the scarecrow of oz-第17节
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asked：
〃How did you penetrate to this hidden country？ Did you
cross the desert or the mountains？〃
〃Desert；〃 answered Cap'n Bill； as if the task were too
easy to be worth talking about。
〃Indeed！ No one has ever been able to do that before；〃
said the King。
〃Well； it's easy enough； if you know how；〃 asserted
Cap'n Bill； so carelessly that it greatly impressed his
hearers。 The King shifted in his throne uneasily。 He was
more afraid of these strangers than before。
〃Do you intend to stay long in Jinxland？〃 was his next
anxious question。
〃Depends on how we like it；〃 said Cap'n Bill。 〃Just now
I might suggest to your Majesty to order some rooms got
ready for us in your dinky little castle here。 And a
royal banquet； with some fried onions an' pickled tripe；
would set easy on our stomicks an' make us a bit happier
than we are now。〃
〃Your wishes shall be attended to；〃 said King Krewl；
but his eyes flashed from between their slits in a wicked
way that made Trot hope the food wouldn't be poisoned。 At
the King's command several of his attendants hastened
away to give the proper orders to the castle servants and
no sooner were they gone than a skinny old man entered
the courtyard and bowed before the King。
This disagreeable person was dressed in rich velvets；
with many furbelows and laces。 He was covered with golden
chains； finely wrought rings and jeweled ornaments。 He
walked with mincing steps and glared at all the courtiers
as if he considered himself far superior to any or all of
them。
〃Well； well； your Majesty； what news what news？〃 he
demanded； in a shrill； cracked voice。
The King gave him a surly look。
〃No news； Lord Googly…Goo； except that strangers have
arrived；〃 he said。
Googly…Goo cast a contemptuous glance at Cap'n Bill and
a disdainful one at Trot and Button…Bright。 Then he said：
〃Strangers do not interest me； your Majesty。 But the
Princess Gloria is very interesting very interesting；
indeed！ What does she say； Sire？ Will she marry me？〃
〃Ask her；〃 retorted the King。
〃I have； many times； and every time she has refused。〃
〃Well？〃 said the King harshly。
〃Well；〃 said Googly…Goo in a jaunty tone； 〃a bird
that can sing； and won't sing； must be made to sing。〃
〃Huh！〃 sneered the King。 〃That's easy； with a bird； but
a girl is harder to manage。〃
〃Still；〃 persisted Googly…Goo； 〃we must overcome
difficulties。 The chief trouble is that Gloria fancies
she loves that miserable gardener's boy； Pon。 Suppose we
throw Pon into the Great Gulf； your Majesty？〃
〃It would do you no good；〃 returned the King。 〃She
would still love him。〃
〃Too bad； too bad！〃 sighed Googly…Goo。 〃I have laid
aside more than a bushel of precious gems each worth a
king's ransom to present to your Majesty on the day I
wed Gloria。〃
The King's eyes sparkled； for he loved wealth above
everything； but the next moment he frowned deeply again。
〃It won't help us to kill Pon；〃 he muttered。 〃What we
must do is kill Gloria's love for Pon。〃
〃That is better； if you can find a way to do it；〃
agreed Googly…Goo。 〃Everything would come right if you
could kill Gloria's love for that gardener's boy。 Really；
Sire； now that I come to think of it； there must be fully
a bushel and a half of those jewels！〃
Just then a messenger entered the court to say that the
banquet was prepared for the strangers。 So Cap'n Bill；
Trot and Button…Bright entered the castle and were taken
to a room where a fine feast was spread upon the table。
〃I don't like that Lord Googly…Goo；〃 remarked Trot as
she was busily eating。
〃Nor I；〃 said Cap'n Bill。 〃But from the talk we heard I
guess the gardener's boy won't get the Princess。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 returned the girl； 〃but I hope old
Googly doesn't get her； either。〃
〃The King means to sell her for all those jewels；〃
observed Button…Bright； his mouth half full of cake and
jam。
〃Poor Princess！〃 sighed Trot。 〃I'm sorry for her；
although I've never seen her。 But if she says no to
Googly…Goo； and means it； what can they do？〃
〃Don't let us worry about a strange Princess；〃 advised
Cap'n Bill。 〃I've a notion we're not too safe； ourselves；
with this cruel King。〃
The two children felt the same way and all three were
rather solemn during the remainder of the meal。
When they had eaten； the servants escorted them to
their rooms。 Cap'n Bill's room was way to one end of the
castle； very high up； and Trot's room was at the opposite
end； rather low down。 As for Button…Bright； they placed
him in the middle； so that all were as far apart as they
could possibly be。 They didn't like this arrangement very
well； but all the rooms were handsomely furnished and
being guests of the King they dared not complain。
After the strangers had left the courtyard the King and
Googly…Goo had a long talk together； and the King said：
〃I cannot force Gloria to marry you just now； because
those strangers may interfere。 I suspect that the wooden…
legged man possesses great magical powers； or he would
never have been able to carry himself and those children
across the deadly desert。〃
〃I don't like him； he looks dangerous；〃 answered
Googly…Goo。 〃But perhaps you are mistaken about his being
a wizard。 Why don't you test his powers？〃
〃How？〃 asked the King。
〃Send for the Wicked Witch。 She will tell you in a
moment whether that wooden…legged person is a common man
or a magician。〃
〃Ha！ that's a good idea；〃 cried the King。 〃Why didn't I
think of the Wicked Witch before？ But the woman demands
rich rewards for her services。〃
〃Never mind； I will pay her；〃 promised the wealthy
Googly…Goo。
So a servant was dispatched to summon the Wicked Witch；
who lived but a few leagues from King Krewl's castle。
While they awaited her； the withered old courtier
proposed that they pay a visit to Princess Gloria and see
if she was not now in a more complaisant mood。 So the two
started away together and searched the castle over
without finding Gloria。
At last Googly…Goo suggested she might be in the rear
garden； which was a large park filled with bushes and
trees and surrounded by a high wall。 And what was their
anger； when they turned a corner of the path； to find in
a quiet nook the beautiful Princess； and kneeling before
her； Pon； the gardener's boy！ With a roar of rage the
King dashed forward； but Pon had scaled the wall by means
of a ladder； which still stood in its place； and when he
saw the King coming he ran up the ladder and made good
his escape。 But this left Gloria confronted by her angry
guardian； the King； and by old Googly…Goo； who was
trembling with a fury he could not express in words。
Seizing the Princess by her arm the King dragged her
back to the castle。 Pushing her into a room on the lower
floor he locked the door upon the unhappy girl。 And at
that moment the arrival of the Wicked Witch was
announced。
Hearing this； the King smiled； as a tiger smiles；
showing his teeth。 And Googly…Goo smiled； as a serpent
smiles； for he had no teeth except a couple of fangs。 And
having frightened each other with these smiles the two
dreadful men went away to the Royal Council Chamber to
meet the Wicked Witch。
Chapter Twelve
The Wooden…Legged Grass…Hopper
Now it so happened that Trot； from the window of her
room； had witnessed the meeting of the lovers in the
garden and had seen the King come and drag Gloria away。
The little girl's heart went out in sympathy for the poor
Princess； who seemed to her to be one of the sweetest and
loveliest young ladies she had ever seen； so she crept
along the passages and from a hidden niche saw Gloria
locked in her room。
The key was still in the lock； so when the King had
gone away； followed by Googly…Goo； Trot stole up to the
door； turned the key and entered。 The Princess lay prone
upon a couch； sobbing bitterly。 Trot went up to her and
smoothed her hair and tried to comfort her。
〃Don't cry；〃 she s
