dorothy and the wizard in oz-第15章

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

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

light　and　air。　　Looking　through　this　opening　they　could　see　the　Valley

of　Voe　lying　far　below　them；　the　cottages　seeming　like　toy　houses　from

that　distance。



After　resting　a　few　moments　they　resumed　their　climb；　and　still　the

stairs　were　broad　and　low　enough　for　Jim　to　draw　the　buggy　easily

after　him。　　The　old　horse　panted　a　little；　and　had　to　stop　often　to

get　his　breath。　　At　such　times　they　were　all　glad　to　wait　for　him；　for

continually　climbing　up　stairs　is　sure　to　make　one's　legs　ache。



They　wound　about；　always　going　upward；　for　some　time。　　The　lights　from

the　lanterns　dimly　showed　the　way；　but　it　was　a　gloomy　journey；　and

they　were　pleased　when　a　broad　streak　of　light　ahead　assured　them　they

were　coming　to　a　second　landing。



Here　one　side　of　the　mountain　had　a　great　hole　in　it；　like　the　mouth

of　a　cavern；　and　the　stairs　stopped　at　the　near　edge　of　the　floor　and

commenced　ascending　again　at　the　opposite　edge。



The　opening　in　the　mountain　was　on　the　side　opposite　to　the　Valley　of

Voe；　and　our　travellers　looked　out　upon　a　strange　scene。　　Below　them

was　a　vast　space；　at　the　bottom　of　which　was　a　black　sea　with　rolling

billows；　through　which　little　tongues　of　flame　constantly　shot　up。

Just　above　them；　and　almost　on　a　level　with　their　platform；　were　banks

of　rolling　clouds　which　constantly　shifted　position　and　changed　color。

The　blues　and　greys　were　very　beautiful；　and　Dorothy　noticed　that　on

the　cloud　banks　sat　or　reclined　fleecy；　shadowy　forms　of　beautiful

beings　who　must　have　been　the　Cloud　Fairies。　　Mortals　who　stand　upon

the　earth　and　look　up　at　the　sky　cannot　often　distinguish　these　forms；

but　our　friends　were　now　so　near　to　the　clouds　that　they　observed　the

dainty　fairies　very　clearly。



〃Are　they　real？〃　asked　Zeb；　in　an　awed　voice。



〃Of　course；〃　replied　Dorothy；　softly。　　〃They　are　the　Cloud　Fairies。〃



〃They　seem　like　open…work；〃　remarked　the　boy；　gazing　intently。　　〃If　I

should　squeeze　one；　there　wouldn't　be　anything　left　of　it。〃



In　the　open　space　between　the　clouds　and　the　black；　bubbling　sea　far

beneath；　could　be　seen　an　occasional　strange　bird　winging　its　way

swiftly　through　the　air。　　These　birds　were　of　enormous　size；　and

reminded　Zeb　of　the　rocs　he　had　read　about　in　the　Arabian　Nights。　　They

had　fierce　eyes　and　sharp　talons　and　beaks；　and　the　children　hoped

none　of　them　would　venture　into　the　cavern。



〃Well；　I　declare！〃　suddenly　exclaimed　the　little　Wizard。　　〃What　in　the

world　is　this？〃



They　turned　around　and　found　a　man　standing　on　the　floor　in　the　center

of　the　cave；　who　bowed　very　politely　when　he　saw　he　had　attracted

their　attention。　　He　was　a　very　old　man；　bent　nearly　double；　but　the

queerest　thing　about　him　was　his　white　hair　and　beard。　　These　were　so

long　that　they　reached　to　his　feet；　and　both　the　hair　and　the　beard

were　carefully　plaited　into　many　braids；　and　the　end　of　each　braid

fastened　with　a　bow　of　colored　ribbon。



〃Where　did　you　come　from？〃　asked　Dorothy；　wonderingly。



〃No　place　at　all；〃　answered　the　man　with　the　braids；　〃that　is；　not

recently。　　Once　I　lived　on　top　the　earth；　but　for　many　years　I　have

had　my　factory　in　this　spothalf　way　up　Pyramid　Mountain。〃



〃Are　we　only　half　way　up？〃　enquired　the　boy；　in　a　discouraged　tone。



〃I　believe　so；　my　lad；〃　replied　the　braided　man。　　〃But　as　I　have　never

been　in　either　direction；　down　or　up；　since　I　arrived；　I　cannot　be

positive　whether　it　is　exactly　half　way　or　not。〃



〃Have　you　a　factory　in　this　place？〃　asked　the　Wizard；　who　had　been

examining　the　strange　personage　carefully。



〃To　be　sure；〃　said　the　other。　　〃I　am　a　great　inventor；　you　must　know；

and　I　manufacture　my　products　in　this　lonely　spot。〃



〃What　are　your　products？〃　enquired　the　Wizard。



〃Well；　I　make　Assorted　Flutters　for　flags　and　bunting；　and　a　superior

grade　of　Rustles　for　ladies'　silk　gowns。〃



