dorothy and the wizard in oz-第3章

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〃Isn't　it　funny？〃　she　said。



The　boy　was　startled　and　his　eyes　were　big。　　Dorothy　had　a　green

streak　through　the　center　of　her　face　where　the　blue　and　yellow　lights

came　together；　and　her　appearance　seemed　to　add　to　his　fright。



〃II　don't　s…s…see　any…thing　funny'bout　it！〃　he　stammered。



Just　then　the　buggy　tipped　slowly　over　upon　its　side；　the　body　of　the

horse　tipping　also。　　But　they　continued　to　fall；　all　together；　and　the

boy　and　girl　had　no　difficulty　in　remaining　upon　the　seat；　just　as

they　were　before。　　Then　they　turned　bottom　side　up；　and　continued　to

roll　slowly　over　until　they　were　right　side　up　again。　　During　this

time　Jim　struggled　frantically；　all　his　legs　kicking　the　air；　but　on

finding　himself　in　his　former　position　the　horse　said；　in　a　relieved

tone　of　voice：



〃Well；　that's　better！〃



Dorothy　and　Zeb　looked　at　one　another　in　wonder。



〃Can　your　horse　talk？〃　she　asked。



〃Never　knew　him　to；　before；〃　replied　the　boy。



〃Those　were　the　first　words　I　ever　said；〃　called　out　the　horse；　who

had　overheard　them；　〃and　I　can't　explain　why　I　happened　to　speak　then。

This　is　a　nice　scrape　you've　got　me　into；　isn't　it？〃



〃As　for　that；　we　are　in　the　same　scrape　ourselves；〃　answered　Dorothy；

cheerfully。　　〃But　never　mind；　something　will　happen　pretty　soon。〃



〃Of　course；〃　growled　the　horse；　〃and　then　we　shall　be　sorry　it　happened。〃



Zeb　gave　a　shiver。　　All　this　was　so　terrible　and　unreal　that　he　could

not　understand　it　at　all；　and　so　had　good　reason　to　be　afraid。



Swiftly　they　drew　near　to　the　flaming　colored　suns；　and　passed　close

beside　them。　　The　light　was　then　so　bright　that　it　dazzled　their　eyes；

and　they　covered　their　faces　with　their　hands　to　escape　being　blinded。

There　was　no　heat　in　the　colored　suns；　however；　and　after　they　had

passed　below　them　the　top　of　the　buggy　shut　out　many　of　the　piercing

rays　so　that　the　boy　and　girl　could　open　their　eyes　again。



〃We've　got　to　come　to　the　bottom　some　time；〃　remarked　Zeb；　with　a　deep

sigh。　　〃We　can't　keep　falling　forever；　you　know。〃



〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃We　are　somewhere　in　the　middle　of　the

