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第13节

the lost princess of oz-第13节

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whatever。 The expression of their faces was pleasant



enough; although they now showed surprise at the



appearance of strangers so unlike themselves; and our



friends thought they seemed quite harmless。







〃I beg your pardon;〃 said the Wizard; speaking for



his party; 〃for intruding upon you uninvited; but we



are traveling on important business and find it



necessary to visit your city。 Will you kindly tell us



by what name your city is called?〃







They looked at one another uncertainly; each



expecting some other to answer。 Finally a short one



whose heart…shaped body was very broad replied:







〃We have no occasion to call our city anything。 It is



where we live; that is all。〃







〃But by what name do others call your city?〃 asked



the Wizard。







〃We know of no others; except yourselves;〃 said the



man。 And then he inquired: 〃Were you born with those



queer forms you have; or has some cruel magician



transformed you to them from your natural shapes?〃







〃These are our natural shapes;〃 declared the Wizard;



〃and we consider them very good shapes; too。〃







The group of inhabitants was constantly being



enlarged by others who joined it。 All were evidently



startled and uneasy at the arrival of strangers。







〃Have you a King?〃 asked Dorothy; who knew it was



better to speak with someone in authority。 But the man



shook his diamond…like head。







〃What is a King?〃 he asked。







〃Isn't there anyone who rules over you?〃 inquired the



Wizard。







〃No;〃 was the reply; 〃each of us rules himself; or;



at least; tries to do so。 It is not an easy thing to



do; as you probably know。〃







The Wizard reflected。







〃If you have disputes among you;〃 said he; after a



little thought; 〃who settles them?〃







〃The High Coco…Lorum;〃 they answered in a chorus。







〃And who is he?〃







〃The judge who enforces the laws;〃 said the man who



had first spoken。







〃Then he is the principal person here?〃 continued the



Wizard。







〃Well; I would not say that;〃 returned the man in a



puzzled way。 〃The High Cocolorum is a public servant。



However; he represents the laws; which we must all



obey。〃







〃I think;〃 said the Wizard; 〃we ought to see your



High Coco…Lorum and talk with him。 Our mission here



requires us to consult one high in authority; and the



High Coco…Lorum ought to be high; whatever else he is。〃







The inhabitants seemed to consider this proposition



reasonable; for they nodded their diamond…shaped heads



in approval。 So the broad one who had been their



spokesman said: 〃Follow me;〃 and; turning; led the way



along one of the streets。







The entire party followed him; the natives falling in



behind。 The dwellings they passed were quite nicely



planned and seemed comfortable and convenient。 After



leading them a few blocks their conductor stopped



before a house which was neither better nor worse than



the others。 The doorway was shaped to admit the



strangely formed bodies of these people; being narrow



at the top; broad in the middle and tapering at the



bottom。 The windows were made in much the same way;



giving the house a most peculiar appearance。 When their



guide opened the gate a music…box concealed in the



gate…post began to play; and the sound attracted the



attention of the High Coco…Lorum; who appeared at an



open window and inquired:







〃What has happened now?〃







But in the same moment his eyes fell upon the



strangers and he hastened to open the door and admit



them  all but the animals; which were left outside



with the throng of natives that had now gathered。 For a



small city there seemed to be a large number of



inhabitants; but they did not try to enter the house



and contented themselves with staring curiously at the



strange animals。 Toto followed Dorothy。







Our friends entered a large room at the front of the



house; where the High Coco…Lorum asked them to be



seated。







〃I hope your mission here is a peaceful one;〃 he



said; looking a little worried; 〃for the Thists are not



very good fighters and object to being conquered。〃







〃Are your people called Thists?〃 asked Dorothy。







〃Yes。 I thought you knew that。 And we call our city



Thi。〃







〃Oh!〃







〃We are Thists because we eat thistles; you know;〃



continued the High Coco…Lorum。







〃Do you really eat those prickly things?〃 inquired



Button…Bright wonderingly。







〃Why not?〃 replied the other。 〃The sharp points of



the thistles cannot hurt us; because all our insides



are gold…lined。〃







〃Gold…lined!〃







〃To be sure。 Our throats and stomachs are lined with



solid gold; and we find the thistles nourishing and



good to eat。 As a matter of fact; there is nothing else



in our country that is fit for food。 All around the



City of Thi grow countless thistles; and all we need do



is to go and gather them。 If we wanted anything else to



eat we would have to plant it; and grow it; and harvest



it; and that would be a lot of trouble and make us



work; which is an occupation we detest。〃







〃But; tell me; please;〃 said the Wizard; 〃how does it



happen that your city jumps around so; from one part of



the country to another?〃







〃The city doesn't jump; it doesn't move at all;〃



declared the High Coco…Lorum。 〃However; I will admit



that the land that surrounds it has a trick of turning



this way or that; and so; if one is standing upon the



plain and facing north; he is likely to find himself



suddenly facing west  or east  or south。 But once



you reach the thistle fields you are on solid ground。〃







〃Ah; I begin to understand;〃 said the Wizard; nodding



his head。 〃But I have another question to ask: How does



it happen that the Thists have no King to rule over



them?〃







〃Hush!〃 whispered the High Coco…Lorum; looking



uneasily around to make sure they were not overheard。



〃In reality; I am the King; but the people don't know



it。 They think they rule themselves; but the fact is I



have everything my own way。 No one else knows anything



about our laws; and so I make the laws to suit myself。



If any oppose me; or question my acts; I tell them it's



the law; and that settles it。 If I called myself King;



however; and wore a crown and lived in royal state; the



people would not like me; and might do me harm。 As the



High Coco…Lorum of Thi; I'm considered a very agreeable



person。〃







〃It seems a very clever arrangement;〃 said the



Wizard。 〃And now; as you are the principal person in



Thi; I beg you to tell us if the Royal Ozma is a



captive in your city。〃







〃No;〃 answered the diamond…headed man; 〃we have no



captives。 No strangers but yourselves are here; and we



have never before heard of the Royal Ozma。〃







〃She rules all of Oz;〃 said Dorothy; 〃and so she



rules your city and you; because you are in the Winkie



Country; which is a part of the Land of Oz。〃







〃It may be;〃 returned the High Coco…Lorum; 〃for we do



not study geography and have never inquired whether we



live in the Land of Oz or not。 And any Ruler who rules



us from a distance; and unknown to us; is welcome to



the job。 But what has happened to your Royal Ozma?〃







〃Someone has stolen her;〃 said the Wizard。 〃Do you



happen to have any talented magician among your people



 one who is especially clever; you know?〃







〃No; none especially clever。 We do some magic; of



course; but it is all of the ordinary kind。 I do not



think any of us has yet aspired to stealing Rulers;



either by magic or otherwise。〃







〃Then we've come a long way for nothing!〃 exclaimed



Trot regretfully。







〃But we are going farther than this;〃 asserted the



Patchwork Girl; bending her stuffed body backward until



her yarn hair touched the floor and then walking around



on her hands with her feet in the air。







The High Coco…Lorum watched Scraps admiringly。







〃You may go farther on; of course;〃 said he; 〃but I



advise you not to。 The Herkus live back of us; beyond



the thistles and the twisting lands; and they are not



very nice people to meet; I assure you。〃







〃Are they giants?〃 asked Betsy。







〃They are worse than that;〃 was the reply。 〃They have



giants for their slaves and they are so much 

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