the lost princess of oz-第28节
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sourly on the others。
〃Come to think of it；〃 remarked the Wizard； 〃Ozma
couldn't be invisible； for she is a fairy and fairies
cannot be made invisible against their will。 Of course
she could be imprisoned by the magician； or even
enchanted； or transformed； in spite of her fairy
powers； but Ugu could not render her invisible by any
magic at his command。〃
〃I wonder if she's been transformed into Button…
Bright？〃 said Dorothy nervously。 Then she looked
steadily at the boy and asked： 〃Are you Ozma？ Tell me
truly！〃
Button…Bright laughed。
〃You're getting rattled； Dorothy；〃 he replied。
〃Nothing ever enchants me。 If I were Ozma； do
you think I'd have tumbled into that hole？〃
〃Anyhow；〃 said the Wizard； 〃Ozma would never try to
deceive her friends； or prevent them from recognizing
her； in whatever form she happened to be。 The puzzle
is still a puzzle； so let us go on to the wicker castle
and question the magician himself。 Since it was he who
stole our Ozma； Ugu is the one who must tell us where
to find her。〃
Chapter Twenty…One
Magic Against Magic
The Wizard's advice was good； so again they started in
the direction of the low mountain on the crest of which
the wicker castle had been built。 They had been
gradually advancing up hill； so now the elevation
seemed to them more like a round knoll than a mountain…
top。 However； the sides of the knoll were sloping and
covered with green grass； so there was a stiff climb
before them yet。
Undaunted； they plodded on and had almost
reached the knoll when they suddenly observed
that it was surrounded by a circle of flame。 At
first the flames barely rose above the ground； but
presently they grew higher and higher until a
circle of flaming tongues of fire taller than any
of their heads quite surrounded the hill on which
the wicker castle stood。 When they approached
the flames the heat was so intense that it drove
them back again。
〃This will never do for me！〃 exclaimed the Patchwork
Girl。 〃I catch fire very easily。〃
〃It won't do for me； either；〃 grumbled the Sawhorse；
prancing to the rear。
〃I also object strongly to fire；〃 said the Bear King；
following the Sawhorse to a safe distance and hugging
the little Pink Bear with his paws。
〃I suppose the foolish Shoemaker imagines these
blazes will stop us；〃 remarked the Wizard； with a smile
of scorn for Ugu。 〃But I am able to inform you that
this is merely a simple magic trick which the robber
stole from Glinda the Good； and by good fortune I know
how to destroy these flames； as well as how to produce
them。 Will some one of you kindly give me a match？〃
You may be sure the girls carried no matches； nor did
the Frogman or Cayke or any of the animals。 But Button…
Bright； after searching carefully through his pockets；
which contained all sorts of useful and useless things；
finally produced a match and handed it to the Wizard；
who tied it to the end of a branch which he tore from
a small tree growing near them。 Then the little Wizard
carefully lighted the match and running forward thrust
it into the nearest flame。 Instantly the circle of fire
began to die away and soon vanished completely； leaving
the way clear for them to proceed。
〃That was funny！〃 laughed Button…Bright。
〃Yes；〃 agreed the Wizard； 〃it seems odd that a little
match could destroy such a great circle of fire； but
when Glinda invented this trick she believed no one
would ever think of a match being a remedy for fire。 I
suppose even Ugu doesn't know how we managed to quench
the flames of his barrier； for only Glinda and I know
the secret。 Glinda's Book of Magic； which Ugu stole；
told how to make the flames； but not how to put them
out。〃
They now formed in marching order and proceeded to
advance up the slope of the hill； but had not gone far
when before them rose a wall of steel； the surface of
which was thickly covered with sharp； gleaming points
resembling daggers。 The wall completely surrounded the
wicker castle and its sharp points prevented anyone
from climbing it。 Even the Patchwork Girl might be
ripped to pieces if she dared attempt it。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed the Wizard cheerfully； 〃Ugu is now
using one of my own tricks against me。 But this is more
serious than the Barrier of Fire； because the only way
to destroy the wall is to get on the other side of it。〃
〃How can that be done？〃 asked Dorothy。
The Wizard looked thoughtfully around his little
party and his face grew troubled。
〃It's a pretty high wall；〃 he sadly remarked。 〃I'm
pretty sure the Cowardly Lion could not leap over it。〃
〃I'm sure of that； too！〃 said the Lion with a shudder
of fear。 〃If I foolishly tried such a leap I would be
caught on those dreadful spikes。〃
〃I think I could do it； sir；〃 said the Frogman； with
a bow to the Wizard。 〃It is an up…hill jump； as well as
being a high jump； but I'm considered something of a
jumper by my friends in the Yip Country and I believe a
good； strong leap will carry me to the other side。〃
〃I'm sure it would；〃 agreed the Cookie Cook。
〃Leaping； you know； is a froglike accomplishment；〃
continued the Frogman； modestly； 〃but please tell me
what I am to do when I reach the other side of the
wall。〃
〃You're a brave creature；〃 said the Wizard；
admiringly。 〃Has anyone a pin？〃
Betsy had one； which she gave him。
〃All you need do；〃 said the Wizard to the
Frogman； giving him the pin； is to stick this into the
other side of the wall。〃
〃But the wall is of steel！〃 exclaimed the big frog。
〃I know； at least； it seems to be steel； but do as I
tell you。 Stick the pin into the wall and it will
disappear。〃
The Frogman took off his handsome coat and carefully
Folded it and laid it on the grass。 Then he removed his
hat and laid it； together with his goldheaded cane；
beside the coat。 He then went back a way and made three
powerful leaps； in rapid succession。 The first two
leaps took him to the wall and the third leap carried
him well over it； to the amazement of all。 For a short
time he disappeared from their view； but when he had
obeyed the Wizard's injunction and had thrust the pin
into the wall； the huge barrier vanished and showed
them the form of the Frogman； who now went to where his
coat lay and put it on again。
〃We thank you very much；〃 said the delighted Wizard。
〃That was the most wonderful leap I ever saw and it has
saved us from defeat by our enemy。 Let us now hurry on
to the castle before Ugu the Shoemaker thinks of some
other means to stop us。
〃We must have surprised him； so far；〃 declared
Dorothy。
〃Yes； indeed。 The fellow knows a lot of magic all
of our tricks and some of his own；〃 replied the Wizard。
〃So； if he is half as clever as he ought to be； we
shall have trouble with him yet。〃
He had scarcely spoken these words when out from the
gates of the wicker castle marched a regiment of
soldiers； clad in gay uniforms and all bearing long；
pointed spears and sharp battle…axes。 These soldiers
were girls； and the uniforms were short skirts of
yellow and black satin； golden shoes； bands of gold
across their foreheads and necklaces of glittering
jewels。 Their jackets were scarlet； braided with silver
cords。 There were hundreds of these girl…soldiers； and
they were more terrible than beautiful； being strong
and fierce in appearance。 They formed a circle all
around the castle and faced outward； their spears
pointed toward the invaders and their battle…axes held
over their shoulders ready to strike。
Of course our friends halted at once； for they had
not expected this dreadful array of soldiery。 The
Wizard seemed puzzled and his companions exchanged
discouraged looks。
〃I'd no idea Ugu had such an army as that；〃 said
Dorothy。 〃The castle doesn't look big enough to hold
them all。〃
〃It isn't；〃 declared the Wizard。
〃But they all marched out of it。〃
〃They seemed to； but I don't believe it is a real
army at all。 If Ugu the Shoemaker had so many people
living
