glinda of oz-第12节

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quickly　realized　his　danger　and　before　the　Queen　could

throw　the　rope　he　caught　up　one　of　the　copper　vessels

and　dashed　its　contents　full　in　her　face！









Chapter　Eleven



The　Conquest　of　the　Skeezers







Queen　Coo…ee…oh　dropped　the　rope；　tottered　and　fell

headlong　into　the　water；　sinking　beneath　the　surface；

while　the　Skeezers　in　the　submarine　assist　her　and　only

stared　at　the　ripples　in　the　water　where　she　had

disappeared。　A　moment　later　there　arose　to　the　surface

a　beautiful　White　Swan。　This　Swan　was　of　large　size；

very　gracefully　formed；　and　scattered　all　over　its

white　feathers　were　tiny　diamonds；　so　thickly　placed

that　as　the　rays　of　the　morning　sun　fell　upon　them　the

entire　body　of　the　Swan　glistened　like　one　brilliant

diamond。　The　head　of　the　Diamond　Swan　had　a　bill　of

polished　gold　and　its　eyes　were　two　sparkling

amethysts。



〃Hooray！〃　cried　the　Su…dic；　dancing　up　and　down　with

wicked　glee。　〃My　poor　wife；　Rora；　is　avenged　at　last。

You　made　her　a　Golden　Pig；　Coo…ee…oh；　and　now　I　have

made　you　a　Diamond　Swan。　Float　on　your　lake　forever；　if

you　like；　for　your　web　feet　can　do　no　more　magic　and

you　are　as　powerless　as　the　Pig　you　made　of　my　wife！



〃Villain！　Scoundrel！〃　croaked　the　Diamond　Swan。　〃You

will　be　punished　for　this。　Oh；　what　a　fool　I　was　to　let

you　enchant　me！



〃A　fool　you　were；　and　a　fool　you　are！〃　laughed　the

Su…dic；　dancing　madly　in　his　delight。　And　then　he

carelessly　tipped　over　the　other　copper　vessel　with　his

heel　and　its　contents　spilled　on　the　sands　and　were

lost　to　the　last　drop。



The　Su…dic　stopped　short　and　looked　at　the　overturned

vessel　with　a　rueful　countenance。



〃That's　too　bad　　too　bad！〃　he　exclaimed

sorrowfully。　〃I've　lost　all　the　poison　I　had　to　kill

the　fishes　with；　and　I　can't　make　any　more　because　only

my　wife　knew　the　secret　of　it；　and　she　is　now　a　foolish

Pig　and　has　forgotten　all　her　magic。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　the　Diamond　Swan　scornfully；　as　she

floated　upon　the　water　and　swam　gracefully　here　and

there。　I'm　glad　to　see　you　are　foiled。　Your　punishment

is　just　beginning；　for　although　you　have　enchanted　me

and　taken　away　my　powers　of　sorcery　you　have　still　the

three　magic　fishes　to　deal　with；　and　they'll　destroy

you　in　time；　mark　my　words。〃



The　Su…dic　stared　at　the　Swan　a　moment。　Then　he

yelled　to　his　men：



〃Shoot　her！　Shoot　the　saucy　bird！〃



They　let　fly　some　arrows　at　the　Diamond　Swan；　but　she

dove　under　the　water　and　the　missiles　fell　harmless。

When　Coo…ce…oh　rose　to　the　surface　she　was　far　from　the

shore　and　she　swiftly　swam　across　the　lake　to　where　no

arrows　or　spears　could　reach　her。



The　Su…dic　rubbed　his　chin　and　thought　what　to　do

next。　Near　by　floated　the　submarine　in　which　the　Queen

had　come；　but　the　Skeezers　who　were　in　it　were　puzzled

what　to　do　with　themselves。　Perhaps　they　were　not　sorry

their　cruel　mistress　had　been　transformed　into　a

Diamond　Swan；　but　the　transformation　had　left　them

quite　helpless。　The　under…water　boat　was　not　operated

by　machinery；　but　by　certain　mystic　words　uttered　by

Coo…ee…oh。　They　didn't　know　how　to　submerge　it；　or　how

to　make　the　water…tight　shield　cover　them　again；　or　how

to　make　the　boat　go　back　to　the　castle；　or　make　it

enter　the　little　basement　room　where　it　was　usually

kept。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　they　were　now　shut　out　of

