rinkitink in oz-第29节

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although　such　a　distance　would　have　required　several

days　travel　had　they　not　been　walking　on　the　Magic

Carpet。　On　arriving　they　at　once　walked　toward　the

entrance　to　the　caverns　of　the　nomes。



The　Wizard　carried　a　little　black　bag　containing　his

tools　of　wizardry；　while　Dorothy　carried　over　her　arm　a

covered　basket　in　which　she　had　placed　a　dozen　eggs；

with　which　to　conquer　the　nomes　if　she　had　any　trouble

with　them。



Eggs　may　seem　to　you　to　be　a　queer　weapon　with　which

to　fight；　but　the　little　girl　well　knew　their　value。

The　nomes　are　immortal；　that　is；　they　do　not　perish；　as

mortals　do；　unless　they　happen　to　come　in　contact　with

an　egg。　If　an　egg　touches　them　　either　the　outer

shell　or　the　inside　of　the　egg　　the　nomes　lose　their

charm　of　perpetual　life　and　thereafter　are　liable　to

die　through　accident　or　old　age；　just　as　all　humans

are。



For　this　reason　the　sight　of　an　egg　fills　a　nome　with

terror　and　he　will　do　anything　to　prevent　an　egg　from

touching　him；　even　for　an　instant。　So；　when　Dorothy

took　her　basket　of　eggs　with　her；　she　knew　that　she　was

more　powerfully　armed　than　if　she　had　a　regiment　of

soldiers　at　her　back。









Chapter　Twenty…One



The　Wizard　Finds　an　Enchantment





After　Kaliko　had　failed　in　his　attempts　to　destroy　his

guests；　as　has　been　related；　the　Nome　King　did　nothing

more　to　injure　them　but　treated　them　in　a　friendly

manner。　He　refused；　however；　to　permit　Inga　to　see　or

to　speak　with　his　father　and　mother；　or　even　to　know　in

what　part　of　the　underground　caverns　they　were

confined。



〃You　are　able　to　protect　your　lives　and　persons；　I

freely　admit；〃　said　Kaliko；　〃but　I　firmly　believe　you

have　no　power；　either　of　magic　or　otherwise；　to　take

from　me　the　captives　I　have　agreed　to　keep　for　King

Gos。〃



Inga　would　not　agree　to　this。　He　determined　not　to

leave　the　caverns　until　he　had　liberated　his　father　and

mother；　although　he　did　not　then　know　how　that　could　be

accomplished。　As　for　Rinkitink；　the　jolly　King　was　well

fed　and　had　a　good　bed　to　sleep　upon；　so　he　was　not

worrying　about　anything　and　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　go

