the scarecrow of oz-第32章

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again；　and　they　all　scattered　in　search　of　him。　He　had



been　standing　beside　them　just　a　few　minutes　before；　but



his　friends　had　an　exciting　hunt　for　him　before　they



finally　discovered　the　boy　seated　among　the　members　of



the　band；　beating　the　end　of　the　bass　drum　with　the　bone



of　a　turkey…leg　that　he　had　taken　from　the　table　in　the



banquet　room。







〃Hello；　Trot；〃　he　said；　looking　up　at　the　little　girl



when　she　found　him。　〃This　is　the　first　chance　I　ever　had



to　pound　a　drum　with　a　reg'lar　drum　stick。　And　I　ate　all



the　meat　off　the　bone　myself。〃







〃Come　quick。　We're　going　to　the　Land　of　Oz。〃







〃Oh；　what's　the　hurry？〃　said　Button…Bright；　but　she



seized　his　arm　and　dragged　him　away　to　the　park；　where



the　others　were　waiting。







Trot　climbed　upon　the　back　of　her　old　friend；　the　Ork



leader；　and　the　others　took　their　seats　on　the　backs　of



his　three　cousins。　As　soon　as　all　were　placed　and



clinging　to　the　skinny　necks　of　the　creatures；　the



revolving　tails　began　to　whirl　and　up　rose　the　four



monster　Orks　and　sailed　away　toward　the　mountains。　They



were　so　high　in　the　air　that　when　they　passed　the　crest



of　the　highest　peak　it　seemed　far　below　them。　No　sooner



were　they　well　across　the　barrier　than　the　Orks　swooped



downward　and　landed　their　passengers　upon　the　ground。







〃Here　we　are；　safe　in　the　Land　of　Oz！〃　cried　the



Scarecrow　joyfully。







〃Oh；　are　we？〃　asked　Trot；　looking　around　her　curiously。







She　could　see　the　shadows　of　stately　trees　and　the



outlines　of　rolling　hills；　beneath　her　feet　was　soft



turf；　but　otherwise　the　subdued　light　of　the　moon



disclosed　nothing　clearly。







〃Seems　jus'　like　any　other　country；〃　was　Cap'n　Bill's



comment。







〃But　it　isn't；〃　the　Scarecrow　assured　him。　〃You　are　now



within　the　borders　of　the　most　glorious　fairyland　in　all



the　world。　This　part　of　it　is　just　a　corner　of　the



Quadling　Country；　and　the　least　interesting　portion　of



it。　It's　not　very　thickly　settled；　around　here；　I'll



admit；　but　〃







He　was　interrupted　by　a　sudden　whir　and　a　rush　of　air



as　the　four　Orks　mounted　into　the　sky。







〃Good　night！〃　called　the　shrill　voices　of　the　strange



creatures；　and　although　Trot　shouted　〃Good　night！〃　as



loudly　as　she　could；　the　little　girl　was　almost　ready　to



cry　because　the　Orks　had　not　waited　to　be　properly



thanked　for　all　their　kindness　to　her　and　to　Cap'n　Bill。







But　the　Orks　were　gone；　and　thanks　for　good　deeds　do



not　amount　to　much　except　to　prove　one's　politeness。







〃Well；　friends；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃we　mustn't　stay



