dorothy and the wizard in oz-第14章

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Dorothy　climbed　into　the　buggy；　although　Jim　had　been　unharnessed

from　it　and　was　grazing　some　distance　away。



The　owner　of　the　unseen　voice　laughed　lightly　and　said：



〃You　cannot　escape　the　bears　that　way。〃



〃How　CAN　we　'scape？〃　asked　Dorothy；　nervously；　for　an　unseen　danger　is

always　the　hardest　to　face。



〃You　must　take　to　the　river；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃The　bears　will　not

venture　upon　the　water。〃



〃But　we　would　be　drowned！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。



〃Oh；　there　is　no　need　of　that；〃　said　the　voice；　which　from　its　gentle　tones

seemed　to　belong　to　a　young　girl。　　〃You　are　strangers　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；

and　do　not　seem　to　know　our　ways；　so　I　will　try　to　save　you。〃



The　next　moment　a　broad…leaved　plant　was　jerked　from　the　ground　where

it　grew　and　held　suspended　in　the　air　before　the　Wizard。



〃Sir；〃　said　the　voice；　〃you　must　rub　these　leaves　upon　the　soles　of

all　your　feet；　and　then　you　will　be　able　to　walk　upon　the　water

without　sinking　below　the　surface。　　It　is　a　secret　the　bears　do　not

know；　and　we　people　of　Voe　usually　walk　upon　the　water　when　we　travel；

and　so　escape　our　enemies。〃



〃Thank　you！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　joyfully；　and　at　once　rubbed　a　leaf

upon　the　soles　of　Dorothy's　shoes　and　then　upon　his　own。　　The　girl

took　a　leaf　and　rubbed　it　upon　the　kitten's　paws；　and　the　rest　of　the

plant　was　handed　to　Zeb；　who；　after　applying　it　to　his　own　feet；

carefully　rubbed　it　upon　all　four　of　Jim's　hoofs　and　then　upon　the

tires　of　the　buggy…wheels。　　He　had　nearly　finished　this　last　task　when

a　low　growling　was　suddenly　heard　and　the　horse　began　to　jump　around

and　kick　viciously　with　his　heels。



〃Quick！　　To　the　water　or　you　are　lost！〃　cried　their　unseen　friend；　and

without　hesitation　the　Wizard　drew　the　buggy　down　the　bank　and　out

upon　the　broad　river；　for　Dorothy　was　still　seated　in　it　with　Eureka

in　her　arms。　　They　did　not　sink　at　all；　owing　to　the　virtues　of　the

strange　plant　they　had　used；　and　when　the　buggy　was　in　the　middle　of

the　stream　the　Wizard　returned　to　the　bank　to　assist　Zeb　and　Jim。



The　horse　was　plunging　madly　about；　and　two　or　three　deep　gashes

appeared　upon　its　flanks；　from　which　the　blood　flowed　freely。



〃Run　for　the　river！〃　shouted　the　Wizard；　and　Jim　quickly　freed　himself

from　his　unseen　tormenters　by　a　few　vicious　kicks　and　then　obeyed。

As　soon　as　he　trotted　out　upon　the　surface　of　the　river　he　found

himself　safe　from　pursuit；　and　Zeb　was　already　running　across　the　water

toward　Dorothy。



As　the　little　Wizard　turned　to　follow　them　he　felt　a　hot　breath

against　his　cheek　and　heard　a　low；　fierce　growl。　　At　once　he　began

stabbing　at　the　air　with　his　sword；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　struck

some　substance　because　when　he　drew　back　the　blade　it　was　dripping

with　blood。　　The　third　time　that　he　thrust　out　the　weapon　there　was　a

loud　roar　and　a　fall；　and　suddenly　at　his　feet　appeared　the　form　of　a

great　red　bear；　which　was　nearly　as　big　as　the　horse　and　much　stronger

and　fiercer。　　The　beast　was　quite　dead　from　the　sword　thrusts；　and

after　a　glance　at　its　terrible　claws　and　sharp　teeth　the　little　man

turned　in　a　panic　and　rushed　out　upon　the　water；　for　other　menacing

growls　told　him　more　bears　were　near。



On　the　river；　however；　the　adventurers　seemed　to　be　perfectly　safe。

Dorothy　and　the　buggy　had　floated　slowly　down　stream　with　the　current

of　the　water；　and　the　others　made　haste　to　join　her。　　The　Wizard

opened　his　satchel　and　got　out　some　sticking…plaster　with　which　he

mended　the　cuts　Jim　had　received　from　the　claws　of　the　bears。



〃I　think　we'd　better　stick　to　the　river；　after　this；〃　said　Dorothy。

〃If　our　unknown　friend　hadn't　warned　us；　and　told　us　what　to　do；　we

would　all　be　dead　by　this　time。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　agreed　the　Wizard；　〃and　as　the　river　seems　to　be

