dorothy and the wizard in oz-第21章

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motion；　turning　slowly　around　and　around　as　if　upon　a　pivot。　　When

first　they　came　to　it　there　was　a　solid　wall　before　them；　but

presently　it　revolved　until　there　was　exposed　a　wide；　smooth　path

across　it　to　the　other　side。　　This　appeared　so　unexpectedly　that　they

were　unprepared　to　take　advantage　of　it　at　first；　and　allowed　the

rocky　wall　to　swing　around　again　before　they　had　decided　to　pass　over。

But　they　knew　now　that　there　was　a　means　of　escape　and　so　waited

patiently　until　the　path　appeared　for　the　second　time。



The　children　and　the　Wizard　rushed　across　the　moving　rock　and　sprang

into　the　passage　beyond；　landing　safely　though　a　little　out　of　breath。

Jim　the　cab…horse　came　last；　and　the　rocky　wall　almost　caught　him；　for

just　as　he　leaped　to　the　floor　of　the　further　passage　the　wall　swung

across　it　and　a　loose　stone　that　the　buggy　wheels　knocked　against　fell

into　the　narrow　crack　where　the　rock　turned；　and　became　wedged　there。



They　heard　a　crunching；　grinding　sound；　a　loud　snap；　and　the

turn…table　came　to　a　stop　with　its　broadest　surface　shutting　off　the

path　from　which　they　had　come。



〃Never　mind；〃　said　Zeb；　〃we　don't　want　to　get　back；　anyhow。〃



〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　returned　Dorothy。　　〃The　mother　dragon　may

come　down　and　catch　us　here。〃



〃It　is　possible；〃　agreed　the　Wizard；　〃if　this　proves　to　be　the　path

she　usually　takes。　　But　I　have　been　examining　this　tunnel；　and　I　do

not　see　any　signs　of　so　large　a　beast　having　passed　through　it。〃



〃Then　we're　all　right；〃　said　the　girl；　〃for　if　the　dragon　went　the

other　way　she　can't　poss'bly　get　to　us　now。〃



〃Of　course　not；　my　dear。　　But　there　is　another　thing　to　consider。　　The

mother　dragon　probably　knows　the　road　to　the　earth's　surface；　and　if

she　went　the　other　way　then　we　have　come　the　wrong　way；〃　said　the

Wizard；　thoughtfully。



〃Dear　me！〃　cried　Dorothy。　　〃That　would　be　unlucky；　wouldn't　it？〃



〃Very。　　Unless　this　passage　also　leads　to　the　top　of　the　earth；〃　said

Zeb。　　〃For　my　part；　if　we　manage　to　get　out　of　here　I'll　be　glad　it

isn't　the　way　the　dragon　goes。〃



〃So　will　I；〃　returned　Dorothy。　　〃It's　enough　to　have　your　pedigree

flung　in　your　face　by　those　saucy　dragonettes。　　No　one　knows　what　the

mother　might　do。〃



They　now　moved　on　again；　creeping　slowly　up　another　steep　incline。

The　lanterns　were　beginning　to　grow　dim；　and　the　Wizard　poured　the

remaining　oil　from　one　into　the　other；　so　that　the　one　light　would

last　longer。　　But　their　journey　was　almost　over；　for　in　a　short　time

they　reached　a　small　cave　from　which　there　was　no　further　outlet。



They　did　not　realize　their　ill　fortune　at　first；　for　their　hearts　were

gladdened　by　the　sight　of　a　ray　of　sunshine　coming　through　a　small

crack　in　the　roof　of　the　cave；　far　overhead。　　That　meant　that　their

worldthe　real　worldwas　not　very　far　away；　and　that　the　succession

of　perilous　adventures　they　had　encountered　had　at　last　brought　them

near　the　earth's　surface；　which　meant　home　to　them。　　But　when　the

adventurers　looked　more　carefully　around　them　they　discovered　that

there　were　in　a　strong　prison　from　which　there　was　no　hope　of　escape。



〃But　we're　ALMOST　on　earth　again；〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃for　there　is　the

sunthe　most　BEAU'FUL　sun　that　shines！〃　and　she　pointed　eagerly　at

the　crack　in　the　distant　roof。



〃Almost　on　earth　isn't　being　there；〃　said　the　kitten；　in　a

discontented　tone。　　〃It　wouldn't　be　possible　for　even　me　to　get　up　to

that　crackor　through　it　if　I　got　there。〃



〃It　appears　that　the　path　ends　here；〃　announced　the　Wizard；　gloomily。



〃And　there　is　no　way　to　go　back；〃　added　Zeb；　with　a　low　whistle

of　perplexity。



〃I　was　sure　it　would　come　to　this；　in　the　end；〃　remarked　the　old

cab…horse。　　〃Folks　don't　fall　into　the　middle　of　the　earth　and　then

get　back　again　to　tell　of　their　adventuresnot　in　real　life。　　And　the

whole　thing　has　been　unnatural　because　that　cat　and　I　are　both　able　to

talk　your　language；　and　to　understand　the　words　you　say。〃



〃And　so　can　the　nine　tiny　piglets；〃　added　Eureka。　〃Don't　forget　them；

for　I　may　have　to　eat　them；　after　all。〃



〃I've　heard　animals　talk　before；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　no　harm　came　of　it。〃



