the patchwork girl of oz-第6节
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As he spoke he went to a phonograph； which
screwed fast to a small table； and wound up
the spring of the instrument and adjusted the
big gold horn。
〃The music my servant will usually hear；〃
remarked Margolotte； 〃will be my orders to do
her work。 But I see no harm in allowing her to
listen to this unseen band while she wakens to
her first realization of life。 My orders will beat
the band； afterward。〃
The phonograph was now playing a stirring
march tune and the Magician unlocked his
cabinet and took out the gold bottle containing
the Powder of Life。
They all bent over the bench on which the
Patchwork Girl reclined。 Unc Nunkie and Margolotte
stood behind； near the windows； Ojo at one side
and the Magician in front； where he would have
freedom to sprinkle the powder。 The Glass Cat came
near； too； curious to watch the important scene。
〃All ready？〃 asked Dr。 Pipt。
〃All is ready；〃 answered his wife。
So the Magician leaned over and shook from
the bottle some grains of the wonderful Powder；
and they fell directly on the Patchwork Girl's
head and arms。
Chapter Five
A Terrible Accident
〃It will take a few minutes for this powder to
do its work；〃 remarked the Magician； sprinkling
the body up and down with much care。
But suddenly the Patchwork Girl threw up one
arm； which knocked the bottle of powder from the
crooked man's hand and sent it flying across the
room。 Unc Nunkie and Margolotte were so startled
that they both leaped backward and bumped
together； and Unc's head joggled the shelf above
them and upset the bottle containing the Liquid of
Petrifaction。
The Magician uttered such a wild cry that Ojo
jumped away and the Patchwork Girl sprang after
him and clasped her stuffed arms around him in
terror。 The Glass Cat snarled and hid under the
table； and so it was that when the powerful Liquid
of Petrifaction was spilled it fell only upon the
wife of the Magician and the uncle of Ojo。 With
these two the charm worked promptly。 They stood
motionless and stiff as marble statues； in exactly
the positions they were in when the Liquid struck
them。
Ojo pushed the Patchwork Girl away and
ran to Unc Nunkie； filled with a terrible fear
for the only friend and protector he had ever
known。 When he grasped Unc's hand it was
cold and hard。 Even the long gray beard was
solid marble。 The Crooked Magician was
dancing around the room in a frenzy of despair；
calling upon his wife to forgive him； to speak
to him； to come to life again！
The Patchwork Girl； quickly recovering from her
fright； now came nearer and looked from one to
another of the people with deep interest。 Then she
looked at herself and laughed。 Noticing the
mirror； she stood before it and examined her
extraordinary features with amazementher button
eyes； pearl bead teeth and puffy nose。 Then；
addressing her reflection in the glass； she exclaimed：
〃Whee； but there's a gaudy dame！
Makes a paint…box blush with shame。
Razzle…dazzle； fizzle…fazzle！
Howdy…do； Miss What's…your…name？〃
She bowed； and the reflection bowed。 Then
she laughed again； long and merrily； and the
Glass Cat crept out from under the table and said：
〃I don't blame you for laughing at yourself。
Aren't you horrid？〃
〃Horrid？〃 she replied。 〃Why； I'm thoroughly
delightful。 I'm an Original； if you please； and
therefore incomparable。 Of all the comic； absurd；
rare and amusing creatures the world contains； I
must be the supreme freak。 Who but poor Margolotte
could have managed to invent such an unreasonable
being as I？ But I'm gladI'm awfully glad！that
I'm just what I am； and nothing else。〃
〃Be quiet； will you？〃 cried the frantic
Magician； 〃be quiet and let me think！ If I don't
think I shall go mad。〃
〃Think ahead；〃 said the Patchwork Girl； seating
herself in a chair。 〃Think all you want to。 I
