the lost princess of oz-第18节
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gates closed behind them and before them was a skinny
little man who bowed low and said in a sad voice：
〃If you will be so obliging as to dismount； it will
give me pleasure to lead you into the presence of the
World's Most Mighty Ruler； Vig the Czarover。〃
〃I don't believe it！〃 said Dorothy indignantly。
〃What don't you believe？〃 asked the man。
〃I don't believe your Czarover can hold a candle to
our Ozma。〃
〃He wouldn't hold a candle under any circumstances；
or to any living person；〃 replied the man very
seriously； 〃for he has slaves to do such things and the
Mighty Vig is too dignified to do anything that others
can do for him。 He even obliges a slave to sneeze for
him； if ever he catches cold。 However； if you dare to
face our powerful ruler； follow me。〃
〃We dare anything；〃 said the Wizard； 〃so go ahead。〃
Through several marble corridors having lofty
ceilings they passed； finding each corridor and doorway
guarded by servants； but these servants of the palace
were of the people and not giants； and they were so
thin that they almost resembled skeletons。 Finally they
entered a great circular room with a high domed ceiling
where the Czarover sat on a throne cut from a solid
block of white marble and decorated with purple silk
hangings and gold tassels。
The ruler of these people was combing his eyebrows
when our friends entered his throneroom and stood
before him； but he put the comb in his pocket and
examined the strangers with evident curiosity。 Then he
said：
〃Dear me； what a surprise！ You have really shocked
me。 For no outsider has ever before come to our City of
Herku； and I cannot imagine why you have ventured to do
so。〃
〃We are looking for Ozma； the Supreme Ruler of the
Land of Oz；〃 replied the Wizard。
〃Do you see her anywhere around here？〃 asked the
Czarover。
〃Not yet； Your Majesty； but perhaps you may tell us
where she is。〃
〃No； I have my hands full keeping track of my own
people。 I find them hard to manage because they are so
tremendously strong。〃
〃They don't look very strong；〃 said Dorothy。 〃It
seems as if a good wind would blow em way out of the
city； if it wasn't for the wall。〃
〃Just so just so；〃 admitted the Czarover。 〃They
really look that way； don't they？ But you must never
trust to appearances； which have a way of fooling one。
Perhaps you noticed that I prevented you from meeting
any of my people。 I protected you with my giants while
you were on the way from the gates to my palace； so
that not a Herku got near you。〃
〃Are your people so dangerous； then？〃 asked the
Wizard。
〃To strangers； yes； but only because they are so
friendly。 For； if they shake hands with you； they are
likely to break your arms or crush your fingers to a
jelly。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Button…Bright。
〃Because we are the strongest people in all the
world。〃
〃Pshaw！〃 exclaimed the boy； 〃that's bragging。 You
prob'ly don't know how strong other people are。 Why；
once I knew a man in Philadelphi' who could bend iron
bars with just his hands！〃
〃But…mercy me！…it's no trick to bend iron bars；〃 said
His Majesty。 〃Tell me； could this man crush a block of
stone with his bare hands？〃
〃No one could do that；〃 declared the boy。
〃If I had a block of stone I'd show you；〃 said the
Czarover； looking around the room。 〃Ah； here is my
throne。 The back is too high； anyhow； so I'll just
break off a piece of that。〃
He rose to his feet and tottered in an uncertain way
around the throne。 Then he took hold of the back and
broke off a piece of marble over a foot thick。
〃This；〃 said he； coming back to his seat； is very
solid marble and much harder than ordinary stone。 Yet I
can crumble it easily with my fingers a proof that I
am very strong。〃
Even as he spoke he began breaking off chunks of
marble and crumbling them as one would a bit of earth。
The Wizard was so astonished that he took a piece in
his own hands and tested it； finding it very hard
indeed。
Just then one of the giant servants entered and
exclaimed：
〃Oh； Your Majesty； the cook has burned the soup！ What
shall we do？〃
〃How dare you interrupt me？〃 asked the Czarover； and
grasping the immense giant by one of his legs he raised
him in the air and threw him headfirst out of an open
window。
〃Now； tell me；〃 he said； turning to Button…Bright；
〃could your man in Philadelphia crumble marble in his
fingers？〃
〃I guess not；〃 said Button…Bright； much impressed by
the skinny monarch's strength。
〃What makes you so strong？〃 inquired Dorothy。
〃It's the zosozo；〃 he explained； 〃which is an
invention of my own。 I and all my people eat zosozo；
and it gives us tremendous strength。 Would you like to
eat some？〃
〃No； thank you；〃 replied the girl。 〃I I don't want
to get so thin。〃
〃Well； of course one can't have strength and flesh at
the same time；〃 said the Czarover。 〃Zosozo is pure
energy； and it's the only compound of its sort in
existence。 I never allow our giants to have it； you
know； or they would soon become our masters； since they
are bigger than we； so I keep all the stuff locked up
in my private laboratory。 Once a year I feed a
teaspoonful of it to each of my people men； women
and children so every one of them is nearly as
strong as I am。 Wouldn't you like a dose； sir？〃 he
asked； turning to the Wizard。
〃Well；〃 said the Wizard； 〃if you would give me a
little zosozo in a bottle； I'd like to take it with me
on my travels。 It might come handy； on occasion。〃
〃To be sure。 I'll give you enough for six doses；〃
promised the Czarover。 〃But don't take more than a
teaspoonful at a time。 Once Ugu the Shoemaker took two
teaspoonsful； and it made him so strong that when he
leaned against the city wall he pushed it over； and we
had to build it up again。〃
〃Who is Ugu the Shoemaker？〃 asked Button…Bright
curiously； for he now remembered that the bird and the
rabbit had claimed Ugu the Shoemaker had enchanted the
peach he had eaten。
〃Why； Ugu is a great magician； who used to live here。
But he's gone away； now；〃 replied the Czarover。
〃Where has he gone？〃 asked the Wizard quickly。
〃I am told he lives in a wickerwork castle in the
mountains to the west of here。 You see； Ugu became such
a powerful magician that he didn't care to live in our
city any longer； for fear we would discover some of his
secrets。 So he went to the mountains and built him a
splendid wicker castle； which is so strong that even I
and my people could not batter it down； and there he
lives all by himself。〃
〃This is good news；〃 declared the Wizard； 〃for I
think this is just the magician we are searching for。
But why is he called Ugu the Shoemaker？〃
〃Once he was a very common citizen here and made
shoes for a living；〃 replied the monarch of Herku。 〃But
he was descended from the greatest wizard and sorcerer
who has ever lived in this or in any other country …
… and one day Ugu the Shoemaker discovered all the
magical books and recipes of his famous great…grand…
father； which had been hidden away in the attic of his
house。 So he began to study the papers and books and to
practice magic； and in time he became so skillful that；
as I said； he scorned our city and built a solitary
castle for himself。〃
〃Do you think；〃 asked Dorothy anxiously； 〃that Ugu
the Shoemaker would he wicked enough to steal our Ozma
of Oz？〃
〃And the Magic Picture？〃 asked Trot。
〃And the Great Book of Records of Glinda the Good？〃
asked Betsy。
〃And my own magic tools？〃 asked the Wizard。
〃Well；〃 replied Czarover； 〃I won't say that Ugu is
wicked； exactly； but he is very ambitious to become the
most powerful magician in the world； and so I suppose
he would not be too proud to steal any magic things
that belonged to anybody else if he could manage to
do so。〃
〃But how about Ozma？ Why would he wish to steal her？〃
questioned Dorothy。
〃Don't ask me； my dear。 Ugu doesn't tell me wh
