rinkitink in oz-第24节

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argue　that　he　and　his　gentle　wife　did　not　deserve　their

cruel　fate　and　that　it　would　be　wiser　for　Kaliko　to

side　with　them　than　with　the　evil　King　of　Regos。　But

Kaliko　only　shook　his　head　and　smiled；　saying：



〃The　fact　that　you　are　a　prisoner；　my　poor　Kitticut；

is　evidence　that　you　are　weaker　than　King　Cos；　and　I

prefer　to　deal　with　the　strong。　By　the　way；〃　he　added；

turning　to　the　King　of　Regos；　〃have　these　prisoners　any

connection　with　the　Land　of　Oz？〃



〃Why　do　you　ask？〃　said　Gos。



〃Because　I　dare　not　offend　the　Oz　people；〃　was　the

reply。　〃I　am　very　powerful；　as　you　know；　but　Ozma　of　Oz

is　far　more　powerful　than　I；　therefore；　if　this　King

and　Queen　of　Pingaree　happened　to　be　under　Ozma's

protection；　I　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　them。〃



〃I　assure　Your　Majesty　that　the　prisoners　have

nothing　to　do　with　the　Oz　people；〃　Gos　hastened　to　say。

And　Kitticut；　being　questioned；　admitted　that　this　was

true。



〃But　how　about　that　wizard　you　mentioned？〃　asked　the

Nome　King。



〃Oh；　he　is　merely　a　boy；　but　he　is　very　ferocious　and

obstinate　and　he　is　assisted　by　a　little　fat　sorcerer

called　Rinkitink　and　a　talking　goat。〃



〃Oho！　A　talking　goat；　do　you　say？　That　certainly

sounds　like　magic；　and　it　also　sounds　like　the　Land　of

Oz；　where　all　the　animals　talk；〃　said　Kaliko；　with　a

doubtful　expression。



But　King　Gos　assured　him　the　talking　goat　had　never

been　to　Oz。



〃As　for　Rinkitink；　whom　you　call　a　sorcerer；〃

continued　the　Nome　King；　〃he　is　a　neighbor　of　mine；　you

must　know；　but　as　we　are　cut　off　from　each　other　by

high　mountains　beneath　which　a　powerful　river　runs；　I

have　never　yet　met　King　Rinkitink。　But　I　have　heard　of

him；　and　from　all　reports　he　is　a　jolly　rogue；　and

perfectly　harmless。　However；　in　spite　of　your　false

statements　and　misrepresentations；　I　will　earn　the

treasure　you　have　brought　me；　by　keeping　your　prisoners

safe　in　my　caverns。



〃Make　them　work；〃　advised　Queen　Cor。　〃They　are　rather

delicate；　and　to　make　them　work　will　make　them　suffer

delightfully。〃



〃I'll　do　as　I　please　about　that；〃　said　the　Nome　King

sternly。　〃Be　content　that　I　agree　to　keep　them　safe。〃



The　bargain　being　thus　made　and　concluded；　Kaliko

first　examined　the　gold　and　jewels　and　then　sent　it

away　to　his　royal　storehouse；　which　was　well　filled

with　like　treasure。　Next　the　captives　were　sent　away　in

charge　of　the　nome　with　the　golden　collar　and　keys；

whose　name　was　Klik；　and　he　escorted　them　to　a　small

cavern　and　gave　them　a　good　supper。



〃I　shall　lock　your　door；〃　said　Klik；　〃so　there　is　no

need　of　your　wearing　those　heavy　chains　any　longer。〃　He

therefore　removed　the　chains　and　left　King　Kitticut　and

his　Queen　alone。　This　was　the　first　time　since　the

Northmen　had　carried　them　away　from　Pingaree　that　the

good　King　and　Queen　had　been　alone　together　and　free　of

all　bonds；　and　as　they　embraced　lovingly　and　mingled

their　tears　over　their　sad　fate　they　were　also　grateful

that　they　had　passed　from　the　control　of　the　heartless

King　Gos　into　the　more　considerate　care　of　King　Kaliko。

They　were　still　captives　but　they　believed　they　would

be　happier　in　the　underground　caverns　of　the　nomes　than

in　Regos　and　Coregos。



Meantime；　in　the　King's　royal　cavern　a　great　feast

had　been　spread。　King　Gos　and　Queen　Cor；　having

triumphed　in　their　plot；　were　so　well　pleased　that　they

held　high　revelry　with　the　jolly　Nome　King　until　a　late

hour　that　night。　And　the　next　morning；　having　cautioned

Kaliko　not　to　release　the　prisoners　under　any

consideration　without　their　orders；　the　King　and　Queen

of　Regos　and　Coregos　left　the　caverns　of　the　nomes　to

return　to　the　shore　of　the　ocean　where　they　had　left

their　boat。









Chapter　Eighteen



Inga　Parts　with　his　Pink　Pearl





The　White　Pearl　guided　Inga　truly　in　his　pursuit　of　the

boat　of　King　Gos；　but　the　boy　had　been　so　delayed　in

sending　his　people　home　to　Pingaree　that　it　was　a　full

day　after　Gos　and　Cor　landed　on　the　shore　of　the

Wheeler　Country　that　Inga's　boat　arrived　at　the　same

place。



There　he　found　the　forty　rowers　guarding　the　barge　of

Queen　Cor；　and　although　they　would　not　or　could　not

tell　the　boy　where　the　King　and　Queen　had　taken　his

father　and　mother；　the　White　Pearl　advised　him　to

follow　the　path　to　the　country　and　the　caverns　of　the

nomes。



Rinkitink　didn't　like　to　undertake　the　rocky　and