〃I　thought　so；〃　said　the　Wizard；　with　a　sigh。　　〃May　we　examine　some　of

these　articles？〃



〃Yes；　indeed；　come　into　my　shop；　please；〃　and　the　braided　man　turned

and　led　the　way　into　a　smaller　cave；　where　he　evidently　lived。　　Here；

on　a　broad　shelf；　were　several　card…board　boxes　of　various　sizes；

each　tied　with　cotton　cord。



〃This；〃　said　the　man；　taking　up　a　box　and　handling　it　gently；

〃contains　twelve　dozen　rustlesenough　to　last　any　lady　a　year。　　　Will

you　buy　it；　my　dear？〃　he　asked；　addressing　Dorothy。



〃My　gown　isn't　silk；〃　she　said；　smiling。



〃Never　mind。　　When　you　open　the　box　the　rustles　will　escape；　whether

you　are　wearing　a　silk　dress　or　not；〃　said　the　man；　seriously。　　Then

he　picked　up　another　box。　　〃In　this；〃　he　continued；　〃are　many

assorted　flutters。　　They　are　invaluable　to　make　flags　flutter　on　a

still　day；　when　there　is　no　wind。　　You；　sir；〃　turning　to　the　Wizard；

〃ought　to　have　this　assortment。　　Once　you　have　tried　my　goods　I　am

sure　you　will　never　be　without　them。〃



〃I　have　no　money　with　me；〃　said　the　Wizard；　evasively。



〃I　do　not　want　money；〃　returned　the　braided　man；　〃for　I　could　not

spend　it　in　this　deserted　place　if　I　had　it。　　But　I　would　like　very

much　a　blue　hair…ribbon。　　You　will　notice　my　braids　are　tied　with　yellow；

pink；　brown；　red；　green；　white　and　black；　but　I　have　no　blue　ribbons。〃



〃I'll　get　you　one！〃　cried　Dorothy；　who　was　sorry　for　the　poor　man；　so

she　ran　back　to　the　buggy　and　took　from　her　suit…case　a　pretty　blue

ribbon。　　It　did　her　good　to　see　how　the　braided　man's　eyes　sparkled

when　he　received　this　treasure。



〃You　have　made　me　very；　very　happy；　my　dear！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　then

he　insisted　on　the　Wizard　taking　the　box　of　flutters　and　the　little

girl　accepting　the　box　of　rustles。



〃You　may　need　them；　some　time；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　is　really　no　use

in　my　manufacturing　these　things　unless　somebody　uses　them。〃



〃Why　did　you　leave　the　surface　of　the　earth？〃　enquired　the　Wizard。



〃I　could　not　help　it。　　It　is　a　sad　story；　but　if　you　will　try　to

restrain　your　tears　I　will　tell　you　about　it。　　On　earth　I　was　a

manufacturer　of　Imported　Holes　for　American　Swiss　Cheese；　and　I　will

acknowledge　that　I　supplied　a　superior　article；　which　was　in　great

demand。　　Also　I　made　pores　for　porous　plasters　and　high…grade　holes

for　doughnuts　and　buttons。　　Finally　I　invented　a　new　Adjustable

Post…hole；　which　I　thought　would　make　my　fortune。　　I　manufactured　a

large　quantity　of　these　post…holes；　and　having　no　room　in　which　to

store　them　I　set　them　all　end　to　end　and　put　the　top　one　in　the

ground。　　That　made　an　extraordinary　long　hole；　as　you　may　imagine；　and

reached　far　down　into　the　earth；　and；　as　I　leaned　over　it　to　try　to　see

to　the　bottom；　I　lost　my　balance　and　tumbled　in。　　Unfortunately；　the

hole　led　directly　into　the　vast　space　you　see　outside　this　mountain；

but　I　managed　to　catch　a　point　of　rock　that　projected　from　this

cavern；　and　so　saved　myself　from　tumbling　headlong　into　the　black

waves　beneath；　where　the　tongues　of　flame　that　dart　out　would

certainly　have　consumed　me。　　Here；　then；　I　made　my　home；　and　although

it　is　a　lonely　place　I　amuse　myself　making　rustles　and　flutters；　and

so　get　along　very　nicely。〃



When　the　braided　man　had　completed　this　strange　tale　Dorothy　nearly

laughed；　because　it　was　all　so　absurd；　but　the　Wizard　tapped　his

forehead　significantly；　to　indicate　that　he　thought　the　poor　man　was

crazy。　　So　they　politely　bade　him　good　day；　and　went　back　to　the　outer

cavern　to　resume　their　journey。







11。　　They　Meet　the　Wooden　Gargoyles





Another　breathless　climb　brought　our　adventurers　to　a　third　landing

where　there　was　a　rift　in　the　mountain。　　On　peering　out　all　they　could

see　was　rolling　banks　of　clouds；　so　thick　that　they　obscured　all　else。



But　the　travellers　were　obliged　to　rest；　and　while　they　were　sitting

on　the　rocky　floor　the　Wizard　felt　in　his　pocket　and　brought　out　the

nine