fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第19节

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　　〃Read　it　aloud；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。　so　Tip　read；　as　follows：　〃Directions　for　Use：　Swallow　one　pill；　count　seventeen　by　twos；　then　make　a　Wish。　…　The　Wish　will　immediately　be　granted。　CAUTION：　Keep　in　a　Dry　and　Dark　Place。〃
　　〃Why；　this　is　a　very　valuable　discovery！〃　cried　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃It　is；　indeed；〃　replied　Tip；　gravely。　〃These　pills　may　be　of　great　use　to　us。　I　wonder　if　old　Mombi　knew　they　were　in　the　bottom　of　the　pepper…box。　I　remember　hearing　her　say　that　she　got　the　Powder　of　Life　from　this　same　Nikidik。〃
　　〃He　must　be　a　powerful　Sorcerer！〃　exclaimed　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃and　since　the　powder　proved　a　success　we　ought　to　have　confidence　in　the　pills。〃
　　〃But　how；〃　asked　the　Scarecrow；　〃can　anyone　count　seventeen　by　twos？　Seventeen　is　an　odd　number。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　replied　Tip；　greatly　disappointed。　〃No　one　can　possibly　count　seventeen　by　twos。〃
　　〃Then　the　pills　are　of　no　use　to　us；〃　wailed　the　Pumpkinhead；　〃and　this　fact　overwhelms　me　with　grief。　For　I　had　intended　wishing　that　my　head　would　never　spoil。〃
　　〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　sharply。　〃If　we　could　use　the　pills　at　all　we　would　make　far　better　wishes　than　that。〃
　　〃I　do　not　see　how　anything　could　be　better；〃　protested　poor　Jack。　〃If　you　were　liable　to　spoil　at　any　time　you　could　understand　my　anxiety。〃
　　〃For　my　part；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃I　sympathize　with　you　in　every　respect。　But　since　we　cannot　count　seventeen　by　twos；　sympathy　is　all　you　are　liable　to　get。〃　By　this　time　it　had　bee　quite　dark；　and　the　voyagers　found　above　them　a　cloudy　sky；　through　which　the　rays　of　the　moon　could　not　penetrate。
　　The　Gump　flew　steadily　on；　and　for　some　reason　the　huge　sofa…body　rocked　more　and　more　dizzily　every　hour。
　　The　Woggle…Bug　declared　he　was　sea…sick；　and　Tip　was　also　pale　and　somewhat　distressed。　But　the　others　clung　to　the　backs　of　the　sofas　and　did　not　seem　to　mind　the　motion　as　long　as　they　were　not　tipped　out。
　　Darker　and　darker　grew　the　night；　and　on　and　on　sped　the　Gump　through　the　black　heavens。　The　travelers　could　not　even　see　one　another；　and　an　oppressive　silence　settled　down　upon　them。
　　After　a　long　time　Tip；　who　had　been　thinking　deeply；　spoke。
　　〃How　are　we　to　know　when　we　e　to　the　pallace　of　Glinda　the　Good？〃　he　asked。
　　〃It's　a　long　way　to　Glinda's　palace；〃　answered　the　Woodman；　〃I've　traveled　it。〃
　　〃But　how　are　we　to　know　how　fast　the　Gump　is　flying？〃　persisted　the　boy。　〃We　cannot　see　a　single　thing　down　on　the　earth；　and　before　morning　we　may　be　far　beyond　the　place　we　want　to　reach。〃
　　〃That　is　all　true　enough；〃　the　Scarecrow　replied；　a　little　uneasily。　〃But　I　do　not　see　how　we　can　stop　just　now；　for　we　might　alight　in　a　river；　or　on；　the　top　of　a　steeple；　and　that　would　be　a　great　disaster。〃　So　they　permitted　the　Gump　to　fly　on；　with　regular　flops　of　its　great　wings；　and　waited　patiently　for　morning。
