glinda of oz-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



to　rescue　all　the　Skeezers　down　here。〃



〃No　one　knows　how　to　work　the　under…water　boats　but

the　Queen；〃　declared　Lady　Aurex。



〃Isn't　there　any　door　or　window　in　this　dome　that　we

could　open？〃



〃No；　and；　if　there　were；　the　water　would　rush　in

to　flood　the　dome；　and　we　could　not　get　out。〃



〃The　Skeezers；〃　said　Ozma；　〃could　not　drown；　they

only　get　wet　and　soggy　and　in　that　condition　they　would

be　very　uncomfortable　and　unhappy。　But　you　are　a　mortal

girl；　Dorothy；　and　if　your　Magic　Belt　protected　you

from　death　you　would　have　to　lie　forever　at　the　bottom

of　the　lake。〃



〃No；　I'd　rather　die　quickly；〃　asserted　the　little

girl。　〃But　there　are　doors　in　the　basement　that　open　

to　let　out　the　bridges　and　the　boats　　and　that　would

not　flood　the　dome；　you　know。〃



〃Those　doors　open　by　a　magic　word；　and　only　Coo…ee…oh

knows　the　word　that　must　be　uttered；〃　said　Lady　Aurex。



〃Dear　me！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy；　〃that　dreadful　Queen's

witchcraft　upsets　all　my　plans　to　escape。　I　guess　I'll

give　it　up；　Ozma；　and　let　you　save　us。〃



Ozma　smiled；　but　her　smile　was　not　so　cheerful　as

usual。　The　Princess　of　Oz　found　herself　confronted　with

a　serious　problem；　and　although　she　had　no　thought　of

despairing　she　realized　that　the　Skeezers　and　their

island；　as　well　as　Dorothy　and　herself；　were　in　grave

trouble　and　that　unless　she　could　find　a　means　to　save

them　they　would　be　lost　to　the　Land　of　Oz　for　all

future　time。



〃In　such　a　dilemma；〃　said　she；　musingly；　〃nothing　is

gained　by　haste。　Careful　thought　may　aid　us；　and　so　may

the　course　of　events。　The　unexpected　is　always　likely

to　happen；　and　cheerful　patience　is　better　than

reckless　action。〃



〃All　right；〃　returned　Dorothy；　〃take　your　time；　Ozma；

there's　no　hurry。　How　about　some　breakfast；　Lady

Aurex？〃



Their　hostess　led　them　back　to　the　house；　where　she

ordered　her　trembling　servants　to　prepare　and　serve

breakfast。　All　the　Skeezers　were　frightened　and　anxious

over　the　transformation　of　their　Queen　into　a　swan。

Coo…ee…oh　was　feared　and　hated；　but　they　had　depended

on　her　magic　to　conquer　the　Flatheads　and　she　was　the

only　one　who　could　raise　their　island　to　the　surface　of

the　lake　again。



Before　breakfast　was　over　several　of　the　leading

Skeezers　came　to　Aurex　to　ask　her　advice　and　to

question　Princess　Ozma；　of　whom　they　knew　nothing

except　that　she　claimed　to　be　a　fairy　and　the　Ruler　of

all　the　land；　including　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers。



