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第17节

the lost princess of oz-第17节

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〃There were two reasons;〃 he explained。 〃One reason



was that I like peaches; and the other reason was that



I didn't know it was enchanted。〃







〃That won't save you from Ugu the Shoemaker;〃



declared the White Rabbit and it scurried away before



the boy could ask any more questions。







〃Rabbits and birds;〃 he thought; 〃are timid creatures



and seem afraid of this shoemaker  whoever he may be。



If there was another peach half as good as that other;



I'd eat it in spite of a dozen enchantments or a



hundred shoemakers!〃







Just then Scraps came dancing along and saw him



sitting at the foot of the tree。







〃Oh; here you are!〃 she said。 〃Up to your old tricks;



eh? Don't you know it's impolite to get lost and keep



everybody waiting for you? Come along; and I'll lead



you back to Dorothy and the others。〃







Button…Bright rose slowly to accompany her。







〃That wasn't much of a loss;〃 he said cheerfully。 〃I



haven't been gone half a day; so there's no harm done。〃







Dorothy; however; when the boy rejoined the party;



gave him a good scolding。







〃When we're doing such an important thing as



searching for Ozma;〃 said she; 〃it's naughty for you to



wander away; and keep us from getting on。  S'pose she's



a pris'ner  in a dungeon cell!  do you want to keep



our dear Ozma there any longer than we can help?〃







〃If she's in a dungeon cell; how are you going to get



her out?〃 inquired the boy。







〃Never you mind; we'll leave that to the Wizard; he's



sure to find a way。〃







The Wizard said nothing; for he realized that without



his magic tools he could do no more than any other



person。 But there was no use reminding his companions



of that fact; it might discourage them。







〃The important thing just now;〃 he remarked; 〃is to



find Ozma; and; as our party is again happily reunited;



I propose we move on。〃







As they came to the edge of the Great Orchard the sun



was setting and they knew it would soon be dark。 So it



was decided to camp under the trees; as another broad



plain was before them。 The Wizard spread the blankets



on a bed of soft leaves and presently all of them



except Scraps and the Sawhorse were fast asleep。 Toto



snuggled close to his friend the Lion; and the Woozy



snored so loudly that the Patchwork Girl covered his



square head with her apron to deaden the sound。



















Chapter Twelve







The Czarover of Herku











Trot wakened just as the sun rose and; slipping out of



the blankets; went to the edge of the Great Orchard and



looked across the plain。 Something glittered in the far



distance。







〃That looks like another city;〃 she said half aloud。







〃And another city it is;〃 declared Scraps; who had



crept to Trot's side unheard; for her stuffed feet made



no sound。 〃The Sawhorse and I made a journey in the



dark; while you were all asleep; and we found over



there a bigger city than Thi。 There's a wall around it;



too; but it has gates and plenty of pathways。〃







〃Did you go in?〃 asked Trot。







〃No; for the gates were locked and the wall was a



real wall。 So we came back here again。 It isn't far to



the city。 We can reach it in two hours after you've had



your breakfasts。〃







Trot went back and; finding the other girls now



awake; told them what Scraps had said。 So they



hurriedly ate some fruit  there were plenty of plums



and fijoas in this part of the orchard  and then they



mounted the animals and set out upon the journey to the



strange city。 Hank the Mule had breakfasted on grass



and the Lion had stolen away and found a breakfast to



his liking; he never told what it was; but Dorothy



hoped the little rabbits and the field mice had kept



out of his way。 She warned Toto not to chase birds and



gave the dog some apple; with which he was quite



content。 The Woozy was as fond of fruit as of any other



food; except honey; and the Sawhorse never ate at all。







Except for their worry over Ozma they were all in



good spirits as they proceeded swiftly over the plain。



Toto still worried over his lost growl; but like a wise



little dog kept his worry to himself。 Before long the



city grew nearer and they could examine it with



interest。







In outward appearance the place was more imposing



than Thi; and it was a square city; with a square;



four…sided wall around it and on each side was a square



gate of burnished copper。 Everything about the city



looked solid and substantial; there were no banners



flying and the towers that rose above the city wall



seemed bare of any ornament whatever。







A path led from the fruit orchard directly to one of



the city gates; showing that the inhabitants preferred



fruit to thistles。 Our friends followed this path to



the gate; which they found fast shut。 But the Wizard



advanced and pounded upon it with his fist; saying in a



loud voice: 〃Open!〃







At once there rose above the great wall a row



of immense heads; all of which looked down



at them as if to see who was intruding。 The size







of these heads was astonishing and our friends at once



realized that they belonged to giants; who were



standing within the city。 All had thick; bushy hair and



whiskers; on some the hair being white and on others



black or red or yellow; while the hair of a few was



just turning gray; showing that the giants were of all



ages。 However fierce the heads might seem the eyes were



mild in expression; as if the creatures had been long



subdued; and their faces expressed patience rather than



ferocity。







〃What's wanted?〃 asked one old giant; in a low;



grumbling voice。







〃We are strangers and we wish to enter the city;〃



replied the Wizard。







〃Do you come in war or peace?〃 asked another。







〃In peace; of course;〃 retorted the Wizard; and he



added impatiently: 〃Do we look like an army of



conquest?〃







〃No;〃 said the first giant who had spoken; 〃you look



like innocent tramps; but one never can tell by



appearances。 Wait here until we report to our masters。



No one can enter here without the permission of Vig;



the Czarover。〃







〃Who's that?〃 inquired Dorothy。 But the heads had all



bobbed down and disappeared behind the wall; so there



was no answer。







They waited a long time before the gate rolled back



with a rumbling sound and a loud voice cried: 〃Enter!〃



But they lost no time in taking advantage of the



invitation。







On either side of the broad street that led into the



city from the gate stood a row of huge giants  twenty



of them on a side and all standing so close together



that their elbows touched。 They wore uniforms of blue



and yellow and were armed with clubs as big around as



tree…trunks。 Each giant had around his neck a broad



band of gold; riveted on; to show he was a slave。







As our friends entered; riding upon the Lion; the



Woozy; the Sawhorse and the Mule; the giants half



turned and walked in two files on either side of them;



as if escorting them on their way。 It looked to Dorothy



as if all her party had been made prisoners; for even



mounted on their animals their heads scarcely reached



to the knees of the marching giants。 The girls and



Button…Bright were anxious to know what sort of a city



they had entered; and what the people were like who had



made these powerful creatures their slaves。 Through the



legs of the giants; as they walked; Dorothy could see



rows of houses on each side the street and throngs of



people standing on the sidewalks; but the people were



of ordinary size and the only remarkable thing about



them was the fact that they were dreadfully lean and



thin。 Between their skin and their bones there seemed



to be little or no flesh; and they were mostly stoop…



shouldered and weary looking; even to the little



children。







More and more Dorothy wondered how and why the great



giants had ever submitted to be come slaves of such



skinny; languid masters; but there was no chance to



question anyone until they arrived at a big palace



located in the heart of the city。 Here the giants



formed lines to the entrance and stood still while our



friends rode into the courtyard of the palace。 Then the



gates closed behind them and before them was a skinny



little man w

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