glinda of oz-第18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！



upon　the　Supreme　Dictator　first；　or　go　on　to　the　Lake

of　the　Skeezers。



〃If　we　go　to　the　mountain；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃we　may

get　into　trouble　with　that　wicked　Su…dic；　and　then　we

would　be　delayed　in　rescuing　Ozma　and　Dorothy。　So　I

think　our　best　plan　will　be　to　go　to　the　Skeezer

Country；　raise　the　sunken　island　and　save　our　friends

and　the　imprisoned　Skeezers。　Afterward　we　can　visit　the

mountain　and　punish　the　cruel　magician　of　the

Flatheads。〃



〃That　is　sensible；〃　approved　the　Shaggy　Man。　〃I　quite

agree　with　you。〃



The　others；　too；　seemed　to　think　the　Wizard's　plan

the　best；　and　Glinda　herself　commended　it；　so　on　they

marched　toward　the　line　of　palm　trees　that　hid　the

Skeezers'　lake　from　view。



Pretty　soon　they　came　to　the　palms。　These　were　set

closely　together；　the　branches；　which　came　quite　to　the

ground；　being　so　tightly　interlaced　that　even　the　Glass

Cat　could　scarcely　find　a　place　to　squeeze　through。　The

path　which　the　Flatheads　used　was　some　distance　away。



〃Here's　a　job　for　the　Tin　Woodman；〃　said　the

Scarecrow。



So　the　Tin　Woodman；　who　was　always　glad　to　be　of　use；

set　to　work　with　his　sharp；　gleaming　axe；　which　he

always　carried；　and　in　a　surprisingly　short　time　had

chopped　away　enough　branches　to　permit　them　all　to　pass

easily　through　the　trees。



Now　the　clear　waters　of　the　beautiful　lake　were

before　them　and　by　looking　closely　they　could　see　the

outlines　of　the　Great　Dome　of　the　sunken　island；　far

from　shore　and　directly　in　the　center　of　the　lake。



Of　course　every　eye　was　at　first　fixed　upon　this

dome；　where　Ozma　and　Dorothy　and　the　Skeezers　were

still　fast　prisoners。　But　soon　their　attention　was

caught　by　a　more　brilliant　sight；　for　here　was　the

Diamond　Swan　swimming　just　before　them；　its　long　neck

arched　proudly；　the　amethyst　eyes　gleaming　and　all　the

diamond…sprinkled　feathers　glistening　splendidly　under

the　rays　of　the　sun。



〃That；〃　said　Glinda；　〃is　the　transformation　of　Queen

Coo…ce…oh；　the　haughty　and　wicked　witch　who　betrayed

the　three　Adepts　at　Magic　and　treated　her　people　like

slaves。〃



〃She's　wonderfully　beautiful　now；〃　remarked　the

Frogman。



〃It　doesn't　seem　like　much　of　a　punishment；〃　said

Trot。　〃The　Flathead　Su…dic　ought　to　have　made　her　a

toad。〃



〃I　am　sure　Coo…ee…oh　is　punished；〃　said　Glinda；　〃for

she　has　lost　all　her　magic　power　and　her　grand　palace

and　can　no　longer　misrule　the　poor　Skeezers。〃



〃Let　us　call　to　her；　and　hear　what　she　has　to　say；〃

proposed　the　Wizard。



So　Glinda　beckoned　the　Diamond　Swan；　which　swam

gracefully　to　a　position　near　them。　Before　anyone　could

speak　Coo…ee…oh　called　to　them　in　a　rasping　voice　

for　the　voice　of　a　swan　is　always　harsh　and　unpleasant

　and　said　with　much　pride：



〃Admire　me；　Strangers！　　Admire　the　lovely　Coo…ee…oh；

the　handsomest　creature　in　all　Oz。　Admire　me！〃



〃Handsome　is　as　handsome　does；〃　replied　the

