dorothy and the wizard in oz-第4部分

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

not　wish　the　little　girl　to　think　him　a　coward；　so　he　advanced　slowly

to　the　edge　of　the　roof。



Dorothy　stretched　out　a　hand　to　him　and　Zeb　put　one　foot　out　and　let　it

rest　in　the　air　a　little　over　the　edge　of　the　roof。　　It　seemed　firm

enough　to　walk　upon；　so　he　took　courage　and　put　out　the　other　foot。

Dorothy　kept　hold　of　his　hand　and　followed　him；　and　soon　they　were

both　walking　through　the　air；　with　the　kitten　frisking　beside　them。



〃Come　on；　Jim！〃　called　the　boy。　　〃It's　all　right。〃



Jim　had　crept　to　the　edge　of　the　roof　to　look　over；　and　being　a

sensible　horse　and　quite　experienced；　he　made　up　his　mind　that　he

could　go　where　the　others　did。　　So；　with　a　snort　and　a　neigh　and　a

whisk　of　his　short　tail　he　trotted　off　the　roof　into　the　air　and　at

once　began　floating　downward　to　the　street。　　His　great　weight　made　him

fall　faster　than　the　children　walked；　and　he　passed　them　on　the　way

down；　but　when　he　came　to　the　glass　pavement　he　alighted　upon　it　so

softly　that　he　was　not　even　jarred。



〃Well；　well！〃　said　Dorothy；　drawing　a　long　breath；　〃What　a　strange

country　this　is。〃



People　began　to　come　out　of　the　glass　doors　to　look　at　the　new

arrivals；　and　pretty　soon　quite　a　crowd　had　assembled。　　There　were　men

and　women；　but　no　children　at　all；　and　the　folks　were　all　beautifully

formed　and　attractively　dressed　and　had　wonderfully　handsome　faces。

There　was　not　an　ugly　person　in　all　the　throng；　yet　Dorothy　was　not

especially　pleased　by　the　appearance　of　these　people　because　their

features　had　no　more　expression　than　the　faces　of　dolls。　　They　did　not

smile　nor　did　they　frown；　or　show　either　fear　or　surprise　or　curiosity

or　friendliness。　　They　simply　started　at　the　strangers；　paying　most

attention　to　Jim　and　Eureka；　for　they　had　never　before　seen　either　a

horse　or　a　cat　and　the　children　bore　an　outward　resemblance　to　themselves。



Pretty　soon　a　man　joined　the　group　who　wore　a　glistening　star　in　the

dark　hair　just　over　his　forehead。　　He　seemed　to　be　a　person　of

authority；　for　the　others　pressed　back　to　give　him　room。　　After

turning　his　composed　eyes　first　upon　the　animals　and　then　upon　the

children　he　said　to　Zeb；　who　was　a　little　taller　than　Dorothy：



〃Tell　me；　intruder；　was　it　you　who　caused　the　Rain　of　Stones？〃



For　a　moment　the　boy　did　not　know　what　he　meant　by　this　question。

Then；　remembering　the　stones　that　had　fallen　with　them　and　passed　them

long　before　they　had　reached　this　place；　he　answered：



〃No；　sir；　we　didn't　cause　anything。　　It　was　the　earthquake。〃



The　man　with　the　star　stood　for　a　time　quietly　thinking　over　this

speech。　　Then　he　asked：



〃What　is　an　earthquake？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Zeb；　who　was　still　confused。　　But　Dorothy；　seeing

his　perplexity；　answered：



〃It's　a　shaking　of　the　earth。　　In　this　quake　a　big　crack　opened　and　we

fell　throughhorse　and　buggy；　and　alland　the　stones　got　loose　and

came　down　with　us。〃



The　man　with　the　star　regarded　her　with　his　calm；　expressionless　eyes。



〃The　Rain　of　Stones　has　done　much　damage　to　our　city；〃　he　said；

〃and　we　shall　hold　you　responsible　for　it　unless　you　can　prove

your　innocence。〃



〃How　can　we　do　that？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃That　I　am　not　prepared　to　say。　　It　is　your　affair；　not　mine。

You　must　go　to　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer；　who　will　soon　discover

the　truth。〃



〃Where　is　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer？〃　the　girl　enquired。



