dorothy and the wizard in oz-第9章

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enough；　the　fish　came　with　it　and　was　landed　safely　on　the　shore；

where　it　began　to　flop　around　in　great　excitement。



The　fish　was　fat　and　round；　and　its　scales　glistened　like　beautifully

cut　jewels　set　close　together；　but　there　was　no　time　to　examine　it

closely；　for　Eureka　made　a　jump　and　caught　it　between　her　claws；　and

in　a　few　moments　it　had　entirely　disappeared。



〃Oh；　Eureka！〃　cried　Dorothy；　〃did　you　eat　the　bones？〃



〃If　it　had　any　bones；　I　ate　them；〃　replied　the　kitten；　composedly；　as

it　washed　its　face　after　the　meal。　　〃But　I　don't　think　that　fish　had

any　bones；　because　I　didn't　feel　them　scratch　my　throat。〃



〃You　were　very　greedy；〃　said　the　girl。



〃I　was　very　hungry；〃　replied　the　kitten。



The　little　pigs　had　stood　huddled　in　a　group；　watching　this　scene　with

frightened　eyes。



〃Cats　are　dreadful　creatures！〃　said　one　of　them。



〃I'm　glad　we　are　not　fishes！〃　said　another。



〃Don't　worry；〃　　Dorothy　murmured；　soothingly；　　〃I'll　not　let　the

kitten　hurt　you。〃



Then　she　happened　to　remember　that　in　a　corner　of　her　suit…case　were

one　or　two　crackers　that　were　left　over　from　her　luncheon　on　the

train；　and　she　went　to　the　buggy　and　brought　them。　　Eureka　stuck　up

her　nose　at　such　food；　but　the　tiny　piglets　squealed　delightedly　at

the　sight　of　the　crackers　and　ate　them　up　in　a　jiffy。



〃Now　let　us　go　back　to　the　city；〃　suggested　the　Wizard。　　〃That　is；　if

Jim　has　had　enough　of　the　pink　grass。〃



The　cab…horse；　who　was　browsing　near；　lifted　his　head　with　a　sigh。



〃I've　tried　to　eat　a　lot　while　I　had　the　chance；〃　said　he；　〃for　it's

likely　to　be　a　long　while　between　meals　in　this　strange　country。　　But

I'm　ready　to　go；　now；　at　any　time　you　wish。〃



So；　after　the　Wizard　had　put　the　piglets　back　into　his　inside　pocket；

where　they　cuddled　up　and　went　to　sleep；　the　three　climbed　into　the

buggy　and　Jim　started　back　to　the　town。



〃Where　shall　we　stay？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃I　think　I　shall　take　possession　of　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer；〃

replied　the　Wizard；　〃for　the　Prince　said　in　the　presence　of　his　people

that　he　would　keep　me　until　they　picked　another　Sorcerer；　and　the　new

Princess　won't　know　but　that　we　belong　there。〃



They　agreed　to　this　plan；　and　when　they　reached　the　great　square　Jim

drew　the　buggy　into　the　big　door　of　the　domed　hall。



〃It　doesn't　look　very　homelike；〃　said　Dorothy；　gazing　around　at　the

bare　room。　　〃But　it's　a　place　to　stay；　anyhow。〃



〃What　are　those　holes　up　there？〃　enquired　the　boy；　pointing　to　some

openings　that　appeared　near　the　top　of　the　dome。



〃They　look　like　doorways；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃only　there　are　no　stairs　to

