rinkitink in oz-第25节

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



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

Rinkitink。　〃Really；　King　Kaliko；　we　ought　to　be

friends；　we're　so　much　alike　in　everything　but

disposition　and　intelligence。〃



Then　he　began　to　chuckle；　while　Kaliko　stared　hard　at

him；　not　knowing　whether　to　accept　his　speech　as　a

compliment　or　not。　And　now　the　nome's　eyes　wandered　to

Bilbil；　and　he　asked：



〃Is　that　your　talking　goat？〃



Bilbil　met　the　Nome　King's　glowering　look　with　a　gaze

equally　surly　and　defiant；　while　Rinkitink　answered：

〃It　is；　Your　Majesty。〃



〃Can　he　really　talk？〃　asked　Kaliko；　curiously。



〃He　can。　But　the　best　thing　he　does　is　to　scold。　Talk

to　His　Majesty；　Bilbil。〃



But　Bilbil　remained　silent　and　would　not　speak。



〃Do　you　always　ride　upon　his　back？〃　continued　Kaliko；

questioning　Rinkitink。



〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer；　〃because　it　is　difficult　for　a

fat　man　to　walk　far；　as　perhaps　you　know　from

experience。



〃That　is　true；〃　said　Kaliko。　〃Get　off　the　goat's　back

and　let　me　ride　him　a　while；　to　see　how　I　like　it。

Perhaps　I'll　take　him　away　from　you；　to　ride　through　my

caverns。〃



Rinkitink　chuckled　softly　as　he　heard　this；　but　at

once　got　off　Bilbil's　back　and　let　Kaliko　get　on。　The

Nome　King　was　a　little　awkward；　but　when　he　was　firmly

astride　the　saddle　he　called　in　a　loud　voice：　〃Giddap！〃



When　Bilbil　paid　no　attention　to　the　command　and

refused　to　stir；　Kaliko　kicked　his　heels　viciously

against　the　goat's　body；　and　then　Bilbil　made　a　sudden

start。　He　ran　swiftly　across　the　great　cavern；　until　he

had　almost　reached　the　opposite　wall；　when　he　stopped

so　abruptly　that　King　Kaliko　sailed　over　his　head　and

bumped　against　the　jeweled　wall。　He　bumped　so　hard　that

the　points　of　his　crown　were　all　mashed　out　of　shape

and　his　head　was　driven　far　into　the　diamond…studded

band　of　the　crown；　so　that　it　covered　one　eye　and　a

part　of　his　nose。　Perhaps　this　saved　Kaliko's　head　from

being　cracked　against　the　rock　wall；　but　it　was　hard　on

the　crown。



Bilbil　was　highly　pleased　at　the　success　of　his　feat

and　Rinkitink　laughed　merrily　at　the　Nome　King's

comical　appearance；　but　Kaliko　was　muttering　and

growling　as　he　picked　himself　up　and　struggled　to　pull

the　battered　crown　from　his　head；　and　it　was　evident

that　he　was　not　in　the　least　amused。　Indeed；　Inga　could

see　that　the　King　was　very　angry；　and　the　boy　knew　that

the　incident　was　likely　to　turn　Kaliko　against　the

entire　party。



The　Nome　King　sent　Klik　for　another　crown　and　ordered

his　workmen　to　repair　the　one　that　was　damaged。　While

he　waited　for　the　new　crown　he　sat　regarding　his

visitors　with　a　scowling　face；　and　this　made　Inga　more

uneasy　than　ever。　Finally；　when　the　new　crown　was

placed　upon　his　head；　King　Kaliko　said：　〃Follow　me；

strangers！〃　and　led　the　way　to　a　small　door　at　one　end

of　the　cavern。



Inga　and　Rinkitink　followed　him　through　the　doorway

and　found　themselves　standing　on　a　balcony　that

overlooked　an　enormous　domed　cave　　so　extensive　that

it　seemed　miles　to　the　other　side　of　it。　All　around

this　circular　cave；　which　was　brilliantly　lighted　from

an　unknown　source；　were　arches　connected　with　other

caverns。



Kaliko　took　a　gold　whistle　from　his　pocket　and　blew　a

shrill　note　that　echoed　through　every　part　of　the　cave。

Instantly　nomes　began　to　pour　in　through　the　side

arches　in　great　numbers；　until　the　immense　space　was

packed　with　them　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　All

were　armed　with　glittering　weapons　of　polished　silver

and　gold；　and　Inga　was　amazed　that　any　King　could

command　so　great　an　army。



They　began　marching　and　countermarching　in　very

orderly　array　until　another　blast　of　the　gold　whistle

sent　them　scurrying　away　as　quickly　as　they　had

appeared。　And　as　soon　as　the　great　cave　was　again　empty

Kaliko　returned　with　his　visitors　to　his　own　royal

chamber；　where　he　once　more　seated　himself　upon　his

ivory　throne。



〃I　have　shown　you；〃　said　he　to　Inga；　〃a　part　of　my

bodyguard。　The　royal　armies；　of　which　this　is　only　a

part；　are　as　numerous　as　the　sands　of　the　ocean；　and

live　in　many　thousands　of　my　underground　caverns。　You

have　come　here　thinking　to　force　me　to　give　up　the

captives　of　King　Gos　and　Queen　Cor；　and　I　wanted　to

convince　you　that　my　power　is　too　mighty　for　anyone　to

oppose。　I　am　told　that　you　are　a　wizard；　and　depend

upon　magic　to　aid　you；　but　you　must　know　that　the　nomes

