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第7节

the lost princess of oz-第7节

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〃He went fishing about two months ago and hasn't come



back yet;〃 explained Button…Bright。







〃Then I can't see that he will be of much use to us



in this trouble;〃 sighed little Trot。 〃But p'raps Ozma;



who is a fairy; can get away from the thieves without



any help from anybody。〃







〃She might be able to;〃 admitted Dorothy;



reflectively; 〃but if she had the power to do that; it



isn't likely she'd have let herself be stolen。 So the



thieves must have been even more powerful in magic than



our Ozma。〃







There was no denying this argument and; although they



talked the matter over all the rest of that day; they



were unable to decide how Ozma had been stolen against



her will or who had committed the dreadful deed。







Toward evening the Wizard came back; riding slowly



upon the Sawhorse because he felt discouraged and



perplexed。 Glinda came; later; in her aerial chariot



drawn by twenty milk…white swans; and she also seemed



worried and unhappy。 More of Ozma's friends joined them



and that evening they all had a long talk together。







〃I think;〃 said Dorothy; 〃we ought to start out right



away in search of our dear Ozma。 It seems cruel for us



to live comf'tably in her Palace while she is a



pris'ner in the power of some wicked enemy。〃







〃Yes;〃 agreed Glinda the Sorceress; 〃someone ought to



search for her。 I cannot go myself; because I must work



hard in order to create some new instruments of sorcery



by means of which I may rescue our fair Ruler。 But if



you can find her; in the meantime; and let me know who



has stolen her; it will enable me to rescue her much



more quickly。〃







〃Then we'll start to…morrow morning;〃 decided



Dorothy。 〃Betsy and Trot and I won't waste another



minute。〃







〃I'm not sure you girls will make good detectives;〃



remarked the Wizard; 〃but I'll go with you; to protect



you from harm and to give you my advice。 All my



wizardry; alas; is stolen; so I am now really no more a



wizard than any of you; but I will try to protect you



if any enemies you may meet。〃







〃What harm could happen to us in Oz?〃 inquired Trot。







〃What harm happened to Ozma?〃 returned the Wizard。



〃If there is an Evil Power abroad in our fairyland;



which is able to steal not only Ozma and her Magic



Picture; but Glinda's Book of Records and all her



magic; and my black bag containing all my tricks of



wizardry; then that Evil Power may yet cause us



considerable injury。 Ozma is a fairy; and so is Glinda;



so no power can kill or destroy them; but you girls are



all mortals; and so are Button…Bright and I; so we must



watch out for ourselves。〃







〃Nothing can kill me;〃 said Ojo; the Munchkin boy。







〃That is true;〃 replied the Sorceress; 〃and I think



it may be well to divide the searchers into several



parties; that they may cover all the land of Oz more



quickly。 So I will send Ojo and Unc Nunkie and Dr。 Pipt



into the Munchkin Country; which they are well



acquainted with; and I will send the Scarecrow and the



Tin Woodman into the Quadling Country; for they are



fearless and brave and never tire; and to the Gillikin



Country; where many dangers lurk; I will send the



Shaggy Man and his brother; with Tik…Tok and Jack



Pumpkinhead。 Dorothy may make up her own party and



travel into the Winkie Country。 All of you must



inquire everywhere for Ozma and try to discover where



she is hidden。〃







They thought this a very wise plan and adopted it



without question。 In Ozma's absence Glinda the Good was



the most important person in Oz and all were glad to



serve under her direction。



















Chapter Six







The Search Party











Next morning; as soon as the sun was up; Glinda flew



back to her castle; stopping on the way to instruct the



Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman; who were at that time



staying at the college of Professor H。 M。 Wogglebug; T。



E。; and taking a course of his Patent Educational



Pills。 On hearing of Ozma's loss they started at once



for the Quadling Country to search for her。







As soon as Glinda had left the Emerald City; Tik…Tok



and the Shaggy Man and Jack Pumpkinhead; who had been



present at the conference; began their journey into the



Gillikin Country; and an hour later Ojo and Unc Nunkie



joined Dr。 Pipt and together they traveled toward the



Munchkin Country。 When all these searchers were gone;



Dorothy and the Wizard completed their own



preparations。







The Wizard hitched the Sawhorse to the Red Wagon;



which would seat four very comfortably。 He wanted



Dorothy; Betsy; Trot and the Patchwork Girl to ride in



the wagon; but Scraps came up to them mounted upon the



Woozy; and the Woozy said he would like to join the



party。 Now this Woozy was a most peculiar animal;



having a square head; square body; square legs and



square tail。 His skin was very tough and hard;



resembling leather; and while his movements were



somewhat clumsy the beast could travel with remarkable



swiftness。 His square eyes were mild and gentle in



expression and he was not especially foolish。 The Woozy



and the Patchwork Girl were great friends and so the



Wizard agreed to let the Woozy go with them。







Another great beast now appeared and asked to go



along。 This was none other than the famous Cowardly



Lion; one of the most interesting creatures in all Oz。



No lion that roamed the jungles or plains could compare



in size or intelligence with this Cowardly Lion; who 



like all animals living in Oz  could talk; and who



talked with more shrewdness and wisdom than many of the



people did。 He said he was cowardly because he always



trembled when he faced danger; but he had faced danger



many times and never refused to fight when it was



necessary。 This Lion was a great favorite with Ozma and



always guarded her throne on state occasions。 He was



also an old companion and friend of the Princess



Dorothy; so the girl was delighted to have him join the



party。







〃I'm so nervous over our dear Ozma;〃 said the



Cowardly Lion in his deep; rumbling voice; 〃that it



would make me unhappy to remain behind while you are



trying to find her。 But do not get into any danger; I



beg of you; for danger frightens me terribly。〃







〃We'll not get into danger if we can poss'bly help



it;〃 promised Dorothy; 〃but we shall do anything to



find Ozma; danger or no danger。〃







The addition of the Woozy and the Cowardly Lion to



the party gave Betsy Bobbin an idea and she ran to the



marble stables at the rear of the palace and brought



out her mule; Hank by name。 Perhaps no mule you ever



saw was so lean and bony and altogether plain looking



as this Hank; but Betsy loved him dearly because he was



faithful and steady and not nearly so stupid as most



mules are considered to be。 Betsy had a saddle for Hank



and declared she would ride on his back; an arrangement



approved by the Wizard because it left only four of the



party to ride on the seats of the Red Wagon  Dorothy and



Button…Bright and Trot and himself。







An old sailor…man; who had one wooden leg; came to



see them off and suggested that they put a supply of



food and blankets in the Red Wagon; in as much as they



were uncertain how long they would be gone。 This



sailor…man was called Cap'n Bill。 He was a former



friend and comrade of Trot and had encountered many



adventures in company with the little girl。 I think he



was sorry he could not go with her on this trip; but



Glinda the Sorceress had asked Cap'n Bill to remain in



the Emerald City and take charge of the royal palace



while everyone else was away; and the one…legged sailor



had agreed to do so。







They loaded the back end of the Red Wagon with



everything they thought they might need; and then they



formed a procession and marched from the palace through



the Emerald City to the great gates of the wall that



surrounded this beautiful capital of the Land of Oz。



Crowds of citizens lined the streets to see them pass



and to cheer them and wish them success; for all were



grieved over Ozma's loss and anxious that she be found



again。







First came the Cowardly Lion; then the Patchwork Girl



riding upon the Woozy; then Betsy Bobbin on her mule



Hank; and finally the Sawhorse drawing the Red Wagon;



in which were seated the

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