dorothy and the wizard in oz-第29章

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and　whispered：



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

her；　but　I　fear　you　will　fail　because　Eureka　has　long　wished　to　eat　a

piglet；　to　my　certain　knowledge；　and　my　opinion　is　that　she　has　been

unable　to　resist　the　temptation。　　Yet　her　disgrace　and　death　would　not

bring　back　the　piglet；　but　only　serve　to　make　Dorothy　unhappy。　　So　I

intend　to　prove　the　kitten's　innocence　by　a　trick。〃



He　drew　from　his　inside　pocket　one　of　the　eight　tiny　piglets　that

were　remaining　and　continued：



〃This　creature　you　must　hide　in　some　safe　place；　and　if　the　jury

decides　that　Eureka　is　guilty　you　may　then　produce　this　piglet　and

claim　it　is　the　one　that　was　lost。　　All　the　piglets　are　exactly　alike；

so　no　one　can　dispute　your　word。　　This　deception　will　save　Eureka's

life；　and　then　we　may　all　be　happy　again。〃



〃I　do　not　like　to　deceive　my　friends；〃　replied　the　Tin　Woodman；

〃still；　my　kind　heart　urges　me　to　save　Eureka's　life；　and　I　can

usually　trust　my　heart　to　do　the　right　thing。　　So　I　will　do　as　you

say；　friend　Wizard。〃



After　some　thought　he　placed　the　little　pig　inside　his　funnel…shaped

hat；　and　then　put　the　hat　upon　his　head　and　went　back　to　his　room　to

think　over　his　speech　to　the　jury。







19。　　The　Wizard　Performs　Another　Trick





At　three　o'clock　the　Throne　Room　was　crowded　with　citizens；　men；　women

and　children　being　eager　to　witness　the　great　trial。



Princess　Ozma；　dressed　in　her　most　splendid　robes　of　state；　sat　in　the

magnificent　emerald　throne；　with　her　jewelled　sceptre　in　her　hand　and

her　sparkling　coronet　upon　her　fair　brow。　　Behind　her　throne　stood　the

twenty…eight　officers　of　her　army　and　many　officials　of　the　royal

household。　　At　her　right　sat　the　queerly　assorted　Juryanimals；

animated　dummies　and　peopleall　gravely　prepared　to　listen　to　what

was　said。　　The　kitten　had　been　placed　in　a　large　cage　just　before　the

throne；　where　she　sat　upon　her　haunches　and　gazed　through　the　bars　at

the　crowds　around　her；　with　seeming　unconcern。



And　now；　at　a　signal　from　Ozma；　the　Woggle…Bug　arose　and　addressed　the

jury。　　His　tone　was　pompous　and　he　strutted　up　and　down　in　an　absurd

attempt　to　appear　dignified。



〃Your　Royal　Highness　and　Fellow　Citizens；〃　he　began；　〃the　small　cat

you　see　a　prisoner　before　you　is　accused　of　the　crime　of　first

murdering　and　then　eating　our　esteemed　Ruler's　fat　pigletor　else

first　eating　and　then　murdering　it。　　In　either　case　a　grave　crime　has

been　committed　which　deserves　a　grave　punishment。〃



〃Do　you　mean　my　kitten　must　be　put　in　a　grave？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Don't　interrupt；　little　girl；〃　said　the　Woggle…Bug。　　〃When　I　get　my

