dorothy and the wizard in oz-第20部分

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〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　know　the　Hungry　Tiger　and　Billina；〃　said　the

Wizard；　shaking　his　head。　　〃Is　Billina　a　girl？〃



〃No；　she's　a　yellow　hen；　and　a　great　friend　of　mine。　　You're　sure　to

like　Billina；　when　you　know　her；〃　asserted　Dorothy。



〃Your　friends　sound　like　a　menagerie；〃　remarked　Zeb；　uneasily。

〃Couldn't　you　wish　me　in　some　safer　place　than　Oz。〃



〃Don't　worry；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃You'll　just　love　the　folks　in　Oz；

when　you　get　acquainted。　　What　time　is　it；　Mr。　Wizard？〃



The　little　man　looked　at　his　watcha　big　silver　one　that　he　carried

in　his　vest　pocket。



〃Half…past　three；〃　he　said。



〃Then　we　must　wait　for　half　an　hour；〃　she　continued；　〃but　it　won't

take　long；　after　that；　to　carry　us　all　to　the　Emerald　City。〃



They　sat　silently　thinking　for　a　time。　　Then　Jim　suddenly　asked：



〃Are　there　any　horses　in　Oz？〃



〃Only　one；〃　replied　Dorothy；　〃and　he's　a　sawhorse。〃



〃A　what？〃



〃A　sawhorse。　　Princess　Ozma　once　brought　him　to　life　with　a

witch…powder；　when　she　was　a　boy。〃



〃Was　Ozma　once　a　boy？〃　asked　Zeb；　wonderingly。



〃Yes；　a　wicked　witch　enchanted　her；　so　she　could　not　rule　her　kingdom。

But　she's　a　girl　now；　and　the　sweetest；　loveliest　girl　in　all　the　world。〃



〃A　sawhorse　is　a　thing　they　saw　boards　on；〃　remarked　Jim；　with　a　sniff。



〃It　is　when　it's　not　alive；〃　acknowledged　the　girl。　　〃But　this

sawhorse　can　trot　as　fast　as　you　can；　Jim；　and　he's　very　wise；　too。〃



〃Pah！　　I'll　race　the　miserable　wooden　donkey　any　day　in　the　week！〃

cried　the　cab…horse。



Dorothy　did　not　reply　to　that。　　She　felt　that　Jim　would　know　more

about　the　Saw…Horse　later　on。



The　time　dragged　wearily　enough　to　the　eager　watchers；　but　finally　the

Wizard　announced　that　four　o'clock　had　arrived；　and　Dorothy　caught　up

the　kitten　and　began　to　make　the　signal　that　had　been　agreed　upon　to

the　far…away　invisible　Ozma。



〃Nothing　seems　to　happen；〃　said　Zeb；　doubtfully。



〃Oh；　we　must　give　Ozma　time　to　put　on　the　Magic　Belt；〃　replied　the　girl。



She　had　scarcely　spoken　the　words　then　she　suddenly　disappeared　from

the　cave；　and　with　her　went　the　kitten。　　There　had　been　no　sound　of

any　kind　and　no　warning。　　One　moment　Dorothy　sat　beside　them　with　the

kitten　in　her　lap；　and　a　moment　later　the　horse；　the　piglets；　the

Wizard　and　the　boy　were　all　that　remained　in　the　underground　prison。



〃I　believe　we　will　soon　follow　her；〃　announced　the　Wizard；　in　a　tone

of　great　relief；　〃for　I　know　something　about　the　magic　of　the

fairyland　that　is　called　the　Land　of　Oz。　　Let　us　be　ready；　for　we　may

be　sent　for　any　minute。〃



He　put　the　piglets　safely　away　in　his　pocket　again　and　then　he　and　Zeb

got　into　the　buggy　and　sat　expectantly　upon　the　seat。



〃Will　it　hurt？〃　asked　the　boy；　in　a　voice　that　trembled　a　little。



〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　the　Wizard。　　〃It　will　all　happen　as　quick　as　a　wink。〃



