rinkitink in oz-第14节

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had　crept　into　the　room　through　the　open　window　by　King

Rinkitink's　bed。



Resolving　to　begin　the　search　for　his　parents　without

any　unnecessary　delay；　Inga　at　once　got　out　of　bed　and

began　to　dress　himself；　while　Rinkitink；　in　the　other

bed；　was　still　sleeping　peacefully。　But　when　the　boy

had　put　on　both　his　stockings　and　began　looking　for　his

shoes；　he　could　find　but　one　of　them。　The　left　shoe；

that　containing　the　Pink　Pearl；　was　missing。



Filled　with　anxiety　at　this　discovery；　Inga　searched

through　the　entire　room；　looking　underneath　the　beds

and　divans　and　chairs　and　behind　the　draperies　and　in

the　corners　and　every　other　possible　place　a　shoe　might

be。　He　tried　the　door；　and　found　it　still　bolted；　so；

with　growing　uneasiness；　the　boy　was　forced　to　admit

that　the　precious　shoe　was　not　in　the　room。



With　a　throbbing　heart　he　aroused　his　companion。



〃King　Rinkitink；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　know　what　has

become　of　my　left　shoe？〃



〃Your　shoe！〃　exclaimed　the　King；　giving　a　wide　yawn

and　rubbing　his　eyes　to　get　the　sleep　out　of　them。

〃Have　you　lost　a　shoe？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Inga。　〃I　have　searched　everywhere　in　the

room；　and　cannot　find　it。〃



〃But　why　bother　me　about　such　a　small　thing？〃

inquired　Rinkitink。　〃A　shoe　is　only　a　shoe；　and　you　can

easily　get　another　one。　But；　stay！　Perhaps　it　was　your

shoe　which　I　threw　at　the　cat　last　night。〃



〃The　cat！〃　cried　Inga。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃Why；　in　the　night；〃　explained　Rinkitink；　sitting　up

