glinda of oz-第19节

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Then　followed　the　account　of　how　the　Su…dic　had

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

forgotten　all　the　witchcraft　she　ever　knew。　The　young

men　told　how；　in　the　night　when　they　were　asleep；　their

comrade　Ervic　had　mysteriously　disappeared；　while　the

boat　in　some　strange　manner　had　floated　to　the　shore

and　stranded　upon　the　beach。



That　was　all　they　knew。　They　had　searched　in　vain　for

three　days　for　Ervic。　As　their　island　was　under　water

and　they　could　not　get　back　to　it；　the　three　Skeezers

had　no　place　to　go；　and　so　had　waited　patiently　beside

their　boat　for　something　to　happen。



Being　questioned　by　Glinda　and　the　Wizard；　they　told

all　they　knew　about　Ozma　and　Dorothy　and　declared　the

two　girls　were　still　in　the　village　under　the　Great

Dome。　They　were　quite　safe　and　would　be　well　cared　for

by　Lady　Aurex；　now　that　the　Queen　who　opposed　them　was

out　of　the　way。



When　they　had　gleaned　all　the　information　they　could

from　these　Skeezers；　the　Wizard　said　to　Glinda：



〃If　you　find　you　can　make　this　boat　obey　your

sorcery；　you　could　have　it　return　to　the　island；

submerge　itself；　and　enter　the　door　in　the　basement

from　which　it　came。　But　I　cannot　see　that　our　going　to

the　sunken　island　would　enable　our　friends　to　escape。

We　would　only　Join　them　as　prisoners。〃



〃Not　so；　friend　Wizard；〃　replied　Glinda。　〃If　the　boat

would　obey　my　commands　to　enter　the　basement　door；　it

would　also　obey　my　commands　to　come　out　again；　and　I

could　bring　Ozma　and　Dorothy　back　with　me。〃



〃And　leave　all　of　our　people　still　imprisoned？〃　asked

one　of　the　Skeezers　reproachfully。



〃By　making　several　trips　in　the　boat；　Glinda　could

fetch　all　your　people　to　the　shore；〃　replied　the

Wizard。



〃But　what　could　they　do　then？〃　inquired　another

Skeezer。　〃They　would　have　no　homes　and　no　place　to　go；

and　would　be　at　the　mercy　of　their　enemies；　the

Flatheads。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　said　Glinda　the　Good。　〃And　as　these

