dorothy and the wizard in oz-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





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



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

voice　of　the　kitten；　and　Dorothy　turned　to　find　her　pet　walking　in　the

air　a　foot　or　so　away　from　the　edge　of　the　roof。



〃Come　back；　Eureka！〃　she　called；　in　distress；　〃you'll　certainly　be　killed。〃



〃I　have　nine　lives；〃　said　the　kitten；　purring　softly　as　it　walked

around　in　a　circle　and　then　came　back　to　the　roof；　　〃but　I　can't　lose

even　one　of　them　by　falling　in　this　country；　because　I　really　couldn't

manage　to　fall　if　I　wanted　to。〃



〃Does　the　air　bear　up　your　weight？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃Of　course；　can't　you　see？〃　and　again　the　kitten　wandered　into　the　air

and　back　to　the　edge　of　the　roof。



〃It's　wonderful！〃　said　Dorothy。



〃Suppose　we　let　Eureka　go　down　to　the　street　and　get　some　one　to　help

us；〃　suggested　Zeb；　who　had　been　even　more　amazed　than　Dorothy　at

these　strange　happenings。



〃Perhaps　we　can　walk　on　the　air　ourselves；〃　replied　the　girl。



Zeb　drew　back　with　a　shiver。



〃I　wouldn't　dare　try；〃　he　said。



〃Maybe　Jim　will　go；〃　continued　Dorothy；　looking　at　the　horse。



〃And　maybe　he　won't！〃　answered　Jim。　　〃I've　tumbled　through　the　air

long　enough　to　make　me　contented　on　this　roof。〃



〃But　we　didn't　tumble　to　the　roof；〃　said　the　girl；　〃by　the　time　we

reached　here　we　were　floating　very　slowly；　and　I'm　almost　sure　we

could　float　down　to　the　street　without　getting　hurt。　　Eureka　walks　on

the　air　all　right。〃



〃Eureka　weights　only　about　half　a　pound；〃　replied　the　horse；　in　a

scornful　tone；　〃while　I　weigh　about　half　a　ton。〃



〃You　don't　weigh　as　much　as　you　ought　to；　Jim；〃　remarked　the　girl；

shaking　her　head　as　she　looked　at　the　animal。　　〃You're　dreadfully　skinny。〃



〃Oh；　well；　I'm　old；〃　said　the　horse；　hanging　his　head　despondently；

〃and　I've　had　lots　of　trouble　in　my　day；　little　one。　　For　a　good　many　years

I　drew　a　public　cab　in　Chicago；　and　that's　enough　to　make　anyone　skinny。〃



〃He　eats　enough　to　get　fat；　I'm　sure；〃　said　the　boy；　gravely。



〃Do　I？　　Can　you　remember　any　breakfast　that　I've　had　today？〃　growled

Jim；　as　if　he　resented　Zeb's　speech。



〃None　of　us　has　had　breakfast；〃　said　the　boy；　〃and　in　a　time　of　danger

like　this　it's　foolish　to　talk　about　eating。〃



〃Nothing　is　more　dangerous　than　being　without　food；〃　declared　the

horse；　with　a　sniff　at　the　rebuke　of　his　young　master；　〃and　just　at

present　no　one　can　tell　whether　there　are　any　oats　in　this　queer

country　or　not。　　If　there　are；　they　are　liable　to　be　glass　oats！〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　　〃I　can　see　plenty　of　nice　gardens　and

