dorothy and the wizard in oz-第13章

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said　a　girlish　young　voice；　that　belonged　to　one　of　the　children。　　〃We

who　live　here　much　prefer　to　be　invisible；　for　we　can　still　hug　and

kiss　one　another；　and　are　quite　safe　from　the　bears。〃



〃And　we　do　not　have　to　be　so　particular　about　our　dress；〃

remarked　the　man。



〃And　mama　can't　tell　whether　my　face　is　dirty　or　not！〃　added　the　other

childish　voice；　gleefully。



〃But　I　make　you　wash　it；　every　time　I　think　of　it；〃　said　the　mother；

〃for　it　stands　to　reason　your　face　is　dirty；　Ianu；　whether　I　can　see

it　or　not。〃



Dorothy　laughed　and　stretched　out　her　hands。



〃Come　here；　pleaseIanu　and　your　sisterand　let　me　feel　of　you；〃

she　requested。



They　came　to　her　willingly；　and　Dorothy　passed　her　hands　over　their

faces　and　forms　and　decided　one　was　a　girl　of　about　her　own　age　and

the　other　a　boy　somewhat　smaller。　　The　girl's　hair　was　soft　and　fluffy

and　her　skin　as　smooth　as　satin。　　When　Dorothy　gently　touched　her　nose

and　ears　and　lips　they　seemed　to　be　well　and　delicately　formed。



〃If　I　could　see　you　I　am　sure　you　would　be　beautiful；〃　she　declared。



The　girl　laughed；　and　her　mother　said：



〃We　are　not　vain　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；　because　we　can　not　display　our

beauty；　and　good　actions　and　pleasant　ways　are　what　make　us　lovely　to

our　companions。　　Yet　we　can　see　and　appreciate　the　beauties　of　nature；

the　dainty　flowers　and　trees；　the　green　fields　and　the　clear　blue　of

the　sky。〃



〃How　about　the　birds　and　beasts　and　fishes？〃　asked　Zeb。



〃The　birds　we　cannot　see；　because　they　love　to　eat　of　the　damas　as

much　as　we　do；　yet　we　hear　their　sweet　songs　and　enjoy　them。　　Neither

can　we　see　the　cruel　bears；　for　they　also　eat　the　fruit。　　But　the　fishes

that　swim　in　our　brooks　we　can　see；　and　often　we　catch　them　to　eat。〃



〃It　occurs　to　me　you　have　a　great　deal　to　make　you　happy；　even　while

invisible；〃　remarked　the　Wizard。　　〃Nevertheless；　we　prefer　to　remain

visible　while　we　are　in　your　valley。〃



Just　then　Eureka　came　in；　for　she　had　been　until　now　wandering　outside

with　Jim；　and　when　the　kitten　saw　the　table　set　with　food　she　cried　out：



〃Now　you　must　feed　me；　Dorothy；　for　I'm　half　starved。〃



The　children　were　inclined　to　be　frightened　by　the　sight　of　the　small

animal；　which　reminded　them　of　the　bears；　but　Dorothy　reassured　them

by　explaining　that　Eureka　was　a　pet　and　could　do　no　harm　even　if　she

wished　to。　　Then；　as　the　others　had　by　this　time　moved　away　from　the

table；　the　kitten　sprang　upon　the　chair　and　put　her　paws　upon　the

cloth　to　see　what　there　was　to　eat。　　To　her　surprise　an　unseen　hand

clutched　her　and　held　her　suspended　in　the　air。　　Eureka　was　frantic

with　terror；　and　tried　to　scratch　and　bite；　so　the　next　moment　she　was

dropped　to　the　floor；



〃Did　you　see　that；　Dorothy？〃　she　gasped。



〃Yes；　dear；〃　her　mistress　replied；　〃there　are　people　living　in　this

house；　although　we　cannot　see　them。　　And　you　must　have　better　manners；

Eureka；　or　something　worse　will　happen　to　you。〃



She　placed　a　plate　of　food　upon　the　floor　and　the　kitten　ate　greedily。



〃Give　me　that　nice…smelling　fruit　I　saw　on　the　table；〃　she　begged；

when　she　had　cleaned　the　plate。



〃Those　are　damas；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　you　must　never　even　taste　them；

Eureka；　or　you'll　get　invis'ble；　and　then　we　can't　see　you　at　all。〃



The　kitten　gazed　wistfully　at　the　forbidden　fruit。



〃Does　it　hurt　to　be　invis'ble？〃　she　asked。



〃I　don't　know；〃　Dorothy　answered；　〃but　it　would　hurt　me　dre'fully　to

lose　you。〃



〃Very　well；　I　won't　touch　it；〃　decided　the　kitten；　〃but　you　must　keep

it　away　from　me；　for　the　smell　is　very　tempting。〃



〃Can　you　tell　us；　sir　or　ma'am；〃　said　the　Wizard；　addressing　the　air

because　he　did　not　quite　know　where　the　unseen　people　stood；　〃if　there

is　any　way　we　can　get　out　of　your　beautiful　Valley；　and　on　top　of　the

Earth　again。〃



〃Oh；　one　can　leave　the　Valley　easily　enough；〃　answered　the　man's

voice；　〃but　to　do　so　you　must　enter　a　far　less　pleasant　country。　　As

for　reaching　the　top　of　the　earth；　I　have　never　heard　that　it　is

possible　to　do　that；　and　if　you　succeeded　in　getting　there　you　would

probably　fall　off。〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃we've　been　there；　and　we　know。〃