don't mind。〃
〃Gee！ but I'm fired playing that tune；〃 called
the phonograph； speaking through its horn in
a brazen； scratchy voice。 〃If you don't mind；
Pipt； old boy； I'll cut it out and take a rest。〃
The Magician looked gloomily at the music…
machine。
〃What dreadful luck！〃 he wailed； despondently。
〃The Powder of Life must have fallen on the
phonograph。〃
He went up to it and found that the gold bottle
that contained the precious powder had dropped
upon the stand and scattered its life…giving
grains over the machine。 The phonograph was very
much alive； and began dancing a jig with the legs
of the table to which it was attached； and this
dance so annoyed Dr。 Pipt that he kicked the thing
into a corner and pushed a bench against it； to
hold it quiet。
〃You were bad enough before；〃 said the Magician；
resentfully； 〃but a live phonograph is enough to
drive every sane person in the Land of Oz stark
crazy。〃
〃No insults； please；〃 answered the phonograph in
a surly； tone。 〃You did it； my boy； don't blame
me。 〃
〃You've bungled everything； Dr。 Pipt；〃 added
the Glass Cat； contemptuously。
〃Except me；〃 said the Patchwork Girl； jumping up
to whirl merrily around the room。
〃I think；〃 said Ojo； almost ready to cry
through grief over Unc Nunkie's sad fate； 〃it
must all be my fault； in some way。 I'm called
Ojo the Unlucky； you know。〃
〃That's nonsense； kiddie；〃 retorted the
Patchwork Girl cheerfully。 〃No one can be unlucky
who has the intelligence to direct his own
actions。 The unlucky ones are those who beg for a
chance to think； like poor Dr。 Pipt here。 What's
the row about； anyway； Mr。 Magic…maker？〃
〃The Liquid of Petrifaction has accidentally
fallen upon my dear wife and Unc Nunkie and
turned them into marble；〃 he sadly replied。
〃Well； why don't you sprinkle some of that
powder on them and bring them to life again？〃
asked the Patchwork Girl。
The Magician gave a jump。
〃Why； I hadn't thought of that！〃 he joyfully
cried； and grabbed up the golden bottle； with
which he ran to Margolotte。
Said the Patchwork Girl：
〃Higgledy； piggledy； dee…
What fools magicians be！
His head's so thick
He can't think quick；
So he takes advice from me。〃
Standing upon the bench； for he was so
crooked he could not reach the top of his wife's
head in any other way； Dr。 Pipt began shaking
the bottle。 But not a grain of powder came out。
He pulled off the cover； glanced within； and
then threw the bottle from him with a wail of
despair。
〃Gone…gone！ Every bit gone；〃 he cried。
〃Wasted on that miserable phonograph when
it might have saved my dear wife！〃
Then the Magician bowed his head on his
crooked arms and began to cry。
Ojo was sorry for him。 He went up to the
sorrowful man and said softly：
〃You can make more Powder of Life； Dr。 Pipt。〃
〃Yes； but it will take me six yearssix long；
weary years of stirring four kettles with both
feet and both hands；〃 was the agonized reply。 〃Six
years！ while poor Margolotte stands watching me as
a marble image。 〃
〃Can't anything else be done？〃 asked the
Patchwork Girl。
The Magician shook his head。 Then he seemed to
remember something and looked up。
〃There is one other compound that would destroy
the magic spell of the Liquid of Petrifaction and
restore my wife and Unc Nunkie to life；〃 said he。
〃It may be hard to find the things I need to make
this magic compound； but if they were found I
could do in an instant what will otherwise take
six long； weary years of stirring kettles with
both hands and both feet。〃
〃All right； let's find the things； then；〃
suggested the Patchwork Girl。 〃That seems a lot
more sensible than those stirring times with the
kettles。〃
〃That's the idea； Scraps；〃 said the Glass Cat；
approvingly。 〃I'm glad to find you have decent
brains。 Mine are exceptionally good。 You can
see em work； they're pink。〃
〃Scraps？〃 repeated the
