dorothy and the wizard in oz-第10章

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even　that　did　not　satisfy　the　Princess。



Just　then　his　eye　fell　upon　the　lanterns　and　the　can　of　kerosene　oil

which　Zeb　had　brought　from　the　car　of　his　balloon；　and　he　got　a　clever

idea　from　those　commonplace　things。



〃Your　Highness；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　now　proceed　to　prove　my　magic　by

creating　two　suns　that　you　have　never　seen　before；　also　I　will　exhibit

a　Destroyer　much　more　dreadful　that　your　Clinging　Vines。〃



So　he　placed　Dorothy　upon　one　side　of　him　and　the　boy　upon　the　other

and　set　a　lantern　upon　each　of　their　heads。



〃Don't　laugh；〃　he　whispered　to　them；　〃or　you　will　spoil　the　effect　of

my　magic。〃



Then；　with　much　dignity　and　a　look　of　vast　importance　upon　his

wrinkled　face；　the　Wizard　got　out　his　match…box　and　lighted　the　two

lanterns。　The　glare　they　made　was　very　small　when　compared　with　the

radiance　of　the　six　great　colored　suns；　but　still　they　gleamed

steadily　and　clearly。　　The　Mangaboos　were　much　impressed　because

they　had　never　before　seen　any　light　that　did　not　come　directly

from　their　suns。



Next　the　Wizard　poured　a　pool　of　oil　from　the　can　upon　the　glass　floor；

where　it　covered　quite　a　broad　surface。　　When　he　lighted　the　oil　a　hundred

tongues　of　flame　shot　up；　and　the　effect　was　really　imposing。



〃Now；　Princess；〃　exclaimed　the　Wizard；　〃those　of　your　advisors　who

wished　to　throw　us　into　the　Garden　of　Clinging　Vines　must　step　within

this　circle　of　light。　　If　they　advised　you　well；　and　were　in　the

right；　they　will　not　be　injured　in　any　way。　　But　if　any　advised　you

wrongly；　the　light　will　wither　him。〃



The　advisors　of　the　Princess　did　not　like　this　test；　but　she　commanded

them　to　step　into　the　flame　and　one　by　one　they　did　so；　and　were

scorched　so　badly　that　the　air　was　soon　filled　with　an　odor　like　that

of　baked　potatoes。　　Some　of　the　Mangaboos　fell　down　and　had　to　be

dragged　from　the　fire；　and　all　were　so　withered　that　it　would　be

necessary　to　plant　them　at　once。



〃Sir；〃　said　the　Princess　to　the　Wizard；　〃you　are　greater　than　any　Sorcerer

we　have　ever　known。　　As　it　is　evident　that　my　people　have　advised　me

wrongly；　I　will　not　cast　you　three　people　into　the　dreadful　Garden　of

the　Clinging　Vines；　but　your　animals　must　be　driven　into　the　Black　Pit

in　the　mountain；　for　my　subjects　cannot　bear　to　have　them　around。〃



The　Wizard　was　so　pleased　to　have　saved　the　two　children　and　himself

that　he　said　nothing　against　this　decree；　but　when　the　Princess　had

gone　both　Jim　and　Eureka　protested　they　did　not　want　to　go　to　the

Black　Pit；　and　Dorothy　promised　she　would　do　all　that　she　could　to

save　them　from　such　a　fate。



For　two　or　three　days　after　thisif　we　call　days　the　periods　between

sleep；　there　being　no　night　to　divide　the　hours　into　daysour　friends

were　not　disturbed　in　any　way。　　They　were　even　permitted　to　occupy　the

House　of　the　Sorcerer　in　peace；　as　if　it　had　been　their　own；　and　to

wander　in　the　gardens　in　search　of　food。



Once　they　came　near　to　the　enclosed　Garden　of　the　Clinging　Vines；　and

walking　high　into　the　air　looked　down　upon　it　with　much　interest。

They　saw　a　mass　of　tough　green　vines　all　matted　together　and　writhing

and　twisting　around　like　a　nest　of　great　snakes。　　Everything　the　vines

touched　they　crushed；　and　our　adventurers　were　indeed　thankful　to　have

escaped　being　cast　among　them。



Whenever　the　Wizard　went　to　sleep　he　would　take　the　nine　tiny　piglets

from　his　pocket　and　let　them　run　around　on　the　floor　of　his　room　to

amuse　themselves　and　get　some　exercise；　and　one　time　they　found　his

glass　door　ajar　and　wandered　into　the　hall　and　then　into　the　bottom

part　of　the　great　dome；　walking　through　the　air　as　easily　as　Eureka

could。　　They　knew　the　kitten；　by　this　time；　so　they　scampered　over　to

where　she　lay　beside　Jim　and　commenced　to　frisk　and　play　with　her。



The　cab…horse；　who　never　slept　long　at　a　time；　sat　upon　his　haunches

and　watched　the　tiny　piglets　and　the　kitten　with　much　approval。



