the wonderful wizard of oz-第12节

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emeralds。　　They　walked　over　a　pavement　of　the　same　green　marble；

and　where　the　blocks　were　joined　together　were　rows　of　emeralds；

set　closely；　and　glittering　in　the　brightness　of　the　sun。　　The

window　panes　were　of　green　glass；　even　the　sky　above　the　City　had

a　green　tint；　and　the　rays　of　the　sun　were　green。



　　　　There　were　many　peoplemen；　women；　and　childrenwalking　about；

and　these　were　all　dressed　in　green　clothes　and　had　greenish　skins。

They　looked　at　Dorothy　and　her　strangely　assorted　company　with

wondering　eyes；　and　the　children　all　ran　away　and　hid　behind

their　mothers　when　they　saw　the　Lion；　but　no　one　spoke　to　them。

Many　shops　stood　in　the　street；　and　Dorothy　saw　that　everything

in　them　was　green。　　Green　candy　and　green　pop　corn　were　offered

for　sale；　as　well　as　green　shoes；　green　hats；　and　green　clothes

of　all　sorts。　　At　one　place　a　man　was　selling　green　lemonade；

and　when　the　children　bought　it　Dorothy　could　see　that　they　paid

for　it　with　green　pennies。



　　　　There　seemed　to　be　no　horses　nor　animals　of　any　kind；　the　men

carried　things　around　in　little　green　carts；　which　they　pushed

before　them。　　Everyone　seemed　happy　and　contented　and　prosperous。



　　　　The　Guardian　of　the　Gates　led　them　through　the　streets　until

they　came　to　a　big　building；　exactly　in　the　middle　of　the　City；

which　was　the　Palace　of　Oz；　the　Great　Wizard。　　There　was　a　soldier

before　the　door；　dressed　in　a　green　uniform　and　wearing　a　long

green　beard。



　　　　〃Here　are　strangers；〃　said　the　Guardian　of　the　Gates　to　him；

〃and　they　demand　to　see　the　Great　Oz。〃



　　　　〃Step　inside；〃　answered　the　soldier；　〃and　I　will　carry　your

message　to　him。〃



　　　　So　they　passed　through　the　Palace　Gates　and　were　led　into　a

big　room　with　a　green　carpet　and　lovely　green　furniture　set　with

emeralds。　　The　soldier　made　them　all　wipe　their　feet　upon　a　green

mat　before　entering　this　room；　and　when　they　were　seated　he　said

politely：



　　　　〃Please　make　yourselves　comfortable　while　I　go　to　the　door　of

the　Throne　Room　and　tell　Oz　you　are　here。〃



　　　　They　had　to　wait　a　long　time　before　the　soldier　returned。

When；　at　last；　he　came　back；　Dorothy　asked：



　　　　〃Have　you　seen　Oz？〃



　　　　〃Oh；　no；〃　returned　the　soldier；　〃I　have　never　seen　him。

But　I　spoke　to　him　as　he　sat　behind　his　screen　and　gave　him　your

message。　　He　said　he　will　grant　you　an　audience；　if　you　so　desire；

but　each　one　of　you　must　enter　his　presence　alone；　and　he　will

admit　but　one　each　day。　　Therefore；　as　you　must　remain　in　the

Palace　for　several　days；　I　will　have　you　shown　to　rooms　where　you

may　rest　in　comfort　after　your　journey。〃



　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃that　is　very　kind　of　Oz。〃



　　　　The　soldier　now　blew　upon　a　green　whistle；　and　at　once　a　young　girl；

dressed　in　a　pretty　green　silk　gown；　entered　the　room。　　She　had　lovely

green　hair　and　green　eyes；　and　she　bowed　low　before　Dorothy　as　she　said；

〃Follow　me　and　I　will　show　you　your　room。〃



　　　　So　Dorothy　said　good…bye　to　all　her　friends　except　Toto；　and

taking　the　dog　in　her　arms　followed　the　green　girl　through　seven

passages　and　up　three　flights　of　stairs　until　they　came　to　a　room

at　the　front　of　the　Palace。　　It　was　the　sweetest　little　room　in

the　world；　with　a　soft　comfortable　bed　that　had　sheets　of　green

silk　and　a　green　velvet　counterpane。　　There　was　a　tiny　fountain　in

the　middle　of　the　room；　that　shot　a　spray　of　green　perfume　into

the　air；　to　fall　back　into　a　beautifully　carved　green　marble　basin。

Beautiful　green　flowers　stood　in　the　windows；　and　there　was　a　shelf

with　a　row　of　little　green　books。　　When　Dorothy　had　time　to　open

these　books　she　found　them　full　of　queer　green　pictures　that　made

her　laugh；　they　were　so　funny。



　　　　In　a　wardrobe　were　many　green　dresses；　made　of　silk　and　satin

and　velvet；　and　all　of　them　fitted　Dorothy　exactly。



　　　　〃Make　yourself　perfectly　at　home；〃　said　the　green　girl；

〃and　if　you　wish　for　anything　ring　the　bell。　　Oz　will　send

for　you　tomorrow　morning。〃



　　　　She　left　Dorothy　alone　and　went　back　to　the　others。　　These　she

also　led　to　rooms；　and　each　one　of　them　found　himself　lodged　in　a

very　pleasant　part　of　the　Palace。　　Of　course　this　politeness　was

wasted　on　the　Scarecrow；　for　when　he　found　himself　alone　in　his

room　he　stood　stupidly　in　one　spot；　just　within　the　doorway；　to

wait　till　morning。　　It　would　not　rest　him　to　lie　down；　and　he

could　not　close　his　eyes；　so　he　remained　all　night　staring　at　a

