dorothy and the wizard in oz-第28章

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of　the　race。　　Said　she：



〃My　friend；　I　reward　you　for　your　swiftness　by　proclaiming　you　Prince

of　Horses；　whether　of　wood　or　of　flesh；　and　hereafter　all　other

horsesin　the　Land　of　Oz；　at　leastmust　be　considered　imitations；

and　you　the　real　Champion　of　your　race。〃



There　was　more　applause　at　this；　and　then　Ozma　had　the　jewelled　saddle

replaced　upon　the　Sawhorse　and　herself　rode　the　victor　back　to　the

city　at　the　head　of　the　grand　procession。



〃I　ought　to　be　a　fairy；〃　grumbled　Jim；　as　he　slowly　drew　the　buggy

home；　〃for　to　be　just　an　ordinary　horse　in　a　fairy　country　is　to　be　of

no　account　whatever。　　It's　no　place　for　us；　Zeb。〃



〃It's　lucky　we　got　here；　though；〃　said　the　boy；　and　Jim　thought　of　the

dark　cave；　and　agreed　with　him。







18。　　The　Trial　of　Eureka　the　Kitten





Several　days　of　festivity　and　merry…making　followed；　for　such　old

friends　did　not　often　meet　and　there　was　much　to　be　told　and　talked

over　between　them；　and　many　amusements　to　be　enjoyed　in　this

delightful　country。



Ozma　was　happy　to　have　Dorothy　beside　her；　for　girls　of　her　own　age

with　whom　it　was　proper　for　the　Princess　to　associate　were　very　few；

and　often　the　youthful　Ruler　of　Oz　was　lonely　for　lack　of　companionship。



It　was　the　third　morning　after　Dorothy's　arrival；　and　she　was　sitting

with　Ozma　and　their　friends　in　a　reception　room；　talking　over　old

times；　when　the　Princess　said　to　her　maid：



〃Please　go　to　my　boudoir；　Jellia；　and　get　the　white　piglet　I　left　on

the　dressing…table。　　I　want　to　play　with　it。〃



Jellia　at　once　departed　on　the　errand；　and　she　was　gone　so　long　that

they　had　almost　forgotten　her　mission　when　the　green　robed　maiden

returned　with　a　troubled　face。



〃The　piglet　is　not　there；　your　Highness；〃　said　she。



〃Not　there！〃　exclaimed　Ozma。　　〃Are　you　sure？〃



〃I　have　hunted　in　every　part　of　the　room；〃　the　maid　replied。



〃Was　not　the　door　closed？〃　asked　the　Princess。



〃Yes；　your　Highness；　I　am　sure　it　was；　for　when　I　opened　it　Dorothy's

white　kitten　crept　out　and　ran　up　the　stairs。〃



Hearing　this；　Dorothy　and　the　Wizard　exchanged　startled　glances；　for

they　remembered　how　often　Eureka　had　longed　to　eat　a　piglet。　　The

little　girl　jumped　up　at　once。



〃Come；　Ozma；〃　she　said；　anxiously；　〃let　us　go　ourselves　to　search　for

the　piglet。〃



So　the　two　went　to　the　dressing…room　of　the　Princess　and　searched

carefully　in　every　corner　and　among　the　vases　and　baskets　and

ornaments　that　stood　about　the　pretty　boudoir。　　But　not　a　trace　could

they　find　of　the　tiny　creature　they　sought。



Dorothy　was　nearly　weeping；　by　this　time；　while　Ozma　was　angry　and

indignant。　　When　they　returned　to　the　others　the　Princess　said：



〃There　is　little　doubt　that　my　pretty　piglet　has　been　eaten　by　that

horrid　kitten；　and　if　that　is　true　the　offender　must　be　punished。〃



〃I　don't　b'lieve　Eureka　would　do　such　a　dreadful　thing！〃　cried

Dorothy；　much　distressed。　　〃Go　and　get　my　kitten；　please；　Jellia；　and

we'll　hear　what　she　has　to　say　about　it。〃



The　green　maiden　hastened　away；　but　presently　returned　and　said：



〃The　kitten　will　not　come。　　She　threatened　to　scratch　my　eyes　out　if　I

touched　her。〃



〃Where　is　she？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Under　the　bed　in　your　own　room；〃　was　the　reply。