〃Were　you　ever　before　shut　up　in　a　cave；　far　under　the　earth；　with　no

way　of　getting　out？〃　enquired　the　horse；　seriously。



〃No；〃　answered　Dorothy。　　〃But　don't　you　lose　heart；　Jim；　for　I'm　sure

this　isn't　the　end　of　our　story；　by　any　means。〃



The　reference　to　the　piglets　reminded　the　Wizard　that　his　pets　had　not

enjoyed　much　exercise　lately；　and　must　be　tired　of　their　prison　in　his

pocket。　　So　he　sat　down　upon　the　floor　of　the　cave；　brought　the　piglets

out　one　by　one；　and　allowed　them　to　run　around　as　much　as　they　pleased。



〃My　dears；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃I'm　afraid　I've　got　you　into　a　lot

of　trouble；　and　that　you　will　never　again　be　able　to　leave　this

gloomy　cave。〃



〃What's　wrong？〃　asked　a　piglet。　　〃We've　been　in　the　dark　quite　a

while；　and　you　may　as　well　explain　what　has　happened。〃



The　Wizard　told　them　of　the　misfortune　that　had　overtaken　the　wanderers。



〃Well；〃　said　another　piglet；　〃you　are　a　wizard；　are　you　not？〃



〃I　am；〃　replied　the　little　man。



〃Then　you　can　do　a　few　wizzes　and　get　us　out　of　this　hole；〃　declared

the　tiny　one；　with　much　confidence。



〃I　could　if　I　happened　to　be　a　real　wizard；〃　returned　the　master

sadly。　　〃But　I'm　not；　my　piggy…wees；　I'm　a　humbug　wizard。〃



〃Nonsense！〃　cried　several　of　the　piglets；　together。



〃You　can　ask　Dorothy；〃　said　the　little　man；　in　an　injured　tone。



〃It's　true　enough；〃　returned　the　girl；　earnestly。　　〃Our　friend　Oz　is

merely　a　humbug　wizard；　for　he　once　proved　it　to　me。　　He　can　do

several　very　wonderful　thingsif　he　knows　how。　　But　he　can't　wiz　a

single　thing　if　he　hasn't　the　tools　and　machinery　to　work　with。〃



〃Thank　you；　my　dear；　for　doing　me　justice；〃　responded　the　Wizard；

gratefully。　　〃To　be　accused　of　being　a　real　wizard；　when　I'm　not；　is　a

slander　I　will　not　tamely　submit　to。　　But　I　am　one　of　the　greatest

humbug　wizards　that　ever　lived；　and　you　will　realize　this　when　we　have

all　starved　together　and　our　bones　are　scattered　over　the　floor　of

this　lonely　cave。〃



〃I　don't　believe　we'll　realize　anything；　when　it　comes　to　that；〃

remarked　Dorothy；　who　had　been　deep　in　thought。　　〃But　I'm　not　going　to

scatter　my　bones　just　yet；　because　I　need　them；　and　you　prob'ly　need

yours；　too。〃



〃We　are　helpless　to　escape；〃　sighed　the　Wizard。



〃WE　may　be　helpless；〃　answered　Dorothy；　smiling　at　him；　〃but　there　are

others　who　can　do　more　than　we　can。　　Cheer　up；　friends。　　〃I'm　sure

Ozma　will　help　us。〃



〃Ozma！〃　exclaimed　the　Wizard。　　〃Who　is　Ozma？〃



〃The　girl　that　rules　the　marvelous　Land　of　Oz；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃She's

a　friend　of　mine；　for　I　met　her　in　the　Land　of　Ev；　not　long　ago；　and

went　to　Oz　with　her。〃



〃For　the　second　time？〃　asked　the　Wizard；　with　great　interest。



〃Yes。　　The　first　time　I　went　to　Oz　I　found　you　there；　ruling　the

Emerald　City。　　After　you　went　up　in　a　balloon；　and　escaped　us；　I　got

back　to　Kansas　by　means　of　a　pair　of　magical　silver　shoes。〃



〃I　remember　those　shoes；〃　said　the　little　man；　nodding。　　〃They　once

belonged　to　the　Wicked　Witch。　　Have　you　them　here　with　you？〃



〃No；　I　lost　them　somewhere　in　the　air；〃　explained　the　child。　　〃But　the

second　time　I　went　to　the　Land　of　Oz　I　owned　the　Nome　King's　Magic

Belt；　which　is　much　more　powerful　than　were　the　Silver　Shoes。〃



〃Where　is　that　Magic　Belt？〃　enquired　the　Wizard；　who　had　listened　with

great　interest。



〃Ozma　has　it；　for　its　powers　won't　work　in　a　common；　ordinary　country

like　the　United　States。　　Anyone　in　a　fairy　country　like　the　Land　of　Oz

can　do　anything　with　it；　so　I　left　it　with　my　friend　the　Princess

Ozma；　who　used　it　to　wish　me　in　Australia　with　Uncle　Henry。〃



〃And　were　you？〃　asked　Zeb；　astonished　at　what　he　heard。



〃Of　course；　in　just　a　jiffy。　　And　Ozma　has　an　enchanted　picture

hanging　in　her　room　that　shows　h