glinda of oz-第6节

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〃I　wonder　why　they　did　that？〃　mused　Dorothy。　〃A　wall

would　keep　folks　out　anyhow；　whether　it　could　be　seen

or　not；　so　there　wasn't　any　use　making　it　invisible。

Seems　to　me　it　would　have　been　better　to　have　left　it

solid；　for　then　no　one　would　have　seen　the　entrance

behind　it。　Now　anybody　can　see　the　entrance；　as　we　did。

And　prob'bly　anybody　that　tries　to　go　up　the　stairs

gets　bumped；　as　we　did。〃



Ozma　made　no　reply　at　once。　Her　face　was　grave　and

thoughtful。



〃I　think　I　know　the　reason　for　making　the　wall

invisible；〃　she　said　after　a　while。　〃The　Flatheads　use

the　stairs　for　coming　down　and　going　up。　If　there　was　a

solid　stone　wall　to　keep　them　from　reaching　the　plain

they　would　themselves　be　imprisoned　by　the　wall。　So

they　had　to　leave　some　place　to　get　around　the　wall；

and；　if　the　wall　was　visible；　all　strangers　or　enemies

would　find　the　place　to　go　around　it　and　then　the　wall

would　be　useless。　So　the　Flatheads　cunningly　made　their

wall　invisible；　believing　that　everyone　who　saw　the

entrance　to　the　mountain　would　walk　straight　toward　it；

as　we　did；　and　find　it　impossible　to　go　any　farther。　I

suppose　the　wall　is　really　high　and　thick；　and　can't　be

broken　through；　so　those　who　find　it　in　their　way　are

obliged　to　go　away　again。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃if　there's　a　way　around　the

wall；　where　is　it？〃



〃We　must　find　it；〃　returned　Ozma；　and　began　feeling

her　way　along　the　wall。　Dorothy　followed　and　began　to

get　discouraged　when　Ozma　had　walked　nearly　a　quarter

of　a　mile　away　from　the　entrance。　But　now　the　invisible

wall　curved　in　toward　the　side　of　the　mountain　and

suddenly　ended；　leaving　just　space　enough　between　the

wall　and　the　mountain　for　an　ordinary　person　to　pass

through。



The　girls　went　in；　single　file；　and　Ozma　explained

that　they　were　now　behind　the　barrier　and　could　go

back　to　the　entrance。　They　met　no　further　obstructions。



〃Most　people；　Ozma；　wouldn't　have　figured　this　thing

out　the　way　you　did；〃　remarked　Dorothy。　〃If　I'd　been

alone　the　invisible　wall　surely　would　have　stumped　me。〃



Reaching　the　entrance　they　began　to　mount　the　stone

stairs。　They　went　up　ten　stairs　and　then　down　five

stairs；　following　a　passage　cut　from　the　rock。　The

stairs　were　just　wide　enough　for　the　two　girls　to　walk

abreast；　arm　in　arm。　At　the　bottom　of　the　five　stairs

the　passage　turned　to　the　right；　and　they　ascended　ten

more　stairs；　only　to　find　at　the　top　of　the　flight　five

stairs　leading　straight　down　again。　Again　the　passage

turned　abruptly；　this　time　to　the　left；　and　ten　more

stairs　led　upward。



The　passage　was　now　quite　dark；　for　they　were　in　the

heart　of　the　mountain　and　all　daylight　had　been　shut

out　by　the　turns　of　the　passage。　However；　Ozma　drew　her

silver　wand　from　her　bosom　and　the　great　jewel　at　its

end　gave　out　a　lustrous；　green…tinted　light　which

lighted　the　place　well　enough　for　them　to　see　their　way

plainly。



Ten　steps　up；　five　steps　down；　and　a　turn；　this　way

or　that。　That　was　the　program；　and　Dorothy　figured　that

they　were　only　gaining　five　stairs　upward　each　trip

that　they　made。



〃Those　Flatheads　must　be　funny　people；〃　she　said　to

Ozma。　〃They　don't　seem　to　do　anything　in　a　bold

straightforward　manner。　In　making　this　passage　they

forced　everyone　to　walk　three　times　as　far　as　is

necessary。　And　of　course　this　trip　is　just　as　tiresome

to　the　Flatheads　as　it　is　to　other　folks。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　answered　Ozma；　〃yet　it　is　a　clever

arrangement　to　prevent　their　being　surprised　by

intruders。　Every　time　we　reach　the　tenth　step　of　a

flight；　the　pressure　of　our　feet　on　the　stone　makes　a

bell　ring　on　top　of　the　mountain；　to　warn　the　Flatheads

of　our　coming。〃



〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　demanded　Dorothy；　astonished。