Scarecrow。　〃Are　your　deeds　lovely；　Coo…ce…oh？〃



〃Deeds？　　What　deeds　can　a　swan　do　but　swim　around　and

give　pleasure　to　all　beholders？〃　said　the　sparkling

bird。



〃Have　you　forgotten　your　former　life？　Have　you

forgotten　your　magic　and　witchcraft？〃　inquired　the

Wizard。



〃Magic　　witchcraft？　Pshaw；　who　cares　for　such　silly

things？〃　retorted　Coo…ee…oh。　〃As　for　my　past　life；　it

seems　like　an　unpleasant　dream。　I　wouldn't　go　back　to

it　if　I　could。　Don't　you　admire　my　beauty；　Strangers？〃




〃Tell　us；　Coo…ee…oh；〃　said　Glinda　earnestly；　〃if　you

can　recall　enough　of　your　witchcraft　to　enable　us　to

raise　the　sunken　island　to　the　surface　of　the　lake。

Tell　us　that　and　I'll　give　you　a　string　of　pearls　to

wear　around　your　neck　and　add　to　your　beauty。〃



〃Nothing　can　add　to　my　beauty；　for　I'm　the　most

beautiful　creature　anywhere　in　the　whole　world。〃



〃But　how　can　we　raise　the　island？〃



〃I　don't　know　and　I　don't　care。　If　ever　I　knew　I've

forgotten；　and　I'm　glad　of　it；〃　was　the　response。　〃Just

watch　me　circle　around　and　see　me　glitter！



〃It's　no　use；〃　said　Button　Bright；　〃the　old　Swan　is

too　much　in　love　with　herself　to　think　of　anything

else。〃



〃That's　a　fact；〃　agreed　Betsy　with　a　sigh；　〃but　we've

got　to　get　Ozma　and　Dorothy　out　of　that　lake；　somehow

or　other。〃



〃And　we　must　do　it　in　our　own　way；〃　added　the

Scarecrow。



〃But　how？〃　asked　Uncle　Henry　in　a　grave　voice；　for　he

could　not　bear　to　think　of　his　dear　niece　Dorothy　being

out　there　under　water；　〃how　shall　we　do　it？〃



〃Leave　that　to　Glinda；〃　advised　the　Wizard；　realizing

he　was　helpless　to　do　it　himself。



〃If　it　were　just　an　ordinary　sunken　island；〃　said　the

powerful　sorceress；　〃there　would　be　several　ways　by

which　I　might　bring　it　to　the　surface　again。　But　this

is　a　Magic　Isle；　and　by　some　curious　art　of　witchcraft；

unknown　to　any　but　Queen　Coo…ce…oh；　it　obeys　certain

commands　of　magic　and　will　not　respond　to　any　other。　I

do　not　despair　in　the　least；　but　it　will　require　some

deep　study　to　solve　this　difficult　problem。　If　the　Swan

could　only　remember　the　witchcraft　that　she　invented

and　knew　as　a　woman；　I　could　force　her　to　tell　me　the

secret；　but　all　her　former　knowledge　is　now　forgotten。〃



〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　the　Wizard　after　a　brief

silence　had　followed　Glinda's　speech；　〃that　there　are

three　fishes　in　this　lake　that　used　to　be　Adepts　at

Magic　and　from　whom　Coo…ee…oh　stole　much　of　her

knowledge。　If　we　could　find　those　fishes　and　return

them　to　their　former　shapes；　they　could　doubtless　tell

us　what　to　do　to　bring　the　sunken　island　to　the

surface。〃



〃I　have　thought　of　those　fishes；〃　replied　Glinda；

〃but　among　so　many　fishes　as　this　lake　contains　how　are

we　to　single　them　out？〃



You　will　understand；　of　course；　that　had　Glinda　been

at　home　in　her　castle；　where　the　Great　Book　of　Records

was；　she　would　have　known　that　Ervic　the　Skeezer

already　had　taken　the　gold　and　silver　and　bronze　fishes

