the scarecrow of oz-第22节
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you any more。〃
〃Well； they froze her heart； to be sure；〃 admitted Pon；
〃but I'm in hopes I can melt it with my love。〃
Where do you s'pose Gloria is？〃 asked the girl； after a
pause。
〃She left the witch's house just before we did。 Perhaps
she has gone back to the King's castle；〃 he said。
〃I'm pretty sure she started off in a diff'rent
direction；〃 declared Trot。 〃I looked over my shoulder； as
I ran； to see how close the witches were； and I'm sure I
saw Gloria walking slowly away toward the north。〃
〃Then let us circle around that way；〃 proposed Pon；
〃and perhaps we shall meet her。〃
Trot agreed to this and they left the grove and began
to circle around toward the north； thus drawing nearer
and nearer to old Blinkie's house again。 The Wicked Witch
did not suspect this change of direction； so when she
came to the grove she passed through it and continued on。
Pon and Trot had reached a place less than half a mile
from the witch's house when they saw Gloria walking
toward them。 The Princess moved with great dignity and
with no show of haste whatever； holding her head high and
looking neither to right nor left。
Pon rushed forward； holding out his arms as if to
embrace her and calling her sweet names。 But Gloria gazed
upon him coldly and repelled him with a haughty gesture。
At this the poor gardener's boy sank upon his knees and
hid his face in his arms； weeping bitter tears； but the
Princess was not at all moved by his distress。 Passing
him by； she drew her skirts aside； as if unwilling they
should touch him； and then she walked up the path a way
and hesitated； as if uncertain where to go next。
Trot was grieved by Pon's sobs and indignant because
Gloria treated him so badly。 But she remembered why。
〃I guess your heart is frozen； all right；〃 she said to
the Princess。 Gloria nodded gravely； in reply； and then
turned her back upon the little girl。 〃Can't you like
even me？〃 asked Trot； half pleadingly。
〃No；〃 said Gloria。
〃Your voice sounds like a refrig'rator；〃 sighed the
little girl。 〃I'm awful sorry for you； 'cause you were
sweet an' nice to me before this happened。 You can't help
it； of course； but it's a dreadful thing； jus' the same。〃
〃My heart is frozen to all mortal loves；〃 announced
Gloria； calmly。 〃I do not love even myself。〃
〃That's too bad；〃 said Trot； 〃for； if you can't love
anybody； you can't expect anybody to love you。〃
〃I do！〃 cried Pon。 〃I shall always love her。〃
〃Well； you're just a gardener's boy；〃 replied Trot；
〃and I didn't think you 'mounted to much； from the first。
I can love the old Princess Gloria； with a warm heart an'
nice manners； but this one gives me the shivers。〃
〃It's her icy heart； that's all；〃 said Pon。
〃That's enough；〃 insisted Trot。 〃Seeing her heart isn't
big enough to skate on； I can't see that she's of any use
to anyone。 For my part； I'm goin' to try to find Button…
Bright an' Cap'n Bill。〃
〃I will go with you；〃 decided Pon。 〃It is evident that
Gloria no longer loves me and that her heart is frozen
too stiff for me to melt it with my own love； therefore I
may as well help you to find your friends。〃
As Trot started off； Pon cast one more imploring look
at the Princess； who returned it with a chilly stare。 So
he followed after the little girl。
As for the Princess； she hesitated a moment and then
turned in the same direction the others had taken； but
going far more slowly。 Soon she heard footsteps pattering
behind her； and up came Googly…Goo。 a little out of
breath with running。
〃Stop； Gloria！〃 he cried。 〃I have come to take you back
to my mansion； where we are to be married。〃
She looked at him wonderingly a moment； then tossed her
head disdainfully and walked on。 But Googly…Goo kept
beside her。
〃What does this mean？〃 he demanded。 〃Haven't you
discovered that you no longer love that gardener's boy；
who stood in my way？〃
〃Yes； I have discovered it；〃 she replied。 〃My heart is
