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第14节

dorothy and the wizard in oz-第14节

小说: dorothy and the wizard in oz 字数: 每页4000字

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〃ought to have this assortment。  Once you have tried my goods I am

sure you will never be without them。〃



〃I have no money with me;〃 said the Wizard; evasively。



〃I do not want money;〃 returned the braided man; 〃for I could not

spend it in this deserted place if I had it。  But I would like very

much a blue hair…ribbon。  You will notice my braids are tied with yellow;

pink; brown; red; green; white and black; but I have no blue ribbons。〃



〃I'll get you one!〃 cried Dorothy; who was sorry for the poor man; so

she ran back to the buggy and took from her suit…case a pretty blue

ribbon。  It did her good to see how the braided man's eyes sparkled

when he received this treasure。



〃You have made me very; very happy; my dear!〃 he exclaimed; and then

he insisted on the Wizard taking the box of flutters and the little

girl accepting the box of rustles。



〃You may need them; some time;〃 he said; 〃and there is really no use

in my manufacturing these things unless somebody uses them。〃



〃Why did you leave the surface of the earth?〃 enquired the Wizard。



〃I could not help it。  It is a sad story; but if you will try to

restrain your tears I will tell you about it。  On earth I was a

manufacturer of Imported Holes for American Swiss Cheese; and I will

acknowledge that I supplied a superior article; which was in great

demand。  Also I made pores for porous plasters and high…grade holes

for doughnuts and buttons。  Finally I invented a new Adjustable

Post…hole; which I thought would make my fortune。  I manufactured a

large quantity of these post…holes; and having no room in which to

store them I set them all end to end and put the top one in the

ground。  That made an extraordinary long hole; as you may imagine; and

reached far down into the earth; and; as I leaned over it to try to see

to the bottom; I lost my balance and tumbled in。  Unfortunately; the

hole led directly into the vast space you see outside this mountain;

but I managed to catch a point of rock that projected from this

cavern; and so saved myself from tumbling headlong into the black

waves beneath; where the tongues of flame that dart out would

certainly have consumed me。  Here; then; I made my home; and although

it is a lonely place I amuse myself making rustles and flutters; and

so get along very nicely。〃



When the braided man had completed this strange tale Dorothy nearly

laughed; because it was all so absurd; but the Wizard tapped his

forehead significantly; to indicate that he thought the poor man was

crazy。  So they politely bade him good day; and went back to the outer

cavern to resume their journey。







11。  They Meet the Wooden Gargoyles





Another breathless climb brought our adventurers to a third landing

where there was a rift in the mountain。  On peering out all they could

see was rolling banks of clouds; so thick that they obscured all else。



But the travellers were obliged to rest; and while they were sitting

on the rocky floor the Wizard felt in his pocket and brought out the

nine tiny piglets。  To his delight they were now plainly visible;

which proved that they had passed beyond the influence of the magical

Valley of Voe。



〃Why; we can see each other again!〃 cried one; joyfully。



〃Yes;〃 sighed Eureka; 〃and I also can see you again; and the sight

makes me dreadfully hungry。  Please; Mr。 Wizard; may I eat just one of

the fat little piglets?  You'd never miss ONE of them; I'm sure!〃



〃What a horrid; savage beast!〃 exclaimed a piglet; 〃and after we've

been such good friends; too; and played with one another!〃



〃When I'm not hungry; I love to play with you all;〃 said the kitten;