and　beginning　to　dress　himself；　〃I　was　wakened　by　the

mewing　of　a　cat　that　sat　upon　a　wall　of　the　palace；

just　outside　my　window。　As　the　noise　disturbed　me；　I

reached　out　in　the　dark　and　caught　up　something　and

threw　it　at　the　cat；　to　frighten　the　creature　away。　I

did　not　know　what　it　was　that　I　threw；　and　I　was　too

sleepy　to　care；　but　probably　it　was　your　shoe；　since　it

is　now　missing。〃



〃Then；〃　said　the　boy；　in　a　despairing　tone　of　voice；

〃your　carelessness　has　ruined　me；　as　well　as　yourself；

King　Rinkitink；　for　in　that　shoe　was　concealed　the

magic　power　which　protected　us　from　danger。〃



The　King's　face　became　very　serious　when　he　heard

this　and　he　uttered　a　low　whistle　of　surprise　and

regret。



〃Why　on　earth　did　you　not　warn　me　of　this？〃　he

demanded。　〃And　why　did　you　keep　such　a　precious　power

in　an　old　shoe？　And　why　didn't　you　put　the　shoe　under　a

pillow？　You　were　very　wrong；　my　lad；　in　not　confiding

to　me；　your　faithful　friend；　the　secret；　for　in　that

case　the　shoe　would　not　now　be　lost。〃



To　all　this　Inga　had　no　answer。　He　sat　on　the　side　of

his　bed；　with　hanging　head；　utterly　disconsolate；　and

seeing　this；　Rinkitink　had　pity　for　his　sorrow。



〃Come！〃　cried　the　King；　〃let　us　go　out　at　once　and

look　for　the　shoe　which　I　threw　at　the　cat。　It　must

even　now　be　lying　in　the　yard　of　the　palace。〃



This　suggestion　roused　the　boy　to　action。　He　at　once

threw　open　the　door　and　in　his　stocking　feet　rushed

down　the　staircase；　closely　followed　by　Rinkitink。　But

although　they　looked　on　both　sides　of　the　palace　wall

and　in　every　possible　crack　and　corner　where　a　shoe

might　lodge；　they　failed　to　find　it。



After　a　half　hour's　careful　search　the　boy　said

sorrowfully：



〃Someone　must　have　passed　by；　as　we　slept；　and　taken

the　precious　shoe；　not　knowing　its　value。　To　us；　King

Rinkitink；　this　will　be　a　dreadful　misfortune；　for　we

are　surrounded　by　dangers　from　which　we　have　now　no

protection。　Luckily　I　have　the　other　shoe　left；　within

which　is　the　magic　power　that　gives　me　strength；　so　all

is　not　lost。〃



Then　he　told　Rinkitink；　in　a　few　words；　the　secret　of

the　wonderful　pearls；　and　how　he　had　recovered　them

from　the　ruins　and　hidden　them　in　his　shoes；　and　how

they　had　enabled　him　to　drive　King　Gos　and　his　men　from

Regos　and　to　capture　the　city。　The　King　was　much

astonished；　and　when　the　story　was　concluded　he　said　to

Inga：



〃What　did　you　do　with　the　other　shoe？〃



〃Why；　I　left　it　in　our　bedroom；〃　replied　the　boy。



〃Then　I　advise　you　to　get　it　at　once；〃　continued

Rinkitink；　〃for　we　can　ill　afford　to　lose　the　second

shoe；　as　well　as　the　one　I　threw　at　the　cat。〃



〃You　are　right！〃　cried　Inga；　and　they　hastened　back

to　their　bedchamber。



On　entering　the　room　they　found　an　old　woman　sweeping

and　raising　a　great　deal　of　dust。



〃Where　is　my　shoe？〃　asked　the　Prince；　anxiously。



The　old　woman　stopped　sweeping　and　looked　at　him　in　a

stupid　way；　for　she　was　not　very　intelligent。



〃Do　you　mean　the　one　odd　shoe　that　was　lying　on　the

floor　when　I　came　in？〃　she　finally　asked。



〃Yes　　yes！〃　answered　the　boy。　〃Where　is　it？　Tell　me

where　it　is！〃



〃Why；　I　threw　it　on　the　dust…heap；　outside　the　back

gate；〃　said　she；　〃for；　it　being　but　a　single　shoe；　with

no　mate；　it　can　be　of　no　use　to　anyone。〃



〃Show　us　the　way　to　the　dust…heap　　at　once！〃

commanded　the　boy；　sternly；　for　he　was　greatly

frightened　by　this　new　misfortune　which　threatened　him。



The　old　woman　hobbled　away　and　they　followed　her；

constantly　urging　her　to　hasten；　but　when　they　reached

the　dust…heap　no　shoe　was　to　be　seen。



〃This　is　terrible！〃　wailed　the　young　Prince；　ready　to

weep　at　his　loss。　〃We　are　now　absolutely　ruined；　and　at

the　mercy　of　our　enemies。　Nor　shall　I　be　able　to

liberate　my　dear　father　and　mother。〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Rinkitink；　leaning　against　an　old

barrel　and　looking　quite　solemn；　〃the　thing　is

certainly　unlucky；　any　way　we　look　at　it。　I　suppose

someone　has　passed　along　here　and；　seeing　the　shoe　upon

the　dust…heap；　has　carried　it　away。　But　no　one　could

know　the　magic　power　the　shoe　contains　and　so　will　not

use　it　against　us。　I　believe；　Inga；　we　must　now　depend

upon　our　wits　to　get　us　out　of　the　scrape　we　are　in。



With　saddened　hearts　they　returned　to　the　palace；　and

entering　a　small　room　where　no　one　could　observe　them

or　overhear　them；　the　boy　took　the　White　Pearl　from　its

silken　bag　and　held　it　to　his　ear；　asking：



〃What　shall　I　do　now？〃



〃Tell　no　one　of　your　loss；〃　answered　the　Voice　of　the

Pearl。　〃If　your　enemies　do　not　know　that　you　are

powerless；　they　will　fear　you　as　much　as　ever。　Keep

your　secret；　be　patient；　and　fear　not！〃



Inga　heeded　this　advice　and　also　warned　Rinkitink　to

say　nothing　to　anyone　of　the　loss　of　the　shoes　and　the

powers　they　contained。　He　sent　for　the　shoemaker　of

King　Gos；　who　soon　brought　him　a　new　pair　of　red

leather　shoes　that　fitted　him　quite　well。　When　these

had　been　put　upon　his　feet；　the　Prince；　accompanied　by


the　King；　started　to　walk　through　the　city。



Wherever　they　went　the　people　bowed　low　to　the

conqueror；　although　a　few；　remembering　Inga's　terrible

strength；　ran　away　in　fear　and　trembling。　They　had　been

used　to　severe　masters　and　did　not　yet　know　how　they

would　be　treated　by　King　Gos's　successor。　There　being

no　occasion　for　the　boy　to　exercise　the　powers　he　had

displayed　the　previous　day；　his　present　helplessness

was　not　suspected　by　any　of　the　citizens　of　Regos；　who

still　considered　him　a　wonderful　magician。



Inga　did　not　dare　to　fight　his　way　to　the　mines；　at

present；　nor　could　he　try　to　conquer　the　Island　of

Coregos；　where　his　mother　was　enslaved；　so　he　set　about

the　regulation　of　the　City　of　Regos；　and　having

established　himself　with　great　state　in　the　royal

palace　he　began　to　govern　the　people　by　kindness；

having　consideration　for　the　most　humble。



The　King　of　Regos　and　his　followers　sent　spies　across

to　the　island　they　had　abandoned　in　their　flight；　and

these　spies　returned　with　the　news　that　the　terrible

boy　conqueror　was　still　occupying　the　city。　Therefore

none　of　them　ventured　to　go　back　to　Regos　but　continued

to　live　upon　the　neighboring　island　of　Coregos；　where

they　passed　the　days　in　fear　and　trembling　and　sought

to　plot　and　plan　ways　how　they　might　overcome　the

Prince　of　Pingaree　and　the　fat　King　of　Gilgad。









Chapter　Nine



A　Present　for　Zella





Now　it　so　happened　that　on　the　morning　of　that　same　day

when　the　Prince　of　Pingaree　suffered　the　loss　of　his

priceless　shoes；　there　chanced　to　pass　along　the　road

that　wound　beside　the　royal　palace　a　poor　charcoal…

burner　named　Nikobob；　who　was　about　to　return　to　his

home　in　the　forest。



Nikobob　carried　an　ax　and　a　bundle　of　torches　over

his　shoulder　and　he　walked　with　his　eyes　to　the　ground；

being　deep　in　thought　as　to　the　strange　manner　in　which

the　powerful　King　Gos　and　his　city　had　been　conquered

by　a　boy　Prince　who　had　come　from　Pingaree。



Suddenly　the　charcoal…burner　espied　a　shoe　lying　upon

the　ground；　just　beyond　the　high　wall　of　the　palace　and

directly　in　his　path。　He　picked　it　up　and；　seeing　it

was　a　pretty　shoe；　although　much　too　small　for　his　own

foot；　he　put　it　in　his　pocket。



Soon　after；　on　turning　a　corner　of　the　wall；　Nikobob

came　to　a　dust…heap　where；　lying　amidst　a　mass　of

rubbish；　was　another　shoe　　the　m