fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第9节

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！


　　〃Then　I　am　really　in　danger；〃　declared　his　Majesty；　positively；　〃and　it　will　be　wise　for　me　to　consider　a　means　to　escape。〃
　　〃Where　can　you　go？〃　asked　Jack　Pumpkinhead。
　　〃Why；　to　my　friend　the　Tin　Woodman；　who　rules　over　the　Winkies；　and　calls　himself　their　Emperor；〃　was　the　answer。　〃I　am　sure　he　will　protect　me。〃　Tip　was　looking　out　the　window。
　　〃The　palace　is　surrounded　by　the　enemy；〃　said　he　〃It　is　too　late　to　escape。　They　would　soon　tear　you　to　pieces。〃　The　Scarecrow　sighed。
　　〃In　an　emergency；〃　he　announced；　〃it　is　always　a　good　thing　to　pause　and　reflect。　Please　excuse　me　while　I　pause　and　reflect。〃
　　〃But　we　also　are　in　danger；〃　said　the　Pumpkinhead；　anxiously。〃　If　any　of　these　girls　understand　cooking；　my　end　is　not　far　off！〃
　　〃Nonsense！〃　exclaimed　the　Scarecrow。　〃they're　too　busy　to　cook；　even　if　they　know　how！〃
　　〃But　should　I　remain　here　a　prisoner　for　any　length　of　time；〃　protested　Jack；〃　I'm　liable　to　spoil。〃
　　〃Ah！　then　you　would　not　be　fit　to　associate　with；〃　returned　the　Scarecrow。　〃The　matter　is　more　serious　than　I　suspected。〃
　　〃You；〃　said　the　Pumpkinhead；　gloomily；　〃are　liable　to　live　for　many　years。　My　life　is　necessarily　short。　So　I　must　take　advantage　of　the　few　days　that　remain　to　me。〃
　　〃There；　there！　Don't　worry；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow　soothingly；　〃if　you'll　keep　quiet　long　enough　for　me　to　think；　I'll　try　to　find　some　way　for　us　all　to　escape。〃　So　the　others　waited　in　patient　silence　while　the　Scarecrow　walked　to　a　corner　and　stood　with　his　face　to　the　wall　for　a　good　five　minutes。　At　the　end　of　that　time　he　faced　them　with　a　more　cheerful　expression　upon　his　painted　face。
　　〃Where　is　the　Saw…Horse　you　rode　here？〃　he　asked　the　Pumpkinhead。
　　〃Why；　I　said　he　was　a　jewel；　and　so　your　man　locked　him　up　in　the　royal　treasury；〃　said　Jack。
　　〃It　was　the　only　place　I　could　think　of　your　Majesty；〃　added　the　Soldier；　fearing　he　had　made　a　blunder。
　　〃It　pleases　me　very　much；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。　〃Has　the　animal　been　fed？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　gave　him　a　heaping　peck　of　sawdust。〃
　　〃Excellent！〃　cried　the　Scarecrow。　〃Bring　the　horse　here　at　once。〃　The　Soldier　hastened　away；　and　presently　they　heard　the　clattering　of　the　horse's　wooden　legs　upon　the　pavement　as　he　was　led　into　the　courtyard。
　　His　Majesty　regarded　the　steed　critically。　〃He　doesn't　seem　especially　graceful！〃　he　remarked；　musingly。　〃but　I　suppose　he　can　run？〃
　　〃He　can；　indeed；〃　said　Tip；　gazing　upon　the　Saw…Horse　admiringly。
　　〃Then；　bearing　us　upon　his　back；　he　must　make　a　dash　through　the　ranks　of　the　rebels　and　carry　us　to　my　friend　the　Tin　Woodman；〃　announced　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃He　can't　carry　four！〃　objected　Tip。
　　〃No；　but　he　may　be　induced　to　carry　three；〃　said　his　Majesty。　〃I　shall　therefore　leave　my　Royal　Army　Behind。
　　For；　from　the　ease　with　which　he　was　conquered；　I　have　little　confidence　in　his　powers。〃
　　〃Still；　he　can　run；〃　declared　Tip；　laughing。