people　are　Ozma's　subjects；　I　think　she　would　refuse　to

escape　with　Dorothy　and　leave　the　others　behind；　or　to

abandon　the　island　which　is　the　lawful　home　of　the

Skeezers。　I　believe　the　best　plan　will　be　to　summon　the

three　fishes　and　learn　from　them　how　to　raise　the

island。〃



The　little　Wizard　seemed　to　think　that　this　was

rather　a　forlorn　hope。



〃How　will　you　summon　them；〃　he　asked　the　lovely

Sorceress；　〃and　how　can　they　hear　you？〃



〃That　is　something　we　must　consider　carefully；〃

responded　stately　Glinda；　with　a　serene　smile。　　〃I

think　I　can　find　a　way。〃



All　of　Ozma's　counsellors　applauded　this　sentiment；

for　they　knew　well　the　powers　of　the　Sorceress。




〃Very　well；〃　agreed　the　Wizard。　〃Summon　them；　most

noble　Glinda。〃









Chapter　Eighteen



The　Cleverness　of　Ervic







We　must　now　return　to　Ervic　the　Skeezer；　who；　when　he

had　set　down　the　copper　kettle　containing　the　three

fishes　at　the　gate　of　the　lonely　cottage；　had　asked；

〃What　next？〃



The　goldfish　stuck　its　head　above　the　water　in　the

kettle　and　said　in　its　small　but　distinct　voice：



〃You　are　to　lift　the　latch；　open　the　door；　and　walk

boldly　into　the　cottage。　Do　not　be　afraid　of　anything

you　see；　for　however　you　seem　to　be　threatened　with

dangers；　nothing　can　harm　you。　The　cottage　is　the　home

of　a　powerful　Yookoohoo；　named　Reera　the　Red；　who

assumes　all　sorts　of　forms；　sometimes　changing　her　form

several　times　in　a　day；　according　to　her　fancy。　What

her　real　form　may　be　we　do　not　know。　This　strange

creature　cannot　be　bribed　with　treasure；　or　coaxed

through　friendship；　or　won　by　pity。　She　has　never

assisted　anyone；　or　done　wrong　to　anyone；　that　we　know

of。　All　her　wonderful　powers　are　used　for　her　own

selfish　amusement。　She　will　order　you　out　of　the　house

but　you　must　refuse　to　go。　Remain　and　watch　Reera

closely　and　try　to　see　what　she　uses　to　accomplish　her

transformations。　If　you　can　discover　the　secret

whisper　it　to　us　and　we　will　then　tell　you　what　to　do

next。〃



〃That　sounds　easy；〃　returned　Ervic；　who　had　listened

carefully。　〃But　are　you　sure　she　will　not　hurt　me；　or

try　to　transform　me？〃



〃She　may　change　your　form；〃　replied　the　goldfish；

〃but　do　not　worry　if　that　happens；　for　we　can　break

that　enchantment　easily。　You　may　be　sure　that　nothing

will　harm　you；　so　you　must　not　be　frightened　at

anything　you　see　or　hear。〃



Now　Ervic　was　as　brave　as　any　ordinary　young　man；　and

he　knew　the　fishes　who　spoke　to　him　were　truthful　and

to　be　relied　upon；　nevertheless　he　experienced　a

strange　sinking　of　the　heart　as　he　picked　up　the　kettle

and　approached　the　door　of　the　cottage。　His　hand

trembled　as　he　raised　the　latch；　but　he　was　resolved　to

obey　his　instructions。　He　pushed　the　door　open；　took

three　strides　into　the　middle　of　the　one　room　the

cottage　contained；　and　then　stood　still　and　looked

around　him。



The　sights　that　met　his　gaze　were　enough　to　frighten

anyone　who　had　not　been　properly　warned。　On　the　floor

just　before　Ervic　lay　a　great　crocodile；　its　red　eyes

gleaming　wickedly　and　its　wide　open　mouth　displaying

rows　of　sharp　teeth。　Horned　toads　hopped　about；　each

of　the　four　upper　corners　of　the　room　was　festooned

with　a　thick　cobweb；　in　the　center　of　which　sat　a

spider　as　big　around　as　a　washbasin；　and　armed　with

pincher…like　claws；　a　red…and…green　lizard　was

stretched　at　full　length　on　the　window…sill　and　black

rats　darted　in　and　out　of　the　holes　they　had　gnawed　in

the　floor　of　the　cottage。



But　the　most　startling　thing　was　a　huge　gray　ape

which　sat　upon　a　bench　and　knitted。　It　wore　a　lace　cap；

such　as　old　ladies　wear；　and　a　little　apron　of　lace；

but　no　other　clothing。　Its　eyes　were　bright　and　looked

as　if　coals　were　burning　in　them。　The　ape　moved　as

naturally　as　an　ordinary　person　might；　and　on　Ervic's

entrance　stopped　knitting　and　raised　its　head　to　look

at　him。



〃Get　out！〃　cried　a　sharp　voice；　seeming　to　come　from

the　ape's　mouth。



Ervic　saw　another　bench；　empty；　just　beyond　him；　so

he　stepped　over　the　crocodile；　sat　down　upon　the　bench

and　carefully　placed　the　kettle　beside　him。



〃Get　out！〃　again　cried　the　voice。



Ervic　shook　his　head。



〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I'm　going　to　stay。〃



The　spiders　left　their　four　corners；　dropped　to　the

floor　and　made　a　rush　toward　the　young　Skeezer；

circling　around　his　legs　with　their　pinchers　extended。

Ervic　paid　no　attention　to　them。　An　enormous　black　rat

ran　up　Ervic's　body；　passed　around　his　shoulders　and

uttered　piercing　squeals　in　his　ears；　but　he　did　not

wince。　The　green…and…red　lizard；　coming　from　the

window…sill；　approached　Ervic　and　began　spitting　a

flaming　fluid　at　him；　but　Ervic　merely　stared　at　the

creature　and　its　flame　did　not　touch　him。



The　crocodile　raised　its　tail　and；　swinging　around；

swept　Ervic　off　the　bench　with　a　powerful　blow。　But　the

Skeezer　managed　to　save　the　kettle　from　upsetting　and

he　got　up；　shook　off　the　horned　toads　that　were

crawling　over　him　and　resumed　his　seat　on　the　bench。



All　the　creatures；　after　this　first　attack；　remained

motionless；　as　if　awaiting　orders。　The　old　gray　ape

knitted　on；　not　looking　toward　Ervic　now；　and　the　young

Skeezer　stolidly　kept　his　seat。　He　expected　something

else　to　happen；　but　nothing　did。　A　full　hour　passed　and

Ervic　was　growing　nervous。



〃What　do　you　want？〃　the　ape　asked　at　last。



〃Nothing；〃　said　Ervic。



〃You　may　have　that！〃　retorted　the　ape；　and　at　this

all　the　strange　creatures　in　the　room　broke　into　a

chorus　of　cackling　laughter。



Another　long　wait。



〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　questioned　the　ape。



〃You　must　be　Reera　the　Red　　the　Yookoohoo；〃　Ervic

answered。



〃Knowing　so　much；　you　must　also　know　that　I　do　not

like　strangers。　Your　presence　here　in　my　home　annoys

me。　Do　you　not　fear　my　anger？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　young　man。



〃Do　you　intend　to　obey　me；　and　leave　this　house？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Ervic；　just　as　quietly　as　the　Yookoohoo

had　spoken。



The　ape　knitted　for　a　long　time　before　resuming　the

conversation。



〃Curiosity；〃　it　said；　〃has　led　to　many　a　man's

undoing。　I　suppose　in　some　way　you　have　learned　that　I

do　tricks　of　magic；　and　so　through　curiosity　you　have

come　here。　You　may　have　been　told　that　I　do　not　injure

anyone；　so　you　are　bold　enough　to　disobey　my　commands

to　go　away。　You　imagine　that　you　may　witness　some　of

the　rites　of　witchcraft；　and　that　they　may　amuse　you。

Have　I　spoken　truly？〃



〃Well；〃　remarked　Ervic；　who　had　been　pondering　on　the

strange　circumstances　of　his　coming　here；　〃you　are

right　in　some　ways；　but　not　in　others。　I　am　told　that

you　work　magic　only　for　your　own　amusement。　That　seems

to　me　very　selfish。　Few　people　understand　magic。　I'm

told　that　you　are　the　only　real　Yookoohoo　in　all　Oz。

Why　don't　you　amuse　others　as　well　as　yourself？〃



〃What　right　have　you　to　question　my　actions？〃



〃None　at　all。〃



〃And　you　s