dorothy and the wizard in oz-第10章

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Eureka；　or　something　worse　will　happen　to　you。〃



She　placed　a　plate　of　food　upon　the　floor　and　the　kitten　ate　greedily。



〃Give　me　that　nice…smelling　fruit　I　saw　on　the　table；〃　she　begged；

when　she　had　cleaned　the　plate。



〃Those　are　damas；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　you　must　never　even　taste　them；

Eureka；　or　you'll　get　invis'ble；　and　then　we　can't　see　you　at　all。〃



The　kitten　gazed　wistfully　at　the　forbidden　fruit。



〃Does　it　hurt　to　be　invis'ble？〃　she　asked。



〃I　don't　know；〃　Dorothy　answered；　〃but　it　would　hurt　me　dre'fully　to

lose　you。〃



〃Very　well；　I　won't　touch　it；〃　decided　the　kitten；　〃but　you　must　keep

it　away　from　me；　for　the　smell　is　very　tempting。〃



〃Can　you　tell　us；　sir　or　ma'am；〃　said　the　Wizard；　addressing　the　air

because　he　did　not　quite　know　where　the　unseen　people　stood；　〃if　there

is　any　way　we　can　get　out　of　your　beautiful　Valley；　and　on　top　of　the

Earth　again。〃



〃Oh；　one　can　leave　the　Valley　easily　enough；〃　answered　the　man's

voice；　〃but　to　do　so　you　must　enter　a　far　less　pleasant　country。　　As

for　reaching　the　top　of　the　earth；　I　have　never　heard　that　it　is

possible　to　do　that；　and　if　you　succeeded　in　getting　there　you　would

probably　fall　off。〃



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃we've　been　there；　and　we　know。〃



〃The　Valley　of　Voe　is　certainly　a　charming　place；〃　resumed　the　Wizard；

〃but　we　cannot　be　contented　in　any　other　land　than　our　own；　for　long。

Even　if　we　should　come　to　unpleasant　places　on　our　way　it　is

necessary；　in　order　to　reach　the　earth's　surface；　to　keep　moving　on

toward　it。〃



〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　man；　〃it　will　be　best　for　you　to　cross　our

Valley　and　mount　the　spiral　staircase　inside　the　Pyramid　Mountain。

The　top　of　that　mountain　is　lost　in　the　clouds；　and　when　you　reach　it

you　will　be　in　the　awful　Land　of　Naught；　where　the　Gargoyles　live。〃



〃What　are　Gargoyles？〃　asked　Zeb。



〃I　do　not　know；　young　sir。　　Our　greatest　Champion；　Overman…Anu；　once

climbed　the　spiral　stairway　and　fought　nine　days　with　the　Gargoyles

before　he　could　escape　them　and　come　back；　but　he　could　never　be

induced　to　describe　the　dreadful　creatures；　and　soon　afterward　a　bear

caught　him　and　ate　him　up。〃



The　wanders　were　rather　discouraged　by　this　gloomy　report；　but　Dorothy

said　with　a　sigh：



〃If　the　only　way　to　get　home　is　to　meet　the　Gurgles；　then　we've　got　to

meet　'em。　　They　can't　be　worse　than　the　Wicked　Witch　or　the　Nome　King。〃



〃But　you　must　remember　you　had　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　to

help　you　conquer　those　enemies；〃　suggested　the　Wizard。　　〃Just　now；　my

dear；　there　is　not　a　single　warrior　in　your　company。〃



〃Oh；　I　guess　Zeb　could　fight　if　he　had　to。　　Couldn't　you；　Zeb？〃　asked

the　little　girl。



〃Perhaps；　if　I　had　to；〃　answered　Zeb；　doubtfully。



〃And　you　have　the　jointed　sword　that　you　chopped　the　veg'table

Sorcerer　in　two　with；〃　the　girl　said　to　the　little　man。



〃True；〃　he　replied；　〃and　in　my　satchel　are　other　useful　things　to

fight　with。〃



〃What　the　Gargoyles　most　dread　is　a　noise；〃　said　the　man's　voice。

〃Our　Champion　told　me　that　when　he　shouted　his　battle…cry　the　creatures

shuddered　and　drew　back；　hesitating　to　continue　the　combat。　　But　they

were　in　great　numbers；　and　the　Champion　could　not　shout　much　because

he　had　to　save　his　breath　for　fighting。〃



〃Very　good；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃we　can　all　yell　better　than　we　can

fight；　so　we　ought　to　defeat　the　Gargoyles。〃



〃But　tell　me；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃how　did　such　a　brave　Champion　happen　to