little　spider　which　was　weaving　its　web　in　a　corner　of　the　room；

just　as　if　it　were　not　one　of　the　most　wonderful　rooms　in　the　world。

The　Tin　Woodman　lay　down　on　his　bed　from　force　of　habit；　for　he

remembered　when　he　was　made　of　flesh；　but　not　being　able　to　sleep；

he　passed　the　night　moving　his　joints　up　and　down　to　make　sure　they

kept　in　good　working　order。　　The　Lion　would　have　preferred　a　bed　of

dried　leaves　in　the　forest；　and　did　not　like　being　shut　up　in　a　room；

but　he　had　too　much　sense　to　let　this　worry　him；　so　he　sprang　upon

the　bed　and　rolled　himself　up　like　a　cat　and　purred　himself　asleep

in　a　minute。



　　　　The　next　morning；　after　breakfast；　the　green　maiden　came　to

fetch　Dorothy；　and　she　dressed　her　in　one　of　the　prettiest　gowns；

made　of　green　brocaded　satin。　　Dorothy　put　on　a　green　silk　apron

and　tied　a　green　ribbon　around　Toto's　neck；　and　they　started

for　the　Throne　Room　of　the　Great　Oz。



　　　　First　they　came　to　a　great　hall　in　which　were　many　ladies　and

gentlemen　of　the　court；　all　dressed　in　rich　costumes。　　These

people　had　nothing　to　do　but　talk　to　each　other；　but　they　always

came　to　wait　outside　the　Throne　Room　every　morning；　although　they

were　never　permitted　to　see　Oz。　　As　Dorothy　entered　they　looked　at

her　curiously；　and　one　of　them　whispered：



　　　　〃Are　you　really　going　to　look　upon　the　face　of　Oz　the　Terrible？〃



　　　　〃Of　course；〃　answered　the　girl；　〃if　he　will　see　me。〃



　　　　〃Oh；　he　will　see　you；〃　said　the　soldier　who　had　taken　her

message　to　the　Wizard；　〃although　he　does　not　like　to　have　people

ask　to　see　him。　　Indeed；　at　first　he　was　angry　and　said　I　should

send　you　back　where　you　came　from。　　Then　he　asked　me　what　you

looked　like；　and　when　I　mentioned　your　silver　shoes　he　was　very

much　interested。　　At　last　I　told　him　about　the　mark　upon　your

forehead；　and　he　decided　he　would　admit　you　to　his　presence。〃



　　　　Just　then　a　bell　rang；　and　the　green　girl　said　to　Dorothy；

〃That　is　the　signal。　　You　must　go　into　the　Throne　Room　alone。〃



　　　　She　opened　a　little　door　and　Dorothy　walked　boldly　through　and

found　herself　in　a　wonderful　place。　　It　was　a　big；　round　room　with

a　high　arched　roof；　and　the　walls　and　ceiling　and　floor　were　covered

with　large　emeralds　set　closely　together。　　In　the　center　of　the　roof

was　a　great　light；　as　bright　as　the　sun；　which　made　the　emeralds

sparkle　in　a　wonderful　manner。



　　　　But　what　interested　Dorothy　most　was　the　big　throne　of　green

marble　that　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　　It　was　shaped　like　a

chair　and　sparkled　with　gems；　as　did　everything　else。　　In　the

center　of　the　chair　was　an　enormous　Head；　without　a　body　to

support　it　or　any　arms　or　legs　whatever。　　There　was　no　hair　upon

this　head；　but　it　had　eyes　and　a　nose　and　mouth；　and　was　much

bigger　than　the　head　of　the　biggest　giant。



　　　　As　Dorothy　gazed　upon　this　in　wonder　and　fear；　the　eyes　turned

slowly　and　looked　at　her　sharply　and　steadily。　　Then　the　mouth

moved；　and　Dorothy　heard　a　voice　say：



　　　　〃I　am　Oz；　the　Great　and　Terrible。　　Who　are　you；　and　why　do　you

seek　me？〃



　　　　It　was　not　such　an　awful　voice　as　she　had　expected　to　come

from　the　big　Head；　so　she　took　courage　and　answered：



　　　　〃I　am　Dorothy；　the　Small　and　Meek。　　I　have　come　to　you　for　help。〃



　　　　The　eyes　looked　at　her　thoughtfully　for　a　full　minute。

Then　said　the　voice：



　　　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　silver　shoes？〃



　　　　〃I　got　them　from　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　East；　when　my　house

fell　on　her　and　killed　her；〃　she　replied。



　　　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　mark　upon　your　forehead？〃　continued　the　voice。



　　　　〃That　is　where　the　Good　Witch　of　the　North　kissed　me　when　she

bade　me　good…bye　and　sent　me　to　you；〃　said　the　girl。



　　　　Again　the　eyes　looked　at　her　sharply；　and　they　saw　she　was

telling　the　truth。　　Then　Oz　asked；　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do？〃



　　　　〃Send　me　back　to　Kansas；　where　my　Aunt　Em　and　Uncle　Henry　are；〃

she　answered　earnestly。　　〃I　don't　like　your　country；　although　it　is

so　beautiful。　　And　I　am　sure　Aunt　Em　will　be　dreadfully　worried　over

my　being　away　so　long。〃



　　　　The　eyes　winked　three　times；　and　then　they　turned　up　to　the

ceiling　and　down　to　the　floor　and　rolled　around　so　queerly　that

they　seemed　to　see　every　part　of　the　room。　　And　at　last　they

looked　at　Dorothy　again。



　　　　〃Why　should　I　do　this　for　you？〃　asked　Oz。



　　　　〃Because　you　are　strong　and　I　am　weak；　because　you　are　a　Great

Wizard　and　I　am　only　a　little　girl。〃



　　　　〃But　you　were　strong