　　〃I　expected　this　blow〃　said　the　Soldier；　sulkily；　〃but　I　can　bear　it。　I　shall　disguise　myself　by　cutting　off　my　lovely　green　whiskers。　And；　after　all；　it　is　no　more　dangerous　to　face　those　reckless　girls　than　to　ride　this　fiery；　untamed　wooden　horse！〃
　　〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　observed　his　Majesty。　〃But；　for　my　part；　not　being　a　soldier；　I　am　fond　of　danger。
　　Now；　my　boy；　you　must　mount　first。　And　please　sit　as　close　to　the　horse's　neck　as　possible。〃　Tip　climbed　quickly　to　his　place；　and　the　Soldier　and　the　Scarecrow　managed　to　hoist　the　Pumpkinhead　to　a　seat　just　behind　him。　There　remained　so　little　space　for　the　King　that　he　was　liable　to　fall　off　as　soon　as　the　horse　started。
　　〃Fetch　a　clothesline；〃　said　the　King　to　his　Army；　〃and　tie　us　all　together。　Then　if　one　falls　off　we　will　all　fall　off。〃　And　while　the　Soldier　was　gone　for　the　clothesline　his　Majesty　continued；　〃it　is　well　for　me　to　be　careful；　for　my　very　existence　is　in　danger。〃
　　〃I　have　to　be　as　careful　as　you　do；〃　said　Jack。
　　〃Not　exactly；〃　replied　the　Scarecrow。　〃for　if　anything　happened　to　me；　that　would　be　the　end　of　me。　But　if　anything　happened　to　you；　they　could　use　you　for　seed。〃　The　Soldier　now　returned　with　a　long　line　and　tied　all　three　firmly　together；　also　lashing　them　to　the　body　of　the　Saw…Horse；　so　there　seemed　little　danger　of　their　tumbling　off。
　　〃Now　throw　open　the　gates；〃　manded　the　Scarecrow；　〃and　we　will　make　a　dash　to　liberty　or　to　death。〃　The　courtyard　in　which　they　were　standing　was　located　in　the　center　of　the　great　palace；　which　surrounded　it　on　all　sides。　But　in　one　place　a　passage　led　to　an　outer　gateway；　which　the　Soldier　had　barred　by　order　of　his　sovereign。　It　was　through　this　gateway　his　Majesty　proposed　to　escape；　and　the　Royal　Army　now　led　the　Saw…Horse　along　the　passage　and　unbarred　the　gate；　which　swung　backward　with　a　loud　crash。
　　〃Now；〃　said　Tip　to　the　horse；　〃you　must　save　us　all。　Run　as　fast　as　you　can　for　the　gate　of　the　City；　and　don't　let　anything　stop　you。〃
　　〃All　right！〃　answered　the　Saw…Horse；　gruffly；　and　dashed　away　so　suddenly　that　Tip　had　to　gasp　for　breath　and　hold　firmly　to　the　post　he　had　driven　into　the　creature's　neck。
　　Several　of　the　girls；　who　stood　outside　guarding　the　palace；　were　knocked　over　by　the　Saw…Horse's　mad　rush。
　　Others　ran　screaming　out　of　the　way；　and　only　one　or　two　jabbed　their　knitting…needles　frantically　at　the　escaping　prisoners。　Tip　got　one　small　prick　in　his　left　arm；　which　smarted　for　an　hour　afterward；　but　the　needles　had　no　effect　upon　the　Scarecrow　or　Jack　Pumpkinhead；　who　never　even　suspected　they　were　being　prodded。
　　As　for　the　Saw…Horse；　he　made　a　wonderful　record　upsetting　a　fruit　cart；　overturning　several　meek　looking　men；　and　finally　bowling　over　the　new　Guardian　of　the　Gate　…　a　fussy　little　fat　woman　appointed　by　General　Jinjur。
　　Nor　did　the　impetuous　charger　stop　then。　Once　outside　the　walls　of　the　Emerald　City　he　dashed　along　the　road　to　the　West　with　fast　and　violent　leaps　that　shook　the　breath　out　of　the　boy　and　filled　the　Scarecrow　with　wonder。