away。



Kaliko　and　Rinkitink　were　engaged　in　pitching　a　game

with　solid　gold　quoits；　on　the　floor　of　the　royal

chamber；　and　Inga　and　Bilbil　were　watching　them；　when

Klik　came　running　in；　his　hair　standing　on　end　with

excitement；　and　cried　out　that　the　Wizard　of　Oz　and

Dorothy　were　approaching。



Kaliko　turned　pale　on　hearing　this　unwelcome　news

and；　abandoning　his　game；　went　to　sit　in　his　ivory

throne　and　try　to　think　what　had　brought　these　fearful

visitors　to　his　domain。



〃Who　is　Dorothy？〃　asked　Inga。



〃She　is　a　little　girl　who　once　lived　in　Kansas；〃

replied　Klik；　with　a　shudder；　〃but　she　now　lives　in

Ozma's　palace　at　the　Emerald　City　and　is　a　Princess　of

Oz　　which　means　that　she　is　a　terrible　foe　to　deal

with。〃



〃Doesn't　she　like　the　nomes？〃　inquired　the　boy。



〃It　isn't　that；〃　said　King　Kaliko；　with　a　groan；　〃but

she　insists　on　the　nomes　being　goody…goody；　which　is

contrary　to　their　natures。　Dorothy　gets　angry　if　I　do

the　least　thing　that　is　wicked；　and　tries　to　make　me

stop　it；　and　that　naturally　makes　me　downhearted。　I

can't　imagine　why　she　has　come　here　just　now；　for　I've

been　behaving　very　well　lately。　As　for　that　Wizard　of

Oz；　he's　chock…full　of　magic　that　I　can't　overcome；　for

he　learned　it　from　Glinda；　who　is　the　most　powerful

sorceress　in　the　world。　Woe　is　me！　Why　didn't　Dorothy

and　the　Wizard　stay　in　Oz；　where　they　belong？〃



Inga　and　Rinkitink　listened　to　this　with　much　joy；

for　at　once　the　idea　came　to　them　both　to　plead　with

Dorothy　to　help　them。　Even　Bilbil　pricked　up　his　ears

when　he　heard　the　Wizard　of　Oz　mentioned；　and　the　goat

seemed　much　less　surly；　and　more　thoughtful　than　usual。



A　few　minutes　later　a　nome　came　to　say　that　Dorothy

and　the　Wizard　had　arrived　and　demanded　admittance；　so

Klik　was　sent　to　usher　them　into　the　royal　presence　of

the　Nome　King。



As　soon　as　she　came　in　the　little　girl　ran　up　to　the

boy　Prince　and　seized　both　his　hands。



〃Oh；　Inga！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I'm　so　glad　to　find　you

alive　and　well。〃



Inga　was　astonished　at　so　warm　a　greeting。　Making　a

low　bow　he　said：



〃I　don't　think　we　have　met　before；　Princess。〃



〃No；　indeed；〃　replied　Dorothy；　〃but　I　know　all　about

you　and　I've　come　to　help　you　and　King　Rinkitink　out　of

your　troubles。〃　Then　she　turned　to　the　Nome　King　and

continued：　〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　King

Kaliko；　to　treat　an　honest　Prince　and　an　honest　King　so

badly。〃



〃I　haven't　done　anything　to　them；〃　whined　Kaliko；

trembling　as　her　eyes　flashed　upon　him。



〃No；　but　you　tried　to；　an'　that's　just　as　bad；　if　not

worse；〃　said　Dorothy；　who　was　very　indignant。　〃And　now

I　want　you　to　send　for　the　King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree

and　have　them　brought　here　immejitly！〃



〃I　won't；〃　said　Kaliko。



〃Yes；　you　will！〃　cried　Dorothy；　stamping　her　foot　at

him。　〃I　won't　have　those　poor　people　made　unhappy　any

longer；　or　separated　from　their　little　boy。　Why；　it's

dreadful；　Kaliko；　an'　I'm　su'prised　at　you。　You　must　be

more　wicked　than　I　thought　you　were。〃



〃I　can't　do　it；　Dorothy；〃　said　the　Nome　King；　almost

weeping　with　despair。　〃I　promised　King　Gos　I'd　keep

them　captives。　You　wouldn't　ask　me　to　break　my　promise；

would　you？〃



〃King　Gos　was　a　robber　and　an　outlaw；〃　she　said；　〃and

p'r'aps　you　don't　know　that　a　storm　at　sea　wrecked　his

boat；　while　he　was　going　back　to　Regos；　and　that　he　and

Queen　Cor　were　both　drowned。〃



〃Dear　me！〃　exclaimed　Kaliko。　〃Is　that　so？〃



〃I　saw　it　in　Glinda's　Record　Book；〃　said　Dorothy。　〃So

now　you　trot　out　the　King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree　as

quick　as　you　can。〃



〃No；〃　persisted　the　contrary　Nome　King；　shaking　his

head。　〃I　won't　do　it。　Ask　me　anything　else　and　I'll　try

to　please　you；　but　I　can't　allow　these　friendly　enemies

to　triumph　over　me。



〃In　that　case；〃　said　Dorothy；　beginning　to　remove　the

cover　from　her　basket；　〃I'll　show　you　some　eggs。〃



〃Eggs！〃　screamed　the　Nome　King　in　horror。　〃Have　you

eggs　in　that　basket？〃



〃A　dozen　of　'em；〃　replied　Dorothy。



〃Then　keep　them　there　　I　beg　　I　implore　you！　

and　I'll　do　anything　you　say；〃　pleaded　Kaliko；　his

teeth　chattering　so　that　he　could　hardly　speak。



〃Send　for　the　King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree；〃　said