are　not　mortals；　and　understand　magic　pretty　well

themselves；　so　if　we　are　obliged　to　fight　magic　with

magic　the　chances　are　that　we　are　a　hundred　times　more

powerful　than　you　can　be。　Think　this　over　carefully；　my

boy；　and　try　to　realize　that　you　are　in　my　power。　I　do

not　believe　you　can　force　me　to　liberate　King　Kitticut

and　Queen　Garee；　and　I　know　that　you　cannot　coax　me　to

do　so；　for　I　have　given　my　promise　to　King　Gos。

Therefore；　as　I　do　not　wish　to　hurt　you；　I　ask　you　to

go　away　peaceably　and　let　me　alone。〃



〃Forgive　me　if　I　do　not　agree　with　you；　King　Kaliko；〃

answered　the　boy。　〃However　difficult　and　dangerous　my

task　may　be；　I　cannot　leave　your　dominions　until　every

effort　to　release　my　parents　has　failed　and　left　me

completely　discouraged。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　King；　evidently　displeased。　〃I

have　warned　you；　and　now　if　evil　overtakes　you　it　is

your　own　fault。　I've　a　headache　to…day；　so　I　cannot

entertain　you　properly；　according　to　your　rank；　but

Klik　will　attend　you　to　my　guest　chambers　and　to…morrow

I　will　talk　with　you　again。〃



This　seemed　a　fair　and　courteous　way　to　treat　one's

declared　enemies；　so　they　politely　expressed　the　wish

that　Kaliko's　headache　would　be　better；　and　followed

their　guide；　Klik；　down　a　well…lighted　passage　and

through　several　archways　until　they　finally　reached

three　nicely　furnished　bedchambers　which　were　cut　from

solid　gray　rock　and　well　lighted　and　aired　by　some

mysterious　method　known　to　the　nomes。



The　first　of　these　rooms　was　given　King　Rinkitink；

the　second　was　Inga's　and　the　third　was　assigned　to

Bilbil　the　goat。　There　was　a　swinging　rock　door

between　the　third　and　second　rooms　and　another　between

the　second　and　first；　which　also　had　a　door　that　opened

upon　the　passage。　Rinkitink's　room　was　the　largest；　so

it　was　here　that　an　excellent　dinner　was　spread　by　some

of　the　nome　servants；　who；　in　spite　of　their　crooked

shapes；　proved　to　be　well　trained　and　competent。



〃You　are　not　prisoners；　you　know；〃　said　Klik；　neither

are　you　welcome　guests；　having　declared　your　purpose　to

oppose　our　mighty　King　and　all　his　hosts。　But　we　bear

you　no　ill　will；　and　you　are　to　be　well　fed　and　cared

for　as　long　as　you　remain　in　our　caverns。　Eat　hearty；

sleep　tight；　and　pleasant　dreams　to　you。〃



Saying　this；　he　left　them　alone　and　at　once　Rinkitink

and　Inga　began　to　counsel　together　as　to　the　best　means

to　liberate　King　Kitticut　and　Queen　Garee。　The　White

Pearl's　advice　was　rather　unsatisfactory　to　the　boy；

just　now；　for　all　that　the　Voice　said　in　answer　to　his

questions　was：　〃Be　patient；　brave　and　determined。〃



Rinkitink　suggested　that　they　try　to　discover　in　what

part　of　the　series　of　underground　caverns　Inga's

parents　had　been　confined；　as　that　knowledge　was

necessary　before　they　could　take　any　action；　so

together　they　started　out；　leaving　Bilbil　asleep　in　his

room；　and　made　their　way　unopposed　through　many

corridors　and　caverns。　In　some　places　were　great

furnaces；　where　gold　dust　was　being　melted　into　bricks。

In　other　rooms　workmen　were　fashioning　the　gold　into

various　articles　and　ornaments。　In　one　cavern　immense

wheels　revolved　which　polished　precious　gems；　and　they

found　many　caverns　used　as　storerooms；　where　treasure

of　every　sort　was　piled　high。　Also　they　came　to　the

barracks　of　the　army　and　the　great　kitchens。



There　were　nomes　everywhere　　countless　thousands　of

them　　but　none　paid　the　slightest　heed　to　the

visitors　from　the　earth's　surface。　Yet；　although　Inga

and　Rinkitink　walked　until　they　were　weary；　they　were

unable　to　locate　the　place　where　the　boy's　father　and

mother　had　been　confined；　and　when　they　tried　to　return

to　their　own　rooms　they　found　that　they　had　hopelessly

lost　themselves　amid　the　labyrinth　of　passages。

However；　Klik　presently　came　to　them；　laughing　at　their

discomfiture；　and　led　them　back　to　their　bedchambers。



Before　they　went　to　sleep　they　carefully　barred　the

door　from　Rinkitink's　room　to　the　corridor；　but　the

doors　that　connected　the　three　rooms　one　with　another

were　left　wide　open。



In　the　night　Inga　was　awakened　by　a　soft　grating

sound　that　filled　him　with　anxiety　because　he　could　not

account　for　it。　It　was　dark　in　his　room；　the　light

having　disappeared　as　soon　as　he　got　into　bed；　but　he

managed　to　feel　his　way　to　the　door　that　led　to

Rinkitink's　room　and　found　it　tightly　closed　and

immovable。　Then　he　made　his　way　to　the　opposite　door；

l