frozen to all mortal loves。 I cannot love you； or Pon； or
the cruel King my uncle； or even myself。 Go your way；
Googly…Goo； for I will wed no one at all。〃
He stopped in dismay when he heard this； but in another
minute he exclaimed angrily：
〃You must wed me； Princess Gloria； whether you want to
or not！ I paid to have your heart frozen； I also paid the
King to permit our marriage。 If you now refuse me it will
mean that I have been robbed robbed robbed of my
precious money and jewels！〃
He almost wept with despair； but she laughed a cold；
bitter laugh and passed on。 Googly…Goo caught at her arm；
as if to restrain her； but she whirled and dealt him a
blow that sent him reeling into a ditch beside the path。
Here he lay for a long time； half covered by muddy water；
dazed with surprise。
Finally the old courtier arose； dripping； and climbed
from the ditch。 The Princess had gone； so； muttering
threats of vengeance upon her； upon the King and upon
Blinkie； old Googly…Goo hobbled back to his mansion to
have the mud removed from his costly velvet clothes。
Chapter Fifteen
Trot Meets the Scarecrow
Trot and Pon covered many leagues of ground； searching
through forests； in fields and in many of the little
villages of Jinxland； but could find no trace of either
Cap'n Bill or Button…Bright。 Finally they paused beside a
cornfield and sat upon a stile to rest。 Pon took some
apples from his pocket and gave one to Trot。 Then he
began eating another himself； for this was their time for
luncheon。 When his apple was finished Pon tossed the core
into the field。
〃Tchuk…tchuk！〃 said a strange voice。 〃what do you mean
by hitting me in the eye with an apple…core？〃
Then rose up the form of the Scarecrow； who had hidden
himself in the cornfield while he examined Pon and Trot
and decided whether they were worthy to be helped。
〃Excuse me；〃 said Pon。 〃I didn't know you were there。〃
〃How did you happen to be there； anyhow？〃 asked Trot。
The Scarecrow came forward with awkward steps and stood
beside them。
〃Ah； you are the gardener's boy；〃 he said to Pon。 Then
he turned to Trot。 〃And you are the little girl who came
to Jinxland riding on a big bird； and who has had the
misfortune to lose her friend； Cap'n Bill； and her chum；
Button…Bright。〃
〃Why； how did you know all that？〃 she inquired。
〃I know a lot of things；〃 replied the Scarecrow；
winking at her comically。 〃My brains are the Carefully…
Assorted； Double…Distilled； High…Efficiency sort that the
Wizard of Oz makes。 He admits； himself； that my brains
are the best he ever manufactured。〃
〃I think I've heard of you；〃 said Trot slowly； as she
looked the Scarecrow over with much interest； 〃but you
used to live in the Land of Oz。〃
〃Oh； I do now；〃 he replied cheerfully。 〃I've just come
over the mountains from the Quadling Country to see if I
can be of any help to you。〃
〃Who； me？〃 asked Pon。
〃No； the strangers from the big world。 It seems they
need looking after。〃
〃I'm doing that myself；〃 said Pon； a little
ungraciously。 〃If you will pardon me for saying so； I
don't see how a Scarecrow with painted eyes can look
after anyone。〃
〃If you don't see that； you are more blind than the
Scarecrow；〃 asserted Trot。 〃He's a fairy man； Pon； and
comes from the fairyland of Oz； so he can do 'most
anything。 I hope；〃 she added； turning to the Scarecrow；
〃you can find Cap'n Bill for me。〃
〃I will try； anyhow；〃 he promised。 〃But who is that old
woman who is running toward us and shaking her stick at
us？〃
Trot and Pon turned around and both uttered an
exclamation of fear。 The next instant they took to their
heels and ran fast up the path。 For it was old Blinkie；
the Wicked Witch； who had at last traced them to this
place。 Her anger was so great that she was determined not
to abandon the chase of Pon and Trot until she had caught
and punished them。 The Scarecrow understood at once that
the old woman meant harm to his new friends； so as she
drew near he stepped
