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第32节

the lost princess of oz-第32节

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〃I will not have him questioned;〃 declared the King;



in a surly voice。 〃I do not intend to allow my little



Pink Bear to be again insulted by your foolish doubts。



He never makes a mistake。〃







〃Didn't he say Ozma was in that hole in the ground?〃



asked Betsy。







〃He did; and I am certain she was there;〃 replied the



Lavender Bear。







Scraps laughed jeeringly and the others saw there was



no use arguing with the stubborn Bear King; who seemed



to have absolute faith in his Pink Bear。 The Wizard;



who knew that magical things can usually be depended



upon; and that the little Pink Bear was able to answer



questions by some remarkable power of magic; thought it



wise to apologize to the Lavender Bear for the unbelief



of his friends; at the same time urging the King to



consent to question the Pink Bear once more。 Cayke and



the Frogman also pleaded with the big Bear; who finally



agreed; although rather ungraciously; to put the little



Bear's wisdom to the test once more。 So he sat the



little one on his knee and turned the crank and the



Wizard himself asked the questions in a very



respectful tone of voice。







〃Where is Ozma?〃 was his first query。







〃Here; in this room;〃 answered the little Pink Bear。







They all looked around the room; but of course did



not see her。







〃In what part of this room is she?〃 was the Wizard's



next question。







〃In Button…Bright's pocket;〃 said the little Pink



Bear。







This reply amazed them all; you may be sure; and



although the three girls smiled and Scraps yelled:



〃Hoo…ray!〃 in derision; the Wizard seemed to consider



the matter with grave thoughtfulness。







〃In which one of Button…Bright's pockets is Ozma?〃 he



presently inquired。







〃In the lefthand jacket…pocket;〃 said the little Pink



Bear。







〃The pink one has gone crazy!〃 exclaimed Button…



Bright; staring hard at the little bear on the big



bear's knee。







〃I am not so sure of that;〃 declared the Wizard。 〃If



Ozma proves to be really in your pocket; then the



little Pink Bear spoke truly when he said Ozma was in



that hole in the ground。 For at that time you were also



in the hole; and after we had pulled you out of it the



little Pink Bear said Ozma was not in the hole。〃







〃He never makes a mistake;〃 asserted the Bear King;



stoutly。







〃Empty that pocket; Button…Bright; and let's see



what's in it;〃 requested Dorothy。







So Button…Bright laid the contents of his left



jacket…pocket on the table。 These proved to be a peg…



top; a bunch of string; a small rubber ball and a



golden peach…pit。







〃What's this?〃 asked the Wizard; picking up the



peach…pit and examining it closely。







〃Oh;〃 said the boy; 〃I saved that to show to the



girls; and then forgot all about it。 It came out of a



lonesome peach that I found in the orchard back yonder;



and which I ate while I was lost。 It looks like gold;



and I never saw a peach…pit like it before。〃







〃Nor I;〃 said the Wizard; 〃and that makes it seem



suspicious。〃







All heads were bent over the golden peach…pit。 The



Wizard turned it over several times and then took out



his pocket…knife and pried the pit open。







As the two halves fell apart a pink; cloud…like haze



came pouring from the golden peach…pit; almost filling



the big room; and from the haze a form took shape and



settled beside them。 Then; as the haze faded away; a



sweet voice said: 〃Thank you; my friends!〃 and there



before them stood their lovely girl Ruler; Ozma of Oz。







With a cry of delight Dorothy rushed forward and



embraced her。 Scraps turned gleeful flip flops all



around the room。 Button…Bright gave a low whistle of



astonishment。 The Frogman took off his tall hat and



bowed low before the beautiful girl who had been freed



from her enchantment in so startling a manner。







For a time no sound was heard beyond the low murmur



of delight that came from the amazed group; but



presently the growl of the big Lavender Bear grew



louder and he said in a tone of triumph:







〃He never makes a mistake!〃



















Chapter Twenty…Five







Ozma of Oz











〃It's funny;〃 said Toto; standing before his friend the



Lion and wagging his tail; 〃but I've found my growl at



last! I am positive; now; that it was the cruel



magician who stole it。〃







〃Let's hear your growl;〃 requested the Lion。







〃Gr…r…r…r…r…r!〃 said Toto。







〃That is fine;〃 declared the big beast。 〃It isn't as



loud or as deep as the growl of the big Lavender Bear;



but it is a very respectable growl for a small dog。



Where did you find it; Toto?〃







〃I was smelling in the corner; yonder;〃 said Toto;



〃when suddenly a mouse ran out  and I growled!〃







The others were all busy congratulating Ozma; who was



very happy at being released from the confinement of



the golden peach…pit; where the magician had placed her



with the notion that she never could be found or



liberated。







〃And only to think;〃 cried Dorothy; 〃that Button…



Bright has been carrying you in his pocket all this



time; and we never knew it!〃







〃The little Pink Bear told you;〃 said the Bear King;



〃but you wouldn't believe him。〃







〃Never mind; my dears;〃 said Ozma graciously; 〃all is



well that ends well; and you couldn't be expected to



know I was inside the peach…pit。 Indeed; I feared I



would remain a captive much longer than I did; for Ugu



is a bold and clever magician and he had hidden me very



securely。〃







〃You were in a fine peach;〃 said Button…Bright; 〃the



best I ever ate。〃







〃The magician was foolish to make the peach so



tempting;〃 remarked the Wizard; 〃but Ozma would lend



beauty to any transformation。〃







〃How did you manage to conquer Ugu the Shoemaker?〃



inquired the girl Ruler of Oz。







Dorothy started to tell the story and Trot helped



her; and Button…Bright wanted to relate it in his own



way; and the Wizard tried to make it clear to Ozma; and



Betsy had to remind them of important things they left



out; and all together there was such a chatter that it



was a wonder that Ozma understood any of it。 But she



listened patiently; with a smile on her lovely face at



their eagerness; and presently had gleaned all the



details of their adventures。







Ozma thanked the Frogman very earnestly for his



assistance and she advised Cayke the Cookie Cook to dry



her weeping eyes; for she promised to take her to the



Emerald City and see that her cherished dishpan was



restored to her。 Then the beautiful Ruler took a chain



of emeralds from around her own neck and placed it



around the neck of the little Pink Bear。







〃Your wise answers to the questions of my friends;〃



said she; 〃helped them to rescue me。 Therefore I am



deeply grateful to you and to your noble King。〃







The bead eyes of the little Pink Bear stared



unresponsive to this praise until the Big Lavender Bear



turned the crank in its side; when it said in its



squeaky voice:







〃I thank Your Majesty。〃







〃For my part;〃 returned the Bear King; 〃I realize



that you were well worth saving; Miss Ozma; and so I am



much pleased that we could be of service to you。 By



means of my Magic Wand I have been creating exact



images of your Emerald City and your Royal Palace; and



I must confess that they are more attractive than any



places I have ever seen  not excepting Bear Center。〃







〃I would like to entertain you in my palace;〃



returned Ozma; sweetly; 〃and you are welcome to return



with me and to make me a long visit; if your bear



subjects can spare you from your own kingdom。〃







〃As for that;〃 answered the King; 〃my kingdom causes



me little worry; and I often find it somewhat tame and



uninteresting。 Therefore I am in no hurry to return to



it and will be glad to accept your kind invitation。



Corporal Waddle may be trusted to care for my bears



in my absence。〃







〃And you'll bring the little Pink Bear?〃 asked



Dorothy eagerly。







〃Of course; my dear; I would not willingly part with



him。〃







They remained in the wicker castle for three days;



carefully packing all the magical things that had been



stolen by Ugu and also taking wh

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