from　the　lake。　But　that　act　had　been　recorded　in　the

Book　after　Glinda　had　set　out　on　this　journey；　so　it

was　all　unknown　to　her。



〃I　think　I　see　a　boat　yonder　on　the　shore；〃　said　Ojo

the　Munchkin　boy；　pointing　to　a　place　around　the　edge

of　the　lake。　〃If　we　could　get　that　boat　and　row　all

over　the　lake；　calling　to　the　magic　fishes；　we　might　be

able　to　find　them。〃



〃Let　us　go　to　the　boat；〃　said　the　Wizard。



They　walked　around　the　lake　to　where　the　boat　was

stranded　upon　the　beach；　but　found　it　empty。　It　was　a

mere　shell　of　blackened　steel；　with　a　collapsible　roof

that；　when　in　position；　made　the　submarine　watertight；

but　at　present　the　roof　rested　in　slots　on　either　side

of　the　magic　craft。　There　were　no　oars　or　sails；　no

machinery　to　make　the　boat　go；　and　although　Glinda

promptly　realized　it　was　meant　to　be　operated　by

witchcraft；　she　was　not　acquainted　with　that　sort　of

magic。



〃However；〃　said　she；　〃the　boat　is　merely　a　boat；　and

I　believe　I　can　make　it　obey　a　command　of　sorcery；　as

well　as　it　did　the　command　of　witchcraft。　After　I　have

given　a　little　thought　to　the　matter；　the　boat　will

take　us　wherever　we　desire　to　go。〃



〃Not　all　of　us；〃　returned　the　Wizard；　〃for　it　won't

hold　so　many。　But；　most　noble　Sorceress；　provided　you

can　make　the　boat　go；　of　what　use　will　it　be　to　us？〃



〃Can't　we　use　it　to　catch　the　three　fishes？〃　asked

Button　Bright。



〃It　will　not　be　necessary　to　use　the　boat　for　that

purpose；〃　replied　Glinda。　〃Wherever　in　the　lake　the

enchanted　fishes　may　be；　they　will　answer　to　my　call。

What　I　am　trying　to　discover　is　how　the　boat　came　to　be

on　this　shore；　while　the　island　on　which　it　belongs　is

under　water　yonder。　Did　Coo…ee…oh　come　here　in　the　boat

to　meet　the　Flatheads　before　the　island　was　sunk；　or

afterward？〃



No　one　could　answer　that　question；　of　course；　but

while　they　pondered　the　matter　three　young　men　advanced

from　the　line　of　trees；　and　rather　timidly　bowed　to　the

strangers。



〃Who　are　you；　and　where　did　you　come　from？〃　inquired

the　Wizard。



〃We　are　Skeezers；〃　answered　one　of　them；　〃and　our

home　is　on　the　Magic　Isle　of　the　Lake。　We　ran　away　when

we　saw　you　coming；　and　hid　behind　the　trees；　but　as　you

are　Strangers　and　seem　to　be　friendly　we　decided　to

meet　you；　for　we　are　in　great　trouble　and　need

assistance。〃



〃If　you　belong　on　the　island；　why　are　you　here？〃

demanded　Glinda。



So　they　told　her　all　the　story：　How　the　Queen　had

defied　the　Flatheads　and　submerged　the　whole　island　so

that　her　enemies　could　not　get　to　it　or　destroy　it；

how；　when　the　Flatheads　came　to　the　shore；　Coo…ee…oh

had　commanded　them；　together　with　their　friend　Ervic；

to　go　with　her　in　the　submarine　to　conquer　the　Su…dic；

and　how　the　boat　had　shot　out　from　the　basement　of　the

sunken　isle；　obeying　a　magic　word；　and　risen　to　the

surface；　where　it　opened　and　floated　upon　the　water。



Then　followed　the　account　of　how　the　Su…dic　had

transformed　Coo…ee…oh　into　a　swan；　after　which　she　had

forgo