fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第14节

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　　〃We　can't；〃　said　Tip。　〃The　Saw…Horse　has　broken　a　leg；　so　he　can't　bend　his　steps。　And　there　is　no　wood　around　to　make　him　a　new　limb　from。　And　we　can't　leave　the　horse　behind　because　the　Pumpkinhead　is　so　stiff　in　his　Joints　that　he　has　to　ride。〃
　　〃How　very　unfortunate！〃　cried　the　Woggle…Bug。　Then　he　looked　the　party　over　carefully　and　said：　〃If　the　Pumpkinhead　is　to　ride；　why　not　use　one　of　his　legs　to　make　a　leg　for　the　horse　that　carries　him？　I　judge　that　both　are　made　of　wood。〃
　　〃Now；　that　is　what　I　call　real　cleverness；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　approvingly。　〃I　wonder　my　brains　did　not　think　of　that　long　ago！　Get　to　work；　my　dear　Nick；　and　fit　the　Pumpkinhead's　leg　to　the　Saw…Horse。〃　Jack　was　not　especially　pleased　with　this　idea；　but　he　submitted　to　having　his　left　leg　amputated　by　the　Tin　Woodman　and　whittled　down　to　fit　the　left　leg　of　the　Saw…Horse。　Nor　was　the　Saw…Horse　especially　pleased　with　the　operation；　either；　for　he　growled　a　good　deal　about　being　〃butchered；〃　as　he　called　it；　and　afterward　declared　that　the　new　leg　was　a　disgrace　to　a　respectable　Saw…Horse。
　　〃I　beg　you　to　be　more　careful　in　your　speech；〃　said　the　Pumpkinhead；　sharply。　〃Remember；　if　you　please；　that　it　is　my　leg　you　are　abusing。〃
　　〃I　cannot　forget　it；〃　retorted　the　Saw…Horse；　〃for　it　is　quite　as　flimsy　as　the　rest　of　your　person。〃
　　〃Flimsy！　me　flimsy！〃　cried　Jack；　in　a　rage。　〃How　dare　you　call　me　flimsy？〃
　　〃Because　you　are　built　as　absurdly　as　a　jumpingjack；〃　sneered　the　horse；　rolling　his　knotty　eyes　in　a　vicious　manner。　〃Even　your　head　won't　stay　straight；　and　you　never　can　tell　whether　you　are　looking　backwards　or　forwards！〃
　　〃Friends；　I　entreat　you　not　to　quarrel！〃　pleaded　the　Tin　Woodman；　anxiously。〃　As　a　matter　of　fact；　we　are　none　of　us　above　criticism；　so　let　us　bear　with　each　others'　faults。〃
　　〃An　excellent　suggestion；〃　said　the　Woggle…Bug；　approvingly。　〃You　must　have　an　excellent　heart；　my　metallic　friend。〃
　　〃I　have；〃　returned　Nick；　well　pleased。　〃My　heart　is　quite　the　best　part　of　me。　But　now　let　us　start　upon　our　Journey。
　　They　perched　the　one…legged　Pumpkinhead　upon　the　Saw…Horse；　and　tied　him　to　his　seat　with　cords；　so　that　he　could　not　possibly　fall　off。
　　And　then；　following　the　lead　of　the　Scarecrow；　they　all　advanced　in　the　direction　of　the　Emerald　City。
　　
　　
　　　Old　Mombi　indulges　in　Witchcraft
　　
　　They　soon　discovered　that　the　Saw…Horse　limped；　for　his　new　leg　was　a　trifle　too　long。　So　they　were　obliged　to　halt　while　the　Tin　Woodman　chopped　it　down　with　his　axe；　after　which　the　wooden　steed　paced　along　more　fortably。　But　the　Saw…Horse　was　not　entirely　satisfied；　even　yet。
　　〃It　was　a　shame　that　I　broke　my　other　leg！〃　it　growled。
　　〃On　the　contrary；〃　airily　remarked　the　Woggle…Bug；　who　was　walking　alongside；　〃you　should　consider　the　accident　most　fortunate。　For　a　horse　is　never　of　much　use　until　he　has　been　broken。〃
　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Tip；　rather　provoked；　for　he　felt　a　warm　interest　in　both　the　Saw…Horse　and　his　man　Jack；　〃but　permit　me　to　say　that　your　joke　is　a　poor　one；　and　as　old　as　it　is　poor。〃
