dorothy and the wizard in oz-第12章

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〃It　seems　we　were　mistaken；〃　declared　a　third；　looking　at　the　kitten

timorously；　〃no　one　with　such　murderous　desires　should　belong　to　our

party；　I'm　sure。〃



〃You　see；　Eureka；〃　remarked　Dorothy；　reprovingly；　〃you　are　making

yourself　disliked。　　There　are　certain　things　proper　for　a　kitten　to

eat；　but　I　never　heard　of　a　kitten　eating　a　pig；　under　ANY　cir'stances。〃



〃Did　you　ever　see　such　little　pigs　before？〃　asked　the　kitten。　　〃They

are　no　bigger　than　mice；　and　I'm　sure　mice　are　proper　for　me　to　eat。〃



〃It　isn't　the　bigness；　dear；　its　the　variety；〃　replied　the　girl。

〃These　are　Mr。　Wizard's　pets；　just　as　you　are　my　pet；　and　it　wouldn't　be

any　more　proper　for　you　to　eat　them　than　it　would　be　for　Jim　to　eat　you。〃



〃And　that's　just　what　I　shall　do　if　you　don't　let　those　little　balls

of　pork　alone；〃　said　Jim；　glaring　at　the　kitten　with　his　round；　big

eyes。　　〃If　you　injure　any　one　of　them　I'll　chew　you　up　instantly。〃



The　kitten　looked　at　the　horse　thoughtfully；　as　if　trying　to　decide

whether　he　meant　it　or　not。



〃In　that　case；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　leave　them　alone。　　You　haven't　many

teeth　left；　Jim；　but　the　few　you　have　are　sharp　enough　to　make　me

shudder。　　So　the　piglets　will　be　perfectly　safe；　hereafter；　as　far　as

I　am　concerned。〃



〃That　is　right；　Eureka；〃　remarked　the　Wizard；　earnestly。　　〃Let　us　all

be　a　happy　family　and　love　one　another。〃



Eureka　yawned　and　stretched　herself。



〃I've　always　loved　the　piglets；〃　she　said；　〃but　they　don't　love　me。〃



〃No　one　can　love　a　person　he's　afraid　of；〃　asserted　Dorothy。　　〃If　you

behave；　and　don't　scare　the　little　pigs；　I'm　sure　they'll　grow　very

fond　of　you。〃



The　Wizard　now　put　the　nine　tiny　ones　back　into　his　pocket　and　the

journey　was　resumed。



〃We　must　be　pretty　near　the　top；　now；〃　said　the　boy；　as　they　climbed

wearily　up　the　dark；　winding　stairway。



〃The　Country　of　the　Gurgles　can't　be　far　from　the　top　of　the　earth；〃

remarked　Dorothy。　　〃It　isn't　very　nice　down　here。　　I'd　like　to　get

home　again；　I'm　sure。〃



No　one　replied　to　this；　because　they　found　they　needed　all　their

breath　for　the　climb。　　The　stairs　had　become　narrower　and　Zeb　and　the

Wizard　often　had　to　help　Jim　pull　the　buggy　from　one　step　to　another；

or　keep　it　from　jamming　against　the　rocky　walls。



At　last；　however；　a　dim　light　appeared　ahead　of　them；　which　grew

clearer　and　stronger　as　they　advanced。



〃Thank　goodness　we're　nearly　there！〃　panted　the　little　Wizard。



Jim；　who　was　in　advance；　saw　the　last　stair　before　him　and　stuck　his

head　above　the　rocky　sides　of　the　stairway。　　Then　he　halted；　ducked

down　and　began　to　back　up；　so　that　he　nearly　fell　with　the　buggy　onto

the　others。



〃Let's　go　down　again！〃　he　said；　in　his　hoarse　voice。



〃Nonsense！〃　snapped　the　tired　Wizard。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　you；

old　man？〃



〃Everything；〃　grumbled　the　horse。　　〃I've　taken　a　look　at　this　place；

and　it's　no　fit　country　for　real　creatures　to　go　to。　　Everything's

dead；　up　thereno　flesh　or　blood　or　growing　thing　anywhere。〃



〃Never　mind；。　we　can't　turn　back；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃and　we　don't　intend

