the scarecrow of oz-第24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！





magical　compounds。　The　kettle　gave　three　flashes；　and　at



every　flash　another　witch　appeared　in　the　room。







These　hags　were　very　ugly　but　when　one…eyed　Blinkie



whispered　her　orders　to　them　they　grinned　with　joy　as



they　began　dancing　around　Gloria。　First　one　and　then



another　cast　something　into　the　kettle；　when　to　the



astonishment　of　the　watchers　at　the　window　all　three　of



the　old　women　were　instantly　transformed　into　maidens　of



exquisite　beauty；　dressed　in　the　daintiest　costumes



imaginable。　Only　their　eyes　could　not　be　disguised；　and



an　evil　glare　still　shone　in　their　depths。　But　if　the



eyes　were　cast　down　or　hidden；　one　could　not　help　but



admire　these　beautiful　creatures；　even　with　the　knowledge



that　they　were　mere　illusions　of　witchcraft。







Trot　certainly　admired　them；　for　she　had　never　seen



anything　so　dainty　and　bewitching；　but　her　attention　was



quickly　drawn　to　their　deeds　instead　of　their　persons；



and　then　horror　replaced　admiration。　Into　the　kettle　old



Blinkie　poured　another　mess　from　a　big　brass　bottle　she



took　from　a　chest；　and　this　made　the　kettle　begin　to



bubble　and　smoke　violently。　One　by　one　the　beautiful



witches　approached　to　stir　the　contents　of　the　kettle　and



to　mutter　a　magic　charm。　Their　movements　were　graceful



and　rhythmic　and　the　Wicked　Witch　who　had　called　them　to



her　aid　watched　them　with　an　evil　grin　upon　her　wrinkled



face。







Finally　the　incantation　was　complete。　The　kettle　ceased



bubbling　and　together　the　witches　lifted　it　from　the



fire。　Then　Blinkie　brought　a　wooden　ladle　and　filled　it



from　the　contents　of　the　kettle。　Going　with　the　spoon　to



Princess　Gloria　she　cried：







〃Love　no　more！　Magic　art



Now　will　freeze　your　mortal　heart！〃







With　this　she　dashed　the　contents　of　the　ladle　full



upon　Gloria's　breast。







Trot　saw　the　body　of　the　Princess　become　transparent；



so　that　her　beating　heart　showed　plainly。　But　now　the



heart　turned　from　a　vivid　red　to　gray；　and　then　to　white。



A　layer　of　frost　formed　about　it　and　tiny　icicles　clung



to　its　surface。　Then　slowly　the　body　of　the　girl　became



visible　again　and　the　heart　was　hidden　from　view。　Gloria



seemed　to　have　fainted；　but　now　she　recovered　and；



opening　her　beautiful　eyes；　stared　coldly　and　without



emotion　at　the　group　of　witches　confronting　her。







Blinkie　and　the　others　knew　by　that　one　cold　look　that



their　charm　had　been　successful。　They　burst　into　a　chorus



of　wild　laughter　and　the　three　beautiful　ones　began



dancing　again；　while　Blinkie　unbound　the　Princess　and　set



her　free。







Trot　rubbed　her　eyes　to　prove　that　she　was　wide　awake



and　seeing　clearly；　for　her　astonishment　was　great　when



the　three　lovely　maidens　turned　into　ugly；　crooked　hags



again；　leaning　on　broomsticks　and　canes。　They　jeered　at



Gloria；　but　the　Princess　regarded　them　with　cold　disdain。



Being　now　free；　she　walked　to　a　door；　opened　it　and



passed　out。　And　the　witches　let　her　go。







Trot　and　Pon　had　been　so　intent　upon　this　scene　that　in



their　eagerness　they　had　pressed　quite　hard　against　the



window。　Just　as　Gloria　went　out　of　the　house　the　window…



sash　broke　loose　from　its　fastenings　and　fell　with　a



crash　into　the　room。　The　witches　uttered　a　chorus　of



screams　and　then；　seeing　that　their　magical　incantation



had　been　observed；　they　rushed　for　the　open　window　with



uplifted　broomsticks　and　canes。　But　Pon　was　off　like　the



wind；　and　Trot　followed　at　his　heels。　Fear　lent　them



strength　to　run；　to　leap　across　ditches；　to　speed　up　the



hills　and　to　vault　the　low　fences　as　a　deer　would。







The　band　of　witches　had　dashed　through　the　window　in



