glinda of oz-第20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！





〃What　right　have　you　to　question　my　actions？〃



〃None　at　all。〃



〃And　you　say　you　are　not　here　to　demand　any

favors　of　me？〃



〃For　myself　I　want　nothing　from　you。〃



〃You　are　wise　in　that。　I　never　grant　favors。〃



〃That　doesn't　worry　me；〃　declared　Ervic。



〃But　you　are　curious？　You　hope　to　witness　some　of　my

magic　transformations？〃



〃If　you　wish　to　perform　any　magic；　go　ahead；〃　said

Ervic。　〃It　may　interest　me　and　it　may　not。　If　you'd

rather　go　on　with　your　knitting；　it's　all　the　same　to

me。　I　am　in　no　hurry　at　all。〃



This　may　have　puzzled　Red　Reera；　but　the　face　beneath

the　lace　cap　could　show　no　expression；　being　covered

with　hair。　Perhaps　in　all　her　career　the　Yookoohoo　had

never　been　visited　by　anyone　who；　like　this　young　man；

asked　for　nothing；　expected　nothing；　and　had　no　reason

for　coming　except　curiosity。　This　attitude　practically

disarmed　the　witch　and　she　began　to　regard　the　Skeezer

in　a　more　friendly　way。　She　knitted　for　some　time；

seemingly　in　deep　thought；　and　then　she　arose　and

walked　to　a　big　cupboard　that　stood　against　the　wall　of

the　room。　When　the　cupboard　door　was　opened　Ervic　could

see　a　lot　of　drawers　inside；　and　into　one　of　these

drawers　　the　second　from　the　bottom　　Reera　thrust　a

hairy　hand。



Until　now　Ervic　could　see　over　the　bent　form　of　the

ape；　but　suddenly　the　form；　with　its　back　to　him；

seemed　to　straighten　up　and　blot　out　the　cupboard　of

drawers。　The　ape　had　changed　to　the　form　of　a　woman；

dressed　in　the　pretty　Gillikin　costume；　and　when　she

turned　around　he　saw　that　it　was　a　young　woman；　whose

face　was　quite　attractive。



〃Do　you　like　me　better　this　way？〃　Reera　inquired　with

a　smile。



〃You　look　better；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃but　I'm　not　sure

I　like　you　any　better。〃



She　laughed；　saying：　〃During　the　heat　of　the　day　I

like　to　be　an　ape；　for　an　ape　doesn't　wear　any　clothes

to　speak　of。　But　if　one　has　gentlemen　callers　it　is

proper　to　dress　up。〃



Ervic　noticed　her　right　hand　was　closed；　as　if　she

held　something　in　it。　She　shut　the　cupboard　door；　bent

over　the　crocodile　and　in　a　moment　the　creature　had

changed　to　a　red　wolf。　It　was　not　pretty　even　now；　and

the　wolf　crouched　beside　its　mistress　as　a　dog　might

have　done。　Its　teeth　looked　as　dangerous　as　had　those

of　the　crocodile。



Next　the　Yookoohoo　went　about　touching　all　the

lizards　and　toads；　and　at　her　touch　they　became

kittens。　The　rats　she　changed　into　chipmunks。　Now　the

only　horrid　creatures　remaining　were　the　four　great

spiders；　which　hid　themselves　behind　their　thick　webs。



〃There！〃　Reera　cried；　〃now　my　cottage　presents　a　more

comfortable　appearance。　I　love　the　toads　and　lizards

and　rats；　because　most　people　hate　them；　but　I　would

tire　of　them　if　they　always　remained　the　same。

Sometimes　I　change　their　forms　a　dozen　times　a　day。〃



〃You　are　clever；〃　said　Ervic。　〃I　did　not　hear　you

utter　any　incantations　or　magic　words。　All　you　did　was

to　touch　the　creatures。〃



〃Oh；　do　you　think　so？〃　she　replied。　〃Well；　touch　them

yourself；　if　you　like；　and　see　if　you　can　change　their

forms。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　Skeezer；　〃I　don't　understand　magic　and

if　I　did　I　would　not　try　to　imitate　your　skill。　You　are

a　wonderful　Yookoohoo；　while　I　am　only　a　common

Skeezer。〃



This　confession　seemed　to　please　Reera；　who　liked　to

have　her　witchcraft　appreciated。



〃Will　you　go　away　now？〃　she　asked。　〃I　prefer　to　be

alone。〃



〃I　prefer　to　stay　here；〃　said　Ervic。



〃In　another　person's　home；　where　you　are　not　wanted？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Is　not　your　curiosity　yet　satisfied？〃　demanded