　　Then　Tip's　fears　were　proven　to　be　well　founded；　for　with　the　first　streaks　of　gray　dawn　they　looked　over　the　sides　of　the　sofas　and　discovered　rolling　plains　dotted　with　queer　villages；　where　the　houses；　instead　of　being　dome…　shaped　…　as　they　all　are　in　the　Land　of　Oz　…　had　slanting　roofs　that　rose　to　a　peak　in　the　center。　Odd　looking　animals　were　also　moving　about　upon　the　open　plains；　and　the　country　was　unfamiliar　to　both　the　Tin　Woodman　and　the　Scarecrow；　who　had　formerly　visited　Glinda　the　Good's　domain　and　knew　it　well。
　　〃We　are　lost！〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　dolefully。　〃The　Gump　must　have　carried　us　entirely　out　of　the　Land　of　Oz　and　over　the　sandy　deserts　and　into　the　terrible　outside　world　that　Dorothy　told　us　about。〃
　　〃We　must　get　back；〃　exclaimed　the　Tin　Woodman；　earnestly。　〃we　must　get　back　as　soon　as　possible！〃
　　〃Turn　around！〃　cried　Tip　to　the　Gump。　〃turn　as　quickly　as　you　can！〃
　　〃If　I　do　I　shall　upset；〃　answered　the　Gump。　〃I'm　not　at　all　used　to　flying；　and　the　best　plan　would　be　for　me　to　alight　in　some　place；　and　then　I　can　turn　around　and　take　a　fresh　start。〃　Just　then；　however；　there　seemed　to　be　no　stopping…place　that　would　answer　their　purpose。　They　flew　over　a　village　so　big　that　the　Woggle…Bug　declared　it　was　a　city。　and　then　they　came　to　a　range　of　high　mountains　with　many　deep　gorges　and　steep　cliffs　showing　plainly。
　　〃Now　is　our　chance　to　stop；〃　said　the　boy；　finding　they　were　very　close　to　the　mountain　tops。　Then　he　turned　to　the　Gump　and　manded：　〃Stop　at　the　first　level　place　you　see！〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　answered　the　Gump；　and　settled　down　upon　a　table　of　rock　that　stood　between　two　cliffs。
　　But　not　being　experienced　in　such　matters；　the　Gump　did　not　judge　his　speed　correctly；　and　instead　of　ing　to　a　stop　upon　the　flat　rock　he　missed　it　by　half　the　width　of　his　body；　breaking　off　both　his　right　wings　against　the　sharp　edge　of　the　rock　and　then　tumbling　over　and　over　down　the　cliff。
　　Our　friends　held　on　to　the　sofas　as　long　as　they　could；　but　when　the　Gump　caught　on　a　proJecting　rock　the　Thing　stopped　suddenly　…　bottom　side　up　…　and　all　were　immediately　dumped　out。
　　By　good　fortune　they　fell　only　a　few　feet；　for　underneath　them　was　a　monster　nest；　built　by　a　colony　of　Jackdaws　in　a　hollow　ledge　of　rock；　so　none　of　them　…　not　even　the　Pumpkinhead　…　was　injured　by　the　fall。　For　Jack　found　his　precious　head　resting　on　the　soft　breast　of　the　Scarecrow；　which　made　an　excellent　cushion；　and　Tip　fell　on　a　mass　of　leaves　and　papers；　which　saved　him　from　injury。　The　Woggle…Bug　had　bumped　his　round　head　against　the　Saw…Horse；　but　without　causing　him　more　than　a　moment's　inconvenience。
　　The　Tin　Woodman　was　at　first　much　alarmed；　but　finding　he　had　escaped　without　even　a　scratch　upon　his　beautiful　nickle…plate　he　at　once　regained　his　accustomed　cheerfulness　and　turned　to　address　his　rades。
