dorothy and the wizard in oz-第5章
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no hair at all; and all over his bald head and face and upon the backs
of his hands grew sharp thorns like those found on the branches of
rose…bushes。 There was even a thorn upon the tip of his nose and he
looked so funny that Dorothy laughed when she saw him。
The Sorcerer; hearing the laugh; looked toward the little girl with
cold; cruel eyes; and his glance made her grow sober in an instant。
〃Why have you dared to intrude your unwelcome persons into the
secluded Land of the Mangaboos?〃 he asked; sternly。
〃'Cause we couldn't help it;〃 said Dorothy。
〃Why did you wickedly and viciously send the Rain of Stones to crack
and break our houses?〃 he continued。
〃We didn't;〃 declared the girl。
〃Prove it!〃 cried the Sorcerer。
〃We don't have to prove it;〃 answered Dorothy; indignantly。 〃If you
had any sense at all you'd known it was the earthquake。〃
〃We only know that yesterday came a Rain of Stones upon us; which did
much damage and injured some of our people。 Today came another Rain
of Stones; and soon after it you appeared among us。〃
〃By the way;〃 said the man with the star; looking steadily at the
Sorcerer; 〃you told us yesterday that there would not be a second Rain
of Stones。 Yet one has just occurred that was even worse than the
first。 What is your sorcery good for if it cannot tell us the truth?〃
〃My sorcery does tell the truth!〃 declared the thorn…covered man。 〃I
said there would be but one Rain of Stones。 This second one was a Rain
of People…and…Horse…and…Buggy。 And some stones came with them。〃
〃Will there be any more Rains?〃 asked the man with the star。
〃No; my Prince。〃
〃Neither stones nor people?〃
〃No; my Prince。〃
〃Are you sure?〃
〃Quite sure; my Prince。 My sorcery tells me so。〃
Just then a man came running into the hall and addressed the Prince
after making a low bow。
〃More wonders in the air; my Lord;〃 said he。
Immediately the Prince and all of his people flocked out of the hall
into the street; that they might see what was about to happen。
Dorothy and Zeb jumped out of the buggy and ran after them; but the
Sorcerer remained calmly in his throne。
Far up in the air was an object that looked like a balloon。 It was not
so high as the glowing star of the six colored suns; but was
descending slowly through the airso slowly that at first it scarcely
seemed to move。
The throng stood still and waited。 It was all they could do; for to
go away and leave that strange sight was impossible; nor could they
hurry its fall in any way。 The earth children were not noticed; being
so near the average size of the Mangaboos; and the horse had remained
in the House of the Sorcerer; with Eureka curled up asleep on the seat
of the buggy。
Gradually the balloon grew bigger; which was proof that it was settling
down upon the Land of the Mangaboos。 Dorothy was surprised to find
how patient the people were; for her own little heart was beating
rapidly with excitement。 A balloon meant to her some other arrival
from the surface of the earth; and she hoped it would be some one able
to assist her and Zeb out of their difficulties。
In an hour the balloon had come near enough for her to see a basket
suspended below it; in two hours she could see a head looking over the
side of the basket; in three hours the big balloon settled slowly into the
great square in which they stood and came to rest on the glass pavement。
Then a little man jumped out of the basket; took off his tall hat; and
bowed very gracefully to the crowd of Mangaboos around him。 He was
quite an old little man and his head was long and entirely bald。
〃Why;〃 cried Dorothy; in amazement; 〃it's Oz!〃
The little man looked toward her and seemed as much surprised as she
was。 But he smiled and bowed as he answered:
〃Yes; my dear; I am Oz; the Great and Terrible。 Eh? And you are
little Dorothy; from Kansas。 I remember you very well。〃
〃Who did you say it was?〃 whispered Zeb to the girl。
〃It's the wonderful Wizard of Oz。 Haven't you heard of him?〃
Just then the man with the star came and stood before the Wizard。
〃Sir;〃 said he; 〃why are you here; in the Land of the Mangaboos?〃
〃Didn't know what land it was; my son;〃 returned the other; with a
pleasant smile; 〃and; to be honest; I didn't mean to visit you when I
started out。 I live on top of the earth; your honor; which is far
better than living inside it; but yesterday I went up in a balloon;
and when I came down I fell into a big crack in the earth; caused by
an earthquake。 I had let so much gas out of my balloon that I could
not rise again; and in a few minutes the earth closed over my head。
So I continued to descend until I reached this place; and if you will
show me a way to get out of it; I'll go with pleasure。 Sorry to have
troubled you; but it couldn't be helped。〃
The Prince had listened with attention。 Said he:
〃This child; who is from the crust of the earth; like yourself; called
you a Wizard。 Is not a Wizard something like a Sorcerer?〃
〃It's better;〃 replied Oz; promptly。 〃One Wizard is worth
three Sorcerers。〃
〃Ah; you shall prove that;〃 said the Prince。 〃We Mangaboos have; at
the present time; one of the most wonderful Sorcerers that ever was
picked from a bush; but he sometimes makes mistakes。 Do you ever
make mistakes?〃
〃Never!〃 declared the Wizard; boldly。
〃Oh; Oz!〃 said Dorothy; 〃you made a lot of mistakes when you were in
the marvelous Land of Oz。〃
〃Nonsense!〃 said the little man; turning redalthough just then a ray
of violet sunlight was on his round face。
〃Come with me;〃 said the Prince to him。 〃I wish to meet our Sorcerer。〃
The Wizard did not like this invitation; but he could not refuse to
accept it。 So he followed the Prince into the great domed hall;
and Dorothy and Zeb came after them; while the throng of people
trooped in also。
There sat the thorny Sorcerer in his chair of state; and when the
Wizard saw him he began to laugh; uttering comical little chuckles。
〃What an absurd creature!〃 he exclaimed。
〃He may look absurd;〃 said the Prince; in his quiet voice; 〃but he is
an excellent Sorcerer。 The only fault I find with him is that he is
so often wrong。〃
〃I am never wrong;〃 answered the Sorcerer。
〃Only a short time ago you told me there would be no more Rain of
Stones or of People;〃 said the Prince。
〃Well; what then?〃
〃Here is another person descended from the air to prove you were wrong。〃
〃One person cannot be called 'people;'〃 said the Sorcerer。 〃If two
should come out of the sky you might with justice say I was wrong; but
unless more than this one appears I will hold that I was right。〃
〃Very clever;〃 said the Wizard; nodding his head as if pleased。 〃I am
delighted to find humbugs inside the earth; just the same as on top of
it。 Were you ever with a circus; brother?〃
〃No;〃 said the Sorcerer。
〃You ought to join one;〃 declared the little man seriously。 〃I belong
to Bailum & Barney's Great Consolidated Showsthree rings in one tent
and a menagerie on the side。 It's a fine aggregation; I assure you。〃
〃What do you do?〃 asked the Sorcerer。
〃I go up in a balloon; usually; to draw the crowds to the circus。 But
I've just had the bad luck to come out of the sky; skip the solid
earth; and land lower down than I intended。 But never mind。 It isn't
everybody who gets a chance to see your Land of the Gabazoos。〃
〃Mangaboos;〃 said the Sorcerer; correcting him。 〃If you are a Wizard
you ought to be able to call people by their right names。〃
〃Oh; I'm a Wizard; you may be sure of that。 Just as good a Wizard as
you are a Sorcerer。〃
〃That remains to be seen;〃 said the other。
〃If you are able to prove that you are better;〃 said the Prince to the
little man; 〃I will make you the Chief Wizard of this domain。
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