Dorothy。



〃Go；　Klik；〃　commanded　the　Nome　King；　and　Klik　ran

away　in　great　haste；　for　he　was　almost　as　much

frightened　as　his　master。



It　was　an　affecting　scene　when　the　unfortunate　King

and　Queen　of　Pingaree　entered　the　chamber　and　with　sobs

and　tears　of　joy　embraced　their　brave　and　adventurous

son。　All　the　others　stood　silent　until　greetings　and

kisses　had　been　exchanged　and　Inga　had　told　his　parents

in　a　few　words　of　his　vain　struggles　to　rescue　them　and

how　Princess　Dorothy　had　finally　come　to　his

assistance。



Then　King　Kitticut　shook　the　hands　of　his　friend　King

Rinkitink　and　thanked　him　for　so　loyally　supporting　his

son　Inga；　and　Queen　Garee　kissed　little　Dorothy's

forehead　and　blessed　her　for　restoring　her　husband　and

herself　to　freedom。



The　Wizard　had　been　standing　near　Bilbil　the　goat　and

now　he　was　surprised　to　hear　the　animal　say：



〃Joyful　reunion；　isn't　it？　But　it　makes　me　tired　to

see　grown　people　cry　like　children。〃



〃Oho！〃　exclaimed　the　Wizard。　〃How　does　it　happen；　Mr。

Goat；　that　you；　who　have　never　been　to　the　Land　of　Oz；

are　able　to　talk？〃



〃That's　my　business；〃　returned　Bilbil　in　a　surly

tone。



The　Wizard　stooped　down　and　gazed　fixedly　into　the

animal's　eyes。　Then　he　said；　with　a　pitying　sigh：　〃I

see；　you　are　under　an　enchantment。　Indeed；　I　believe

you　to　be　Prince　Bobo　of　Boboland。〃



Bilbil　made　no　reply　but　dropped　his　head　as　if

ashamed。



〃This　is　a　great　discovery；〃　said　the　Wizard；

addressing　Dorothy　and　the　others　of　the　party。　〃A　good

many　years　ago　a　cruel　magician　transformed　the　gallant

Prince　of　Boboland　into　a　talking　goat；　and　this　goat；

being　ashamed　of　his　condition；　ran　away　and　was　never

after　seen　in　Boboland；　which　is　a　country　far　to　the

south　of　here　but　bordering　on　the　Deadly　Desert；

opposite　the　Land　of　Oz。　I　heard　of　this　story　long　ago

and　know　that　a　diligent　search　has　been　made　for　the

enchanted　Prince；　without　result。　But　I　am　well　assured

that；　in　the　animal　you　call　Bilbil；　I　have　discovered

the　unhappy　Prince　of　Boboland。〃



〃Dear　me；　Bilbil；〃　said　Rinkitink；　〃why　have　you

never　told　me　this？〃



〃What　would　be　the　use？〃　asked　Bilbil　in　a　low　voice

and　still　refusing　to　look　up。



〃The　use？〃　repeated　Rinkitink；　puzzled。



〃Yes；　that's　the　trouble；〃　said　the　Wizard。　〃It　is

one　of　the　most　powerful　enchantments　ever

accomplished；　and　the　magician　is　now　dead　and　the

secret　of　the　anti…charm　lost。　Even　I；　with　all　my

skill；　cannot　restore　Prince　Bobo　to　his　proper　form。