And　that　was　the　way　it　did　happen。



The　cab…horse　gave　a　nervous　start　and　Zeb　began　to　rub　his　eyes　to

make　sure　he　was　not　asleep。　　For　they　were　in　the　streets　of　a

beautiful　emerald…green　city；　bathed　in　a　grateful　green　light　that

was　especially　pleasing　to　their　eyes；　and　surrounded　by　merry　faced

people　in　gorgeous　green…and…gold　costumes　of　many　extraordinary　designs。



Before　them　were　the　jewel…studded　gates　of　a　magnificent　palace；　and

now　the　gates　opened　slowly　as　if　inviting　them　to　enter　the

courtyard；　where　splendid　flowers　were　blooming　and　pretty　fountains

shot　their　silvery　sprays　into　the　air。



Zeb　shook　the　reins　to　rouse　the　cab…horse　from　his　stupor　of

amazement；　for　the　people　were　beginning　to　gather　around　and　stare　at

the　strangers。



〃Gid…dap！〃　cried　the　boy；　and　at　the　word　Jim　slowly　trotted　into　the

courtyard　and　drew　the　buggy　along　the　jewelled　driveway　to　the　great

entrance　of　the　royal　palace。







15。　　Old　Friends　are　Reunited





Many　servants　dressed　in　handsome　uniforms　stood　ready　to　welcome　the

new　arrivals；　and　when　the　Wizard　got　out　of　the　buggy　a　pretty　girl

in　a　green　gown　cried　out　in　surprise：



〃Why；　it's　Oz；　the　Wonderful　Wizard；　come　back　again！〃



The　little　man　looked　at　her　closely　and　then　took　both　the　maiden's

hands　in　his　and　shook　them　cordially。



〃On　my　word；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it's　little　Jellia　Jambas　pert　and

pretty　as　ever！〃



〃Why　not；　Mr。　Wizard？〃　asked　Jellia；　bowing　low。　　〃But　I'm　afraid　you

cannot　rule　the　Emerald　City；　as　you　used　to；　because　we　now　have　a

beautiful　Princess　whom　everyone　loves　dearly。〃



〃And　the　people　will　not　willingly　part　with　her；〃　added　a　tall

soldier　in　a　Captain…General's　uniform。



The　Wizard　turned　to　look　at　him。



〃Did　you　not　wear　green　whiskers　at　one　time？〃　he　asked。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　soldier；　〃but　I　shaved　them　off　long　ago；

