glinda of oz-第23节

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They　made　the　circle　of　the　Dome　again　in　their　boat；

and　once　more　saw　Ozma　and　Dorothy　through　their

windows　and　exchanged　signals　with　the　two　imprisoned

girls。



Ozma　realized　that　her　friends　were　doing　all　in

their　power　to　rescue　her　and　smiled　an　encouragement

to　their　efforts。　Dorothy　seemed　a　little　anxious　but

was　trying　to　be　as　brave　as　her　companion。



After　the　boat　had　returned　to　the　camp　and　Glinda

was　seated　in　her　tent；　working　out　various　ways　by

which　Ozma　and　Dorothy　could　be　rescued；　the　Wizard

stood　on　the　shore　dreamily　eying　the　outlines　of　the

Great　Dome　which　showed　beneath　the　clear　water；　when

he　raised　his　eyes　and　saw　a　group　of　strange　people

approaching　from　around　the　lake。　Three　were　young

women　of　stately　presence；　very　beautifully　dressed；

who　moved　with　remarkable　grace。　They　were　followed　at

a　little　distance　by　a　good…looking　young　Skeezer。



The　Wizard　saw　at　a　glance　that　these　people　might　be

very　important；　so　he　advanced　to　meet　them。　The　three

maidens　received　him　graciously　and　the　one　with　the

golden　hair　said：



〃I　believe　you　are　the　famous　Wizard　of　Oz；　of　whom　I

have　often　heard。　We　are　seeking　Glinda；　the　Sorceress；

and　perhaps　you　can　lead　us　to　her。〃



〃I　can；　and　will；　right　gladly；〃　answered　the　Wizard。

〃Follow　me；　please。〃



The　little　Wizard　was　puzzled　as　to　the　identity　of

the　three　lovely　visitors　but　he　gave　no　sign　that

might　embarrass　them。



He　understood　they　did　not　wish　to　be　questioned；　and

so　he　made　no　remarks　as　he　led　the　way　to　Glinda's

tent。



With　a　courtly　bow　the　Wizard　ushered　the　three

visitors　into　the　gracious　presence　of　Glinda；　the

Good。









Chapter　Twenty…One



The　Three　Adepts







The　Sorceress　looked　up　from　her　work　as　the　three

maidens　entered；　and　something　in　their　appearance　and

manner　led　her　to　rise　and　bow　to　them　in　her　most

dignified　manner。　The　three　knelt　an　instant　before　the

great　Sorceress　and　then　stood　upright　and　waited　for

her　to　speak。



〃Whoever　you　may　be；〃　said　Glinda；　〃I　bid　you

welcome。〃



〃My　name　is　Audah；〃　said　one。



〃My　name　is　Aurah；〃　said　another。



〃My　name　is　Aujah；〃　said　the　third。



Glinda　had　never　heard　these　names　before；　but

looking　closely　at　the　three　she　asked：



〃Are　you　witches　or　workers　in　magic？〃



〃Some　of　the　secret　arts　we　have　gleaned　from

Nature；〃　replied　the　brownhaired　maiden　modestly；　〃but

we　do　not　place　our　skill　beside　that　of　the　Great

Sorceress；　Glinda　the　Good。〃



〃I　suppose　you　are　aware　it　is　unlawful　to　practice

magic　in　the　Land　of　Oz；　without　the　permission　of　our

Ruler；　Princess　Ozma？〃



〃No；　we　were　not　aware　of　that；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃We