〃Don't　be　rough！〃　he　would　call　out；　if　Eureka　knocked　over　one　of　the

round；　fat　piglets　with　her　paw；　but　the　pigs　never　minded；　and

enjoyed　the　sport　very　greatly。



Suddenly　they　looked　up　to　find　the　room　filled　with　the　silent；

solemn…eyed　Mangaboos。　　Each　of　the　vegetable　folks　bore　a　branch

covered　with　sharp　thorns；　which　was　thrust　defiantly　toward　the

horse；　the　kitten　and　the　piglets。



〃Herestop　this　foolishness！〃　Jim　roared；　angrily；　but　after　being

pricked　once　or　twice　he　got　upon　his　four　legs　and　kept　out　of　the

way　of　the　thorns。



The　Mangaboos　surrounded　them　in　solid　ranks；　but　left　an　opening　to

the　doorway　of　the　hall；　so　the　animals　slowly　retreated　until　they

were　driven　from　the　room　and　out　upon　the　street。　　Here　were　more　of

the　vegetable　people　with　thorns；and　silently　they　urged　the　now

frightened　creatures　down　the　street。　　Jim　had　to　be　careful　not　to

step　upon　the　tiny　piglets；　who　scampered　under　his　feet　grunting　and

squealing；　while　Eureka；　snarling　and　biting　at　the　thorns　pushed

toward　her；　also　tried　to　protect　the　pretty　little　things　from

injury。　　Slowly　but　steadily　the　heartless　Mangaboos　drove　them　on；

until　they　had　passed　through　the　city　and　the　gardens　and　come　to　the

broad　plains　leading　to　the　mountain。



〃What　does　all　this　mean；　anyhow？〃　asked　the　horse；　jumping　to　escape

a　thorn。



〃Why；　they　are　driving　us　toward　the　Black　Pit；　into　which　they

threatened　to　cast　us；〃　replied　the　kitten。　　〃If　I　were　as　big　as　you

are；　Jim；　I'd　fight　these　miserable　turnip…roots！〃



〃What　would　you　do？〃　enquired　Jim。



〃I'd　kick　out　with　those　long　legs　and　iron…shod　hoofs。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　the　horse；　〃I'll　do　it。〃



An　instant　later　he　suddenly　backed　toward　the　crowd　of　Mangaboos　and

kicked　out　his　hind　legs　as　hard　as　he　could。　　A　dozen　of　them　smashed

together　and　tumbled　to　the　ground；　and　seeing　his　success　Jim　kicked

again　and　again；　charging　into　the　vegetable　crowd；　knocking　them　in

all　directions　and　sending　the　others　scattering　to　escape　his　iron

heels。　　Eureka　helped　him　by　flying　into　the　faces　of　the　enemy　and

scratching　and　biting　furiously；　and　the　kitten　ruined　so　many

vegetable　complexions　that　the　Mangaboos　feared　her　as　much　as　they

did　the　horse。



But　the　foes　were　too　many　to　be　repulsed　for　long。　　They　tired　Jim

and　Eureka　out；　and　although　the　field　of　battle　was　thickly　covered

with　mashed　and　disabled　Mangaboos；　our　animal　friends　had　to　give　up

at　last　and　allow　themselves　to　be　driven　to　the　mountain。







7。　　Into　the　Black　Pit　and　Out　Again





When　they　came　to　the　mountain　it　proved　to　be　a　rugged；　towering

chunk　of　deep　green　glass；　and　looked　dismal　and　forbidding　in　the

extreme。　　Half　way　up　the　steep　was　a　yawning　cave；　black　as　night

beyond　the　point　where　the　rainbow　rays　of　the　colored　suns　reached

into　it。



The　Mangaboos　drove　the　horse　and　the　kitten　and　the　piglets　into　this

dark　hole　and　then；　having　pushed　the　buggy　in　after　themfor　it

seemed　some　of　them　had　dragged　it　all　the　way　from　the　domed

hallthey　began　to　pile　big　glass　rocks　within　the　entrance；　so　that

the　prisoners　could　not　get　out　again。



〃This　is　dreadful！〃　groaned　Jim。　　〃It　will　be　about　the　end　of　our

adventures；　I　guess。〃



〃If　the　Wizard　was　here；〃　said　one　of　the　piglets；　sobbing　bitterly；

〃he　would　not　see　us　suffer　so。〃



〃We　ought　to　have　called　him　and　Dorothy　when　we　were　first　attacked；〃

added　Eureka。　　〃But　never　mind；　be　brave；　my　friends；　and　I　will　go

and　tell　our　masters　where　you　are；　and　get　them　to　come　to　your　rescue。〃



The　mouth　of　the　hole　was　nearly　filled　up　now；　but　the　kitten　gave　a

leap　through　the　remaining　opening　and　at　once　scampered　up　into　the

air。　　The　Mangaboos　saw　her　escape；　and　several　of　them　caught　up

their　thorns　and　gave　chase；　mounting　through　the　air　after　her。

Eureka；　however；　was　lighter　than　the　Mangaboos；　and　while　they　could

mount　only　about　a　hundred　feet　above　the　earth　the　ki