glinda of oz-第7章

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Ten　steps　up；　five　steps　down；　and　a　turn；　this　way

or　that。　That　was　the　program；　and　Dorothy　figured　that

they　were　only　gaining　five　stairs　upward　each　trip

that　they　made。



〃Those　Flatheads　must　be　funny　people；〃　she　said　to

Ozma。　〃They　don't　seem　to　do　anything　in　a　bold

straightforward　manner。　In　making　this　passage　they

forced　everyone　to　walk　three　times　as　far　as　is

necessary。　And　of　course　this　trip　is　just　as　tiresome

to　the　Flatheads　as　it　is　to　other　folks。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　answered　Ozma；　〃yet　it　is　a　clever

arrangement　to　prevent　their　being　surprised　by

intruders。　Every　time　we　reach　the　tenth　step　of　a

flight；　the　pressure　of　our　feet　on　the　stone　makes　a

bell　ring　on　top　of　the　mountain；　to　warn　the　Flatheads

of　our　coming。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　demanded　Dorothy；　astonished。



〃I've　heard　the　bell　ever　since　we　started；〃　Ozma

told　her。　〃You　could　not　hear　it；　I　know；　but　when　I　am

holding　my　wand　in　my　hand　I　can　hear　sounds　a　great

distance　off。〃



〃Do　you　hear　anything　on　top　of　the　mountain　'cept

the　bell？〃　inquired　Dorothy



〃Yes。　The　people　are　calling　to　one　another　in　alarm

and　many　footsteps　are　approaching　the　place　where　we

will　reach　the　flat　top　of　the　mountain。〃



This　made　Dorothy　feel　somewhat　anxious。　〃I'd　thought

we　were　going　to　visit　just　common；　ordinary　people；〃

she　remarked；　〃but　they're　pretty　clever；　it　seems；　and

they　know　some　kinds　of　magic；　too。　They　may　be

dangerous；　Ozma。　P'raps　we'd　better　stayed　at　home。〃



Finally　the　upstairs…and…downstairs　passage　seemed

coming　to　an　end；　for　daylight　again　appeared　ahead　of

the　two　girls　and　Ozma　replaced　her　wand　in　the　bosom

of　her　gown。　The　last　ten　steps　brought　them　to　the

surface；　where　they　found　themselves　surrounded　by

such　a　throng　of　queer　people　that　for　a　time　they

halted；　speechless；　and　stared　into　the　faces　that

confronted　them。



Dorothy　knew　at　once　why　these　mountain　people　were

called　Flatheads。　Their　heads　were　really　flat　on　top；

as　if　they　had　been　cut　off　just　above　the　eyes　and

ears。　Also　the　heads　were　bald；　with　no　hair　on　top　at

all；　and　the　ears　were　big　and　stuck　straight　out；　and

the　noses　were　small　and　stubby；　while　the　mouths　of

the　Flatheads　were　well　shaped　and　not　unusual。　Their

eyes　were　perhaps　their　best　feature；　being　large　and

bright　and　a　deep　violet　in　color。



The　costumes　of　the　Flatheads　were　all　made　of　metals

dug　from　their　mountain。　Small　gold；　silver；　tin　and

iron　discs；　about　the　size　of　pennies；　and　very　thin；

were　cleverly　wired　together　and　made　to　form　knee

trousers　and　jackets　for　the　men　and　skirts　and　waists

for　the　women。　The　colored　metals　were　skillfully　mixed

to　form　stripes　and　checks　of　various　sorts；　so　that

the　costumes　were　quite　gorgeous　and　reminded　Dorothy

of　pictures　she　had　seen　of　Knights　of　old　clothed

armor。



Aside　from　their　flat　heads；　these　people　were　not

really　bad　looking。　The　men　were　armed　with　bows　and

arrows　and　had　small　axes　of　steel　stuck　in　their　metal

belts。　They　wore　no　hats　nor　ornaments。









Chapter　Six



Flathead　Mountain







When　they　saw　that　the　intruders　on　their　mountain

were　only　two　little　girls；　the　Flatheads　grunted　with

satisfaction　and　drew　back；　permitting　them　to　see　what

the　mountain　top　looked　like。　It　was　shaped　like　a

saucer；　so　that　the　houses　and　other　buildings　　all

made　of　rocks　　could　not　be　seen　over　the　edge　by

anyone　standing　in　the　plain　below。



But　now　a　big　fat　Flathead　stood　before　the　girls　and

in　a　gruff　voice　demanded：



〃What　are　you　doing　here？　Have　the　Skeezers　sent　you

to　spy　upon　us？〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma；　Ruler　of　all　the　Land　of　Oz。〃



