rinkitink in oz-第23节

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keep　one　in　constant　fear　for　the　safety　of　those　he

loves。　Therefore；　I　have　come　to　ask　to　go　with　my

family　in　one　of　the　boats。〃



Inga　was　much　pleased　with　this　proposal　and　not　only

granted　Nikobob　permission　to　go　to　Pingaree　to　live；

but　instructed　him　to　take　with　him　sufficient　goods　to

furnish　his　new　home　in　a　comfortable　manner。　In

addition　to　this；　he　appointed　Nikobob　general　manager

of　the　buildings　and　of　the　pearl　fisheries；　until　his

father　or　he　himself　arrived；　and　the　people　approved

this　order　because　they　liked　Nikobob　and　knew　him　to

be　just　and　honest。



Soon　as　the　last　boat　of　the　great　flotilla　had

disappeared　from　the　view　of　those　left　at　Regos；　Inga

and　Rinkitink　prepared　to　leave　the　island　themselves。

The　boy　was　anxious　to　overtake　the　boat　of　King　Gos；

if　possible；　and　Rinkitink　had　no　desire　to　remain　in

Regos。



Buzzub　and　the　warriors　stood　silently　on　the　shore

and　watched　the　black　boat　with　its　silver　lining

depart；　and　I　am　sure　they　were　as　glad　to　be　rid　of

their　unwelcome　visitors　as　Inga　and　Rinkitink　and

Bilbil　were　to　leave。



The　boy　asked　the　White　Pearl　what　direction　the　boat

of　King　Gos　had　taken　and　then　he　followed　after　it；

rowing　hard　and　steadily　for　eight　days　without

becoming　at　all　weary。　But；　although　the　black　boat

moved　very　swiftly；　it　failed　to　overtake　the　barge

which　was　rowed　by　Queen　Cor's　forty　picked　oarsmen。









Chapter　Seventeen



The　Nome　King





The　Kingdom　of　the　Nomes　does　not　border　on　the

Nonestic　Ocean；　from　which　it　is　separated　by　the

Kingdom　of　Rinkitink　and　the　Country　of　the　Wheelers；

which　is　a　part　of　the　Land　of　Ev。　Rinkitink's　country

is　separated　from　the　country　of　the　Nomes　by　a　row　of

high　and　steep　mountains；　from　which　it　extends　to　the

sea。　The　Country　of　the　Wheelers　is　a　sandy　waste　that

is　open　on　one　side　to　the　Nonestic　Ocean　and　on　the

other　side　has　no　barrier　to　separate　it　from　the　Nome

Country；　therefore　it　was　on　the　coast　of　the　Wheelers

that　King　Cos　landed　　in　a　spot　quite　deserted　by　any

of　the　curious　inhabitants　of　that　country。



The　Nome　Country　is　very　large　in　extent；　and　is　only

separated　from　the　Land　of　Oz；　on　its　eastern　borders；

by　a　Deadly　Desert　that　can　not　be　crossed　by　mortals；

unless　they　are　aided　by　the　fairies　or　by　magic。



The　nomes　are　a　numerous　and　mischievous　people；

living　in　underground　caverns　of　wide　extent；　connected

one　with　another　by　arches　and　passages。　The　word

〃nome〃　means　〃one　who　knows；〃　and　these　people　are　so

called　because　they　know　where　all　the　gold　and　silver

and　precious　stones　are　hidden　in　the　earth　　a

knowledge　that　no　other　living　creatures　share　with

them。　The　nomes　are　busy　people；　constantly　digging　up

gold　in　one　place　and　taking　it　to　another　place；　where

they　secretly　bury　it；　and　perhaps　this　is　the　reason

they　alone　know　where　to　find　it。　The　nomes　were　ruled；

at　the　time　of　which　I　write；　by　a　King　named　Kaliko。



King　Gos　had　expected　to　be　pursued　by　Inga　in　his

magic　boat；　so　he　made　all　the　haste　possible；　urging

his　forty　rowers　to　their　best　efforts　night　and　day。

To　his　joy　he　was　not　overtaken　but　landed　on　the　sandy

beach　of　the　Wheelers　on　the　morning　of　the　eighth　day。



The　forty　rowers　were　left　with　the　boat；　while　Queen

Cor　and　King　Cos；　with　their　royal　prisoners；　who　were

still　chained；　began　the　journey　to　the　Nome　King。



It　was　not　long　before　they　passed　the　sands　and

reached　the　rocky　country　belonging　to　the　nomes；　but

they　were　still　a　long　way　from　the　entrance　to　the

underground　caverns　in　which　lived　the　Nome　King。　There

was　a　dim　path；　winding　between　stones　and　boulders；

over　which　the　walking　was　quite　difficult；　especially

as　the　path　led　up　hills　that　were　small　mountains；　and

then　down　steep　and　abrupt　slopes　where　any　misstep

might　mean　a　broken　leg。　Therefore　it　was　the　second

day　of　their　journey　before　they　climbed　halfway　up　a

rugged　mountain　and　found　themselves　at　the　entrance　of

the　Nome　King's　caverns。



On　their　arrival；　the　entrance　seemed　free　and

unguarded；　but　Gos　and　Cor　had　been　there　before；　and

they　were　too　wise　to　attempt　to　enter　without

announcing　themselves；　for　the　passage　to　the　caves　was

full　of　traps　and　pitfalls。　So　King　Gos　stood　still　and

shouted；　and　in　an　instant　they　were　surrounded　by　a

group　of　crooked　nomes；　who　seemed　to　have　sprung　from