to　stay　there；　anyhow。〃



〃It's　dangerous；〃　growled　Jim；　in　a　stubborn　tone。



〃See　here；　my　good　steed；〃　broke　in　the　Wizard；　〃little　Dorothy　and　I

have　been　in　many　queer　countries　in　our　travels；　and　always　escaped

without　harm。　　We've　even　been　to　the　marvelous　Land　of　Ozhaven't

we；　Dorothy？so　we　don't　much　care　what　the　Country　of　the　Gargoyles

is　like。　　Go　ahead；　Jim；　and　whatever　happens　we'll　make　the　best　of　it。〃



〃All　right；〃　answered　the　horse；　〃this　is　your　excursion；　and　not

mine；　so　if　you　get　into　trouble　don't　blame　me。〃



With　this　speech　he　bent　forward　and　dragged　the　buggy　up　the

remaining　steps。　　The　others　followed　and　soon　they　were　all　standing

upon　a　broad　platform　and　gazing　at　the　most　curious　and　startling

sight　their　eyes　had　ever　beheld。



〃The　Country　of　the　Gargoyles　is　all　wooden！〃　exclaimed　Zeb；　and　so　it

was。　　The　ground　was　sawdust　and　the　pebbles　scattered　around　were

hard　knots　from　trees；　worn　smooth　in　course　of　time。　　There　were　odd

wooden　houses；　with　carved　wooden　flowers　in　the　front　yards。　　The

tree…trunks　were　of　coarse　wood；　but　the　leaves　of　the　trees　were

shavings。　　The　patches　of　grass　were　splinters　of　wood；　and　where

neither　grass　nor　sawdust　showed　was　a　solid　wooden　flooring。　　Wooden

birds　fluttered　among　the　trees　and　wooden　cows　were　browsing　upon　the

wooden　grass；　but　the　most　amazing　things　of　all　were　the　wooden

peoplethe　creatures　known　as　Gargoyles。



These　were　very　numerous；　for　the　place　was　thickly　inhabited；　and　a

large　group　of　the　queer　people　clustered　near；　gazing　sharply　upon

the　strangers　who　had　emerged　from　the　long　spiral　stairway。



The　Gargoyles　were　very　small　of　stature；　being　less　than　three　feet

in　height。　　Their　bodies　were　round；　their　legs　short　and　thick　and

their　arms　extraordinarily　long　and　stout。　　Their　heads　were　too　big

for　their　bodies　and　their　faces　were　decidedly　ugly　to　look　upon。

Some　had　long；　curved　noses　and　chins；　small　eyes　and　wide；　grinning

mouths。　　Others　had　flat　noses；　protruding　eyes；　and　ears　that　were

shaped　like　those　of　an　elephant。　　There　were　many　types；　indeed；

scarcely　two　being　alike；　but　all　were　equally　disagreeable　in

appearance。　　The　tops　of　their　heads　had　no　hair；　but　were　carved

into　a　variety　of　fantastic　shapes；　some　having　a　row　of　points　or

balls　around　the　top；　others　designs　resembling　flowers　or　vegetables；

and　still　others　having　squares　that　looked　like　waffles　cut

criss…cross　on　their　heads。　　They　all　wore　short　wooden　wings　which

were　fastened　to　their　wooden　bodies　by　means　of　wooden　hinges　with

wooden　screws；　and　with　these　wings　they　flew　swiftly　and　noiselessly

here　and　there；　their　legs　being　of　little　use　to　them。



This　noiseless　motion　was　one　of　the　most　peculiar　things　about　the

Gargoyles。　　They　made　no　sounds　at　all；　either　in　flying　or　trying　to

speak；　and　they　conversed　mainly　by　means　of　quick　signals　made　with

their　wooden　fingers　or　lips。　　Neither　was　there　any　sound　to　be　heard

anywhere　throughout　the　wooden　country。　　The　birds　did　not　sing；　nor

did　the　cows　moo；　yet　there　was　more　than　ordinary　activity　everywhere。



The　group　of　these　queer　creatures　which　was　discovered　clustered

near　the　stairs　at　first　remained　staring　and　motionless；　glaring　with

evil　eyes　at　the　intruders　who　had　so　suddenly　appeared　in　their　land。

In　turn　the　Wizard　and　the　children；　the　horse　and　the　kitten；

examined　the　Gargoyles　with　the　same　silent　attention。



〃There's　going　to　be　trouble；　I'm　sure；〃　remarked　the　horse。

〃Unhitch　those　tugs；　Zeb；　and　set　me　free　from　the　buggy；

so　I　can　fight　comfortably。〃



〃Jim's　right；〃　sighed　the　Wizard。　　〃There's　going　to　be　trouble；　and

my　sword　isn't　stout　enough　to　cut　up　those　wooden　bodiesso　I　shall

have　to　get　out　my　revolvers。〃



He　got　his　satchel　from　the　buggy　and；　opening　it；　took　out　two　deadly

looking　revolvers　that　made　the　children　shrink　back　in　alarm　just　to

look　at。



〃What　harm　can　the　Gurgles　do？〃　asked　Dorothy。　　〃They　have　no　weapons

to　hurt　us　with。〃



〃Each　of　their　arms　is　a　wooden　club；〃　answered　the　little　man；　〃and

I'm　sure　the　creatures　mean　mischief；　by　the　looks　of　their　eyes。

Even　these　revolvers　can　merely　succeed　in　damaging　a　few　of　their

wooden　bodies；　and　after　that　we　will　be　at　their　mercy。〃



〃But　why　fight　at　all；　in　that　case？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃So　I　may　die　with　a　clear　conscience；〃　returned　the　Wizard；　gravely。

