dorothy and the wizard in oz-第3部分

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〃We've　got　to　come　to　the　bottom　some　time；〃　remarked　Zeb；　with　a　deep

sigh。　　〃We　can't　keep　falling　forever；　you　know。〃



〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃We　are　somewhere　in　the　middle　of　the

earth；　and　the　chances　are　we'll　reach　the　other　side　of　it　before

long。　　But　it's　a　big　hollow；　isn't　it？〃



〃Awful　big！〃　answered　the　boy。



〃We're　coming　to　something　now；〃　announced　the　horse。



At　this　they　both　put　their　heads　over　the　side　of　the　buggy　and

looked　down。　　Yes；　there　was　land　below　them；　and　not　so　very　far

away；　either。　　But　they　were　floating　very；　very　slowlyso　slowly

that　it　could　no　longer　be　called　a　falland　the　children　had　ample

time　to　take　heart　and　look　about　them。



They　saw　a　landscape　with　mountains　and　plains；　lakes　and　rivers；　very

like　those　upon　the　earth's　surface；　but　all　the　scene　was　splendidly

colored　by　the　variegated　lights　from　the　six　suns。　　Here　and　there

were　groups　of　houses　that　seemed　made　of　clear　glass；　because　they

sparkled　so　brightly。



〃I'm　sure　we　are　in　no　danger；〃　said　Dorothy；　in　a　sober　voice。　　〃We

are　falling　so　slowly　that　we　can't　be　dashed　to　pieces　when　we　land；

and　this　country　that　we　are　coming　to　seems　quite　pretty。〃



〃We'll　never　get　home　again；　though！〃　declared　Zeb；　with　a　groan。



〃Oh；　I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃But　don't　let　us

worry　over　such　things；　Zeb；　we　can't　help　ourselves　just　now；　you

know；　and　I've　always　been　told　it's　foolish　to　borrow　trouble。〃



The　boy　became　silent；　having　no　reply　to　so　sensible　a　speech；　and

soon　both　were　fully　occupied　in　staring　at　the　strange　scenes　spread

out　below　them。　　They　seemed　to　be　falling　right　into　the　middle　of　a

big　city　which　had　many　tall　buildings　with　glass　domes　and

sharp…pointed　spires。　　These　spires　were　like　great　spear…points；

and　if　they　tumbled　upon　one　of　them　they　were　likely　to　suffer

serious　injury。



Jim　the　horse　had　seen　these　spires；　also；　and　his　ears　stood　straight

up　with　fear；　while　Dorothy　and　Zeb　held　their　breaths　in　suspense。

But　no；　they　floated　gently　down　upon　a　broad；　flat　roof；　and　came　to

a　stop　at　last。



When　Jim　felt　something　firm　under　his　feet　the　poor　beast's　legs

trembled　so　much　that　he　could　hardly　stand；　but　Zeb　at　once　leaped

out　of　the　buggy　to　the　roof；　and　he　was　so　awkward　and　hasty　that　he

kicked　over　Dorothy's　bird…cage；　which　rolled　out　upon　the　roof　so

that　the　bottom　came　off。　　At　once　a　pink　kitten　crept　out　of　the

upset　cage；　sat　down　upon　the　glass　roof；　and　yawned　and　blinked　its

round　eyes。



〃Oh；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃There's　Eureka。〃



〃First　time　I　ever　saw　a　pink　cat；〃　said　Zeb。



〃Eureka　isn't　pink；　she's　white。　　It's　this　queer　light　that　gives　her

that　color。〃



〃Where's　my　milk？〃　asked　the　kitten；　looking　up　into　Dorothy's　face。

〃I'm　'most　starved　to　death。〃



〃Oh；　Eureka！　　Can　you　talk？〃



〃Talk！　　Am　I　talking？　　Good　gracious；　I　believe　I　am。　　Isn't　it

funny？〃　asked　the　kitten。



〃It's　all　wrong。〃　said　Zeb；　gravely。　　〃Animals　ought　not　to　talk。　　But

even　old　Jim　has　been　saying　things　since　we　had　our　accident。〃



〃I　can't　see　that　it's　wrong；〃　remarked　Jim；　in　his　gruff　tones。　　〃At

least；　it　isn't　as　wrong　as　some　other　things。　　What's　going　to　become

of　us　now？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　the　boy；　looking　around　him　curiously。



