dorothy and the wizard in oz-第24章

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history　about　the　Land　of　Oz　that　you　do　not　seem　to

understandperhaps　for　the　reason　that　no　one　ever　told　it　you。　　Many

years　before　you　came　here　this　Land　was　united　under　one　Ruler；　as　it

is　now；　and　the　Ruler's　name　was　always　'Oz；'　which　means　in　our

language　'Great　and　Good'；　or；　if　the　Ruler　happened　to　be　a　woman；

her　name　was　always　'Ozma。'　　But　once　upon　a　time　four　Witches　leagued

together　to　depose　the　king　and　rule　the　four　parts　of　the　kingdom

themselves；　so　when　the　Ruler；　my　grandfather；　was　hunting　one　day；　one

Wicked　Witch　named　Mombi　stole　him　and　carried　him　away；　keeping　him　a

close　prisoner。　　Then　the　Witches　divided　up　the　kingdom；　and　ruled

the　four　parts　of　it　until　you　came　here。　　That　was　why　the　people

were　so　glad　to　see　you；　and　why　they　thought　from　your　initials　that

you　were　their　rightful　ruler。〃



〃But；　at　that　time；〃　said　the　Wizard；　thoughtfully；　〃there　were　two

Good　Witches　and　two　Wicked　Witches　ruling　in　the　land。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Ozma；　〃because　a　good　Witch　had　conquered　Mombi　in　the

North　and　Glinda　the　Good　had　conquered　the　evil　Witch　in　the　South。

But　Mombi　was　still　my　grandfather's　jailor；　and　afterward　my　father's

jailor。　　When　I　was　born　she　transformed　me　into　a　boy；　hoping　that

no　one　would　ever　recognize　me　and　know　that　I　was　the　rightful

Princess　of　the　Land　of　Oz。　　But　I　escaped　from　her　and　am　now

the　Ruler　of　my　people。〃



〃I　am　very　glad　of　that；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　hope　you　will　consider

me　one　of　your　most　faithful　and　devoted　subjects。〃



〃We　owe　a　great　deal　to　the　Wonderful　Wizard；〃　continued　the　Princess；

〃for　it　was　you　who　built　this　splendid　Emerald　City。〃



〃Your　people　built　it；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　only　bossed　the　job；　as　we

say　in　Omaha。〃



〃But　you　ruled　it　wisely　and　well　for　many　years；〃　said　she；　〃and　made

the　people　proud　of　your　magical　art。　　So；　as　you　are　now　too　old　to

wander　abroad　and　work　in　a　circus；　I　offer　you　a　home　here　as　long

as　you　live。　　You　shall　be　the　Official　Wizard　of　my　kingdom；　and　be

treated　with　every　respect　and　consideration。〃



〃I　accept　your　kind　offer　with　gratitude；　gracious　Princess；〃　the

little　man　said；　in　a　soft　voice；　and　they　could　all　see　that

tear…drops　were　standing　in　his　keen　old　eyes。　　It　meant　a　good　deal

to　him　to　secure　a　home　like　this。



〃He's　only　a　humbug　Wizard；　though；〃　said　Dorothy；　smiling　at　him。



〃And　that　is　the　safest　kind　of　a　Wizard　to　have；〃　replied　Ozma；　promptly。



〃Oz　can　do　some　good　tricks；　humbug　or　no　humbug；〃　announced　Zeb；　who

was　now　feeling　more　at　ease。



〃He　shall　amuse　us　with　his　tricks　tomorrow；〃　said　the　Princess。　　〃I

have　sent　messengers　to　summon　all　of　Dorothy's　old　friends　to　meet

her　and　give　her　welcome；　and　they　ought　to　arrive　very　soon；　now。〃



Indeed；　the　dinner　was　no　sooner　finished　than　in　rushed　the

Scarecrow；　to　hug　Dorothy　in　his　padded　arms　and　tell　her　how　glad　he

was　to　see　her　again。　　The　Wizard　was　also　most　heartily　welcomed　by

the　straw　man；　who　was　an　important　personage　in　the　Land　of　Oz。



〃How　are　your　brains？〃　enquired　the　little　humbug；　as　he　grasped　the

soft；　stuffed　hands　of　his　old　friend。



〃Working　finely；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。　　〃I'm　very　certain；　Oz；　that