　　〃Still；　it　is　a　Joke；〃　declared　the　Woggle…Bug；　firmly；　〃and　a　Joke　derived　from　a　play　upon　words　is　considered　among　educated　people　to　be　eminently　proper。〃
　　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　enquired　the　Pumpkinhead；　stupidly。
　　〃It　means；　my　dear　friend；〃　explained　the　Woggle…Bug；　〃that　our　language　contains　many　words　having　a　double　meaning；　and　that　to　pronounce　a　joke　that　allows　both　meanings　of　a　certain　word；　proves　the　joker　a　person　of　culture　and　refinement；　who　has；　moreover；　a　thorough　mand　of　the　language。〃
　　〃I　don't　believe　that；〃　said　Tip；　plainly；　〃anybody　can　make　a　pun。〃
　　〃Not　so；〃　rejoined　the　Woggle…Bug；　stiffly。　〃It　requires　education　of　a　high　order。　Are　you　educated；　young　sir？〃
　　〃Not　especially；〃　admitted　Tip。
　　〃Then　you　cannot　judge　the　matter。　I　myself　am　Thoroughly　Educated；　and　I　say　that　puns　display　genius。　For　instance；　were　I　to　ride　upon　this　Saw…　Horse；　he　would　not　only　be　an　animal　he　would　bee　an　equipage。
　　For　he　would　then　be　a　horse…and…buggy。〃　At　this　the　Scarecrow　gave　a　gasp　and　the　Tin　Woodman　stopped　short　and　looked　reproachfully　at　the　Woggle…Bug。　At　the　same　time　the　Saw…Horse　loudly　snorted　his　derision；　and　even　the　Pumpkinhead　put　up　his　hand　to　hide　the　smile　which；　because　it　was　carved　upon　his　face；　he　could　not　change　to　a　frown。
　　But　the　Woggle…Bug　strutted　along　as　if　he　had　made　some　brilliant　remark；　and　the　Scarecrow　was　obliged　to　say：　〃I　have　heard；　my　dear　friend；　that　a　person　can　bee　over…educated；　and　although　I　have　a　high　respect　for　brains；　no　matter　how　they　may　be　arranged　or　classified；　I　begin　to　suspect　that　yours　are　slightly　tangled。　In　any　event；　I　must　beg　you　to　restrain　your　superior　education　while　in　our　society。〃
　　〃We　are　not　very　particular；〃　added　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃and　we　are　exceedingly　kind　hearted。　But　if　your　superior　culture　gets　leaky　again　…　〃　He　did　not　plete　the　sentence；　but　he　twirled　his　gleaming　axe　so　carelessly　that　the　Woggle…Bug　looked　frightened；　and　shrank　away　to　a　safe　distance。
　　The　others　marched　on　in　silence；　and　the　Highly　Magnified　one；　after　a　period　of　deep　thought；　said　in　an　humble　voice：　〃I　will　endeavor　to　restrain　myself。〃
　　〃That　is　all　we　can　expect；〃　returned　the　Scarecrow　pleasantly；　and　good　nature　being　thus　happily　restored　to　the　party；　they　proceeded　upon　their　way。
　　When　they　again　stopped　to　allow　Tip　to　rest　…　the　boy　being　the　only　one　that　seemed　to　tire　…　the　Tin　Woodman　noticed　many　small；　round　holes　in　the　grassy　meadow。
　　〃This　must　be　a　village　of　the　Field　Mice；〃　he　said　to　the　Scarecrow。〃　I　wonder　if　my　old　friend；　the　Queen　of　the　Mice；　is　in　this　neighborhood。〃
　　〃If　she　is；　she　may　be　of　great　service　to　us；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow；　who　was　impressed　by　a　sudden　thought。　〃See　if　you　can　call　her；　my　dear　Nick。〃　So　the　Tin　Woodman　blew　a　shrill　note　upon　a　silver　whistle　that　hung　around　his　neck；　and　presently　a　tiny　grey　mouse　popped　from　a　near…by　hole　and　advanced　fearlessly　toward　them。　For　the　Tin　Woodman　had　once　saved　her　life；　and　the　Queen　of　the　Field　Mice　knew　he　was　to　be　trusted。〃