〃I　will　lead　you　to　it。　　Come！〃



He　turned　and　walked　down　the　street；　and　after　a　moment's　hesitation

Dorothy　caught　Eureka　in　her　arms　and　climbed　into　the　buggy。　　The　boy

took　his　seat　beside　her　and　said：　〃Gid…dap　Jim。〃



As　the　horse　ambled　along；　drawing　the　buggy；　the　people　of　the　glass

city　made　way　for　them　and　formed　a　procession　in　their　rear。　　Slowly

they　moved　down　one　street　and　up　another；　turning　first　this　way　and

then　that；　until　they　came　to　an　open　square　in　the　center　of　which

was　a　big　glass　palace　having　a　central　dome　and　four　tall　spires　on

each　corner。







3。　　The　Arrival　Of　The　Wizard





The　doorway　of　the　glass　palace　was　quite　big　enough　for　the　horse　and

buggy　to　enter；　so　Zeb　drove　straight　through　it　and　the　children

found　themselves　in　a　lofty　hall　that　was　very　beautiful。　　The　people

at　once　followed　and　formed　a　circle　around　the　sides　of　the　spacious

room；　leaving　the　horse　and　buggy　and　the　man　with　the　star　to　occupy

the　center　of　the　hall。



〃Come　to　us；　oh；　Gwig！〃　called　the　man；　in　a　loud　voice。



Instantly　a　cloud　of　smoke　appeared　and　rolled　over　the　floor；　then　it

slowly　spread　and　ascended　into　the　dome；　disclosing　a　strange

personage　seated　upon　a　glass　throne　just　before　Jim's　nose。　　He　was

formed　just　as　were　the　other　inhabitants　of　this　land　and　his

clothing　only　differed　from　theirs　in　being　bright　yellow。　　But　he　had

no　hair　at　all；　and　all　over　his　bald　head　and　face　and　upon　the　backs

of　his　hands　grew　sharp　thorns　like　those　found　on　the　branches　of

rose…bushes。　　There　was　even　a　thorn　upon　the　tip　of　his　nose　and　he

looked　so　funny　that　Dorothy　laughed　when　she　saw　him。



The　Sorcerer；　hearing　the　laugh；　looked　toward　the　little　girl　with

cold；　cruel　eyes；　and　his　glance　made　her　grow　sober　in　an　instant。



〃Why　have　you　dared　to　intrude　your　unwelcome　persons　into　the

secluded　Land　of　the　Mangaboos？〃　he　asked；　sternly。



〃'Cause　we　couldn't　help　it；〃　said　Dorothy。



〃Why　did　you　wickedly　and　viciously　send　the　Rain　of　Stones　to　crack

and　break　our　houses？〃　he　continued。



〃We　didn't；〃　declared　the　girl。



〃Prove　it！〃　cried　the　Sorcerer。



〃We　don't　have　to　prove　it；〃　answered　Dorothy；　indignantly。　　〃If　you

had　any　sense　at　all　you'd　known　it　was　the　earthquake。〃



〃We　only　know　that　yesterday　came　a　Rain　of　Stones　upon　us；　which　did

much　damage　and　injured　some　of　our　people。　　Today　came　another　Rain

of　Stones；　and　soon　after　it　you　appeared　among　us。〃



〃By　the　way；〃　said　the　man　with　the　star；　looking　steadily　at　the

Sorcerer；　〃you　told　us　yesterday　that　there　would　not　be　a　second　Rain

of　Stones。　　Yet　one　has　just　occurred　that　was　even　worse　than　the

first。　　What　is　your　sorcery　good　for　if　it　cannot　tell　us　the　truth？〃



〃My　sorcery　does　tell　the　truth！〃　declared　the　thorn…covered　man。　　〃I

said　there　would　be　but　one　Rain　of　Stones。　　This　second　one　was　a　Rain

of　People…and…Horse…and…Buggy。　　And　some　stones　came　with　them。〃



〃Will　there　be　any　more　Rains？〃　asked　the　man　with　the　star。



〃No；　my　Prince。〃



〃Neither　stones　nor　people？〃



〃No；　my　Prince。〃



〃Are　you　sure？〃



〃Quite　sure；　my　Prince。　　My　sorcery　tells　me　so。〃



Just　then　a　man　came　running　into　the　hall　and　addressed　the　Prince

after　making　a　low　bow。



〃More　wonders　in　the　air；　my　Lord；〃　said　he。



Immediately　the　Prince　and　all　of　his　people　flocked　out　of　the　hall

into　the　street；　that　they　might　see　what　was　about　to　happen。

Dorothy　and　Zeb　jumped　out　of　the　buggy　and　ran　after　them；　but　the

Sorcerer　remained　calmly　in　his　throne。



Far　up　in　the　air　was　an　object　that　looked　like　a　balloon。　　It　was　not

so　high　as　the　glowing　star　of　the　six　colored　suns；　but　was

descending　slowly　through　the　airso　slowly　that　at　first　it　scarcely

seemed　to　move。



The　throng　stood　still　and　waited。　　It　was　all　they　could　do；　for　to

go　away　and　leave　that　strange　sight　was　impossible；　nor　could　they

hurry　its　fall　in　any　way。　　The　earth　children　were　not　noticed；　being

so　near　the　average　size　of　the　Mangaboos；　and　the　horse　had　remained

in　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer；　with　Eureka　curled　up　asleep　on　the　seat

of　the　buggy。



Gradually　the　balloon　grew　bigger；　which　was　proof　that　it　was　settling

down　upon　the　Land　of　the　Mangaboos。　　Dorothy　was　surprised　to　find

how　patient　the　people　were；　for　her　own　little　heart　was　beating

rapidly　with　excitement。　　A　balloon　meant　to　her　some　other　arrival

from　the　surface　of　the　earth；　and　she　hoped　it　would　be　some　one　able

to　assist　her　and　Zeb　out　of　their　difficulties。



In　an　hour　the　balloon　had　come　near　enough　for　her　to　see　a　basket

suspended　below　it；　in　two　hours　she　could　see　a　head　looking　over　the

side　of　the　basket；　in　three　hours　the　big　balloon　settled　slowly　into　the

great　square　in　which　they　stood　and　came　to　rest　on　the　glass　pavement。



Then　a　little　man　jumped　out　of　the　basket；　took　off　his　tall　hat；　and

bowed　very　gracefully　to　the　crowd　of　Mangaboos　around　him。　　He　was

quite　an　old　little　man　and　his　head　was　long　and　entirely　bald。



〃Why；〃　cried　Dorothy；　in　amazement；　〃it's　Oz！〃



The　little　man　looked　toward　her　and　seemed　as　much　surprised　as　she

was。　　But　he　smiled　and　bowed　as　he　answered：



〃Yes；　my　dear；　I　am　Oz；　the　Great　and　Terrible。　　Eh？　　And　you　are

little　Dorothy；　from　Kansas。　　I　remember　you　very　well。〃



〃Who　did　you　say　it　was？〃　whispered　Zeb　to　the　girl。