〃The　Valley　of　Voe　is　certainly　a　charming　place；〃　resumed　the　Wizard；

〃but　we　cannot　be　contented　in　any　other　land　than　our　own；　for　long。

Even　if　we　should　come　to　unpleasant　places　on　our　way　it　is

necessary；　in　order　to　reach　the　earth's　surface；　to　keep　moving　on

toward　it。〃



〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　man；　〃it　will　be　best　for　you　to　cross　our

Valley　and　mount　the　spiral　staircase　inside　the　Pyramid　Mountain。

The　top　of　that　mountain　is　lost　in　the　clouds；　and　when　you　reach　it

you　will　be　in　the　awful　Land　of　Naught；　where　the　Gargoyles　live。〃



〃What　are　Gargoyles？〃　asked　Zeb。



〃I　do　not　know；　young　sir。　　Our　greatest　Champion；　Overman…Anu；　once

climbed　the　spiral　stairway　and　fought　nine　days　with　the　Gargoyles

before　he　could　escape　them　and　come　back；　but　he　could　never　be

induced　to　describe　the　dreadful　creatures；　and　soon　afterward　a　bear

caught　him　and　ate　him　up。〃



The　wanders　were　rather　discouraged　by　this　gloomy　report；　but　Dorothy

said　with　a　sigh：



〃If　the　only　way　to　get　home　is　to　meet　the　Gurgles；　then　we've　got　to

meet　'em。　　They　can't　be　worse　than　the　Wicked　Witch　or　the　Nome　King。〃



〃But　you　must　remember　you　had　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　to

help　you　conquer　those　enemies；〃　suggested　the　Wizard。　　〃Just　now；　my

dear；　there　is　not　a　single　warrior　in　your　company。〃



〃Oh；　I　guess　Zeb　could　fight　if　he　had　to。　　Couldn't　you；　Zeb？〃　asked

the　little　girl。



〃Perhaps；　if　I　had　to；〃　answered　Zeb；　doubtfully。



〃And　you　have　the　jointed　sword　that　you　chopped　the　veg'table

Sorcerer　in　two　with；〃　the　girl　said　to　the　little　man。



〃True；〃　he　replied；　〃and　in　my　satchel　are　other　useful　things　to

fight　with。〃



〃What　the　Gargoyles　most　dread　is　a　noise；〃　said　the　man's　voice。

〃Our　Champion　told　me　that　when　he　shouted　his　battle…cry　the　creatures

shuddered　and　drew　back；　hesitating　to　continue　the　combat。　　But　they

were　in　great　numbers；　and　the　Champion　could　not　shout　much　because

he　had　to　save　his　breath　for　fighting。〃



〃Very　good；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃we　can　all　yell　better　than　we　can

fight；　so　we　ought　to　defeat　the　Gargoyles。〃



〃But　tell　me；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃how　did　such　a　brave　Champion　happen　to

let　the　bears　eat　him？　　And　if　he　was　invis'ble；　and　the　bears

invis'ble；　who　knows　that　they　really　ate　him　up？〃



〃The　Champion　had　killed　eleven　bears　in　his　time；〃　returned　the

unseen　man；　〃and　we　know　this　is　true　because　when　any　creature　is

dead　the　invisible　charm　of　the　dama…fruit　ceases　to　be　active；　and

the　slain　one　can　be　plainly　seen　by　all　eyes。　　When　the　Champion

killed　a　bear　everyone　could　see　it；　and　when　the　bears　killed　the

Champion　we　all　saw　several　pieces　of　him　scattered　about；　which　of

course　disappeared　again　when　the　bears　devoured　them。〃



They　now　bade　farewell　to　the　kind　but　unseen　people　of　the　cottage；

and　after　the　man　had　called　their　attention　to　a　high；　pyramid…shaped

mountain　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　Valley；　and　told　them　how　to

travel　in　order　to　reach　it；　they　again　started　upon　their　journey。



They　followed　the　course　of　a　broad　stream　and　passed　several　more

pretty　cottages；　but　of　course　they　saw　no　one；　nor　did　any　one　speak

to　them。　　Fruits　and　flowers　grew　plentifully　all　about；　and　there

were　many　of　the　delicious　damas　that　the　people　of　Voe　were　so　fond　of。



About　noon　they　stopped　to　allow　Jim　to　rest　in　the　shade　of　a　pretty

orchard；　and　while　they　plucked　and　ate　some　of　the　cherries　and　plums

that　grew　there　a　soft　voice　suddenly　said　to　them：



〃There　are　bears　near　by。　　Be　careful。〃



The　Wizard　got　out　his　sword　at　once；　and　Zeb　grabbed　the　horse…whip。

Dorothy　climbed　into　the　buggy；　although　Jim　had　been　unharnessed

from　it　and　wa