let　the　bears　eat　him？　　And　if　he　was　invis'ble；　and　the　bears

invis'ble；　who　knows　that　they　really　ate　him　up？〃



〃The　Champion　had　killed　eleven　bears　in　his　time；〃　returned　the

unseen　man；　〃and　we　know　this　is　true　because　when　any　creature　is

dead　the　invisible　charm　of　the　dama…fruit　ceases　to　be　active；　and

the　slain　one　can　be　plainly　seen　by　all　eyes。　　When　the　Champion

killed　a　bear　everyone　could　see　it；　and　when　the　bears　killed　the

Champion　we　all　saw　several　pieces　of　him　scattered　about；　which　of

course　disappeared　again　when　the　bears　devoured　them。〃



They　now　bade　farewell　to　the　kind　but　unseen　people　of　the　cottage；

and　after　the　man　had　called　their　attention　to　a　high；　pyramid…shaped

mountain　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　Valley；　and　told　them　how　to

travel　in　order　to　reach　it；　they　again　started　upon　their　journey。



They　followed　the　course　of　a　broad　stream　and　passed　several　more

pretty　cottages；　but　of　course　they　saw　no　one；　nor　did　any　one　speak

to　them。　　Fruits　and　flowers　grew　plentifully　all　about；　and　there

were　many　of　the　delicious　damas　that　the　people　of　Voe　were　so　fond　of。



About　noon　they　stopped　to　allow　Jim　to　rest　in　the　shade　of　a　pretty

orchard；　and　while　they　plucked　and　ate　some　of　the　cherries　and　plums

that　grew　there　a　soft　voice　suddenly　said　to　them：



〃There　are　bears　near　by。　　Be　careful。〃



The　Wizard　got　out　his　sword　at　once；　and　Zeb　grabbed　the　horse…whip。

Dorothy　climbed　into　the　buggy；　although　Jim　had　been　unharnessed

from　it　and　was　grazing　some　distance　away。



The　owner　of　the　unseen　voice　laughed　lightly　and　said：



〃You　cannot　escape　the　bears　that　way。〃



〃How　CAN　we　'scape？〃　asked　Dorothy；　nervously；　for　an　unseen　danger　is

always　the　hardest　to　face。



〃You　must　take　to　the　river；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃The　bears　will　not

venture　upon　the　water。〃



〃But　we　would　be　drowned！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。



〃Oh；　there　is　no　need　of　that；〃　said　the　voice；　which　from　its　gentle　tones

seemed　to　belong　to　a　young　girl。　　〃You　are　strangers　in　the　Valley　of　Voe；

and　do　not　seem　to　know　our　ways；　so　I　will　try　to　save　you。〃



The　next　moment　a　broad…leaved　plant　was　jerked　from　the　ground　where

it　grew　and　held　suspended　in　the　air　before　the　Wizard。



〃Sir；〃　said　the　voice；　〃you　must　rub　these　leaves　upon　the　soles　of

all　your　feet；　and　then　you　will　be　able　to　walk　upon　the　water

without　sinking　below　the　surface。　　It　is　a　secret　the　bears　do　not

know；　and　we　people　of　Voe　usually　walk　upon　the　water　when　we　travel；

and　so　escape　our　enemies。〃



〃Thank　you！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　joyfully；　and　at　once　rubbed　a　leaf

upon　the　soles　of　Dorothy's　shoes　and　then　upon　his　own。　　The　girl

took　a　leaf　and　rubbed　it　upon　the　kitten's　paws；　and　the　rest　of　the

plant　was　handed　to　Zeb；　who；　after　applying　it　to　his　own　feet；

carefully　rubbed　it　upon　all　four　of　Jim's　hoofs　and　then　upon　the

tires　of　the　buggy…wheels。　　He　had　nearly　finished　this　last　task　when

a　low　growling　was　suddenly　heard　and　the　horse　began　to　jump　around

and　kick　viciously　with　his　heels。



〃Quick！　　To　the　water　or　you　are　lost！〃　cried　their　unseen　friend；　and

without　hesitation　the　Wizard　drew　the　buggy　down　the　bank　and　out

upon　the　broad　river；　for　Dorothy　was　still　seated　in　it　with　Eureka

in　her　arms。　　They　did　not　sink　at　all；　owing　to　the　virtues　of　the

strange　plant　they　had　used；　and　when　the　buggy　was　in　the　middle　of

the　stream　the　Wizard　returned　to　the　bank　to　assist　Zeb　and　Jim。



The　horse　was　plunging　madly　about；　and　two　or　three　deep　gashes

appeared　upon　its　flanks；　from　which　the　blood　flowed　freely。



〃Run　for　the　river！〃　shouted　the　Wizard；　and　Jim　quickly　freed　himself

from　his　unseen　tormenters　by　a　few　vicious　kicks　and　then　obeyed。

As　soon　as　he　trotted　out　upon　the　surface　of　the　river　he　found

himself　safe　from　pursuit；　and　Zeb　was　already　running　across　the　water

toward　Dorothy。



As　the　little　Wizard　turned　to　follow　them　he　felt　a　hot　breath

against　his　cheek　and　heard　a　low；　fierce　growl。　　At　once　he　began

stabbing　at　the　air　with　his　sword；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　struck

