dorothy and the wizard in oz-第18章

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square　and　six…sided　and　eight…sided。　　They　were　tower…like　in　shape

and　the　best　of　them　seemed　old　and　weather…worn；　yet　all　were　strong

and　substantial。



To　one　of　these　houses　which　had　neither　doors　nor　windows；　but　only

one　broad　opening　far　up　underneath　the　roof；　the　prisoners　were

brought　by　their　captors。　　The　Gargoyles　roughly　pushed　them　into　the

opening；　where　there　was　a　platform；　and　then　flew　away　and　left　them。

As　they　had　no　wings　the　strangers　could　not　fly　away；　and　if　they

jumped　down　from　such　a　height　they　would　surely　be　killed。　　The

creatures　had　sense　enough　to　reason　that　way；　and　the　only　mistake

they　made　was　in　supposing　the　earth　people　were　unable　to　overcome

such　ordinary　difficulties。



Jim　was　brought　with　the　others；　although　it　took　a　good　many

Gargoyles　to　carry　the　big　beast　through　the　air　and　land　him　on　the

high　platform；　and　the　buggy　was　thrust　in　after　him　because　it

belonged　to　the　party　and　the　wooden　folks　had　no　idea　what　it　was

used　for　or　whether　it　was　alive　or　not。　　When　Eureka's　captor　had

thrown　the　kitten　after　the　others　the　last　Gargoyle　silently

disappeared；　leaving　our　friends　to　breathe　freely　once　more。



〃What　an　awful　fight！〃　said　Dorothy；　catching　her　breath　in　little　gasps。



〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　purred　Eureka；　smoothing　her　ruffled　fur　with　her

paw；　〃we　didn't　manage　to　hurt　anybody；　and　nobody　managed　to　hurt　us。〃



〃Thank　goodness　we　are　together　again；　even　if　we　are　prisoners；〃

sighed　the　little　girl。



〃I　wonder　why　they　didn't　kill　us　on　the　spot；〃　remarked　Zeb；　who　had

lost　his　king　in　the　struggle。



〃They　are　probably　keeping　us　for　some　ceremony；〃　the　Wizard　answered；

reflectively；　〃but　there　is　no　doubt　they　intend　to　kill　us　as　dead　as

possible　in　a　short　time。〃



〃As　dead　as　poss'ble　would　be　pretty　dead；　wouldn't　it？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Yes；　my　dear。　　But　we　have　no　need　to　worry　about　that　just　now。　　Let

us　examine　our　prison　and　see　what　it　is　like。〃



The　space　underneath　the　roof；　where　they　stood；　permitted　them　to　see

on　all　sides　of　the　tall　building；　and　they　looked　with　much　curiosity

at　the　city　spread　out　beneath　them。　　Everything　visible　was　made　of

wood；　and　the　scene　seemed　stiff　and　extremely　unnatural。



From　their　platform　a　stair　descended　into　the　house；　and　the　children

and　the　Wizard　explored　it　after　lighting　a　lantern　to　show　them　the

way。　　Several　stories　of　empty　rooms　rewarded　their　search；　but

nothing　more；　　so　after　a　time　they　came　back　to　the　platform　again。

Had　there　been　any　doors　or　windows　in　the　lower　rooms；　or　had　not　the

boards　of　the　house　been　so　thick　and　stout；　escape　could　have　been

easy；　but　to　remain　down　below　was　like　being　in　a　cellar　or　the　hold

of　a　ship；　and　they　did　not　like　the　darkness　or　the　damp　smell。



In　this　country；　as　in　all　others　they　had　visited　underneath　the

earth's　surface；　there　was　no　night；　a　constant　and　strong　light

coming　from　some　unknown　source。　　Looking　out；　they　could　see　into

some　of　the　houses　near　them；　where　there　were　open　windows　in

abundance；　and　were　able　to　mark　the　forms　of　the　wooden　Gargoyles

moving　about　in　their　dwellings。



〃This　seems　to　be　their　time　of　rest；〃　observed　the　Wizard。

〃All　people　need　rest；　even　if　they　are　made　of　wood；　and　as

there　is　no　night　here　they　select　a　certain　time　of　the　day

in　which　to　sleep　or　doze。〃



〃I　feel　sleepy　myself；〃　remarked　Zeb；　yawning。



〃Why；　where's　Eureka？〃　cried　Dorothy；　suddenly。



They　all　looked　around；　but　the　kitten　was　no　place　to　be　seen。



〃She's　gone　out　for　a　walk；〃　said　Jim；　gruffly。



〃Where？　　On　the　roof？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃No；　she　just　dug　her　claws　into　the　wood　and　climbed　down　the　sides

of　this　house　to　the　ground。〃



〃She　couldn't　climb　DOWN；　Jim；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃To　climb　means　to　go　up。〃