their　village　under　the　Great　Dome　and　could　not　get

back　again。　So　one　of　the　men　called　to　the　Supreme

Dictator　of　the　Flatheads；　saying：



〃Please　make　us　prisoners　and　take　us　to　your

mountain；　and　feed　and　keep　us；　for　we　have　nowhere　to

go。〃



Then　the　Su…dic　laughed　and　answered：



〃Not　so。　I　can't　be　bothered　by　caring　for　a　lot　of

stupid　Skeezers。　Stay　where　you　are；　or　go　wherever　you

please；　so　long　as　you　keep　away　from　our　mountain。〃　He

turned　to　his　men　and　added：　〃We　have　conquered　Queen

Coo…ee…oh　and　made　her　a　helpless　swan。　The　Skeezers

are　under　water　and　may　stay　there。　So；　having　won　the

war；　let　us　go　home　again　and　make　merry　and　feast；

having　after　many　years　proved　the　Flatheads　to　be

greater　and　more　powerful　than　the　Skeezers。〃



So　the　Flatheads　marched　away　and　passed　through　the

row　of　palms　and　went　back　to　their　mountain；　where　the

Su…dic　and　a　few　of　his　officers　feasted　and　all　the

others　were　forced　to　wait　on　them。



〃I'm　sorry　we　couldn't　have　roast　pig；〃　said　the　Su…

dic；　〃but　as　the　only　pig　we　have　is　made　of　gold；　we

can't　eat　her。　Also　the　Golden　Pig　happens　to　be　my

wife；　and　even　were　she　not　gold　I　am　sure　she　would　be

too　tough　to　eat。〃









Chapter　Twelve



The　Diamond　Swan







When　the　Flatheads　had　gone　away　the　Diamond　Swan

swam　back　to　the　boat　and　one　of　the　young　Skeezers

named　Ervic　said　to　her　eagerly：



〃How　can　we　get　back　to　the　island；　your　Majesty？〃



〃Am　I　not　beautiful？〃　asked　Coo…ee…oh；　arching　her

neck　gracefully　and　spreading　her　diamond…sprinkled

wings。　〃I　can　see　my　reflection　in　the　water；　and　I'm

sure　there　is　no　bird　nor　beast；　nor　human　as

magnificent　as　I　am！〃



〃How　shall　we　get　back　to　the　island；　your　Majesty？〃

pleaded　Ervic。



〃When　my　fame　spreads　throughout　the　land；　people

will　travel　from　all　parts　of　this　lake　to　look　upon　my

loveliness；〃　said　Coo…ee…oh；　shaking　her　feathers　to

make　the　diamonds　glitter　more　brilliantly。



〃But；　your　Majesty；　we　must　go　home　and　we　do　not

know　how　to　get　there；〃　Ervic　persisted。



〃My　eyes；〃　remarked　the　Diamond　Swan；　〃are

wonderfully　blue　and　bright　and　will　charm　all

beholders。〃



〃Tell　us　how　to　make　the　boat　go　　how　to　get　back

into　the　island；〃　begged　Ervic　and　the　others　cried

just　as　earnestly：　〃Tell　us；　Coo…ee…oh；　tell　us！〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　Queen　in　a　careless　tone。