you　gave　me　the　best　brains　in　the　world；　for　I　can　think　with　them

day　and　night；　when　all　other　brains　are　fast　asleep。〃



〃How　long　did　you　rule　the　Emerald　City；　after　I　left　here？〃　was　the

next　question。



〃Quite　awhile；　until　I　was　conquered　by　a　girl　named　General　Jinjur。

But　Ozma　soon　conquered　her；　with　the　help　of　Glinda　the　Good；　and

after　that　I　went　to　live　with　Nick　Chopper；　the　Tin　Woodman。〃



Just　then　a　loud　cackling　was　heard　outside；　and；　when　a　servant　threw

open　the　door　with　a　low　bow；　a　yellow　hen　strutted　in。　　Dorothy

sprang　forward　and　caught　the　fluffy　fowl　in　her　arms；　uttering　at　the

same　time　a　glad　cry。



〃Oh；　Billina！〃　she　said；　〃how　fat　and　sleek　you've　grown。〃



〃Why　shouldn't　I？〃　asked　the　hen；　in　a　sharp；　clear　voice。　　〃I　live　on

the　fat　of　the　landdon't　I；　Ozma？〃



〃You　have　everything　you　wish　for；〃　said　the　Princess。



Around　Billina's　neck　was　a　string　of　beautiful　pearls；　and　on　her

legs　were　bracelets　of　emeralds。　　She　nestled　herself　comfortably　in

Dorothy's　lap　until　the　kitten　gave　a　snarl　of　jealous　anger　and

leaped　up　with　a　sharp　claw　fiercely　bared　to　strike　Billina　a　blow。

But　the　little　girl　gave　the　angry　kitten　such　a　severe　cuff　that　it

jumped　down　again　without　daring　to　scratch。



〃How　horrid　of　you；　Eureka！〃　cried　Dorothy。　　〃Is　that　the　way　to　treat

my　friends？〃



〃You　have　queer　friends；　seems　to　me；〃　replied　the　kitten；

in　a　surly　tone。



〃Seems　to　me　the　same　way；〃　said　Billina；　scornfully；　〃if　that　beastly

cat　is　one　of　them。〃



〃Look　here！〃　said　Dorothy；　sternly。　　〃I　won't　have　any　quarrelling　in

the　Land　of　Oz；　I　can　tell　you！　　Everybody　lives　in　peace　here；　and

loves　everybody　else；　and　unless　you　two；　Billina　and　Eureka；　make　up

and　be　friends；　I'll　take　my　Magic　Belt　and　wish　you　both　home　again；

IMMEJITLY。　　So；　there！〃



They　were　both　much　frightened　at　the　threat；　and　promised　meekly　to

be　good。　　But　it　was　never　noticed　that　they　became　very　warm　friends；

for　all　of　that。



And　now　the　Tin　Woodman　arrived；　his　body　most　beautifully

nickle…plated；　so　that　it　shone　splendidly　in　the　brilliant　light　of

the　room。　　The　Tin　Woodman　loved　Dorothy　most　tenderly；　and　welcomed

with　joy　the　return　of　the　little　old　Wizard。



〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　the　latter；　〃I　never　can　thank　you　enough　for　the

excellent　heart　you　once　gave　me。　　It　has　made　me　many　friends；

I　assure　you；　and　it　beats　as　kindly　and　lovingly　today　as　it　every　did。〃



〃I'm　glad　to　hear　that；〃　said　the　Wizard。　　〃I　was　afraid　it　would　get

moldy　in　that　tin　body　of　yours。〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　returned　Nick　Chopper。　　〃It　keeps　finely；　being　preserved

in　my　air…tight　chest。〃



Zeb　was　a　little　shy　when　first　introduced　to　these　queer　people；　but

they　were　so　friendly　and　sincere　that　he　soon　grew　to　admire　them

very　much；　even　finding　some　good　qualities　in　the　yellow　hen。　　But　he

became　nervous　again　when　the　next　visitor　was　announced。



〃This；〃　said　Princess　Ozma；　〃is　my　friend　Mr。　H。　M。　Woggle…Bug；　T。　E。；

who　assisted　me　one　time　when　I　was　in　great　distress；　and　is　now　the

Dean　of　the　Royal　College　of　Athletic　Science。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃I'm　pleased　to　meet　so　distinguished　a　personage。〃



〃H。　M。；〃　said　the　Woggle…Bug；　pompously；　〃means　Highly　Magnified；　and

T。　E。　means　Thoroughly　Educated。　　I　am；　in　reality；　a　very　big　bug；

and　doubtless　the　most　intelligent　being　in　all　this　broad　domain。〃



〃How　well　you　disguise　it；〃　said　the　Wizard。　　〃But　I　don't　doubt　your

word　in　the　least。〃



〃Nobody　doubts　it；　sir；〃　replied　the　Woggle…Bug；　and　drawing　a　book

from　its　pocket　the　strange　insect　turned　its　back　on　the　company　and

sat　down　in　a　corner　to　read。



Nobody　minded　this　rudeness；　which　might　have　seemed　more　impolite　in

one　less　thoroughly　educated；　so　they　straightway　forgot　him　and

joined　in　a　merry　conversation　that　kept　them　well　amused　until

bed…time　arrived。







16。　　Jim；　The　Cab…Horse





Jim　the　Cab…horse　found　himself　in　possession　of　a　large　room　with　a

green　marble　floor　and　carved　marble　wainscoting；　which　was　so　stately

in　its　appearance　that　it　would　have　awed　anyone　else。　　Jim　accepted

it　as　a　mere　detail；　and　at　his　command　the　attendants　gave　his　coat　a

good　rubbing；　combed　his　mane　and　tail；　and　washed　his　hoofs　and

fetlocks。　　Then　they　told　him　dinner　would　be　served　directly　and　he

replied　that　they　could　not　serve　it　too　quickly　to　suit　his

convenience。　　First　they　brought　him　a　steaming　bowl　of　soup；　which

the　horse　eyed　in　dismay。



〃Take　that　stuff　away！〃　he　commanded。　　〃Do　you　take　me　for　a　salamander？〃



They　obeyed　at　once；　and　next　served　a　fine　large　turbot　on　a　silver

pla