get　to　them。〃



〃You　forget　that　stairs　are　unnecessary；〃　observed　the　Wizard。　　〃Let

us　walk　up；　and　see　where　the　doors　lead　to。〃



With　this　he　began　walking　in　the　air　toward　the　high　openings；　and

Dorothy　and　Zeb　followed　him。　　It　was　the　same　sort　of　climb　one

experiences　when　walking　up　a　hill；　and　they　were　nearly　out　of　breath

when　they　came　to　the　row　of　openings；　which　they　perceived　to　be

doorways　leading　into　halls　in　the　upper　part　of　the　house。　　Following

these　halls　they　discovered　many　small　rooms　opening　from　them；　and

some　were　furnished　with　glass　benches；　tables　and　chairs。　　But　there

were　no　beds　at　all。



〃I　wonder　if　these　people　never　sleep；〃　said　the　girl。



〃Why；　there　seems　to　be　no　night　at　all　in　this　country；〃　Zeb　replied。

〃Those　colored　suns　are　exactly　in　the　same　place　they　were　when　we

came；　and　if　there　is　no　sunset　there　can　be　no　night。〃



〃Very　true；〃　agreed　the　Wizard。　　〃But　it　is　a　long　time　since　I　have

had　any　sleep；　and　I'm　tired。　　So　I　think　I　shall　lie　down　upon　one　of

these　hard　glass　benches　and　take　a　nap。〃



〃I　will；　too；〃　said　Dorothy；　and　chose　a　little　room　at　the　end

of　the　hall。



Zeb　walked　down　again　to　unharness　Jim；　who；　when　he　found　himself

free；　rolled　over　a　few　times　and　then　settled　down　to　sleep；　with

Eureka　nestling　comfortably　beside　his　big；　boney　body。　　Then　the　boy

returned　to　one　of　the　upper　rooms；　and　in　spite　of　the　hardness　of

the　glass　bench　was　soon　deep　in　slumberland。







6。　　The　Mangaboos　Prove　Dangerous





When　the　Wizard　awoke　the　six　colored　suns　were　shining　down　upon　the

Land　of　the　Mangaboos　just　as　they　had　done　ever　since　his　arrival。

The　little　man；　having　had　a　good　sleep；　felt　rested　and　refreshed；

and　looking　through　the　glass　partition　of　the　room　he　saw　Zeb　sitting

up　on　his　bench　and　yawning。　　So　the　Wizard　went　in　to　him。



〃Zeb；〃　said　he；　〃my　balloon　is　of　no　further　use　in　this　strange

country；　so　I　may　as　well　leave　it　on　the　square　where　it　fell。　　But

in　the　basket…car　are　some　things　I　would　like　to　keep　with　me。　　I

wish　you　would　go　and　fetch　my　satchel；　two　lanterns；　and　a　can　of

kerosene　oil　that　is　under　the　seat。　　There　is　nothing　else　that　I

care　about。〃



So　the　boy　went　willingly　upon　the　errand；　and　by　the　time　he　had

returned　Dorothy　was　awake。　　Then　the　three　held　a　counsel　to　decide

what　they　should　do　next；　but　could　think　of　no　way　to　better

their　condition。



〃I　don't　like　these　veg'table　people；〃　said　the　little　girl。　　〃They're

cold　and　flabby；　like　cabbages；　in　spite　of　their　prettiness。〃



〃I　agree　with　you。　　It　is　because　there　is　no　warm　blood　in　them；〃

remarked　the　Wizard。



〃And　they　have　no　hearts；　so　they　can't　love　anyonenot　even

themselves；〃　declared　the　boy。



〃The　Princess　is　lovely　to　look　at；〃　continued　Dorothy；　thoughtfully；

〃but　I　don't　care　much　for　her；　after　all。　　If　there　was　any　other

place　to　go；　I'd　like　to　go　there。〃



〃But　IS　there　any　other　place？〃　asked　the　Wizard。



〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。



Just　then　they　heard　the　big　voice　of　Jim　the　cab…horse　calling　to　them；

and　going　to　the　doorway　leading　to　the　dome　they　found　the　Princess

and　a　throng　of　her　people　had　entered　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer。



So　they　went　down　to　greet　the　beautiful　vegetable　lady；　who　said　to　them：



〃I　have　been　talking　with　my　advisors　about　you　meat　people；　and　we

have　decided　that　you　do　not　belong　in　the　Land　of　the　Mangaboos　and

must　not　remain　here。〃



〃How　can　we　go　away？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Oh；　you　cannot　go　away；　of　course；　so　you　must　be　destroyed；〃　was

the　answer。



〃In　what　way？〃　enquired　the　Wizard。



〃We　shall　throw　you　three　people　into　the　Garden　of　the　Twining

Vines；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃and　they　will　soon　crush　you　and　devour

your　bodies　to　make　themselves　grow　bigger。　　The　animals　you　have　with

you　we　will　drive　to　the　mountains　and　put　into　the　Black　Pit。　　Then

our　country　will　be　rid　of　all　its　unwelcome　visitors。〃



〃But　you　are　in　need　of　a　Sorcerer；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　not　one　of

those　growing　is　yet　ripe　enough　to　pick。　　I　am　greater　than　any

thorn…covered　sorcerer　that　every　grew　in　your　garden。　　Why　destroy　me？〃



〃It　is　true　we　need　a　Sorcerer；〃　acknowledged　the　Princess；　〃but　I　am

informed　that　one　of　our　own　will　be　ready　to　pick　in　a　few　days；　to

take　the　place　of　Gwig；　whom　you　cut　in　two　before　it　was　time　for　him

to　be　planted。　　Let　us　see　your　arts；　and　the　sorceries　you　are　able

to　perform。　　Then　I　will　decide　whether　to　destroy　you　with　the　others

or　not。〃



At　this　the　Wizard　made　a　bow　to　the　people　and　repeated　his　trick　of

producing　the　nine　tiny　piglets　and　making　them　disappear　again。　　He

did　it　very　cleverly；　indeed；　and　the　Princess　looked　at　the　strange

piglets　as　if　she　were　as　truly　astonished　as　any　vegetable　person

could　be。　　But　afterward　she　said：



〃I　have　heard　of　this　wonderful　magic。　　But　it　accomplishes　nothing　of

value。　　What　else　can　you　do？〃



The　Wizard　tried　to　think。　　Then　he　jointed　together　the　blades　of　his

sword　and　balanced　it　very　skillfully　upon　the　end　of　his　nose。　　But

even　that　did　not　satisfy　the　Princess。



Just　then　his　eye　fell　upon　the　lanterns　and　the　can　of　kerosene　oil

which　Zeb　had　brought　from　the　car