The　houses　of　the　city　were　all　made　of　glass；　so　clear　and

transparent　that　one　could　look　through　the　walls　as　easily　as　through

a　window。　　Dorothy　saw；　underneath　the　roof　on　which　she　stood；

several　rooms　used　for　rest　chambers；　and　even　thought　she　could　make

out　a　number　of　queer　forms　huddled　into　the　corners　of　these　rooms。



The　roof　beside　them　had　a　great　hole　smashed　through　it；　and　pieces

of　glass　were　lying　scattered　in　every　direction。　　A　nearby　steeple

had　been　broken　off　short　and　the　fragments　lay　heaped　beside　it。

Other　buildings　were　cracked　in　places　or　had　corners　chipped　off　from

them；　but　they　must　have　been　very　beautiful　before　these　accidents

had　happened　to　mar　their　perfection。　　The　rainbow　tints　from　the

colored　suns　fell　upon　the　glass　city　softly　and　gave　to　the　buildings

many　delicate；　shifting　hues　which　were　very　pretty　to　see。



But　not　a　sound　had　broken　the　stillness　since　the　strangers　had　arrived；

except　that　of　their　own　voices。　　They　began　to　wonder　if　there　were

no　people　to　inhabit　this　magnificent　city　of　the　inner　world。



Suddenly　a　man　appeared　through　a　hole　in　the　roof　next　to　the　one

they　were　on　and　stepped　into　plain　view。　　He　was　not　a　very　large　man；

but　was　well　formed　and　had　a　beautiful　facecalm　and　serene　as　the　face

of　a　fine　portrait。　　His　clothing　fitted　his　form　snugly　and　was　gorgeously

colored　in　brilliant　shades　of　green；　which　varied　as　the　sunbeams

touched　them　but　was　not　wholly　influenced　by　the　solar　rays。



The　man　had　taken　a　step　or　two　across　the　glass　roof　before　he

noticed　the　presence　of　the　strangers；　but　then　he　stopped　abruptly。

There　was　no　expression　of　either　fear　or　surprise　upon　his　tranquil

face；　yet　he　must　have　been　both　astonished　and　afraid；　for　after　his

eyes　had　rested　upon　the　ungainly　form　of　the　horse　for　a　moment　he

walked　rapidly　to　the　furthest　edge　of　the　roof；　his　head　turned　back

over　his　shoulder　to　gaze　at　the　strange　animal。



〃Look　out！〃　cried　Dorothy；　who　noticed　that　the　beautiful　man　did　not

look　where　he　was　going；　〃be　careful；　or　you'll　fall　off！〃



But　he　paid　no　attention　to　her　warning。　　He　reached　the　edge　of　the

tall　roof；　stepped　one　foot　out　into　the　air；　and　walked　into　space　as

calmly　as　if　he　were　on　firm　ground。



The　girl；　greatly　astonished；　ran　to　lean　over　the　edge　of　the　roof；

and　saw　the　man　walking　rapidly　through　the　air　toward　the　ground。

Soon　he　reached　the　street　and　disappeared　through　a　glass　doorway

into　one　of　the　glass　buildings。



〃How　strange！〃　she　exclaimed；　drawing　a　long　breath。



〃Yes；　but　it's　lots　of　fun；　if　it　IS　strange；〃　remarked　the　small

voice　of　the　kitten；　and　Dorothy　turned　to　find　her　pet　walking　in　the

air　a　foot　or　so　away　from　the　edge　of　the　roof。



〃Come　back；　Eureka！〃　she　called；　in　distress；　〃you'll　certainly　be　killed。〃



〃I　have　nine　lives；〃　said　the　kitten；　purring　softly　as　it　walked

around　in　a　circle　and　then　came　back　to　the　roof；　　〃but　I　can't　lose

even　one　of　them　by　falling　in　this　country；　because　I　really　couldn't

manage　to　fall　if　I　wanted　to。〃



〃Does　the　air　bear　up　your　weight？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃Of　course；　can't　you　see？〃　and　again　the　kitten　wandered　into　the　air

and　back　to　the　edge　of　the　roof。



〃It's　wonderful！〃　said　Dorothy。



〃Suppose　we　let　Eureka　go　down　to　the　street　and　get　some　one　to　help

us；〃　suggested　Zeb；　who　had　been　even　more　amazed　than　Dorothy　at

these　strange　happenings。



〃Perhaps　we　can　walk　on　the　air　ourselves；〃　replied　the　girl。



Zeb　drew　back　with　a　shiver。



〃I　wouldn't　dare　try；〃　he　said。



〃Maybe　Jim　will　go；〃　continued　Dorothy；　looking　at　the　horse。



〃And　maybe　he　won't！〃　answered　Jim。　　〃I've　tumbled　through　the　air

long　enough　to　make　me　contented　on　this　roof。〃



〃But　we　didn't　tumble　to　the　roof；〃　said　the　girl；　〃by　the　time　we

reached　here　we　were　floating　very　slowly；　and　I'm　almost　sure　we

could　float　down　to　the　street　without　getting　hurt。　　Eureka　walks　on

the　air　all　right。〃



〃Eureka　weights　only　about　half　a　pound；〃　replied　the　horse；　in　a

scornful　tone；　〃while　I　weigh　about　half　a　ton。〃



〃You　don't　weigh　as　much　as　you　ought　to；　Jim；〃　remarked　the　girl；

shaking　her　head　as　she　looked　at　the　animal。　　〃You're　dreadfully　skinny。〃



〃Oh；　well；　I'm　old；〃　said　the　horse；　hanging　his　head　despondently；

〃and　I've　had　lots　of　trouble　in　my　day；　little　one。　　For　a　good　many　years

I　drew　a　public　cab　in　Chicago；　and　that's　enough　to　make　anyone　skinny。〃



〃He　eats　enough　to　get　fat；　I'm　sure；〃　said　the　boy；　gravely。



〃Do　I？　　Can　you　remember　any　breakfast　that　I've　had　today？〃　growled

Jim；　as　if　he　resented　Zeb's　speech。



〃None　of　us　has　had　breakfast；〃　said　the　boy；　〃and　in　a　time　of　danger

like　this　it's　foolish　to　talk　about　eating。〃



〃Nothing　is　more　dangerous　than　being　without　food；〃　declared　the

horse；　with　a　sniff　at　the　rebuke　of　his　young　master；　〃and　just　at

present　no　one　can　tell　whether　there　are　any　oats　in　this　queer

country　or　not。　　If　there　are；　they　are　liable　to　be　glass　oats！〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　exclaimed　Dorothy。　　〃I　can　see　plenty　of　nice　gardens　and

fields　down　below　us；　at　the　edge　of　this　city。　　But　I　wish　we　could

find　a　way　to　get　to　the　ground。〃



〃Why　don't　you　walk　down？〃　asked　Eureka。　　〃I'm　as　hungry　as　the　horse

is；　and　I　want　my　milk。〃



〃Will　you　try　it；　Zeb〃　asked　the　girl；　turning　to　her　companion。



Zeb　hesitated。　　He　was　still　pale　and　frightened；　for　this　dreadful

adventure　had　upset　him　and　made　him　nervous　and　worried。　　But　he　did