Reera；　with　a　smile。



〃I　don't　know。　Is　there　anything　else　you　can　do？〃



〃Many　things。　But　why　should　I　exhibit　my　powers　to　a

stranger？〃



〃I　can　think　of　no　reason　at　all；〃　he　replied。



She　looked　at　him　curiously。



〃You　want　no　power　for　yourself；　you　say；　and　you're

too　stupid　to　be　able　to　steal　my　secrets。　This　isn't　a

pretty　cottage；　while　outside　are　sunshine；　broad

prairies　and　beautiful　wildflowers。　Yet　you　insist　on

sitting　on　that　bench　and　annoying　me　with　your

unwelcome　presence。　What　have　you　in　that　kettle？〃



〃Three　fishes；〃　he　answered　readily。



〃Where　did　you　get　them？〃



〃I　caught　them　in　the　Lake　of　the　Skeezers。〃



〃What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　the　fishes？〃



〃I　shall　carry　them　to　the　home　of　a　friend　of　mine

who　has　three　children。　The　children　will　love　to　have

the　fishes　for　pets。〃



She　came　over　to　the　bench　and　looked　into　the

kettle；　where　the　three　fishes　were　swimming　quietly　in

the　water。



〃They're　pretty；〃　said　Reera。　〃Let　me　transform　them

into　something　else。〃



〃No；〃　objected　the　Skeezer。



〃I　love　to　transform　things；　it's　so　interesting。　And

I've　never　transformed　any　fishes　in　all　my　life。〃



〃Let　them　alone；〃　said　Ervic。



〃What　shapes　would　you　prefer　them　to　have？　I　can

make　them　turtles；　or　cute　little　sea…horses；　or　I

could　make　them　piglets；　or　rabbits；　or　guinea…pigs；

or；　if　you　like　I　can　make　chickens　of　them；　or　eagles；

or　bluejays。〃



〃Let　them　alone！〃　repeated　Ervic。



〃You're　not　a　very　pleasant　visitor；〃　laughed　Red

Reera。　〃People　accuse　me　of　being　cross　and　crabbed

and　unsociable；　and　they　are　quite　right。　If　you　had

come　here　pleading　and　begging　for　favors；　and　half

afraid　of　my　Yookoohoo　magic；　I'd　have　abused　you　until

you　ran　away；　but　you're　quite　different　from　that。

You're　the　unsociable　and　crabbed　and　disagreeable　one；

and　so　I　like　you；　and　bear　with　your　grumpiness。　It's

time　for　my　midday　meal；　are　you　hungry？〃



〃No；〃　said　Ervic；　although　he　really　desired　food。



〃Well；　I　am；〃　Reera　declared　and　clapped　her　hands

together。　Instantly　a　table　appeared；　spread　with　linen

and　bearing　dishes　of　various　foods；　some　smoking　hot。

There　were　two　plates　laid；　one　at　each　end　of　the

table；　and　as　soon　as　Reera　seated　herself　all　her

creatures　gathered　around　her；　as　if　they　were

accustomed　to　be　fed　when　she　ate。　The　wolf　squatted　at

her　right　hand　and　the　kittens　and　chipmunks　gathered

at　her　left。



〃Come；　Stranger；　sit　down　and　eat；〃　she　called

cheerfully；　〃and　while　we're　eating　let　us　decide　into

what　forms　we　shall　change　your　fishes。〃



〃They're　all　right　as　they　are；〃　asserted　Ervic；

drawing　up　his　bench　to　the　table。　〃The　fishes　are

beauties　　one　gold；　one　silver　and　one　bronze。

Nothing　that　has　life　is　more　lovely　than　a　beautiful

fish。〃



〃What！　Am　I　not　more　lovely？〃　Reera　asked；　smiling　at

his　serious　face。



〃I　don't　object　to　you　　for　a　Yookoohoo；　you　know；〃

he　said；　helping　himself　to　the　food　and　eating　with

good　appetite。



〃And　don't　you　consider　a　beautiful　girl　more　lovely

than　a　fish；　however　pretty　the　fish　may　be？〃



〃Well；〃　replied　Ervic；　after　a　period　of　thought；

〃that　might　be。　If　you　transformed　my　three　fish　into

three　girls　　girls　who　would　be　Adepts　at　Magic；　you

know　they　might　please　me　as　well　as　the　fish　do。　You

won't　do　that　of　course；　because　you　can't；　with　all

your　skill。　And；　should　you　be　able　to　do　so；　I　fear　my

troubles　would　be　more　than　I　could　bear。　They　would

not　consent　to　be　my　slaves　　especially　if　they　were

Adepts　at　Magic　　and　so　they　would　command　me　to　obey

them。　No；　Mistress　Reeraq　let　us　not　transform　the

fishes　at　all。〃



The　Skeezer　had　put　his　case　with　remarkable

cleverness。　He　realized　that　if　he　appeared　anxious　for

such　a　transformation　the　Yookoohoo　would　not　perform

it；　yet　he　had　skillfully　suggested　that　they　be　made

Adepts　at　Magic。











Chapter　Nineteen



Red　Reera；　the　Yookoohoo







After　the　meal　was　over　and　Reera　had　fed　her　pets；

including　the　four　monster　spiders　which　had　come　down

from　their　webs　to　secure　their　share；　she　made　the

table　disappear　from　the　floor　of　the　cottage。



〃I　wish　you'd　consent　to　my　transforming　your

fishes；〃　she　said；　as　she　took　up　her　knitting　again。



The　Skeezer　made　no　reply。　He　thought　it　unwise　to

hurry　matters。　All　during　the　afternoon　they　sat

silent。　Once　Reera　went　to　her　cupboard　and　after

thrusting　her　hand　into　the　same　drawer　as　before；

touched　the　wolf　and　transformed　it　into　a　bird　with

gorgeous　colored　feathers。　This　bird　was　larger　than　a

parrot　and　of　a　somewhat　different　form；　but　Ervic　had

never　seen　one　like　it　before。



〃Sing！〃　said　Reera　to　the　bird；　which　had　perched

itself　on　a　big　wooden　peg　　as　if　it　had　been　in　the

cottage　before　and　knew　just　what　to　do。



And　the　bird　sang　jolly；　rollicking　songs　with　words

to　them　　just　as　a　person　who　had　been　carefully

trained　might　do。　The　songs　were　entertaining　and　Ervic

enjoyed　listening　to　them。　In　an　hour　or　so　the　bird

stopped　singing；　tucked　its　head　under　its　wing　and

went　to　sleep。　Reera　continued　knitting　but　seemed

thoughtful。



Now　Ervic　had　marked　this　cupboard　drawer　well　and