　　〃Our　Journey　had　ended　rather　suddenly；〃　said　he；　〃and　we　cannot　justly　blame　our　friend　the　Gump　for　our　accident；　because　he　did　the　best　he　could　under　the　circumstances。　But　how　we　are　ever　to　escape　from　this　nest　I　must　leave　to　someone　with　better　brains　than　I　possess。〃　Here　he　gazed　at　the　Scarecrow；　who　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　nest　and　looked　over。　Below　them　was　a　sheer　precipice　several　hundred　feet　in　depth。　Above　them　was　a　smooth　cliff　unbroken　save　by　the　point　of　rock　where　the　wrecked　body　of　the　Gump　still　hung　suspended　from　the　end　of　one　of　the　sofas。　There　really　seemed　to　be　no　means　of　escape；　and　as　they　realized　their　helpless　plight　the　little　band　of　adventurers　gave　way　to　their　bewilderment。
　　〃This　is　a　worse　prison　than　the　palace；〃　sadly　remarked　the　Woggle…Bug。
　　〃I　wish　we　had　stayed　there；〃　moaned　Jack。
　　〃I'm　afraid　the　mountain　air　isn't　good　for　pumpkins。〃
　　〃It　won't　be　when　the　Jackdaws　e　back；〃　growled　the　Saw…Horse；　which　lay　waving　its　legs　in　a　vain　endeavor　to　get　upon　its　feet　again。　〃Jackdaws　are　especially　fond　of　pumpkins。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　the　birds　will　e　here？〃　asked　Jack；　much　distressed。
　　〃Of　course　they　will；〃　said　Tip；　〃for　this　is　their　nest。　And　there　must　be　hundreds　of　them；〃　he　continued；　〃for　see　what　a　lot　of　things　they　have　brought　here！〃　Indeed；　the　nest　was　half　filled　with　a　most　curious　collection　of　small　articles　for　which　the　birds　could　have　no　use；　but　which　the　thieving　Jackdaws　had　stolen　during　many　years　from　the　homes　of　men。　And　as　the　nest　was　safely　hidden　where　no　human　being　could　reach　it；　this　lost　property　would　never　be　recovered。
　　The　Woggle…Bug；　searching　among　the　rubbish　…　for　the　Jackdaws　stole　useless　things　as　well　as　valuable　ones　…　turned　up　with　his　foot　a　beautiful　diamond　necklace。　This　was　so　greatly　admired　by　the　Tin　Woodman　that　the　Woggle…Bug　presented　it　to　him　with　a　graceful　speech；　after　which　the　Woodman　hung　it　around　his　neck　with　much　pride；　rejoicing　exceedingly　when　the　big　diamonds　glittered　in　the　sun's　rays。
　　But　now　they　heard　a　great　jabbering　and　flopping　of　wings；　and　as　the　sound　grew　nearer　to　them　Tip　exclaimed：　〃The　Jackdaws　are　ing！　And　if　they　find　us　here　they　will　surely　kill　us　in　their　anger。〃
　　〃I　was　afraid　of　this！〃　moaned　the　Pumpkinhead。　〃My　time　has　e！〃
　　〃And　mine；　also！〃　said　the　Woggle…Bug；　〃for　Jackdaws　are　the　greatest　enemies　of　my　race。〃　The　others　were　not　at　all　afraid；　but　the　Scarecrow　at　once　decided　to　save　those　of　the　party　who　were　liable　to　be　injured　by　the　angry　birds。　So　he　manded　Tip　to　take　off　Jack's　head　and　lie　down　with　it　in　the　bottom　of　the　nest；　and　when　this　was　done　he　ordered　the　Woggle…Bug　to　lie　beside　Tip。　Nick　Chopper；　who　knew　from　past　experience　Just　what　to　do；　then　took　the　Scarecrow　to　pieces　（all　except　his　head）　and　scattered　the　straw　over　Tip　and　the　Woggle…Bug；　pletely　covering　their　bodies。
　　Hardly　had　this　been　acplished　when　the　flock　of　Jackdaws　reached　them。　Perceiving　the　intruders　in　their　nest　the　birds　flew　down　upon　them　with　screams　of　rage。
　　
　　
　　　Dr。　Nikidik's　Famous　Wishing　Pills
　　
　　The　Tin　Woodman　was　usually　a　peaceful　man；　but　when　occasion　required　he　could　fight　as　fiercely　as　a　Roman　gladiator。　So；　when　the　Jackdaws　nearly　knocked　him　down　in　their　rush　of　wings；　and　their　sharp　beaks　and　claws　threatened　to　damage　his　brilliant　plating；　the　Woodman　picked　up　his　axe　and　made　it　whirl　swiftly