　　〃Good　day；　your　Majesty；　said　Nick；　politely　addressing　the　mouse；　〃I　trust　you　are　enjoying　good　health？〃
　　〃Thank　you；　I　am　quite　well；〃　answered　the　Queen；　demurely；　as　she　sat　up　and　displayed　the　tiny　golden　crown　upon　her　head。　〃Can　I　do　anything　to　assist　my　old　friends？〃
　　〃You　can；　indeed；〃　replied　the　Scarecrow；　eagerly。　〃Let　me；　I　intreat　you；　take　a　dozen　of　your　subjects　with　me　to　the　Emerald　City。〃
　　〃Will　they　be　injured　in　any　way？〃　asked　the　Queen；　doubtfully。
　　〃I　think　not；〃　replied　the　Scarecrow。　〃I　will　carry　them　hidden　in　the　straw　which　stuffs　my　body；　and　when　I　give　them　the　signal　by　unbuttoning　my　jacket；　they　have　only　to　rush　out　and　scamper　home　again　as　fast　as　they　can。　By　doing　this　they　will　assist　me　to　regain　my　throne；　which　the　Army　of　Revolt　has　taken　from　me。〃
　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃I　will　not　refuse　your　request。　Whenever　you　are　ready；　I　will　call　twelve　of　my　most　intelligent　subjects。〃
　　〃I　am　ready　now〃　returned　the　Scarecrow。　Then　he　lay　flat　upon　the　ground　and　unbuttoned　his　jacket；　displaying　the　mass　of　straw　with　which　he　was　stuffed。
　　The　Queen　uttered　a　little　piping　call；　and　in　an　instant　a　dozen　pretty　field　mice　had　emerged　from　their　holes　and　stood　before　their　ruler；　awaiting　her　orders。
　　What　the　Queen　said　to　them　none　of　our　travelers　could　understand；　for　it　was　in　the　mouse　language；　but　the　field　mice　obeyed　without　hesitation；　running　one　after　the　other　to　the　Scarecrow　and　hiding　themselves　in　the　straw　of　his　breast。
　　When　all　of　the　twelve　mice　had　thus　concealed　themselves；　the　Scarecrow　buttoned　his　Jacket　securely　and　then　arose　and　thanked　the　Queen　for　her　kindness。
　　〃One　thing　more　you　might　do　to　serve　us；〃　suggested　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃and　that　is　to　run　ahead　and　show　us　the　way　to　the　Emerald　City。　For　some　enemy　is　evidently　trying　to　prevent　us　from　reaching　it。〃
　　〃I　will　do　that　gladly；〃　returned　the　Queen。　〃Are　you　ready？〃　The　Tin　Woodman　looked　at　Tip。
　　〃I'm　rested；〃　said　the　boy。　〃Let　us　start。〃　Then　they　resumed　their　journey；　the　little　grey　Queen　of　the　Field　Mice　running　swiftly　ahead　and　then　pausing　until　the　travelers　drew　near；　when　away　she　would　dart　again。
　　Without　this　unerring　guide　the　Scarecrow　and　his　rades　might　never　have　gained　the　Emerald　City；　for　many　were　the　obstacles　thrown　in　their　way　by　the　arts　of　old　Mombi。　Yet　not　one　of　the　obstacles　really　existed　…　all　were　cleverly　contrived　deceptions。　For　when　they　came　to　the　banks　of　a　rushing　river　that　threatened　to　bar　their　way　the　little　Queen　kept　steadily　on；　passing　through　the　seeming　flood　in　safety；　and　our　travelers　followed　her　without　encountering　a　single　drop　of　water。
　　Again；　a　high　wall　of　granite　towered　high　above　their　heads　and　opposed　their　advance。　But　the　grey　Field　Mouse　walked　straight　through　it；　and　the　others　did　the　same；　the　wall　melting　into　mist　as　they　passed　it。
　　Afterward；　when　they　had　stopped　for　a　moment　to　allow　Tip　to