〃Well；　I've　never　heard　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　so　you　may

be　what　you　claim；〃　returned　the　Flathead。



〃This　is　the　Land　of　Oz　　part　of　it；　anyway；〃

exclaimed　Dorothy。　〃So　Princess　Ozma　rules　you　Flathead

people；　as　well　as　all　the　other　people　in　Oz。〃



The　man　laughed；　and　all　the　others　who　stood　around

laughed；　too。　Some　one　in　the　crowd　called：



〃She'd　better　not　tell　the　Supreme　Dictator　about

ruling　the　Flatheads。　Eh；　friends？〃



〃No；　indeed！〃　they　all　answered　in　positive　tones。



〃Who　is　your　Supreme　Dictator？〃　answered　Ozma。



〃I　think　I'll　let　him　tell　you　that　himself；〃

answered　the　man　who　had　first　spoken。　〃You　have　broken

our　laws　by　coming　here；　and　whoever　you　are　the

Supreme　Dictator　must　fix　your　punishment。　Come　along

with　me。〃



He　started　down　a　path　and　Ozma　and　Dorothy　followed

him　without　protest；　as　they　wanted　to　see　the　most

important　person　in　this　queer　country。　The　houses　they

passed　seemed　pleasant　enough　and　each　had　a　little

yard　in　which　were　flowers　and　vegetables。　Walls　of

rock　separated　the　dwellings；　and　all　the　paths　were

paved　with　smooth　slabs　of　rock。　This　seemed　their　only

building　material　and　they　utilized　it　cleverly　for

every　purpose。



Directly　in　the　center　of　the　great　saucer　stood　a

larger　building　which　the　Flathead　informed　the　girls

was　the　palace　of　the　Supreme　Dictator。　He　led　them

through　an　entrance　hall　into　a　big　reception　room；

where　they　sat　upon　stone　benches　and　awaited　the

coming　of　the　Dictator。　Pretty　soon　he　entered　from

another　room　　a　rather　lean　and　rather　old　Flathead；

dressed　much　like　the　others　of　this　strange　race；　and

only　distinguished　from　them　by　the　sly　and　cunning

expression　of　his　face。　He　kept　his　eyes　half　closed

and　looked　through　the　slits　of　them　at　Ozma　and

Dorothy；　who　rose　to　receive　him。



〃Are　you　the　Supreme　Dictator　of　the　Flatheads？〃

inquired　Ozma。



〃Yes；　that's　me；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands　slowly

together。　〃My　word　is　law。　I'm　the　head　of　the

Flatheads　on　this　flat　headland。〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；　and　I　have　come　from　the

Emerald　City　to　〃



〃Stop　a　minute；〃　interrupted　the　Dictator；　and　turned

to　the　man　who　had　brought　the　girls　there。　〃Go　away；

Dictator　Felo　Flathead！〃　he　commanded。　〃Return　to　your

duty　and　guard　the　Stairway。　I　will　look　after　these

strangers。〃　The　man　bowed　and　departed；　and　Dorothy

asked　wonderingly：



〃Is　he　a　Dictator；　too？〃



〃Of　course；〃　was　the　answer。　〃Everybody　here　is　a

dictator　of　something　or　other。　They're　all　office

holders。　That's　what　keeps　them　contented。　But　I'm　the

Supreme　Dictator　of　all；　and　I'm　elected　once　a　year。

This　is　a　democracy；　you　know；　where　the　people　are

allowed　to　vote　for　their　rulers。　A　good　many　others

would　like　to　be　Supreme　Dictator；　but　as　I　made　a　law

that　I　am　always　to　count　the　votes　myself；　I　am　always

elected。〃



〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　Ozma。



〃I　am　called　the　Su…dic；　which　is　short　for　Supreme

Dictator。　I　sent　that　man　away　because　the　moment　you

mentioned　Ozma　of　Oz；　and　the　Emerald　City；　I　knew　who

you　are。　I　suppose　I'm　the　only　Flathead　that　ever

heard　of　you；　but　that's　because　I　have　more　brains

than　the　rest。〃



Dorothy　was　staring　hard　at　the　Su…dic。



〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　have　any　brains　at　all；〃　she

remarked；　〃because　the　part　of　your　head　is　gone　where

brains　are　kept。〃



〃I　don't　blame　you　for　thinking　that；〃　he　said。　〃Once

the　Flatheads　had　no　brains　because；　as　you　say；　there

is　no　upper　part　to　their　heads；　to　hold　brains。　But

long；　long　ago　a　band　of　fairies　flew　over　this　country

and　made　it　all　a　fairyland；　and　when　they　came　to　the

Flatheads　the　fairies　were　sorry　to　find　them　all　very

stupid　and　quite　unable　to　think。　So；　as　there　was　no

good　place　in　their　bodies　in　which　to　put　brains　the

Fairy　Queen　gave　each　one　of　us　a　nice　can　of　brains　to

carry　in　his　pocket　and　that　made　us　just　as

intelligent　as　other　people。　See；〃　he　continued；　〃here

is　one　of　the　cans　of　brains　the　fairies　gave　us。〃　He

took　from　a　pocket　a　bright　tin　can　having　a　pretty　red

label　on　it　which　said：　Concentrated　Brains；　Extra

Qualit