchers　behind　them　noticed　that　the　lake

had　begun　to　recede　from　the　shore。　Before　long　the

highest　point　of　the　dome　appeared　above　the　water。

Gradually　the　water　fell；　making　the　dome　appear　to

rise。　When　it　was　three　or　four　feet　above　the　surface

Glinda　gave　the　signal　to　stop；　for　their　work　had　been

accomplished。



The　blackened　submarine　was　now　entirely　out　of

water；　but　Uncle　Henry　and　Cap'n　Bill　managed　to　push

it　into　the　lake。　Glinda；　the　Wizard；　Ervic　and　the

Adepts　got　into　the　boat；　taking　with　them　a　coil　of

strong　rope；　and　at　the　command　of　the　Sorceress　the

craft　cleaved　its　way　through　the　water　toward　the　part

of　the　Dome　which　was　now　visible。



〃There's　still　plenty　of　water　for　the　fish　to　swim

in；〃　observed　the　Wizard　as　they　rode　along。　〃They

might　like　more　but　I'm　sure　they　can　get　along　until

we　have　raised　the　island　and　can　fill　up　the　lake

again。〃



The　boat　touched　gently　on　the　sloping　glass　of　the

Dome；　and　the　Wizard　took　some　tools　from　his　black　bag

and　quickly　removed　one　large　pane　of　glass；　thus

making　a　hole　large　enough　for　their　bodies　to　pass

through。　Stout　frames　of　steel　supported　the　glass　of

the　Dome；　and　around　one　of　these　frames　the　Wizard

tied　the　end　of　a　rope。



〃I'll　go　down　first；〃　said　he；　〃for　while　I'm　not　as

spry　as　Cap'n　Bill　I'm　sure　I　can　manage　it　easily。　　Are

you　sure　the　rope　is　long　enough　to　reach　the　bottom？〃



〃Quite　sure；〃　replied　the　Sorceress。



So　the　Wizard　let　down　the　rope　and　climbing　through

the　opening　lowered　himself　down；　hand　over　hand；

clinging　to　the　rope　with　his　legs　and　feet。　Below　in

the　streets　of　the　village　were　gathered　all　the

Skeezers；　men；　women　and　children；　and　you　may　be　sure

that　Ozma　and　Dorothy；　with　Lady　Aurex；　were　filled

with　joy　that　their　friends　were　at　last　coming　to

their　rescue。



The　Queen's　palace；　now　occupied　by　Ozma；　was

directly　in　the　center　of　the　Dome；　so　that　when　the

rope　was　let　down　the　end　of　it　came　just　in　front　of

the　palace　entrance。　Several　Skeezers　held　fast　to　the

rope's　end　to　steady　it　and　the　Wizard　reached　the

ground　in　safety。　He　hugged　first　Ozma　and　then

Dorothy；　while　all　the　Skeezers　cheered　as　loud　as　they

could。



The　Wizard　now　discovered　that　the　rope　was　long

enough　to　reach　from　the　top　of　the　Dome　to　the　ground

when　doubled；　so　he　tied　a　chair　to　one　end　of　the　rope

and　called　to　Glinda　to　sit　in　the　chair　while　he　and

some　of　the　Skeezers　lowered　her　to　the　pavement。　In

this　way　the　Sorceress　reached　the　ground　quite

comfortably　and　the　three　Adepts　and　Ervic　soon

followed　her。



The　Skeezers　quickly　recognized　the　three　Adepts　at

Magic；　whom　they　had　learned　to　respect　before　their

wicked　Queen　betrayed　them；　and　welcomed　them　as

friends。　All　the　inhabitants　of　the　village　had　been

greatly　frightened　by　their　imprisonment　under　water；

but　now　realized　that　an　attempt　was　to　be　made　to

rescue　them。



Glinda；　the　Wizard　and　the　Adepts　followed　Ozma　and

Dorothy　into　the　palace；　and　they　asked　Lady　Aurex　and

Ervic　to　join　them。　After　Ozma　had　told　of　her

adventures　in　trying　to　prevent　war　between　the

Flatheads　and　the　Skeezers；　and　Glinda　had　told　all

about　the　Rescue　Expedition　and　the　restoration　of　the

three　Adepts　by　the　help　of　Ervic；　a　serious

consultation　was　held　as　to　how　the　island　could　be

made　to　rise。



〃I've　tried　every　way　in　my　power；〃　said　Ozma；　〃but

Coo…ee…oh　used　a　very　unusual　sort　of　magic　which　I　do

not　understand。　She　seems　to　have　prepared　her

witchcraft　in　such　a　way　that　a　spoken　word　is

necessary　to　accomplish　her　designs；　and　these　spoken

words　are　known　only　to　herself。〃



〃That　is　a　method　we　taught　her；〃　declared　Aurah　the

Adept。



〃I　can　do　no　more；　Glinda；〃　continued　Ozma；　〃so　I