　　Jack　had　ridden　at　this　mad　rate　once　before；　so　he　devoted　every　effort　to　holding；　with　both　hands；　his　pumpkin　head　upon　its　stick；　enduring　meantime　the　dreadful　jolting　with　the　courage　of　a　philosopher。
　　〃Slow　him　up！　Slow　him　up！〃　shouted　the　Scarecrow。　〃My　straw　is　all　shaking　down　into　my　legs。〃　But　Tip　had　no　breath　to　speak；　so　the　Saw…Horse　continued　his　wild　career　unchecked　and　with　unabated　speed。
　　Presently　they　came　to　the　banks　of　a　wide　river；　and　without　a　pause　the　wooden　steed　gave　one　final　leap　and　launched　them　all　in　mid…air。
　　A　second　later　they　were　rolling；　splashing　and　bobbing　about　in　the　water；　the　horse　struggling　frantically　to　find　a　rest　for　its　feet　and　its　riders　being　first　plunged　beneath　the　rapid　current　and　then　floating　upon　the　surface　like　corks。
　　　
　　　
　　　The　Journey　to　the　Tin　Woodman
　　
　　Tip　was　well　soaked　and　dripping　water　from　every　angle　of　his　body。　But　he　managed　to　lean　forward　and　shout　in　the　ear　of　the　Saw…Horse：　〃Keep　still；　you　fool！　Keep　still！〃　The　horse　at　once　ceased　struggling　and　floated　calmly　upon　the　surface；　its　wooden　body　being　as　buoyant　as　a　raft。
　　〃What　does　that　word　'fool'　mean？〃　enquired　the　horse。
　　〃It　is　a　term　of　reproach；〃　answered　Tip；　somewhat　ashamed　of　the　expression。　〃I　only　use　it　when　I　am　angry。〃
　　〃Then　it　pleases　me　to　be　able　to　call　you　a　fool；　in　return；〃　said　the　horse。　〃For　I　did　not　make　the　river；　nor　put　it　in　our　way；　so　only　a　term　of；　reproach　is　fit　for　one　who　bees　angry　with　me　for　falling　into　the　water。〃
　　〃That　is　quite　evident；〃　replied　Tip；　〃so　I　will　acknowledge　myself　in　the　wrong。〃　Then　he　called　out　to　the　Pumpkinhead：　〃are　you　all　right；　Jack？〃　There　was　no　reply。　So　the　boy　called　to　the　King　〃are　you　all　right；　your　majesty？〃　The　Scarecrow　groaned。
　　〃I'm　all　wrong；　somehow；〃　he　said；　in　a　weak　voice。　〃How　very　wet　this　water　is！〃　Tip　was　bound　so　tightly　by　the　cord　that　he　could　not　turn　his　head　to　look　at　his　panions；　so　he　said　to　the　Saw…Horse：　〃Paddle　with　your　legs　toward　the　shore。〃　The　horse　obeyed；　and　although　their　progress　was　slow　they　finally　reached　the　opposite　river　bank　at　a　place　where　it　was　low　enough　to　enable　the　creature　to　scramble　upon　dry　land。
　　With　some　difficulty　the　boy　managed　to　get　his　knife　out　of　his　pocket　and　cut　the　cords　that　bound　the　riders　to　one　another　and　to　the　wooden　horse。　He　heard　the　Scarecrow　fall　to　the　ground　with　a　mushy　sound；　and　then　he　himself　quickly　dismounted　and　looked　at　his　friend　Jack。
　　The　wooden　body；　with　its　gorgeous　clothing；　still　sat　upright　upon　the　horse's　back；　but　the　pumpkin　head　was　gone；　and　only　the　sharpened　stick　that　served　for　a　neck　was　visible。　As　for　the　Scarecrow；　the　straw　in　his　body　had　shaken　down　with　the　jolting　and　packed　itself　into　his　legs　and　the　lower　part　of　his　body　…　which　appeared　very　plump　and　round　while　his　upper　half　seemed　like　an　empty　sack。　Upon　his　head　the　Scarecrow　still　wore　the　heavy　crown；　which　had　been　sewed　on　to　prevent　his　losing　it；　but　the　head　was　now　so　damp　and　limp　that　the　weight　of　the　gold　and　jewels　sagged　forward　and　crushed　the　painted　face　into　a　mass　of　wrinkles　that　made　him　loo