glinda of oz-第9章

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〃Take　these　two　girls；　bind　them　with　wire　ropes　and

cast　them　into　the　bronze　prison。〃



The　four　men　bowed　low　and　one　of　them　asked：



〃Where　are　the　two　girls；　most　noble　Su…dic？〃



The　Su…dic　turned　to　where　Ozma　and　Dorothy　had　stood

but　they　had　vanished！









Chapter　Seven



The　Magic　Isle







Ozma；　seeing　it　was　useless　to　argue　with　the　Supreme

Dictator　of　the　Flatheads。　had　been　considering　how

best　to　escape　from　his　power。　She　realized　that　his

sorcery　might　be　difficult　to　overcome；　and　when　he

threatened　to　cast　Dorothy　and　her　into　a　bronze　prison

she　slipped　her　hand　into　her　bosom　and　grasped　her

silver　wand。　With　the　other　hand　she　grasped　the　hand

of　Dorothy；　but　these　motions　were　so　natural　that　the

Su…dic　did　not　notice　them。　Then　when　he　turned　to　meet

his　four　soldiers；　Ozma　instantly　rendered　both　herself

and　Dorothy　invisible　and　swiftly　led　her　companion

around　the　group　of　Flatheads　and　out　of　the　room。　As

they　reached　the　entry　and　descended　the　stone　steps；

Ozma　whispered：



〃Let　us　run；　dear！　We　are　invisible；　so　no　one　will

see　us。〃



Dorothy　understood　and　she　was　a　good　runner。　Ozma

had　marked　the　place　where　the　grand　stairway　that　led

to　the　plain　was　located；　so　they　made　directly　for　it。

Some　people　were　in　the　paths　but　these　they　dodged

around。　One　or　two　Flatheads　heard　the　pattering　of

footsteps　of　the　girls　on　the　stone　pavement　and

stopped　with　bewildered　looks　to　gaze　around　them；　but

no　one　interfered　with　the　invisible　fugitives。



The　Su…dic　had　lost　no　time　in　starting　the　chase。　He

and　his　men　ran　so　fast　that　they　might　have　overtaken

the　girls　before　they　reached　the　stairway　had　not　the

Golden　Pig　suddenly　run　across　their　path。　The　Su…dic

tripped　over　the　pig　and　fell　flat；　and　his　four　men

tripped　over　him　and　tumbled　in　a　heap。　Before　they

could　scramble　up　and　reach　the　mouth　of　the　passage　it

was　too　late　to　stop　the　two　girls。



There　was　a　guard　on　each　side　of　the　stairway；　but

of　course　they　did　not　see　Ozma　and　Dorothy　as　they

sped　past　and　descended　the　steps。　Then　they　had　to　go

up　five　steps　and　down　another　ten；　and　so　on；　in　the

same　manner　in　which　they　had　climbed　to　the　top　of　the

mountain。　Ozma　lighted　their　way　with　her　wand　and　they

kept　on　without　relaxing　their　speed　until　they　reached

the　bottom。　Then　they　ran　to　the　right　and　turned　the

corner　of　the　invisible　wall　just　as　the　Su…dic　and　his

followers　rushed　out　of　the　arched　entrance　and　looked

around　in　an　attempt　to　discover　the　fugitives。



Ozma　now　knew　they　were　safe；　so　she　told　Dorothy　to

stop　and　both　of　them　sat　down　on　the　grass　until　they

could　breathe　freely　and　become　rested　from　their　mad

flight。



As　for　the　Su…dic；　he　realized　he　was　foiled　and　soon

turned　and　climbed　his　stairs　again。　He　was　very　angry

　angry　with　Ozma　and　angry　with　himself　　because；

now　that　he　took　time　to　think；　he　remembered　that　he

knew　very　well　the　art　of　making　people　invisible；　and

visible　again；　and　if　he　had　only　thought　of　it　in　time

he　could　have　used　his　magic　knowledge　to　make　the

girls　visible　and　so　have　captured　them　easily。

However；　it　was　now　too　late　for　regrets　and　he

determined　to　make　preparations　at　once　to　march　all

his　forces　against　the　Skeezers。



〃What　shall　we　do　next？〃　asked　Dorothy；　when　they

were　rested。



〃Let　us　find　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers；〃　replied　Ozma。

〃From　what　that　dreadful　Su…dic　said　I　imagine　the

Skeezers　are　good　people　and　worthy　of　our　friendship；

and　if　we　go　to　them　we　may　help　them　to　defeat　the

Flatheads。〃



〃I　s'pose　we　can't　stop　the　war　now；〃　remarked

Dorothy　reflectively；　as　they　walked　toward　the　row　of

palm　trees。



〃No；　the　Su…dic　is　determined　to　fight　the　Skeezers；

so　all　we　can　do　is　to　warn　them　of　their　danger　and

help　them　as　much　as　possible。〃



〃Of　course　you'll　punish　the　Flatheads；〃　said

Dorothy。



〃Well；　I　do　not　think　the　Flathead　people　are　as　much

to　blame　as　their　Supreme　Dictator；〃　was　the　answer。

〃If　he　is　removed　from　power　and　his　unlawful　magic

taken　from　him；　the　people　will　probably　be　good　and

respect　the　laws　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　and　live　at　peace

with　all　their　neighbors　in　the　future。〃



〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Dorothy　with　a　sigh　of　doubt