earth；　and　the　chances　are　we'll　reach　the　other　side　of　it　before

long。　　But　it's　a　big　hollow；　isn't　it？〃



〃Awful　big！〃　answered　the　boy。



〃We're　coming　to　something　now；〃　announced　the　horse。



At　this　they　both　put　their　heads　over　the　side　of　the　buggy　and

looked　down。　　Yes；　there　was　land　below　them；　and　not　so　very　far

away；　either。　　But　they　were　floating　very；　very　slowlyso　slowly

that　it　could　no　longer　be　called　a　falland　the　children　had　ample

time　to　take　heart　and　look　about　them。



They　saw　a　landscape　with　mountains　and　plains；　lakes　and　rivers；　very

like　those　upon　the　earth's　surface；　but　all　the　scene　was　splendidly

colored　by　the　variegated　lights　from　the　six　suns。　　Here　and　there

were　groups　of　houses　that　seemed　made　of　clear　glass；　because　they

sparkled　so　brightly。



〃I'm　sure　we　are　in　no　danger；〃　said　Dorothy；　in　a　sober　voice。　　〃We

are　falling　so　slowly　that　we　can't　be　dashed　to　pieces　when　we　land；

and　this　country　that　we　are　coming　to　seems　quite　pretty。〃



〃We'll　never　get　home　again；　though！〃　declared　Zeb；　with　a　groan。



〃Oh；　I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃But　don't　let　us

worry　over　such　things；　Zeb；　we　can't　help　ourselves　just　now；　you

know；　and　I've　always　been　told　it's　foolish　to　borrow　trouble。〃



The　boy　became　silent；　having　no　reply　to　so　sensible　a　speech；　and

soon　both　were　fully　occupied　in　staring　at　the　strange　scenes　spread

out　below　them。　　They　seemed　to　be　falling　right　into　the　middle　of　a

big　city　which　had　many　tall　buildings　with　glass　domes　and

sharp…pointed　spires。　　These　spires　were　like　great　spear…points；

and　if　they　tumbled　upon　one　of　them　they　were　likely　to　suffer

serious　injury。



Jim　the　horse　had　seen　these　spires；　also；　and　his　ears　stood　straight

up　with　fear；　while　Dorothy　and　Zeb　held　their　breaths　in　suspense。

But　no；　they　floated　gently　down　upon　a　broad；　flat　roof；　and　came　to

a　stop　at　last。



When　Jim　felt　something　firm　under　his　feet　the　poor　beast's　legs

trembled　so　much　that　he　could　hardly　stand；　but　Zeb　at　once　leaped

out　of　the　buggy　to　the　roof；　and　he　was　so　awkward　and　hasty　that　he

kicked　over　Dorothy's　bird…cage；　which　rolled　out　upon　the　roof　so

that　the　bottom　came　off。　　At　once　a　pink　kitten　crept　out　of　the

upset　cage；　sat　down　upon　the　glass　roof；　and　yawned　and　blinked　its

round　eyes。



〃Oh；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃There's　Eureka。〃



〃First　time　I　ever　saw　a　pink　cat；〃　said　Zeb。



〃Eureka　isn't　pink；　she's　white。　　It's　this　queer　light　that　gives　her

that　color。〃



〃Where's　my　milk？〃　asked　the　kitten；　looking　up　into　Dorothy's　face。

〃I'm　'most　starved　to　death。〃



〃Oh；　Eureka！　　Can　you　talk？〃



〃Talk！　　Am　I　talking？　　Good　gracious；　I　believe　I　am。　　Isn't　it

funny？〃　asked　the　kitten。



〃It's　all　wrong。〃　said　Zeb；　gravely。　　〃Animals　ought　not　to　talk。　　But

even　old　Jim　has　been　saying　things　since　we　had　our　accident。〃



〃I　can't　see　that　it's　wrong；〃　remarked　Jim；　in　his　gruff　tones。　　〃At

least；　it　isn't　as　wrong　as　some　other　things。　　What's　going　to　become

of　us　now？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　the　boy；　looking　around　him　curiously。



The　houses　of　the　city　were　all　made　of　glass；　so　clear　and

transparent　that　one　could　look　through　the　walls　as　easily　as　through

a　window。　　Dorothy　saw；　underneath　the　roof　on　which　she　stood；

several　rooms　used　for　rest　chambers；　and　even　thought　she　could　make

out　a　number　of　queer　forms　huddled　into　the　corners　of　these　rooms。



The　roof　beside　them　had　a　great　hole　smashed　through　it；　and　pieces

of　glass　were　lying　scattered　in　every　direction。　　A　nearby　steeple

had　been　broken　off　short　and　the　fragments　lay　heaped　beside　it。

Other　buildings　were　cracked　in　places　or　had　corners　chipped　off　from

them；　but　they　must　have　been　very　beautiful　before　these　accidents

had　happened　to　mar　their　perfection。　　The　rainbow　tints　from　the

colored　suns　fell　upon　the　glass　city　softly　and　gave　to　the　buildings

many　delicate；　shifting　hues　which　were　very　pretty　to　see。



But　not　a　sound　had　broken　the　stillness　since　the　strangers　had　arrived；

except　that　of　their　own　voices。　　They　began　to　wonder　if　there　were

no　people　to　inhabit　this　magnificent　city　of　the　inner　world。



Suddenly　a　man　appeared　through　a　hole　in　the　roof　next　to　the　one

they　were　on　and　stepped　into　plain　view。　　He　was　not　a　very　large　man；

but　was　well　formed　and　had　a　beautiful　facecalm　and　serene　as　the　face

of　a　fine　portrait。　　His　clothing　fitted　his　form　snugly　and　was　gorgeously

colored　in　brilliant　shades　of　green；　which　varied　as　the　sunbeams

touched　them　but　was　not　wholly　influenced　by　the　solar　rays。



The　man　had　taken　a　step　or　two　across　the　glass　roof　before　he

noticed　the　presence　of　the　strangers；　but　then　he　stopped　abruptly。

There　was　no　expression　of　either　fear　or　surprise　upon　his　tranquil

face；　yet　he　must　have　been　both　astonished　and　afraid；　for　after　his

eyes　had　rested　upon　the　ungainly　form　of　the　horse　for　a　moment　he

walked　rapidly　to　the　furthest　edge　of　the　roof；　his　head　turned　back

over　his　shoulder　to　gaze　at　the　strange　animal。



〃Look　out！〃　cried　Dorothy；　who　noticed　that　the　beautiful　man　did　not

look　where　he　was　going；　〃be　careful；　or　you'll　fall　off！〃



But　he　paid　no　attention　to　her　warning。　　He　reached　the　edge　of　the

tall　roof；　stepped　one　foot　out　into　the　air；　and　walked　into　space　as

calmly　as　if　he　were　on　firm　ground。



The　girl；　greatly　astonished；　ran　to　lean　over　the　edge　of　the　roof；

and　saw　the　man　walking　rapidly　through　the　air　toward　the　ground。

Soon　he　reached　the　street　and　disappeared　through　a　glass　doorway

into　one　of　the　glass　buildings。



〃How　strange！〃　she　exclaimed；　drawing　a　long　breath。



〃Yes；　but　it's　lots　of　fun；　if　it　IS　strange；〃　remarked　the　s