here　in　the　meadows　all　night；　so　let　us　find　a　pleasant



place　to　sleep。　Not　that　it　matters　to　me；　in　the　least；



for　I　never　sleep；　but　I　know　that　meat　people　like　to



shut　their　eyes　and　lie　still　during　the　dark　hours。〃







〃I'm　pretty　tired；〃　admitted　Trot；　yawning　as　she



followed　the　straw　man　along　a　tiny　path；　〃so；　if　you



don't　find　a　house　handy；　Cap'n　Bill　and　I　will　sleep



under　the　trees；　or　even　on　this　soft　grass。〃







But　a　house　was　not　very　far　off；　although　when　the



Scarecrow　stumbled　upon　it　there　was　no　light　in　it



whatever。　Cap'n　Bill　knocked　on　the　door　several　times；



and　there　being　no　response　the　Scarecrow　boldly　lifted



the　latch　and　walked　in；　followed　by　the　others。　And　no



sooner　had　they　entered　than　a　soft　light　filled　the



room。　Trot　couldn't　tell　where　it　came　from；　for　no　lamp



of　any　sort　was　visible；　but　she　did　not　waste　much　time



on　this　problem；　because　directly　in　the　center　of　the



room　stood　a　table　set　for　three；　with　lots　of　good　food



on　it　and　several　of　the　dishes　smoking　hot。







The　little　girl　and　Button…Bright　both　uttered



exclamations　of　pleasure；　but　they　looked　in　vain　for　any



cook　stove　or　fireplace；　or　for　any　person　who　might　have



prepared　for　them　this　delicious　feast。







〃It's　fairyland；〃　muttered　the　boy；　tossing　his　cap　in



a　corner　and　seating　himself　at　the　table。　〃This　supper



smells　'most　as　good　as　that　turkey…leg　I　had　in



Jinxland。　Please　pass　the　muffins；　Cap'n　Bill。〃







Trot　thought　it　was　strange　that　no　people　but



themselves　were　in　the　house；　but　on　the　wall　opposite



the　door　was　a　gold　frame　bearing　in　big　letters　the



word：







〃WELCOME。〃







So　she　had　no　further　hesitation　in　eating　of　the　food



so　mysteriously　prepared　for　them。







〃But　there　are　only　places　for　three！〃　she　exclaimed。







〃Three　are　quite　enough；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。　〃I　never



eat；　because　I　am　stuffed　full　already；　and　I　like　my



nice　clean　straw　better　than　I　do　food。〃







Trot　and　the　sailor…man　were　hungry　and　made　a　hearty



meal；　for　not　since　they　had　left　home　had　they　tasted



such　good　food。　It　was　surprising　that　Button…Bright



could　eat　so　soon　after　his　feast　in　Jinxland；　but　the



boy　always　ate　whenever　there　was　an　opportunity。　〃If　I



don't　eat　now；〃　he　said；　〃the　next　time　I'm　hungry　I'll



wish　I　had。〃







〃Really；　Cap'n；〃　remarked　Trot；　when　she　found　a　dish



of　ice…cream　appear　beside　her　plate；　〃I　b'lieve　this　is



fairyland；　sure　enough。〃







〃There's　no　doubt　of　it；　Trot；〃　he　answered　gravely







〃I've　been　here　before；〃　said　Button…Bright；　〃so　I



know。〃







After　supper　they　discovered　three　tiny　bedrooms



adjoining　the　big　living　room　of　the　house；　and　in　each



room　was　a　comfortable　white　bed　with　downy　pillows。　You



may　be　sure　that　the　tired　mortals　were　not　long　in



bidding　the　Scarecrow　good　night　and　creeping　into　their



beds；　where　they　slept　soundly　until　morning。







For　the　first　time　since　they　set　eyes　on　the　terrible



whirlpool；　Trot　and　Cap'n　Bill　were　free　from　anxiety　and



care。　Button…Bright　never　worried　about　anything。　The



Scarecrow；　not　being　able　to　sleep；　looked　out　of　the



window　and　tried　to　count　the　stars。



















Chapter　Twenty…One







Dorothy；　Betsy　and　Ozma











I　suppose　many　of　my　readers　have　read　descriptions　of



the　beautiful　and　magnificent　Emerald　City　of　Oz；　so　I



need　not　describe　it　here；　except　to　state　that　never　has



any　city　in　any　fairyland　ever　equalled　this　one　in



stately　splendor。　It　lies　almost　exactly　in　the　center



of　the　Land　of　Oz；　and　in　the　center　of　the　Emerald　City



rises　the　wall　of　glistening　emeralds　that　surrounds　the



palace　of　Ozma。　The　palace　is　almost　a　city　in　itself



and　is　inhabited　by　many　of　the　Ruler's　especial　friends



and　those　who　have　won　her　confidence　and　favor。　As　for



Ozma　herself；　there　are　no　words　in　any　dictionary　I　can



find　that　are　fitted　to　describe　this　young　girl's　beauty



of　mind　and　person。　Merely　to　see　her　is　to　love　her　for



her　charming　face　and　manners；　to　know　her　is　to　love



her　for　her　tender　sympathy；　her　generous　nature；　her



truth　and　honor。　Born　of　a　long　line　of　Fairy　Queens；



Ozma　is　as　nearly　perfect　as　any　fairy　may　be；　and　she　is



noted　for　her　wisdom　as　well　as　for　her　other　qualities。



Her　happy　subjects　adore　their　girl　Ruler　and　each　one



considers　her　a　comrade　and　protector。







At　the　time　of　which　I　write；　Ozma's　best　friend　and



most　constant　companion　was　a　little　Kansas　girl　named



Dorothy；　a　mortal　who　had　come　to　the　Land　of　Oz　in　a



very　curious　manner　and　had　been　offered　a　home　in　Ozma's



palace。　Furthermore；　Dorothy　had　been　made　a　Princess　of



Oz；　and　was　as　much　at　home　in　the　royal　palace　as　was



the　gentle　Ruler。　She　knew　almost　eve