the　ground。



One　of　these　had　very　long　ears　and　was　called　The

Long…Eared　Hearer。　He　said：　〃I　heard　you　coming　early

this　morning。〃



Another　had　eyes　that　looked　in　different　directions

at　the　same　time　and　were　curiously　bright　and

penetrating。　He　could　look　over　a　hill　or　around　a

corner　and　was　called　The　Lookout。　Said　he：　〃I　saw　you

coming　yesterday。〃



〃Then；〃　said　King　Gos；　〃perhaps　King　Kaliko　is

expecting　us。〃



〃It　is　true；〃　replied　another　nome；　who　wore　a　gold

collar　around　his　neck　and　carried　a　bunch　of　golden

keys。　〃The　mighty　Nome　King　expects　you；　and　bids　you

follow　me　to　his　presence。〃



With　this　he　led　the　way　into　the　caverns　and　Gos　and

Cor　followed；　dragging　their　weary　prisoners　with　them；

for　poor　King　Kitticut　and　his　gentle　Queen　had　been

obliged　to　carry；　all　through　the　tedious　journey；　the

bags　of　gold　and　jewels　which　were　to　bribe　the　Nome

King　to　accept　them　as　slaves。



Through　several　long　passages　the　guide　led　them　and

at　last　they　entered　a　small　cavern　which　was

beautifully　decorated　and　set　with　rare　jewels　that

flashed　from　every　part　of　the　wall；　floor　and　ceiling。

This　was　a　waiting…room　for　visitors；　and　there　their

guide　left　them　while　he　went　to　inform　King　Kaliko　of

their　arrival。



Before　long　they　were　ushered　into　a　great　domed

chamber；　cut　from　the　solid　rock　and　so　magnificent

that　all　of　them　　the　King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree　and

the　King　and　Queen　of　Regos　and　Coregos　　drew　long

breaths　of　astonishment　and　opened　their　eyes　as　wide

as　they　could。



In　an　ivory　throne　sat　a　little　round　man　who　had　a

pointed　beard　and　hair　that　rose　to　a　tall　curl　on　top

of　his　head。　He　was　dressed　in　silken　robes；　richly

embroidered；　which　had　large　buttons　of　cut　rubies。　On

his　head　was　a　diamond　crown　and　in　his　hand　he　held　a

golden　sceptre　with　a　big　jeweled　ball　at　one　end　of

it。　This　was　Kaliko；　the　King　and　ruler　of　all　the

nomes。　He　nodded　pleasantly　enough　to　his　visitors　and

said　in　a　cheery　voice：



〃Well；　Your　Majesties；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃



〃It　is　my　desire；〃　answered　King　Gos；　respectfully；

〃to　place　in　your　care　two　prisoners；　whom　you　now　see

before　you。　They　must　be　carefully　guarded；　to　prevent

them　from　escaping；　for　they　have　the　cunning　of　foxes

and　are　not　to　be　trusted。　In　return　for　the　favor　I　am

asking　you　to　grant；　I　have　brought　Your　Majesty

valuable　presents　of　gold　and　precious　gems。



He　then　commanded　Kitticut　and　Garee　to　lay　before

the　Nome　King　the　bags　of　gold　and　jewels；　and　they

obeyed；　being　helpless。



〃Very　good；〃　said　King　Kaliko；　nodding　approval；　for

like　all　the　nomes　he　loved　treasures　of　gold　and

jewels。　〃But　who　are　the　prisoners　you　have　brought

here；　and　why　do　you　place　them　in　my　charge　instead　of

guarding　them；　yourself？　They　seem　gentle　enough；　I'm

sure。〃



〃The　prisoners；〃　returned　King　Gos；　〃are　the　King　and

Queen　of　Pingaree；　a　small　island　north　of　here。　They

are　very　evil　people　and　came　to　our　islands　of　Regos

and　Coregos　to　conquer　them　and　slay　our　poor　people。

Also　they　intended　to　plunder　us　of　all　our　riches；　but

by　good　fortune　we　were　able　to　defeat　and　capture

them。　However；　they　have　a　son　who　is　a　terrible　wizard

and　who　by　magic　art　is　trying　to　find　this　awful　King

and　Queen　of　Pingaree；　and　to　set　them　free；　that　they

may　continue　their　wicked　deeds。　Therefore；　as　we　have

no　magic　to　defend　ourselves　with；　we　have　brought　the

prisoners　to　you　for　safe　keeping。〃



〃Your　Majesty；〃　spoke　up　King　Kitticut；　addressing

the　Nome　King　with　great　indignation；　〃do　not　believe

this　tale；　I　implore　you。　It　is　all　a　lie！〃



〃I　know　it；〃　said　Kaliko。　〃I　consider　it　a　clever

lie；　though；　because　it　is　woven　without　a　thread　of

truth。　However；　that　is　none　of　my　business。　The　fact

remains　that　my　good　friend　King　Gos　wishes　to　put　you

in　my　underground　caverns；　so　that　you　will　be　unable

to　escape。　And　why　should　I　not　please　him　in　this

little　matter？　Gos　is　a　mighty　King　and　a　great

warrior；　while　your　island　of　Pingaree　is　desolated　and

your　people　scattered。　In　my　heart；　King　Kitticut；　I

sympathize　with　you；　but　as　a　matter　of　business　policy

we　powerful　Kings　must　stand　together　and　trample　the

weaker　ones　under　our　feet。〃



King　Kitticut　was　surprised　to　find　the　King　of　the

nomes　so　candid　and　so　well　informed；　and　he　tried　to

argue　that　he　and　his　gentle　wife　did　not　deserv