wish　you　would　try　what　your　sorcery　can　accomplish。〃



〃First；　then；〃　said　Glinda；　〃let　us　visit　the

basement　of　the　island；　which　I　am　told　is　underneath

the　village。〃



A　flight　of　marble　stairs　led　from　one　of　Coo…ee…oh's

private　rooms　down　to　the　basement；　but　when　the　party

arrived　all　were　puzzled　by　what　they　saw。　In　the

center　of　a　broad；　low　room；　stood　a　mass　of　great　cog…

wheels；　chains　and　pulleys；　all　interlocked　and　seeming

to　form　a　huge　machine；　but　there　was　no　engine　or

other　motive　power　to　make　the　wheels　turn。



〃This；　I　suppose；　is　the　means　by　which　the　island　is

lowered　or　raised；〃　said　Ozma；　〃but　the　magic　word

which　is　needed　to　move　the　machinery　is　unknown　to

us。〃



The　three　Adepts　were　carefully　examining　the　mass　of

wheels；　and　soon　the　golden…haired　one　said：



〃These　wheels　do　not　control　the　island　at　all。　On

the　contrary；　one　set　of　them　is　used　to　open　the　doors

of　the　little　rooms　where　the　submarines　are　kept；　as

may　be　seen　from　the　chains　and　pulleys　used。　Each　boat

is　kept　in　a　little　room　with　two　doors；　one　to　the

basement　room　where　we　are　now　and　the　other　letting

into　the　lake。



〃When　Coo…ee…oh　used　the　boat　in　which　she　attacked

the　Flatheads；　she　first　commanded　the　basement　door　to

open　and　with　her　followers　she　got　into　the　boat　and

made　the　top　close　over　them。　Then　the　basement　door

being　closed；　the　outer　door　was　slowly　opened；　letting

the　water　fill　the　room　to　float　the　boat；　which　then

left　the　island；　keeping　under　water。〃



〃But　how　could　she　expect　to　get　back　again？〃　asked

the　Wizard。



〃Why　the　boat　would　enter　the　room　filled　with　water

and　after　the　outer　door　was　closed　a　word　of　command

started　a　pump　which　pumped　all　the　water　from　the

room。　Then　the　boat　would　open　and　Coo…ee…oh　could

enter　the　basement。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　the　Wizard。　〃It　is　a　clever

contrivance；　but　won't　work　unless　one　knows　the　magic

words。〃



〃Another　part　of　this　machinery；〃　explained　the

white…haired　Adept；　〃is　used　to　extend　the　bridge　from

the　island　to　the　mainland。　The　steel　bridge　is　in　a

room　much　like　that　in　which　the　boats　are　kept；　and　at

Coo…ce…oh's　command　it　would　reach　out；　joint　by　joint；

until　its　far　end　touched　the　shore　of　the　lake。　The

same　magic　command　would　make　the　bridge　return　to　its

former　position。　Of　course　the　bridge　could　not　be　used

unless　the　island　was　on　the　surface　of　the　water。〃



〃But　how　do　you　suppose　Coo…ee…oh　managed　to　sink　the

island；　and　make　it　rise　again？〃　inquired　Glinda。



This　the　Adepts　could　not　yet　explain。　As　nothing

more　could　be　learned　from　the　basement　they　mounted

the　steps　to　the　Queen's　private　suite　again；　and　Ozma

showed　them　to　a　special　room　where　Coo…ee…oh　kept　her

magical　instruments　and　performed　all　her　arts　of

witchcraft。









Chapter　Twenty…Three



The　Magic　Words







Many　interesting　things　were　to　be　seen　in　the　Room

of　Magic；　including　much　that　had　been　stolen　from　the

Adepts　when　they　were　transformed　to　fishes；　but　they

had　to　admit　that　Coo…ee…oh　had　a　rare　genius　for

mechanics；　and　had　used　her　knowledge　in　inventing　a

lot　of　mechanical　apparatus　that　ordinary　witches；

wizards　and　sorcerers　could　not　understand。



They　all　carefully　inspected　this　room；　taking　care

to　examine　every　article　they　came　across。



〃The　island；〃　said　Glinda　thoughtfully；　〃rests　on　a

base　of　solid　marble。　When　it　is　submerged；　as　it　is

now；　the　base　of　the　island　is　upon　the　bottom　of　the

lake。　What　puzzles　me　is　how　such　a　great　weight　can　be

lifted　and　suspended　in　the　water；　even　by　magic。〃



〃I　now　remember；〃　returned　Aujah；　〃that　one　of　the

arts　we　taught　Coo…ee…oh　was　the　way　to　expand　s