〃It's　every　man's　duty　to　do　the　best　he　knows　how；　and　I'm　going　to

do　it。〃



〃Wish　I　had　an　axe；〃　said　Zeb；　who　by　now　had　unhitched　the　horse。



〃If　we　had　known　we　were　coming　we　might　have　brought　along　several

other　useful　things；〃　responded　the　Wizard。　　〃But　we　dropped　into　this

adventure　rather　unexpectedly。〃



The　Gargoyles　had　backed　away　a　distance　when　they　heard　the　sound　of

talking；　for　although　our　friends　had　spoken　in　low　tones　their　words

seemed　loud　in　the　silence　surrounding　them。　　But　as　soon　as　the

conversation　ceased；　the　grinning；　ugly　creatures　arose　in　a　flock　and

flew　swiftly　toward　the　strangers；　their　long　arms　stretched　out

before　them　like　the　bowsprits　of　a　fleet　of　sail…boats。　　The　horse

had　especially　attracted　their　notice；　because　it　was　the　biggest　and

strangest　creature　they　had　ever　seen；　so　it　became　the　center　of

their　first　attack。



But　Jim　was　ready　for　them；　and　when　he　saw　them　coming　he　turned　his

heels　toward　them　and　began　kicking　out　as　hard　as　he　could。　　Crack！

crash！　bang！　went　his　iron…shod　hoofs　against　the　wooden　bodies　of　the

Gargoyles；　and　they　were　battered　right　and　left　with　such　force　that

they　scattered　like　straws　in　the　wind。　　But　the　noise　and　clatter

seemed　as　dreadful　to　them　as　Jim's　heels；　for　all　who　were　able

swiftly　turned　and　flew　away　to　a　great　distance。　　The　others　picked

themselves　up　from　the　ground　one　by　one　and　quickly　rejoined　their

fellows；　so　for　a　moment　the　horse　thought　he　had　won　the　fight　with　ease。



But　the　Wizard　was　not　so　confident。



〃Those　wooden　things　are　impossible　to　hurt；〃　he　said；　〃and　all　the

damage　Jim　has　done　to　them　is　to　knock　a　few　splinters　from　their

noses　and　ears。　　That　cannot　make　them　look　any　uglier；　I'm　sure；　and

it　is　my　opinion　they　will　soon　renew　the　attack。〃



〃What　made　them　fly　away？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃The　noise；　of　course。　　Don't　you　remember　how　the　Champion　escaped

them　by　shouting　his　battle…cry？〃



〃Suppose　we　escape　down　the　stairs；　too；〃　suggested　the　boy。　　〃We　have

time；　just　now；　and　I'd　rather　face　the　invis'ble　bears　than　those

wooden　imps。〃



〃No；〃　returned　Dorothy；　stoutly；　〃it　won't　do　to　go　back；　for　then　we

would　never　get　home。　　Let's　fight　it　out。〃



〃That　is　what　I　advise；〃　said　the　Wizard。　　〃They　haven't　defeated　us

yet；　and　Jim　is　worth　a　whole　army。〃



But　the　Gargoyles　were　clever　enough　not　to　attack　the　horse　the　next

time。　　They　advanced　in　a　great　swarm；　having　been　joined　by　many　more

of　their　kind；　and　they　flew　straight　over　Jim's　head　to　where　the

others　were　standing。



The　Wizard　raised　one　of　his　revolvers　and　fired　into　the　throng　of

his　enemies；　and　the　shot　resounded　like　a　clap　of　thunder　in　that

silent　place。



Some　of　the　wooden　beings　fell　flat　upon　the　ground；　where　they

quivered　and　trembled　in　every　limb；　but　most　of　them　managed　to　wheel

and　escape　again　to　a　distance。



Zeb　ran　and　picked　up　one　of　the　Gargoyles　that　lay　nearest　to　him。

The　top　of　its　head　was　carved　into　a　crown　and　the　Wizard's　bullet

had　struck　it　exactly　in　the　left　eye；　which　was　a　hard　wooden　knot。

Half　of　the　bullet　stuck　in　the　wood　and　half　stuck　out；　so　it　had

been　the　jar　and　the　sudden　noise　that　had　knocked　the　creature　down；

more　than　the　fact　that　it　was　really　hurt。　　Before　th