some　substance　because　when　he　drew　back　the　blade　it　was　dripping

with　blood。　　The　third　time　that　he　thrust　out　the　weapon　there　was　a

loud　roar　and　a　fall；　and　suddenly　at　his　feet　appeared　the　form　of　a

great　red　bear；　which　was　nearly　as　big　as　the　horse　and　much　stronger

and　fiercer。　　The　beast　was　quite　dead　from　the　sword　thrusts；　and

after　a　glance　at　its　terrible　claws　and　sharp　teeth　the　little　man

turned　in　a　panic　and　rushed　out　upon　the　water；　for　other　menacing

growls　told　him　more　bears　were　near。



On　the　river；　however；　the　adventurers　seemed　to　be　perfectly　safe。

Dorothy　and　the　buggy　had　floated　slowly　down　stream　with　the　current

of　the　water；　and　the　others　made　haste　to　join　her。　　The　Wizard

opened　his　satchel　and　got　out　some　sticking…plaster　with　which　he

mended　the　cuts　Jim　had　received　from　the　claws　of　the　bears。



〃I　think　we'd　better　stick　to　the　river；　after　this；〃　said　Dorothy。

〃If　our　unknown　friend　hadn't　warned　us；　and　told　us　what　to　do；　we

would　all　be　dead　by　this　time。〃



〃That　is　true；〃　agreed　the　Wizard；　〃and　as　the　river　seems　to　be

flowing　in　the　direction　of　the　Pyramid　Mountain　it　will　be　the

easiest　way　for　us　to　travel。〃



Zeb　hitched　Jim　to　the　buggy　again；　and　the　horse　trotted　along　and

drew　them　rapidly　over　the　smooth　water。　　The　kitten　was　at　first

dreadfully　afraid　of　getting　wet；　but　Dorothy　let　her　down　and　soon

Eureka　was　frisking　along　beside　the　buggy　without　being　scared　a　bit。

Once　a　little　fish　swam　too　near　the　surface；　and　the　kitten　grabbed

it　in　her　mouth　and　ate　it　up　as　quick　as　a　wink；　but　Dorothy

cautioned　her　to　be　careful　what　she　ate　in　this　valley　of　enchantments；

and　no　more　fishes　were　careless　enough　to　swim　within　reach。



After　a　journey　of　several　hours　they　came　to　a　point　where　the　river

curved；　and　they　found　they　must　cross　a　mile　or　so　of　the　Valley

before　they　came　to　the　Pyramid　Mountain。　　There　were　few　houses　in

this　part；　and　few　orchards　or　flowers；　so　our　friends　feared　they

might　encounter　more　of　the　savage　bears；　which　they　had　learned　to

dread　with　all　their　hearts。



〃You'll　have　to　make　a　dash；　Jim；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　run　as　fast

as　you　can　go。〃



〃All　right；〃　answered　the　horse；　〃I'll　do　my　best。　　But　you　must

remember　I'm　old；　and　my　dashing　days　are　past　and　gone。〃



All　three　got　into　the　buggy　and　Zeb　picked　up　the　reins；　though　Jim

needed　no　guidance　of　any　sort。　　The　horse　was　still　smarting　from　the

sharp　claws　of　the　invisible　bears；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　on　land　and

headed　toward　the　mountain　the　thought　that　more　of　those　fearsome

creatures　might　be　near　acted　as　a　spur　and　sent　him　galloping　along

in　a　way　that　made　Dorothy　catch　her　breath。



Then　Zeb；　in　a　spirit　of　mischief；　uttered　a　growl　like　that　of　the

bears；　and　Jim　pricked　up　his　ears　and　fairly　flew。　　His　boney　legs

moved　so　fast　they　could　scarcely　be　seen；　and　the　Wizard　clung　fast

to　the　seat　and　yelled　〃Whoa！〃　at　the　top　of　his　voice。



〃II'm　'fraid　he'she's　running　away！〃　gasped　Dorothy。



〃I　KNOW　he　is；〃　said　Zeb；　〃but　no　bear　can　catch　him　if　he　keeps　up

that　gaitand　the　harness　or　the　buggy　don't　break。〃



Jim　did　not　make　a　mile　a　minute；　but　almost　before　they　were　aware　of

it　he　drew　up　at