The　palms　were　not　far　from　the　mountain　and　the

girls　reached　them　after　a　brisk　walk。　The　huge　trees

were　set　close　together；　in　three　rows；　and　had　been

planted　so　as　to　keep　people　from　passing　them；　but　the

Flatheads　had　cut　a　passage　through　this　barrier　and

Ozma　found　the　path　and　led　Dorothy　to　the　other　side。



Beyond　the　palms　they　discovered　a　very　beautiful

scene。　Bordered　by　a　green　lawn　was　a　great　lake　fully

a　mile　from　shore　to　shore；　the　waters　of　which　were

exquisitely　blue　and　sparkling；　with　little　wavelets

breaking　its　smooth　surface　where　the　breezes　touched

it。　In　the　center　of　this　lake　appeared　a　lovely

island；　not　of　great　extent　but　almost　entirely　covered

by　a　huge　round　building　with　glass　walls　and　a　high

glass　dome　which　glittered　brilliantly　in　the　sunshine。

Between　the　glass　building　and　the　edge　of　the　island

was　no　grass；　flowers　or　shrubbery；　but　only　an　expanse

of　highly　polished　white　marble。　There　were　no　boats　on

either　shore　and　no　signs　of　life　could　be　seen

anywhere　on　the　island。



〃Well；〃　said　Dorothy；　gazing　wistfully　at　the　island；

we've　found　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers　and　their　Magic

Isle。　I　guess　the　Skeezers　are　in　that　big　glass

palace；　but　we　can't　get　at　'em。〃









Chapter　Eight



Queen　Coo…ee…oh







Princess　Ozma　considered　the　situation　gravely。　Then

she　tied　her　handkerchief　to　her　wand　and；　standing　at

the　water's　edge；　waved　the　handkerchief　like　a　flag；

as　a　signal。　For　a　time　they　could　observe　no　response。



〃I　don't　see　what　good　that　will　do；〃　said　Dorothy。

〃Even　if　the　Skeezers　are　on　that　island　and　see　us；

and　know　we're　friends；　they　haven't　any　boats　to　come

and　get　us。〃



But　the　Skeezers　didn't　need　boats；　as　the　girls　soon

discovered。　For　on　a　sudden　an　opening　appeared　at　the

base　of　the　palace　and　from　the　opening　came　a　slender

shaft　of　steel；　reaching　out　slowly　but　steadily　across

the　water　in　the　direction　of　the　place　where　they

stood。　To　the　girls　this　steel　arrangement　looked　like

a　triangle；　with　the　base　nearest　the　water。　It　came

toward　them　in　the　form　of　an　arch；　stretching　out　from

the　palace　wall　until　its　end　reached　the　bank　and

rested　there；　while　the　other　end　still　remained　on　the

island。



Then　they　saw　that　it　was　a　bridge；　consisting　of　a

steel　footway　just　broad　enough　to　walk　on；　and　two

slender　guide　rails；　one　on　either　side；　which　were

connected　with　the　footway　by　steel　bars。　The　bridge

looked　rather　frail　and　Dorothy　feared　it　would　not

bear　their　weight；　but　Ozma　at　once　called；　〃Come　on！〃

and　started　to　walk　across；　holding　fast　to　the　rail　on

either　side。　So　Dorothy　summoned　her　courage　and

followed　after。　Before　Ozma　had　taken　three　steps　she

halted　and　so　forced　Dorothy　to　halt；　for　the　bridge

was　again　moving　and　returning　to　the　island。



〃We　need　not　walk　after　all；〃　said　Ozma。　So　they

stood　still　in　their　places　and　let　the　steel　bridge

draw　them　onward。　Indeed；　the　bridge　drew　them　well

into　the　glass…domed　building　which　covered　the　island；

and　soon　they　found　themselves　standing　in　a　marble

room　where　two　handsomely　dressed　young　men　stood　on　a

platform　to　receive　them。



Ozma　at　once　stepped　from　the　end　of　the　bridge　to

the　marble　platform；　followed　by　Dorothy；　and　then　the

bridge　disappeared　with　a　slight　clang　of　steel　and　a

marble　slab　covered　the　opening　from　which　it　had

emerged。



The　two　young　men　bowed　profoundly　to　Ozma；　and　one

of　them　said：



〃Queen　Coo…ee…oh　bids　you　welcome；　O　Strangers。　Her

Majesty　is　waiting　to　receiv