mountainous　journey；　even　with　Bilbil　to　carry　him；　but

he　would　not　desert　Inga；　even　though　his　own　kingdom

lay　just　beyond　a　range　of　mountains　which　could　be

seen　towering　southwest　of　them。　So　the　King　bravely

mounted　the　goat；　who　always　grumbled　but　always　obeyed

his　master；　and　the　three　set　off　at　once　for　the

caverns　of　the　nomes。



They　traveled　just　as　slowly　as　Queen　Cor　and　King

Gos　had　done；　so　when　they　were　about　halfway　they

discovered　the　King　and　Queen　coming　back　to　their

boat。　The　fact　that　Gos　and　Cor　were　now　alone　proved

that　they　had　left　Inga's　father　and　mother　behind

them；　so；　at　the　suggestion　of　Rinkitink；　the　three　hid

behind　a　high　rock　until　the　King　of　Regos　and　the

Queen　of　Coregos；　who　had　not　observed　them；　had　passed

them　by。　Then　they　continued　their　journey；　glad　that

they　had　not　again　been　forced　to　fight　or　quarrel　with

their　wicked　enemies。



〃We　might　have　asked　them；　however；　what　they　had

done　with　your　poor　parents；〃　said　Rinkitink。



〃Never　mind；〃　answered　Inga。　〃I　am　sure　the　White

Pearl　will　guide　us　aright。〃



For　a　time　they　proceeded　in　silence　and　then

Rinkitink　began　to　chuckle　with　laughter　in　the

pleasant　way　he　was　wont　to　do　before　his　misfortunes

came　upon　him。



〃What　amuses　Your　Majesty？〃　inquired　the　boy。



〃The　thought　of　how　surprised　my　dear　subjects　would

be　if　they　realized　how　near　to　them　I　am；　and　yet　how

far　away。　I　have　always　wanted　to　visit　the　Nome

Country；　which　is　full　of　mystery　and　magic　and　all

sorts　of　adventures；　but　my　devoted　subjects　forbade　me

to　think　of　such　a　thing；　fearing　I　would　get　hurt　or

enchanted。〃



〃Are　you　afraid；　now　that　you　are　here？〃　asked　Inga。



〃A　little；　but　not　much；　for　they　say　the　new　Nome

King　is　not　as　wicked　as　the　old　King　used　to　be。

Still；　we　are　undertaking　a　dangerous　journey　and　I

think　you　ought　to　protect　me　by　lending　me　one　of　your

pearls。〃



Inga　thought　this　over　and　it　seemed　a　reasonable

request。



〃Which　pearl　would　you　like　to　have？〃　asked　the　boy。



〃Well；　let　us　see；〃　returned　Rinkitink；　〃you　may　need

strength　to　liberate　your　captive　parents；　so　you　must

keep　the　Blue　Pearl。　And　you　will　need　the　advice　of

the　White　Pearl；　so　you　had　best　keep　that　also。　But　in

case　we　should　be　separated　I　would　have　nothing　to

protect　me　from　harm；　so　you　ought　to　lend　me　the　Pink

Pearl。〃



〃Very　well；〃　agreed　Inga；　and　sitting　down　upon　a

rock　he　removed　his　right　shoe　and　after　withdrawing

the　cloth　from　the　pointed　toe　took　out　the　Pink　Pearl

　the　one　which　protected　from　any　harm　the　person　who

carried　it。



〃Where　can　you　put　it；　to　keep　it　safely？〃　he　asked。



〃In　my　vest　pocket；〃　replied　the　King。　〃The　pocket

has　a　flap　to　it　and　I　can　pin　it　down　in　such　a　way

that　the　pearl　cannot　get　out　and　become　lost。　As　for

robbery；　no　one　with　evil　intent　can　touch　my　person

while　I　have　the　pearl。〃



So　Inga　gave　Rinkitink　the　Pink　Pearl　and　the　little

King　placed　it　in　the　pocket　of　his　red…and…green

brocaded　velvet　vest；　pinning　the　flap　of　the　pocket

down　tightly。



They　now　resumed　their　journey　and　finally　reached

the　entrance　to　the　Nome　King's　caverns。　Placing　the

White　Pearl　to　his　ear；　Inga　asked：　〃What　shall　I　do

now？〃　and　the　Voice　of　the　Pearl　replied：　〃Clap　your

hands　together　four　times　and　call　aloud　the　word

'Klik。'　Then　allow　yourselves　to　be　conducted　to　the

Nome　King；　who　is　now　holding　your　father　and　mother

captive。〃



Inga　followed　these　instructions　and　when　Klik

appeared　in　answer　to　his　summons　the　boy　requested　an

audience　of　the　Nome　King。　So　Klik　led　them　into　the

presence　of　King　Kaliko；　who　was　suffering　from　a

severe　headache；　due　to　his　revelry　the　night　before；

and　therefore　was　unusually　cross　and　grumpy。



〃I　know　what　you've　come　for；〃　said　he；　before　Inga

could　speak。　〃You　want　to　get　the　captives　from　Regos

away　from　me；　but　you　can't　do　it；　so　you'd　best　go　away

again。〃



〃The　captives　are　my　father　and　mother；　and　I　intend

to　liberate　them；〃　said　the　boy　firmly。



The　King　stared　hard　at　Inga；　wondering　at　his

audacity。　Then　he　turned　to　look　at　King　Rinkitink　and

said：



〃I　suppose　you　are　the　King　of　Gilgad；　which　is　in

the　Kingdom　of　Rinkitink。〃



〃You've　guessed　it　the　first　time；〃　replied

Rinkitink。



〃How　round　and　fat　you　are！〃　exclaimed　Kaliko。



〃I　was　just　thinking　how　fat　and　round　you　are；〃　said

Rinkitink。　〃Really；　King　Kaliko；　we