demurely; 〃but when my stomach is empty it seems that nothing would

fill it so nicely as a fat piglet。〃



〃And we trusted you so!〃 said another of the nine; reproachfully。



〃And thought you were respectable!〃 said another。



〃It seems we were mistaken;〃 declared a third; looking at the kitten

timorously; 〃no one with such murderous desires should belong to our

party; I'm sure。〃



〃You see; Eureka;〃 remarked Dorothy; reprovingly; 〃you are making

yourself disliked。  There are certain things proper for a kitten to

eat; but I never heard of a kitten eating a pig; under ANY cir'stances。〃



〃Did you ever see such little pigs before?〃 asked the kitten。  〃They

are no bigger than mice; and I'm sure mice are proper for me to eat。〃



〃It isn't the bigness; dear; its the variety;〃 replied the girl。

〃These are Mr。 Wizard's pets; just as you are my pet; and it wouldn't be

any more proper for you to eat them than it would be for Jim to eat you。〃



〃And that's just what I shall do if you don't let those little balls

of pork alone;〃 said Jim; glaring at the kitten with his round; big

eyes。  〃If you injure any one of them I'll chew you up instantly。〃



The kitten looked at the horse thoughtfully; as if trying to decide

whether he meant it or not。



〃In that case;〃 she said; 〃I'll leave them alone。  You haven't many

teeth left; Jim; but the few you have are sharp enough to make me

shudder。  So the piglets will be perfectly safe; hereafter; as far as

I am concerned。〃



〃That is right; Eureka;〃 remarked the Wizard; earnestly。  〃Let us all

be a happy family and love one another。〃



Eureka yawned and stretched herself。



〃I've always loved the piglets;〃 she said; 〃but they don't love me。〃



〃No one can love a person he's afraid of;〃 asserted Dorothy。  〃If you

behave; and don't scare the little pigs; I'm sure they'll grow very

fond of you。〃



The Wizard now put the nine tiny ones back into his pocket and the

journey was resumed。



〃We must be pretty near the top; now;〃 said the boy; as they climbed

wearily up the dark; winding stairway。



〃The Country of the Gurgles can't be far from the top of the earth;〃

remarked Dorothy。  〃It isn't very nice down here。  I'd like to get

home again; I'm sure。〃



No one replied to this; because they found they needed all their

breath for the climb。  The stairs had become narrower and Zeb and the

Wizard often had to help Jim pull the buggy from one step to another;

or keep it from jamming against the rocky walls。



At last; however; a dim light appeared ahead of them; which grew

clearer and stronger as they advanced。



〃Thank goodness we're nearly there!〃 panted the little Wizard。



Jim; who was in advance; saw the last stair before him and stuck his

head above the rocky sides of the stairway。  Then he halted; ducked

down and began to back up; so that he nearly fell with the buggy onto

the others。



〃Let's go down again!〃 he said; in his hoarse voice。



〃Nonsense!〃 snapped the tired Wizard。  〃What's the matter with you;

old man?〃



〃Everything;〃 grumbled the horse。  〃I've taken a look at this place;

and it's no fit country for real creatures to go to。  Everything's

dead; up thereno flesh or blood or growing thing anywhere。〃



〃Never mind;。 we can't turn back;〃 said Dorothy; 〃and we don't intend

to stay there; anyhow。〃



〃It's dangerous;〃 growled Jim; in a stubborn tone。



〃See here; my good steed;〃 broke in the Wizard; 〃little Dorothy and I

have been in many queer countries in our travels; and always escaped

without harm。  We've even been to the marvelous Land of Ozhaven't

we; Dorothy?so we don't much care what the Country of the Gargoyles

is like。  Go ahead; Jim; and whatever happens we'll make the best of it。〃



〃All right;〃 answered the horse; 〃this is your excursion; and not

mine; so if you get into trouble don't blame me。〃



With this speech he bent forward and dragged the buggy up the

remaining steps。  The others followed and soon they were all standing

upon a broad platform and gazing at the most curious and startling

sight their eyes had ever beheld。



〃The Country of the Gargoyles is all wooden!〃 exclaimed Zeb; and so it

was。  The ground was sawdust and the pebbles scattered around were

hard knots from trees; worn smooth in course of time。  There were odd

wooden houses; with carved wooden flowers in the front yards。  The

tree…trunks were of coarse wood; but the leaves of the trees were

shavings。  The patches of grass were splinters of wood; and where

neither grass nor sawdust showed was a solid wooden flooring。  Wooden

birds fluttered among the trees and wooden cows were browsing upon the

wooden grass; but the most amazing things of all were the wooden

peoplethe creatures known as Gargoyles。



These were very numerous; for the place was thickly inhabited; and a

large group of the queer people clustered near; gazing sharply upon

the strangers who had emerged from the long spiral stairway。



The Gargoyles were very small of stature; being less than three feet

in height。  Their bodies were round; their legs short and thick and

their arms extraordinarily long and stout。  Their heads were too big

for their bodies and their faces were decidedly ugly to look upon。


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