〃I've　heard　the　bell　ever　since　we　started；〃　Ozma

told　her。　〃You　could　not　hear　it；　I　know；　but　when　I　am

holding　my　wand　in　my　hand　I　can　hear　sounds　a　great

distance　off。〃



〃Do　you　hear　anything　on　top　of　the　mountain　'cept

the　bell？〃　inquired　Dorothy



〃Yes。　The　people　are　calling　to　one　another　in　alarm

and　many　footsteps　are　approaching　the　place　where　we

will　reach　the　flat　top　of　the　mountain。〃



This　made　Dorothy　feel　somewhat　anxious。　〃I'd　thought

we　were　going　to　visit　just　common；　ordinary　people；〃

she　remarked；　〃but　they're　pretty　clever；　it　seems；　and

they　know　some　kinds　of　magic；　too。　They　may　be

dangerous；　Ozma。　P'raps　we'd　better　stayed　at　home。〃



Finally　the　upstairs…and…downstairs　passage　seemed

coming　to　an　end；　for　daylight　again　appeared　ahead　of

the　two　girls　and　Ozma　replaced　her　wand　in　the　bosom

of　her　gown。　The　last　ten　steps　brought　them　to　the

surface；　where　they　found　themselves　surrounded　by

such　a　throng　of　queer　people　that　for　a　time　they

halted；　speechless；　and　stared　into　the　faces　that

confronted　them。



Dorothy　knew　at　once　why　these　mountain　people　were

called　Flatheads。　Their　heads　were　really　flat　on　top；

as　if　they　had　been　cut　off　just　above　the　eyes　and

ears。　Also　the　heads　were　bald；　with　no　hair　on　top　at

all；　and　the　ears　were　big　and　stuck　straight　out；　and

the　noses　were　small　and　stubby；　while　the　mouths　of

the　Flatheads　were　well　shaped　and　not　unusual。　Their

eyes　were　perhaps　their　best　feature；　being　large　and

bright　and　a　deep　violet　in　color。



The　costumes　of　the　Flatheads　were　all　made　of　metals

dug　from　their　mountain。　Small　gold；　silver；　tin　and

iron　discs；　about　the　size　of　pennies；　and　very　thin；

were　cleverly　wired　together　and　made　to　form　knee

trousers　and　jackets　for　the　men　and　skirts　and　waists

for　the　women。　The　colored　metals　were　skillfully　mixed

to　form　stripes　and　checks　of　various　sorts；　so　that

the　costumes　were　quite　gorgeous　and　reminded　Dorothy

of　pictures　she　had　seen　of　Knights　of　old　clothed

armor。



Aside　from　their　flat　heads；　these　people　were　not

really　bad　looking。　The　men　were　armed　with　bows　and

arrows　and　had　small　axes　of　steel　stuck　in　their　metal

belts。　They　wore　no　hats　nor　ornaments。









Chapter　Six



Flathead　Mountain







When　they　saw　that　the　intruders　on　their　mountain

were　only　two　little　girls；　the　Flatheads　grunted　with

satisfaction　and　drew　back；　permitting　them　to　see　what

the　mountain　top　looked　like。　It　was　shaped　like　a

saucer；　so　that　the　houses　and　other　buildings　　all

made　of　rocks　　could　not　be　seen　over　the　edge　by

anyone　standing　in　the　plain　below。



But　now　a　big　fat　Flathead　stood　before　the　girls　and

in　a　gruff　voice　demanded：



〃What　are　you　doing　here？　Have　the　Skeezers　sent　you

to　spy　upon　us？〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma；　Ruler　of　all　the　Land　of　Oz。〃



〃Well；　I've　never　heard　of　the　Land　of　Oz；　so　you　may

be　what　you　claim；〃　returned　the　Flathead。



〃This　is　the　Land　of　Oz　　part　of　it；　anyway；〃

exclaimed　Dorothy。　〃So　Princess　Ozma　rules　you　Flathead

people；　as　well　as　all　the　other　people　in　Oz。〃



The　man　laughed；　and　all　the　others　who　stood　around

laughed；　too。　Some　one　in　the　crowd　called：



〃She'd　better　not　tell　the　Supreme　Dictator　about

ruling　the　Flatheads。　Eh；　friends？〃



〃No；　indeed！〃　they　all　answered　in　positive　tones。



〃Who　is　your　Supreme　Dictator？〃　answered　Ozma。



〃I　think　I'll　let　him　tell　you　that　himself；〃

answered　the　man　who　had　first　spoken。　〃You　have　broken

our　laws　by　coming　here；　and　whoever　you　are　the

Supreme　Dictator　must　fix　your　punishment。　Come　along

with　me。〃



He　started　down　a　path　and　Ozma　and　Dorothy　followed

him　without　protest；　as　they　wanted　to　see　the　most

important　person　in　this　queer　country。　The　houses　they

passed　seemed　pleasant　enough　and　each　had　a　little

yard　in　which　were　flowers　and　vegetables。　Walls　of

rock　separated　the　dwellings；　and　all　the　paths　were

paved　with　smooth　slabs　of　rock。　This　seemed　their　only

building　material　and　they　utilized　it　cleverly　for

every　purpose。



Directly　in　the　center　of　the　great　saucer　stood　a

larger　building　which　the　Flathead　informed　the　girls

was　the　palace　of　the　Supreme　Dictator。　He　led　them

through　an　entrance　hall　into　a　big　reception　room；

where　they　sat　upon　stone　benches　and　awaited　the

coming　of　the　Dictator。　Pretty　soon　he　entered　from

another　room　　a　rather　lean　and　rather　old　Flathead；

dressed　much　like　the　others　of　this　strange　race；　and

only　distinguished　from　them　by　the　sly　and　cunning

expression　of　his　face。　He　kept　his　eyes　half　closed

and　looked　through　the　slits　of　them　at　Ozma　and

Dorothy；　who　rose　to　receive　him。



〃Are　you　the　Supreme　Dictator　of　the　Flatheads？〃

inquired　Ozma。



〃Yes；　that's　me；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands　slowly

together。　〃My　word　is　law。　I'm　the　head　of　the

Flatheads　on　this　flat　headland。〃



〃I　am　Princess　Ozma　of　Oz；　and　I　have　come　from　the

Emerald　City　to　〃



〃Stop　a　minute；〃　interrupted　the　Dictator；　and　turned

to　the　man　who　had　brought　the　girls　there。　〃