flowing　in　the　direction　of　the　Pyramid　Mountain　it　will　be　the

easiest　way　for　us　to　travel。〃



Zeb　hitched　Jim　to　the　buggy　again；　and　the　horse　trotted　along　and

drew　them　rapidly　over　the　smooth　water。　　The　kitten　was　at　first

dreadfully　afraid　of　getting　wet；　but　Dorothy　let　her　down　and　soon

Eureka　was　frisking　along　beside　the　buggy　without　being　scared　a　bit。

Once　a　little　fish　swam　too　near　the　surface；　and　the　kitten　grabbed

it　in　her　mouth　and　ate　it　up　as　quick　as　a　wink；　but　Dorothy

cautioned　her　to　be　careful　what　she　ate　in　this　valley　of　enchantments；

and　no　more　fishes　were　careless　enough　to　swim　within　reach。



After　a　journey　of　several　hours　they　came　to　a　point　where　the　river

curved；　and　they　found　they　must　cross　a　mile　or　so　of　the　Valley

before　they　came　to　the　Pyramid　Mountain。　　There　were　few　houses　in

this　part；　and　few　orchards　or　flowers；　so　our　friends　feared　they

might　encounter　more　of　the　savage　bears；　which　they　had　learned　to

dread　with　all　their　hearts。



〃You'll　have　to　make　a　dash；　Jim；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　run　as　fast

as　you　can　go。〃



〃All　right；〃　answered　the　horse；　〃I'll　do　my　best。　　But　you　must

remember　I'm　old；　and　my　dashing　days　are　past　and　gone。〃



All　three　got　into　the　buggy　and　Zeb　picked　up　the　reins；　though　Jim

needed　no　guidance　of　any　sort。　　The　horse　was　still　smarting　from　the

sharp　claws　of　the　invisible　bears；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　on　land　and

headed　toward　the　mountain　the　thought　that　more　of　those　fearsome

creatures　might　be　near　acted　as　a　spur　and　sent　him　galloping　along

in　a　way　that　made　Dorothy　catch　her　breath。



Then　Zeb；　in　a　spirit　of　mischief；　uttered　a　growl　like　that　of　the

bears；　and　Jim　pricked　up　his　ears　and　fairly　flew。　　His　boney　legs

moved　so　fast　they　could　scarcely　be　seen；　and　the　Wizard　clung　fast

to　the　seat　and　yelled　〃Whoa！〃　at　the　top　of　his　voice。



〃II'm　'fraid　he'she's　running　away！〃　gasped　Dorothy。



〃I　KNOW　he　is；〃　said　Zeb；　〃but　no　bear　can　catch　him　if　he　keeps　up

that　gaitand　the　harness　or　the　buggy　don't　break。〃



Jim　did　not　make　a　mile　a　minute；　but　almost　before　they　were　aware　of

it　he　drew　up　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　so　suddenly　that　the　Wizard

and　Zeb　both　sailed　over　the　dashboard　and　landed　in　the　soft

grasswhere　they　rolled　over　several　times　before　they　stopped。

Dorothy　nearly　went　with　them；　but　she　was　holding　fast　to　the　iron

rail　of　the　seat；　and　that　saved　her。　　She　squeezed　the　kitten；

though；　until　it　screeched；　and　then　the　old　cab…horse　made　several

curious　sounds　that　led　the　little　girl　to　suspect　he　was　laughing　at

them　all。







10。　　The　Braided　Man　of　Pyramid　Mountain





The　mountain　before　them　was　shaped　like　a　cone　and　was　so　tall　that

its　point　was　lost　in　the　clouds。　　Directly　facing　the　place　where　Jim

had　stopped　was　an　arched　opening　leading　to　a　broad　stairway。　　The

stairs　were　cut　in　the　rock　inside　the　mountain；　and　they　were　broad

and　not　very　steep；　because　they　circled　around　like　a　cork…screw；　and

at　the　arched　opening　where　the　flight　began　the　circle　was　quite　big。

At　the　foot　of　the　stairs　was　a　sign　reading：





WARNING。

These　steps　lead　to　the

Land　of　the　Gargoyles。

DANGER！　　KEEP　OUT。





〃I　wonder　how　Jim　is　ever　going　to　draw　the　buggy　up　so　many　stairs；〃

said　Dorothy；　gravely。



〃No　trouble　at　all；〃　declared　the　horse；　with　a　contemptuous　neigh。

〃Still；　I　don't　care　to　drag　any　passengers。　　You'll　all　have　to　walk。〃



〃Suppose　the　stairs　get　steeper？〃　suggested　Zeb；　doubtfully。



〃Then　you'll　have　to　boost　the　buggy…wheels；　that's　all；〃　answered　Jim。



〃We'll　try　it；　anyway；〃　said　the　Wizard。　　〃It's　the　only　way　to　get

out　of　the　Valley　of　Voe。〃



So　they　began　to　ascend　the　stairs；　Dorothy　and　the　Wizard　first；　Jim

next；　drawing　the　buggy；　and　then　Zeb　to　watch　that　nothing　happened

to　the　harness。



The　light　was　dim；　and　soon　they　mounted　into　total　darkness；　so　that

the　Wizard　was　obliged　to　get　out　his　lanterns　to　light　the　way。　　But

this　enabled　them　to　proceed　steadily　until　they　came　to　a　landing

where　there　was　a　rift　in　the　side　of　the　mountain　that