So　Dorothy　ran　to　her　room　and　found　the　kitten　under　the　bed。



〃Come　here；　Eureka！〃　she　said。



〃I　won't；〃　answered　the　kitten；　in　a　surly　voice。



〃Oh；　Eureka！　　Why　are　you　so　bad？〃



The　kitten　did　not　reply。



〃If　you　don't　come　to　me；　right　away；〃　continued　Dorothy；　getting　provoked；

〃I'll　take　my　Magic　Belt　and　wish　you　in　the　Country　of　the　Gurgles。〃



〃Why　do　you　want　me？〃　asked　Eureka；　disturbed　by　this　threat。



〃You　must　go　to　Princess　Ozma。　　She　wants　to　talk　to　you。〃



〃All　right；〃　returned　the　kitten；　creeping　out。　　〃I'm　not　afraid　of

Ozmaor　anyone　else。〃



Dorothy　carried　her　in　her　arms　back　to　where　the　others　sat　in

grieved　and　thoughtful　silence。



〃Tell　me；　Eureka；〃　said　the　Princess；　gently：　〃did　you　eat

my　pretty　piglet？〃



〃I　won't　answer　such　a　foolish　question；〃　asserted　Eureka；　with　a　snarl。



〃Oh；　yes　you　will；　dear；〃　Dorothy　declared。　　〃The　piglet　is　gone；　and

you　ran　out　of　the　room　when　Jellia　opened　the　door。　　So；　if　you　are

innocent；　Eureka；　you　must　tell　the　Princess　how　you　came　to　be　in　her

room；　and　what　has　become　of　the　piglet。〃



〃Who　accuses　me？〃　asked　the　kitten；　defiantly。



〃No　one；〃　answered　Ozma。　　〃Your　actions　alone　accuse　you。　　The　fact　is

that　I　left　my　little　pet　in　my　dressing…room　lying　asleep　upon　the

table；　and　you　must　have　stolen　in　without　my　knowing　it。　　When　next

the　door　was　opened　you　ran　out　and　hid　yourselfand　the　piglet　was　gone。〃



〃That's　none　of　my　business；〃　growled　the　kitten。



〃Don't　be　impudent；　Eureka；〃　admonished　Dorothy。



〃It　is　you　who　are　impudent；〃　said　Eureka；　〃for　accusing　me　of　such　a

crime　when　you　can't　prove　it　except　by　guessing。〃



Ozma　was　now　greatly　incensed　by　the　kitten's　conduct。　　She　summoned

her　Captain…General；　and　when　the　long；　lean　officer　appeared　she　said：



〃Carry　this　cat　away　to　prison；　and　keep　her　in　safe　confinement　until

she　is　tried　by　law　for　the　crime　of　murder。〃



So　the　Captain…General　took　Eureka　from　the　arms　of　the　now　weeping

Dorothy　and　in　spite　of　the　kitten's　snarls　and　scratches　carried　it

away　to　prison。



〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow；　with　a　sigh；　for　such　a

crime　had　cast　a　gloom　over　all　the　company。



〃I　will　summon　the　Court　to　meet　in　the　Throne　Room　at　three　o'clock；〃

replied　Ozma。　　〃I　myself　will　be　the　judge；　and　the　kitten　shall　have

a　fair　trial。〃



〃What　will　happen　if　she　is　guilty？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃She　must　die；〃　answered　the　Princess。



〃Nine　times？〃　enquired　the　Scarecrow。



〃As　many　times　as　is　necessary；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃I　will　ask　the　Tin

Woodman　to　defend　the　prisoner；　because　he　has　such　a　kind　heart　I　am

sure　he　will　do　his　best　to　save　her。　　And　the　Woggle…Bug　shall　be　the

Public　Accuser；　because　he　is　so　learned　that　no　one　can　deceive　him。〃



〃Who　will　be　the　jury？〃　asked　the　Tin　Woodman。



〃There　ought　to　be　several　animals　on　the　jury；〃　said　Ozma；　〃because

animals　understand　each　other　better　than　we　people　understand　them。

So　the　jury　shall　consist　of　the　Cowardly　Lion；　the　Hungry　Tiger；　Jim

the　Cab…horse；　the　Yellow　Hen；　the　Scarecrow；　the　Wizard；　Tik…tok　the

Machine　Man；　the　Sawhorse　and　Zeb　of　Hugson's　Ranch。　　That　makes　the

nine　which　the　law　requires；　and　all　my　people　shall　be　admitted　to

hear　the　testimony。〃



They　now　separated　to　prepare　for　the　sad　ceremony；　for　whenever　an

appeal　is　made　to　law　sorrow　is　almost　certain　to　followeven　in　a

fairyland　like　Oz。　　But　is　must　be　stated　that　the　people　of　that　Land

were　generally　so　well…behaved　that　there　was　not　a　single　lawyer

amongst　them；　and　it　had　been　years　since　any　Ruler　had　sat　in　judgment

upon　an　offender　of　the　law。　　The　crime　of　murder　being　the　most

dreadful　crime　of　all；　tremendous　excitement　prevailed　in　the　Emerald

City　when　the　news　of　Eureka's　arrest　and　trial　became　known。



The　Wizard；　when　he　returned　to　his　own　room；　was　exceedingly

thoughtful。　　He　had　no　doubt　Eureka　had　eaten　his　piglet；　but　he

realized　that　a　kitten　cannot　be　depended　upon　at　all　times　to　act

properly；　since　its　nature　is　to　destroy　small　animals　and　even　birds

for　food；　and　the　tame　cat　that　we　keep　in　our　houses　today　is

descended　from　the　wild　cat　of　the　junglea　very　ferocious　creature；

indeed。　　The　Wizard　knew　that　if　Dorothy's　pet　was　found　guilty　and

condemned　to　death　the　little　girl　would　be　made　very　unhappy；　so；

although　he　grieved　over　the　piglet's　sad　fate　as　much　as　any　of　them；

he　resolved　to　save　Eureka's　life。



Sending　for　the　Tin　Woodman　the　Wizard　took　him　into　a　corner

and　whispered：



〃My　friend；　it　is　your　duty　to　defend　the　white　kitten　and　try　to　save