〃If　what　you　told　Queen　Coo…ee…oh　was　the　truth；〃

they　said　to　her；　〃you　are　our　lawful　mistress；　and　we

may　depend　on　you　to　get　us　out　of　our　difficulties。〃



〃I　will　try　to　do　that〃　Ozma　graciously　assured　them；

〃but　you　must　remember　that　the　powers　of　fairies　are

granted　them　to　bring　comfort　and　happiness　to　all　who

appeal　to　them。　On　the　contrary；　such　magic　as　Coo…ee…

oh　knew　and　practiced　is　unlawful　witchcraft　and　her

arts　are　such　as　no　fairy　would　condescend　to　use。

However；　it　is　sometimes　necessary　to　consider　evil　in

order　to　accomplish　good；　and　perhaps　by　studying　Coo…

ee…oh's　tools　and　charms　of　witchcraft　I　may　be　able　to

save　us。　Do　you　promise　to　accept　me　as　your　Ruler　and

to　obey　my　commands？〃



They　promised　willingly。



〃Then；〃　continued　Ozma；　〃I　will　go　to　Coo…ee…oh's

palace　and　take　possession　of　it。　Perhaps　what　I　find

there　will　be　of　use　to　me。　In　the　meantime　tell　all

the　Skeezers　to　fear　nothing；　but　have　patience。　Let

them　return　to　their　homes　and　perform　their　daily

tasks　as　usual。　Coo…ee…oh's　loss　may　not　prove　a

misfortune；　but　rather　a　blessing。〃



This　speech　cheered　the　Skeezers　amazingly。　Really；

they　had　no　one　now　to　depend　upon　but　Ozma；　and　in

spite　of　their　dangerous　position　their　hearts　were

lightened　by　the　transformation　and　absence　of　their

cruel　Queen。



They　got　out　their　brass　band　and　a　grand　procession

escorted　Ozma　and　Dorothy　to　the　palace；　where　all　of

Coo…ee…oh's　former　servants　were　eager　to　wait　upon

them。　Ozma　invited　Lady　Aurex　to　stay　at　the　palace

also；　for　she　knew　all　about　the　Skeezers　and　their

island　and　had　also　been　a　favorite　of　the　former

Queen；　so　her　advice　and　information　were　sure　to　prove

valuable。



Ozma　was　somewhat　disappointed　in　what　she　found　in

the　palace。　One　room　of　Coo…ee…oh's　private　suite　was

entirely　devoted　to　the　practice　of　witchcraft；　and

here　were　countless　queer　instruments　and　jars　of

ointments　and　bottles　of　potions　labeled　with　queer

names；　and　strange　machines　that　Ozma　could　not　guess

the　use　of；　and　pickled　toads　and　snails　and　lizards；

and　a　shelf　of　books　that　were　written　in　blood；　but　in

a　language　which　the　Ruler　of　Oz　did　not　know。



〃I　do　not　see；〃　said　Ozma　to　Dorothy；　who　accompanied

her　in　her　search；　〃how　Coo…ee…oh　knew　the　use　of　the

magic　tools　she　stole　from　the　three　Adept　Witches。

Moreover；　from　all　reports　these　Adepts　practiced　only

good　witchcraft；　such　as　would　be　helpful　to　their

people；　while　Coo…ee…oh　performed　only　evil。〃



〃Perhaps　she　turned　the　good　things　to　evil　uses？〃

suggested　Dorothy。



〃Yes；　and　with　the　knowledge　she　gained　Coo…ee…oh

doubtless　invented　many　evil　things　quite　unknown　to

the　good　Adepts；　who　are　now　fishes；〃　added　Ozma。　〃It

is　unfortunate　for　us　that　the　Queen　kept　her　secrets

so　closely　guarded；　for　no　one　but　herself　could　use

any　of　these　strange　things　gathered　in　this　room。〃



〃Couldn't　we　capture　the　Diamond　Swan　and　make　her

tell　the　secrets？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃No；　even　were　we　able　to　capture　her；　Coo…ee…oh　now

has　forgotten　all　the　magic　she　ever　knew。　But　until　we

ourselves　escape　from　this　dome　we　could　not　capture

the　Swan；　and　were　we　to　escape　we　would　have　no　use　for

Coo…ee…oh's　magic。〃



〃That's　a　fact；〃　admitted　Dorothy。　〃But　　say；　Ozma；

here's　a　good　idea！　　Couldn't　we　capture　the　three

fishes　　the　gold　and　silver　and　bronze　ones；　and

couldn't　you　transform　'em　back　to　their　own　shapes；

and　then　couldn't　the　three　Adepts　get　us　out　of　here？〃



〃You　are　not　very　practical；　Dorothy　dear。　It　would

be　as　hard　for　us　to　capture　the　three　fishes；　from

among　all　the　other　fishes　in　the　lake；　as　to　capture

the　Swan。〃



〃But　if　we　could；　it　would　be　more　help　to　us；〃

persisted　the　little　girl。



〃That　is　true；〃　answered　Ozma；　smiling　at　her

friend's　eagerness。　〃You　find　a　way　to　catch　the　fish；

and　I'll　promise　when　they　are　caught　to　restore　them

to　their　proper　forms。〃



〃I　know　you　think　I　can't　do　it；〃　replied　Dorothy；

〃but　I'm　going　to　try。〃



She　left　the　palace　and　went　to　a　place　where　she

could　look　through　a　clear　pane　of　the　glass　dome　into

the　surrounding　water。　Immediately　she　became

interested　in　the　queer　sights　that　met　her　view。



The　Lake　of　the　Skeezers　was　inhabited　by　fishes　of

many　kinds　and　many　sizes。　The　water　was　so　transparent

that　the　girl　could　see　for　a　long　distance　and　the

fishes　came　so　close　to　the　glass　of　the　dome　that

sometimes　they　actually　touched　it。　On　the　white　sands

at　the　bottom　of　the　lake　were　star…fish；　lobsters；

crabs　and　many　shell　fish　of　strange　shapes　and　with

shells　of　gorgeous　hues。　The　water　foliage　was　of

brilliant　colors　and　to　Dorothy　it　resembled　a　splendid

garden。



But　the　fishes　were　the　most　interesting　of　all。　Some

were　big　and　lazy；　floating　slowly　along　or　lying　at

rest　with　just　their　fins　waving。　Many　with　big　round

eyes　looked　full　at　the　girl　as　she　watched　them　and

Dorothy　wondered　if　they　could　hear　her　through　the

glass　if　she　spoke　to　them。　In　Oz；　where　all　the

animals　and　birds　can　talk；　many　fishes　are　able　to

talk　also；　but　usually　they　are　more　stupid　than　birds

and　animals　because　they　think　slowly　and　haven't　much

to　talk　about。



In　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers　the　fish　of　smaller　size

were　more　active　than　the　big　ones　and　darted　quickly

in　and　out　among　the　swaying　weeds；　as　if　they　had

important　business　and　were　in　a　hurry。　It　was　among

the　smaller　varieties　that　Dorothy　hoped　to　spy　the

gold　and　silver　and　bronze　fishes。　She　had　an　idea　the

three　would　keep　together；　being　companions　now　as　they

were　in　their　natural　forms；　but　such　a　multitude　of

fishes　constantly　passed；　the　scene　shifting　every

moment；　that　she　was　not　sure　she　would　notice　them

even　if　they　appeared　in　view。　Her　eyes　couldn't　look

in　all　directions　and　the　fishes　she　sought　might　be　on

the　other　side　of　the　dome；　or　far　away　in　the　lake。



〃P'raps；　because　they　were　afraid　of　Coo…ee…oh；

they've　hid　themselves　somewhere；　and　don't　know　their

enemy　has　been　transformed；〃　she　reflected。



She　watched　the　fishes　for　a　long　time；　until　she

became　hungry　and　went　back　to　the　palace　for　lunch。

But　she　was　not　discouraged。



〃Anything　new；　Ozma？〃　she　asked。



〃No；　dear。　Did　you　discover　the　three　fishes？〃



〃Not　yet。　But　there　isn't　anything　better　for　me　to

do；　Ozma；　so　I