〃Who　said　so？〃　demanded　the　horse。



〃My　school…teacher　said　so；　and　she　knows　a　lot；　Jim。〃



〃To　'climb　down'　is　sometimes　used　as　a　figure　of　speech；〃　remarked

the　Wizard。



〃Well；　this　was　a　figure　of　a　cat；〃　said　Jim；　〃and　she　WENT　down；

anyhow；　whether　she　climbed　or　crept。〃



〃Dear　me！　how　careless　Eureka　is；〃　exclaimed　the　girl；　much

distressed。　　〃The　Gurgles　will　get　her；　sure！〃



〃Ha；　ha！〃　chuckled　the　old　cab…horse；　〃they're　not　'Gurgles；'　little

maid；　they're　Gargoyles。〃



〃Never　mind；　they'll　get　Eureka；　whatever　they're　called。〃



〃No　they　won't；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　kitten；　and　Eureka　herself　crawled

over　the　edge　of　the　platform　and　sat　down　quietly　upon　the　floor。



〃Wherever　have　you　been；　Eureka？〃　asked　Dorothy；　sternly。



〃Watching　the　wooden　folks。　　They're　too　funny　for　anything；　Dorothy。

Just　now　they　are　all　going　to　bed；　andwhat　do　you　think？they

unhook　the　hinges　of　their　wings　and　put　them　in　a　corner　until　they

wake　up　again。〃



〃What；　the　hinges？〃



〃No；　the　wings。〃



〃That；〃　said　Zeb；　〃explains　why　this　house　is　used　by　them　for　a

prison。　　If　any　of　the　Gargoyles　act　badly；　and　have　to　be　put　in

jail；　they　are　brought　here　and　their　wings　unhooked　and　taken　away

from　them　until　they　promise　to　be　good。〃



The　Wizard　had　listened　intently　to　what　Eureka　had　said。



〃I　wish　we　had　some　of　those　loose　wings；〃　he　said。



〃Could　we　fly　with　them？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃I　think　so。　　If　the　Gargoyles　can　unhook　the　wings　then　the　power　to

fly　lies　in　the　wings　themselves；　and　not　in　the　wooden　bodies　of　the

people　who　wear　them。　　So；　if　we　had　the　wings；　we　could　probably　fly

as　well　as　they　doas　least　while　we　are　in　their　country　and　under

the　spell　of　its　magic。〃



〃But　how　would　it　help　us　to　be　able　to　fly？〃　questioned　the　girl。



〃Come　here；〃　said　the　little　man；　and　took　her　to　one　of　the　corners

of　the　building。　　〃Do　you　see　that　big　rock　standing　on　the　hillside

yonder？〃　he　continued；　pointing　with　his　finger。



〃Yes；　it's　a　good　way　off；　but　I　can　see　it；〃　she　replied。



〃Well；　inside　that　rock；　which　reaches　up　into　the　clouds；　is　an

archway　very　much　like　the　one　we　entered　when　we　climbed　the　spiral

stairway　from　the　Valley　of　Voe。　　I'll　get　my　spy…glass；　and　then　you

can　see　it　more　plainly。〃



He　fetched　a　small　but　powerful　telescope；　which　had　been　in　his

satchel；　and　by　its　aid　the　little　girl　clearly　saw　the　opening。



〃Where　does　it　lead　to？〃　she　asked。



〃That　I　cannot　tell；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃but　we　cannot　now　be　far　below

the　earth's　surface；　and　that　entrance　may　lead　to　another　stairway

that　will　bring　us　on　top　of　our　world　again；　where　we　belong。　　So；　if

we　had　the　wings；　and　could　escape　the　Gargoyles；　we　might　fly　to　that

rock　and　be　saved。〃



〃I'll　get　you　the　wings；〃　said　Zeb；　who　had　thoughtfully　listened　to

all　this。　　〃That　is；　if　the　kitten　will　show　me　where　they　are。〃



〃But　how　can　you　get　down？〃　enquired　the　girl；　wonderingly。



For　answer　Zeb　began　to　unfasten　Jim's　harness；　strap　by　strap；　and　to

buckle　one　piece　to　another　until　he　had　made　a　long　leather　strip

that　would　reach　to　the　ground。



〃I　can　climb　down　that；　all　right；〃　he　said。



〃No　you　can't；〃　remarked　Jim；　with　a　twinkle　in　his　round　eyes。　　〃You

may　GO　down；　but　you　can　only　CLIMB　up。〃



〃Well；　I'll　climb　up　when　I　get　back；　then；〃　said　the　boy；　with　a

laugh。　　〃Now；　Eureka；　you'll　have　to　show　me　the　way　to　those　wings。〃



〃You　must　be　very　quiet；〃　warned　the　kitten；　〃for　if　you　make　the

least　noise　the　Gargoyles　will　wake　up。　　They　can　hear　a　pin　drop。〃



〃I'm　not　going　to　drop　a　pin；〃　said　Zeb。



He　had　fastened　one　end　of　the　strap　to　a　wheel　of　the　buggy；　and　now

he　let　the　line　dangle　over　the　side　of　the　house。



〃Be　careful；〃　cautioned　Dorothy；　earnestly。



〃I　will；〃　said　the　boy；　and　let　himself　slide　over　the　edge。



The　girl　and　the　Wizard　leaned　over　and　watched　Zeb　work　his　way

carefully　downward；　hand　over　hand；　until　he　stood　upon　the　ground

below。　　Eureka　clung　with　her　claws