〃You　are　a　magic…worker；　a　sorceress；　a　witch！〃



〃I　was；　of　course；　when　I　was　a　girl；〃　she　said；

bending　her　head　over　the　clear　water　to　catch　her

reflection　in　it；　〃but　now　I've　forgotten　all　such

foolish　things　as　magic。　Swans　are　lovelier　than　girls；

especially　when　they're　sprinkled　with　diamonds。　Don't

you　think　so？〃　And　she　gracefully　swam　away；　without

seeming　to　care　whether　they　answered　or　not。



Ervic　and　his　companions　were　in　despair。　They　saw

plainly　that　Coo…ee…oh　could　not　or　would　not　help

them。　The　former　Queen　had　no　further　thought　for　her

island；　her　people；　or　her　wonderful　magic；　she　was

only　intent　on　admiring　her　own　beauty。



〃Truly；〃　said　Ervic；　in　a　gloomy　voice；　〃the

Flatheads　have　conquered　us！〃



　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*　　　　　*



Some　of　these　events　had　been　witnessed　by　Ozma

and　Dorothy　and　Lady　Aurex；　who　had　left　the　house

and　gone　close　to　the　glass　of　the　dome；　in　order　to　see

what　was　going　on。　Many　of　the　Skeezers　had　also

crowded　against　the　dome；　wondering　what　would

happen　next。　Although　their　vision　was　to　an　extent

blurred　by　the　water　and　the　necessity　of　looking

upward　at　an　angle；　they　had　observed　the　main　points

of　the　drama　enacted　above。　They　saw　Queen　Coo…

ee…oh's　submarine　come　to　the　surface　and　open；　they

saw　the　Queen　standing　erect　to　throw　her　magic　rope；

they　saw　her　sudden　transformation　into　a　Diamond

Swan；　and　a　cry　of　amazement　went　up　from　the

Skeezers　inside　the　dome。



〃Good！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　〃I　hate　that　old　Su…dic；

but　I'm　glad　Coo…ee…oh　is　punished。〃



〃This　is　a　dreadful　misfortune！〃　cried　Lady　Aurex；

pressing　her　hands　upon　her　heart。



〃Yes；〃　agreed　Ozma；　nodding　her　head　thoughtfully；

〃Coo…ee…oh's　misfortune　will　prove　a　terrible　blow　to

her　people。〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　Dorothy　in

surprise。　〃Seems　to　me　the　Skeezers　are　in　luck　to　lose

their　cruel　Queen。〃



〃If　that　were　all　you　would　be　right；〃　responded　Lady

Aurex；　〃and　if　the　island　were　above　water　it　would　not

be　so　serious。　But　here　we　all　are；　at　the　bottom　of

the　lake；　and　fast　prisoners　in　this　dome。〃



〃Can't　you　raise　the　island？〃　inquired　Dorothy。



〃No。　Only　Coo…ee…oh　knew　how　to　do　that；〃　was　the

answer。



〃We　can　try；〃　insisted　Dorothy。　〃If　it　can　be　made　to

go　down；　it　can　be　made　to　come　up。　The　machinery　is

still　here；　I　suppose。



〃Yes；　but　the　machinery　works　by　magic；　and　Coo…ee…oh

would　never　share　her　secret　power　with　any　one　of　us。〃



Dorothy's　face　grew　grave；　but　she　was　thinking。



〃Ozma　knows　a　lot　of　magic；〃　she　said。



〃But　not　that　kind　of　magic；〃　Ozma　replied。



〃Can't　you　learn　how；　by　looking　at　the　machinery？〃



〃I'm　afraid　not；　my　dear。　It　isn't　fairy　magic　at

all；　it　is　witchcraft。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Dorothy；　turning　to　Lady　Aurex；　〃you　say

there　are　other　sub…sub…sinking　boats。　We　can　get　in

one　of　those；　and　shoot　out　to　the　top　of　the　water；

like　Coo…ee…oh　did；　and　so　escape。　And　then　we　can　help

to　rescue　all　the　Skeezers　down　here。〃



〃No　one　knows　how　to　work　the　under…wa