and　since　then　I　have　risen　from　a　private　to　be　the　Chief　General

of　the　Royal　Armies。〃



〃That's　nice；〃　said　the　little　man。　　〃But　I　assure　you；　my　good　people；

that　I　do　not　wish　to　rule　the　Emerald　City；〃　he　added；　earnestly。



〃In　that　case　you　are　very　welcome！〃　cried　all　the　servants；　and　it

pleased　the　Wizard　to　note　the　respect　with　which　the　royal　retainers

bowed　before　him。　　His　fame　had　not　been　forgotten　in　the　Land　of　Oz；

by　any　means。



〃Where　is　Dorothy？〃　enquired　Zeb；　anxiously；　as　he　left　the　buggy　and

stood　beside　his　friend　the　little　Wizard。



〃She　is　with　the　Princess　Ozma；　in　the　private　rooms　of　the　palace；〃

replied　Jellia　Jamb。　　〃But　she　has　ordered　me　to　make　you　welcome　and

to　show　you　to　your　apartments。〃



The　boy　looked　around　him　with　wondering　eyes。　　Such　magnificence　and

wealth　as　was　displayed　in　this　palace　was　more　than　he　had　ever

dreamed　of；　and　he　could　scarcely　believe　that　all　the　gorgeous

glitter　was　real　and　not　tinsel。



〃What's　to　become　of　me？〃　asked　the　horse；　uneasily。　　He　had　seen

considerable　of　life　in　the　cities　in　his　younger　days；　and　knew　that

this　regal　palace　was　no　place　for　him。



It　perplexed　even　Jellia　Jamb；　for　a　time；　to　know　what　to　do　with　the

animal。　　The　green　maiden　was　much　astonished　at　the　sight　of　so

unusual　a　creature；　for　horses　were　unknown　in　this　Land；　but　those

who　lived　in　the　Emerald　City　were　apt　to　be　astonished　by　queer

sights；　so　after　inspecting　the　cab…horse　and　noting　the　mild　look　in

his　big　eyes　the　girl　decided　not　to　be　afraid　of　him。



〃There　are　no　stables　here；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃unless　some　have　been

built　since　I　went　away。〃



〃We　have　never　needed　them　before；〃　answered　Jellia；　〃for　the　Sawhorse

lives　in　a　room　of　the　palace；　being　much　smaller　and　more　natural　in

appearance　than　this　great　beast　you　have　brought　with　you。〃



〃Do　you　mean　that　I'm　a　freak？〃　asked　Jim；　angrily。



〃Oh；　no；〃　she　hastened　to　say；　〃there　may　be　many　more　like　you　in　the

place　you　came　from；　but　in　Oz　any　horse　but　a　Sawhorse　is　unusual。〃



This　mollified　Jim　a　little；　and　after　some　thought　the　green　maiden

decided　to　give　the　cab…horse　a　room　in　the　palace；　such　a　big

building　having　many　rooms　that　were　seldom　in　use。



So　Zeb　unharnessed　Jim；　and　several　of　the　servants　then　led　the　horse

around　to　the　rear；　where　they　selected　a　nice　large　apartment　that　he

could　have　all　to　himself。



Then　Jellia　said　to　the　Wizard：



〃Your　own　roomwhich　was　back　of　the　great　Throne　Roomhas　been

vacant　ever　since　you　left　us。　　Would　you　like　it　again？〃



〃Yes；　indeed！〃　returned　the　little　man。　　〃It　will　seem　like　being　at

home　again；　for　I　lived　in　that　room　for　many；　many　years。〃



He　knew　the　way　to　it；　and　a　servant　followed　him；　carrying　his

satchel。　　Zeb　was　also　escorted　to　a　roomso　grand　and　beautiful　that

he　almost　feared　to　sit　in　the　chairs　or　lie　upon　the　bed；　lest　he

might　dim　their　splendor。　　In　the　closets　he　discovered　many　fancy

costumes　of　rich　velvets　and　brocades；　and　one　of　the　attendants　told

him　to　dress　himself　in　any　of　the　clothes　that　pleased　him　and　to　be

prepared　to　dine　with　the　Princess　and　Dorothy　in　an　hour's　time。



Opening　from　the　chamber　was　a　fine　bathroom　having　a　marble　tub　with

perfumed　water；　so　the　boy；　still　dazed　by　the　novelty　of　his

surroundings；　indulged　in　a　good　bath　and　then　selected　a　maroon

velvet　costume　with　silver　buttons　to　replace　his　own　soiled　and　much

worn　clothing。　　There　were　silk　stockings　and　soft　leather　slippers

with　diamond　buckles　to　accompany　his　new　costume；　and　when　he　was

fully　dressed　Zeb　looked　much　more　dignified　and　imposing　than　ever

before　in　his　life。



He　was　all　ready　when　an　attendant　came　to　escort　him　to　the　presence

of　the　Princess；　he　followed　bashfully　and　was　ushered　into　a　room

more　dainty　and　attractive　than　it　was　splendid。　　Here　he　found

Dorothy　seated　beside　a　young　girl　so　marvelously　beautiful　that　the

boy　stopped　suddenly　with　a　gasp　of　admiration。



But　Dorothy　sprang　up　and　ran　to　seize　her　friend's　hand　drawing　him

impulsively　toward　the　lovely　Prince