have　heard　of　Ozma；　who　is　the　appointed　Ruler　of　all

this　great　fairyland；　but　her　laws　have　not　reached　us；

as　yet。〃



Glinda　studied　the　strange　maidens　thoughtfully；　then

she　said　to　them：



〃Princess　Ozma　is　even　now　imprisoned　in　the　Skeezer

village。　for　the　whole　island　with　its　Great　Dome；　was

sunk　to　the　bottom　of　the　lake　by　the　witchcraft　of

Coo…ee…oh；　whom　the　Flathead　Su…dic　transformed　into　a

silly　swan。　I　am　seeking　some　way　to　overcome

Coo…ee…oh's　magic　and　raise　the　isle　to　the　surface

again。　Can　you　help　me　do　this？〃



The　maidens　exchanged　glances；　and　the　white…haired

one　replied



〃We　do　not　know；　but　we　will　try　to　assist　you。〃



〃It　seems；〃　continued　Glinda　musingly；　〃that

Coo…ee…oh　derived　most　of　her　witchcraft　from　three

Adepts　at　Magic；　who　at　one　time　ruled　the　Flatheads。

While　the　Adepts　were　being　entertained　by　Coo…ee…oh　at

a　banquet　in　her　palace；　she　cruelly　betrayed　them　and

after　transforming　them　into　fishes　cast　them　into　the

lake。



〃If　I　could　find　these　three　fishes　and　return　them

to　their　natural　shapes　　they　might　know　what　magic

Coo…ee…oh　used　to　sink　the　island。　I　was　about　to　go　to

the　shore　and　call　these　fishes　to　me　when　you　arrived。

So；　if　you　will　join　me；　we　will　try　to　find　them。〃



The　maidens　exchanged　smiles　now；　and　the　golden…

haired　one；　Audah；　said　to　Glinda：



〃It　will　not　be　necessary　to　go　to　the　lake。　We　are

the　three　fishes。〃



〃Indeed！〃　cried　Glinda。　〃Then　you　are　the　three

Adepts　at　Magic；　restored　to　your　proper　forms？〃



〃We　are　the　three　Adepts；〃　admitted　Aujah。



〃Then；〃　said　Glinda；　〃my　task　is　half　accomplished。

But　who　destroyed　the　transformation　that　made　you

fishes？〃



〃We　have　promised　not　to　tell；〃　answered　Aurah；　〃but

this　young　Skeezer　was　largely　responsible　for　our

release；　he　is　brave　and　clever；　and　we　owe　him　our

gratitude。〃



Glinda　looked　at　Ervic；　who　stood　modestly　behind　the

Adepts；　hat　in　hand。　〃He　shall　be　properly　rewarded；〃

she　declared；　〃for　in　helping　you　he　has　helped　us　all；

and　perhaps　saved　his　people　from　being　imprisoned

forever　in　the　sunken　isle。〃



The　Sorceress　now　asked　her　guests　to　seat　themselves

and　a　long　talk　followed；　in　which　the　Wizard　of　Oz

shared。



〃We　are　quite　certain；〃　said　Aurah；　〃that　if　we　could

get　inside　the　Dome　we　could　discover　Coo…ee…oh's

secrets；　for　in　all　her　work；　after　we　became　fishes；

she　used　the　formulas　and　incantations　and　arts　that

she　stole　from　us。　She　may　have　added　to　these　things；

but　they　were　the　foundation　of　all　her　work。〃



〃What　means　do　you　suggest　for　our　getting　into　the

Dome？〃　inquired　Glinda。



The　three　Adepts　hesitated　to　reply；　for　they　had　not

yet　considered　what　could　be　done　to　reach　the　inside

of　the　Great　Dome。　While　they　were　in　deep　thought；　and

Glinda　and　the　Wizard　were　quietly　awaiting　their

suggestions；　into　the　tent　rushed　Trot　and　Betsy；

dragging　between　them　the　Patchwork　Girl。



〃Oh；　Glinda；〃　cried　Trot；　〃Scraps　has　thought　of　a

way　to　rescue　Ozma　and　Dorothy　and　all　of　the

Skeezers。〃



The　three　Adepts　could　not　avoid　laughing　merrily；

for　not　only　were　they　amused　by　the　queer　form　of　the

Patchwork　Girl；　but　Trot's　enthusiastic　speech　struck

them　as　really　funny。　If　the　Great　Sorceress　and　the

famous　Wizard　and　the　three　talented　Adepts　at　Magic

were　unable　as　yet　to　solve　the　important　problem　of

the　sunken　isle；　there　was　little　chance　for　a　patched

girl　stuffed　with　cotton　to　succeed。



But　Glinda；　smiling　indulgently　at　the　earnest　faces

turned　toward　her；　patted　the　children's　heads　and

said：



〃Scraps　is　very　clever。　Tell　us　what　she　has　thought

of；　my　dear。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Trot；　〃Scraps　says　that　if　you　could　dry

up　all　the　water　in　the　lake　the　island　would　be　on　dry

land；　an'　everyone　could　come　and　go　whenever　they

liked。〃



Glinda　smiled　again；　but　the　Wizard　said　to　the

girls：



〃If　we　should　dry　up　the　lake；　what　would　become　of

all　the　beautiful　fishes　that　now　live　in　the　water？〃



〃Dear　me！　That's　so；〃　admitted　Betsy；　crestfallen；　〃we

never　thought　of　that；　did　we　Trot？〃



〃Couldn't　you　transform　'em　into　polliwogs？〃　asked

Scraps；　turning　a　somersault　and　then　standing　on　one

leg。　〃You　could　give　them　a　little；　teeny　pond　to　swim

in；　and　they'd　be　just　as　happy　as　they　are　as　fishes。〃



〃No　indeed！〃　replied　the　Wizard；　severely。　〃It　is

wicked　to　transform　any　living　creatures　without　their

consent；　and　the　lake　is　the　home　of　the　fishes　and

belongs　to　them。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Scraps；　making　a　face　at　him；　〃I

don't　care。〃



〃It's　too　bad；〃　sighed　Trot；　〃for　I　thought　we'd

struck　a　splendid　idea。〃



〃So　you　did；〃　declared　Glinda；　her　face　now　grave　and

thoughtful。　〃There　is　something　in　the　Patchwork　Girl's

idea　that　may　be　of　real　value　to　us。〃



〃I　think　so；　too；〃　agreed　the　golden…haired　Adept。

〃The　top　of　the　Great　Dome　is　only　a　few　feet　below　the

surface　of　the　water。　If　we　could　reduce　the　level　of

the　lake　until　the　Dome　sticks　a　little　above　the

water；　we　could　remove　some　of　the　glass　and　let

ourselves　down　into　the　village　by　means　of　ropes。〃



〃And　there　would　be　plenty　of　water　left　for　the

fishes　to　swim　in；〃　added　the　white…haired　maiden。



〃If　we　succeed　in　raising　the　island　we　could　fill　up

the　lake　again；〃　suggested　the　brown…haired　Adept。



〃I　believe；〃　said　the　Wizard；　rubbing　his　hands

together　in　delight；　〃that　the　Patchwork　Girl　has　shown

us　the　way　to　success。〃



The　girls　were　looking　curiously　at　the　three

beautiful　Adepts；　wondering　who　they　were；　so　Glinda

introduced　them　to　Trot　and　Betsy　and　Scraps；　and　then

sent　the　children　away　while　she　considered　how　to

carry　the　new　idea　into　effect。



Not　much　could　be　done　that　night；　so　the　Wizard

prepared　another　tent　for　the　Adepts；　and　in　the

evening　Glinda　held　a　reception　and　invited　all　her

followers　to　meet　the　new　arrivals。　The　Adepts　were

greatly　astonished　at　the　extraordinary　personages

presented　to　them；　and　marveled　that　Jack　Pumpkinhead

and　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　and　Tik…Tok