thoughts　arranged　in　good　order　I　do　not　like　to　have　anything　upset

them　or　throw　them　into　confusion。〃



〃If　your　thoughts　were　any　good　they　wouldn't　become　confused；〃

remarked　the　Scarecrow；　earnestly。　　〃My　thoughts　are　always〃



〃Is　this　a　trial　of　thoughts；　or　of　kittens？〃　demanded　the　Woggle…Bug。



〃It's　a　trial　of　one　kitten；〃　replied　the　Scarecrow；　〃but　your　manner

is　a　trial　to　us　all。〃



〃Let　the　Public　Accuser　continue；〃　called　Ozma　from　her　throne；　〃and　I

pray　you　do　not　interrupt　him。〃



〃The　criminal　who　now　sits　before　the　court　licking　her　paws；〃　resumed

the　Woggle…Bug；　〃has　long　desired　to　unlawfully　eat　the　fat　piglet；

which　was　no　bigger　than　a　mouse。　　And　finally　she　made　a　wicked

plan　to　satisfy　her　depraved　appetite　for　pork。　I　can　see　her；

in　my　mind's　eye〃



〃What's　that？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。



〃I　say　I　can　see　her　in　my　mind's　eye〃



〃The　mind　has　no　eye；〃　declared　the　Scarecrow。　　〃It's　blind。〃



〃Your　Highness；〃　cried　the　Woggle…Bug；　appealing　to　Ozma；　〃have　I　a

mind's　eye；　or　haven't　I？〃



〃If　you　have；　it　is　invisible；〃　said　the　Princess。



〃Very　true；〃　returned　the　Woggle…Bug；　bowing。　　〃I　say　I　see　the

criminal；　in　my　mind's　eye；　creeping　stealthily　into　the　room　of　our

Ozma　and　secreting　herself；　when　no　one　was　looking；　until　the

Princess　had　gone　away　and　the　door　was　closed。　　Then　the　murderer　was

alone　with　her　helpless　victim；　the　fat　piglet；　and　I　see　her　pounce

upon　the　innocent　creature　and　eat　it　up〃



〃Are　you　still　seeing　with　your　mind's　eye？〃　enquired　the　Scarecrow。



〃Of　course；　how　else　could　I　see　it？　　And　we　know　the　thing　is　true；

because　since　the　time　of　that　interview　there　is　no　piglet　to　be

found　anywhere。〃



〃I　suppose；　if　the　cat　had　been　gone；　instead　of　the　piglet；

your　mind's　eye　would　see　the　piglet　eating　the　cat；〃　suggested

the　Scarecrow。



〃Very　likely；〃　acknowledged　the　Woggle…Bug。　　〃And　now；　Fellow　Citizens

and　Creatures　of　the　Jury；　I　assert　that　so　awful　a　crime　deserves

death；　and　in　the　case　of　the　ferocious　criminal　before　youwho　is

now　washing　her　facethe　death　penalty　should　be　inflicted　nine　times。〃



There　was　great　applause　when　the　speaker　sat　down。　　Then　the　Princess

spoke　in　a　stern　voice：



〃Prisoner；　what　have　you　to　say　for　yourself？　　Are　you　guilty；

or　not　guilty？〃



〃Why；　that's　for　you　to　find　out；〃　replied　Eureka。　　〃If　you　can　prove

I'm　guilty；　I'll　be　willing　to　die　nine　times；　but　a　mind's　eye　is　no

proof；　because　the　Woggle…Bug　has　no　mind　to　see　with。〃



〃Never　mind；　dear；〃　said　Dorothy。



Then　the　Tin　Woodman　arose　and　said：



〃Respected　Jury　and　dearly　beloved　Ozma；　I　pray　you　not　to　judge　this

feline　prisoner　unfeelingly。　　I　do　not　think　the　innocent　kitten　can

be　guilty；　and　surely　it　is　unkind　to　accuse　a　luncheon　of　being　a

murder。　　Eureka　is　the　sweet　pet　of　a　lovely　little　girl　whom　we　all

admire；　and　gentleness　and　innocence　are　her　chief　virtues。　　Look　at

the　kitten's　intelligent　eyes；〃　（here　Eureka　closed　her　eyes　sleepily）

〃gaze　at　her　smiling　countenance！〃　（here　Eureka　snarled　and　showed　her

teeth）　〃mark　the　tender　pose　of　her　soft；　padded　little　hands！〃　　（Here

Eureka　bared　her　sharp　claws　and　scratched　at　the　bars　of　the　cage。）

〃Would　such　a　gentle　animal　be　guilty　of　eating　a　fellow　creature？

No；　a　thousand　times；　no！〃



〃Oh；　cut　it　short；〃　said　Eureka；　〃you've　talked　long　enough。〃



〃I'm　trying　to　defend　you；〃　remonstrated　the　Tin　Woodman。



〃Then　say　something　sensible；〃　retorted　the　kitten。　　〃Tell　them　it

would　be　foolish　for　me　to　eat　the　piglet；　because　I　had　sense　enough

to　know　it　would　raise　a　row　if　I　did。　　But　don't　try　to　make　out　I'm

too　innocent　to　eat　a　fat　piglet　if　I　could　do　it　and　not　be　found

out。　　I　imagine　it　would　taste　mighty　good。〃



〃Perhaps　it　would；　to　those　who　eat；〃　remarked　the　Tin　Woodman。　　〃I

myself；　not　being　built　to　eat；　have　no　personal　experience　in　such

matters。　　But　I　remember　that　our　great　poet　once　said：





〃'To　eat　is　sweet

When　hunger's　seat

Demands　a　treat

Of　savory　meat。'





〃Take　this　into　consideration；　friends　of　the　Jury；　and　you　will

readily　decide　that　the　kitten　is　wrongfully　accused　and　should　be　set

at　liberty。〃



When　the　Tin　Woodman　sat　down　no　one　applauded　him；　for　his　arguments

had　not　been　very　convincing　and　few　believed　that　he　had　proved

Eureka's　innocence。　　As　for　the　Jury；　the　members　whispered　to　each

other　for　a　few　minutes　and　then　they　appointed　the　Hungry　Tiger　their

spokesman。　　The　huge　beast　slowly　arose　and　said：



〃Kittens　have　no　consciences；　so　they　eat　whatever　pleases　them。　　The

jury　believes　the　white　kitten　known　as　Eureka　is　guilty　of　having

eaten　the　piglet　owned　by　Princess　Ozma；　and　recommends　that　she　be

put　to　death　in　punishment　of　the　crime。〃



The　judgment　of　the　jury　was　received　with　great　applause；　although

Dorothy　was　sobbing　miserably　at　the　fate　of　her　pet。　　The　Princess

was　just　about　to　order　Eureka's　head　chopped　off　with　the　Tin

Woodman's　axe　when　that　brilliant　personage　once　more　arose　and

addressed　her。



〃Your　Highness；〃　said　he；　〃see　how　easy　it　is　for　a　jury　to　be　mistaken。

The　kitten　could　not　have　eaten　your　pigletfor　here　it　is！〃



He　took　off　his　funnel　hat　and　f