fields　down　below　us；　at　the　edge　of　this　city。　　But　I　wish　we　could

find　a　way　to　get　to　the　ground。〃



〃Why　don't　you　walk　down？〃　asked　Eureka。　　〃I'm　as　hungry　as　the　horse

is；　and　I　want　my　milk。〃



〃Will　you　try　it；　Zeb〃　asked　the　girl；　turning　to　her　companion。



Zeb　hesitated。　　He　was　still　pale　and　frightened；　for　this　dreadful

adventure　had　upset　him　and　made　him　nervous　and　worried。　　But　he　did

not　wish　the　little　girl　to　think　him　a　coward；　so　he　advanced　slowly

to　the　edge　of　the　roof。



Dorothy　stretched　out　a　hand　to　him　and　Zeb　put　one　foot　out　and　let　it

rest　in　the　air　a　little　over　the　edge　of　the　roof。　　It　seemed　firm

enough　to　walk　upon；　so　he　took　courage　and　put　out　the　other　foot。

Dorothy　kept　hold　of　his　hand　and　followed　him；　and　soon　they　were

both　walking　through　the　air；　with　the　kitten　frisking　beside　them。



〃Come　on；　Jim！〃　called　the　boy。　　〃It's　all　right。〃



Jim　had　crept　to　the　edge　of　the　roof　to　look　over；　and　being　a

sensible　horse　and　quite　experienced；　he　made　up　his　mind　that　he

could　go　where　the　others　did。　　So；　with　a　snort　and　a　neigh　and　a

whisk　of　his　short　tail　he　trotted　off　the　roof　into　the　air　and　at

once　began　floating　downward　to　the　street。　　His　great　weight　made　him

fall　faster　than　the　children　walked；　and　he　passed　them　on　the　way

down；　but　when　he　came　to　the　glass　pavement　he　alighted　upon　it　so

softly　that　he　was　not　even　jarred。



〃Well；　well！〃　said　Dorothy；　drawing　a　long　breath；　〃What　a　strange

country　this　is。〃



People　began　to　come　out　of　the　glass　doors　to　look　at　the　new

arrivals；　and　pretty　soon　quite　a　crowd　had　assembled。　　There　were　men

and　women；　but　no　children　at　all；　and　the　folks　were　all　beautifully

formed　and　attractively　dressed　and　had　wonderfully　handsome　faces。

There　was　not　an　ugly　person　in　all　the　throng；　yet　Dorothy　was　not

especially　pleased　by　the　appearance　of　these　people　because　their

features　had　no　more　expression　than　the　faces　of　dolls。　　They　did　not

smile　nor　did　they　frown；　or　show　either　fear　or　surprise　or　curiosity

or　friendliness。　　They　simply　started　at　the　strangers；　paying　most

attention　to　Jim　and　Eureka；　for　they　had　never　before　seen　either　a

horse　or　a　cat　and　the　children　bore　an　outward　resemblance　to　themselves。



Pretty　soon　a　man　joined　the　group　who　wore　a　glistening　star　in　the

dark　hair　just　over　his　forehead。　　He　seemed　to　be　a　person　of

authority；　for　the　others　pressed　back　to　give　him　room。　　After

turning　his　composed　eyes　first　upon　the　animals　and　then　upon　the

children　he　said　to　Zeb；　who　was　a　little　taller　than　Dorothy：



〃Tell　me；　intruder；　was　it　you　who　caused　the　Rain　of　Stones？〃



For　a　moment　the　boy　did　not　know　what　he　meant　by　this　question。

Then；　remembering　the　stones　that　had　fallen　with　them　and　passed　them

long　before　they　had　reached　this　place；　he　answered：



〃No；　sir；　we　didn't　cause　anything。　　It　was　the　earthquake。〃



The　man　with　the　star　stood　for　a　time　quietly　thinking　over　this

speech。　　Then　he　asked：



〃What　is　an　earthquake？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Zeb；　who　was　still　confused。　　But　Dorothy；　seeing

his　perplexity；　answered：



〃It's　a　shaking　of　the　earth。　　In　this　quake　a　big　crack　opened　and　we

fell　throughhorse　and　buggy；　and　alland　the　stones　got　loose　and

came　down　with　us。〃



The　man　with　the　star　regarded　her　with　his　calm；　expressionless　eyes。



〃The　Rain　of　Stones　has　done　much　damage　to　our　city；〃　he　said；

〃and　we　shall　hold　you　responsible　for　it　unless　you　can　prove

your　innocence。〃



〃How　can　we　do　that？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃That　I　am　not　prepared　to　say。　　It　is　your　affair；　not　mine。

You　must　go　to　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer；　who　will　soon　discover

the　truth。〃



〃Where　is　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer？〃　the　girl　enquired。



〃I　will　lead　you　to　it。　　Come！〃



He　turned　and　walked　down　the　street；　and　after　a　moment's　hesitation

Dorothy　caught　Eureka　in　her　arms　and　climbed　into　the　buggy。　　The　boy

took　his　seat　beside　her　and　said：　〃Gid…dap　Jim。〃



As　the　horse　ambled　along；　drawing　the　buggy；　the　people　of　the　glass

city　made　way　for　them　and　formed　a　procession　in　their　rear。　　Slowly

they　moved　down　one　street　and　up　another；　turning　first　this　way　and

then　that；　until　they　came　to　an　open　square　in　the　center　of　which

was　a　big　glass　palace　having　a　central　dome　and　four　tall　spires　on

each　corner。







3。　　The　Arrival　Of　The　Wizard





The　doorway　of　the　glass　palace　was　quite　big　enough　for　the　horse　and

buggy　to　enter；　so　Zeb　drove　straight　through　it　and　the　children

found　themselves　in　a　lofty　hall　that　was　very　beautiful。　　The　people

at　once　followed　and　formed　a　circle　around　the　sides　of　the　spacious

room；　leaving　the　horse　and　buggy　and　the　man　with　the　star　to　occupy

the　center　of　the　hall。



〃Come　to　us；　oh；　Gwig！〃　called　the　man；　in　a　loud　voice。



Instantly　a　cloud　of　smoke　appeared　and　rolled　over　the　floor；　then　it

slowly　spread　and　ascended　into　the　dome；　disclosing　a　strange

personage　seated　upon　a　glass　throne　just　before　Jim's　nose。　　He　was

formed　just　as　were　the　other　inhabitants　of　this　land　and　his

clothing　only　differed　from　theirs　in　being　bright　yellow。　　But　he　had

no　hair　at　all；　and　all　over　his　bald　head　and　face　and　upon　the　backs

of　his　hands　gre