pursuit；　but　Blinkie　was　so　old；　and　the　others　so



crooked　and　awkward；　that　they　soon　realized　they　would



be　unable　to　overtake　the　fugitives。　So　the　three　who　had



been　summoned　by　the　Wicked　Witch　put　their　canes　or



broomsticks　between　their　legs　and　flew　away　through　the



air；　quickly　disappearing　against　the　blue　sky。　Blinkie；



however；　was　so　enraged　at　Pon　and　Trot　that　she　hobbled



on　in　the　direction　they　had　taken；　fully　determined　to



catch　them；　in　time；　and　to　punish　them　terribly　for



spying　upon　her　witchcraft。







When　Pon　and　Trot　had　run　so　far　that　they　were



confident　they　had　made　good　their　escape；　they　sat　down



near　the　edge　of　a　forest　to　get　their　breath　again；　for



both　were　panting　hard　from　their　exertions。　Trot　was　the



first　to　recover　speech；　and　she　said　to　her　companion：







〃My！　wasn't　it　terr'ble？〃







〃The　most　terrible　thing　I　ever　saw；〃　Pon　agreed。







〃And　they　froze　Gloria's　heart；　so　now　she　can't　love



you　any　more。〃







〃Well；　they　froze　her　heart；　to　be　sure；〃　admitted　Pon；



〃but　I'm　in　hopes　I　can　melt　it　with　my　love。〃







Where　do　you　s'pose　Gloria　is？〃　asked　the　girl；　after　a



pause。







〃She　left　the　witch's　house　just　before　we　did。　Perhaps



she　has　gone　back　to　the　King's　castle；〃　he　said。







〃I'm　pretty　sure　she　started　off　in　a　diff'rent



direction；〃　declared　Trot。　〃I　looked　over　my　shoulder；　as



I　ran；　to　see　how　close　the　witches　were；　and　I'm　sure　I



saw　Gloria　walking　slowly　away　toward　the　north。〃







〃Then　let　us　circle　around　that　way；〃　proposed　Pon；



〃and　perhaps　we　shall　meet　her。〃







Trot　agreed　to　this　and　they　left　the　grove　and　began



to　circle　around　toward　the　north；　thus　drawing　nearer



and　nearer　to　old　Blinkie's　house　again。　The　Wicked　Witch



did　not　suspect　this　change　of　direction；　so　when　she



came　to　the　grove　she　passed　through　it　and　continued　on。







Pon　and　Trot　had　reached　a　place　less　than　half　a　mile



from　the　witch's　house　when　they　saw　Gloria　walking



toward　them。　The　Princess　moved　with　great　dignity　and



with　no　show　of　haste　whatever；　holding　her　head　high　and



looking　neither　to　right　nor　left。







Pon　rushed　forward；　holding　out　his　arms　as　if　to



embrace　her　and　calling　her　sweet　names。　But　Gloria　gazed



upon　him　coldly　and　repelled　him　with　a　haughty　gesture。



At　this　the　poor　gardener's　boy　sank　upon　his　knees　and



hid　his　face　in　his　arms；　weeping　bitter　tears；　but　the



Princess　was　not　at　all　moved　by　his　distress。　Passing



him　by；　she　drew　her　skirts　aside；　as　if　unwilling　they



should　touch　him；　and　then　she　walked　up　the　path　a　way



and　hesitated；　as　if　uncertain　where　to　go　next。







Trot　was　grieved　by　Pon's　sobs　and　indignant　because



Gloria　treated　him　so　badly。　But　she　remembered　why。







〃I　guess　your　heart　is　frozen；　all　right；〃　she　said　to



the　Princess。　Gloria　nodded　gravely；　in　reply；　and　then



turned　her　back　upon　the　little　girl。　〃Can't　you　like



even　me？〃　asked　Trot；　half　pleadingly。







〃No；〃　said　Gloria。







〃Your　voice　sounds　like　a　refrig'rator；〃　sighed　the



little　girl。　〃I'm　awful　sorry　for　you；　'cause　you　were



sweet　an'　nice　to　me　before　this　happened。　You　can't　help



it；　of　course；　but　it's　a　dreadful　thing；　jus'　the　same。〃







〃My　heart　is　frozen　to　all　mortal　loves；〃　announced



Gloria；　calmly。　〃I　do　not　love　even　myself。〃







〃That's　too　bad；〃　said　Trot；　〃for；　if　you　can't　love



anybody；　you　can't　expect　anybody　to　love　you。〃







〃I　do！〃　cried　Pon。　〃I　shall　always　love　her。〃







〃Well；　you're　just　a　gardener's　boy；〃　replied　Trot；



〃and　I　didn't　think　you　'mounted　to　much；　from　the　first。



I　can　love　the　old　Princess　Gloria；　with　a　warm　heart　an'



nice　manners；　but　this　one　gives　me　the　shivers。〃







〃It's　her　icy