dorothy and the wizard in oz-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



readily　decide　that　the　kitten　is　wrongfully　accused　and　should　be　set

at　liberty。〃



When　the　Tin　Woodman　sat　down　no　one　applauded　him；　for　his　arguments

had　not　been　very　convincing　and　few　believed　that　he　had　proved

Eureka's　innocence。　　As　for　the　Jury；　the　members　whispered　to　each

other　for　a　few　minutes　and　then　they　appointed　the　Hungry　Tiger　their

spokesman。　　The　huge　beast　slowly　arose　and　said：



〃Kittens　have　no　consciences；　so　they　eat　whatever　pleases　them。　　The

jury　believes　the　white　kitten　known　as　Eureka　is　guilty　of　having

eaten　the　piglet　owned　by　Princess　Ozma；　and　recommends　that　she　be

put　to　death　in　punishment　of　the　crime。〃



The　judgment　of　the　jury　was　received　with　great　applause；　although

Dorothy　was　sobbing　miserably　at　the　fate　of　her　pet。　　The　Princess

was　just　about　to　order　Eureka's　head　chopped　off　with　the　Tin

Woodman's　axe　when　that　brilliant　personage　once　more　arose　and

addressed　her。



〃Your　Highness；〃　said　he；　〃see　how　easy　it　is　for　a　jury　to　be　mistaken。

The　kitten　could　not　have　eaten　your　pigletfor　here　it　is！〃



He　took　off　his　funnel　hat　and　from　beneath　it　produced　a　tiny　white

piglet；　which　he　held　aloft　that　all　might　see　it　clearly。



Ozma　was　delighted　and　exclaimed；　eagerly：



〃Give　me　my　pet；　Nick　Chopper！〃



And　all　the　people　cheered　and　clapped　their　hands；　rejoicing　that　the

prisoner　had　escaped　death　and　been　proved　to　be　innocent。



As　the　Princess　held　the　white　piglet　in　her　arms　and　stroked　its　soft

hair　she　said：　〃Let　Eureka　out　of　the　cage；　for　she　is　no　longer　a

prisoner；　but　our　good　friend。　　Where　did　you　find　my　missing　pet；

Nick　Chopper？〃



〃In　a　room　of　the　palace；〃　he　answered。



〃Justice；〃　remarked　the　Scarecrow；　with　a　sigh；　〃is　a　dangerous　thing

to　meddle　with。　　If　you　hadn't　happened　to　find　the　piglet；　Eureka

would　surely　have　been　executed。〃



〃But　justice　prevailed　at　the　last；〃　said　Ozma；　〃for　here　is　my　pet；

and　Eureka　is　once　more　free。〃



〃I　refuse　to　be　free；〃　cried　the　kitten；　in　a　sharp　voice；　〃unless　the

Wizard　can　do　his　trick　with　eight　piglets。　　If　he　can　produce　but

seven；　then　this　is　not　the　piglet　that　was　lost；　but　another　one。〃



〃Hush；　Eureka！〃　warned　the　Wizard。



〃Don't　be　foolish；〃　advised　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃or　you　may　be　sorry　for　it。〃



〃The　piglet　that　belonged　to　the　Princess　wore　an　emerald　collar；〃

said　Eureka；　loudly　enough　for　all　to　hear。



〃So　it　did！〃　exclaimed　Ozma。　　〃This　cannot　be　the　one　the　Wizard　gave　me。〃



〃Of　course　not；　he　had　nine　of　them；　altogether；〃　declared　Eureka；

〃and　I　must　say　it　was　very　stingy　of　him　not　to　let　me　eat　just　a

few。　　But　now　that　this　foolish　trial　is　ended；　I　will　tell　you　what

really　became　of　your　pet　piglet。〃



At　this　everyone　in　the　Throne　Room　suddenly　became　quiet；　and　the

kitten　continued；　in　a　calm；　mocking　tone　of　voice：



〃I　will　confess　that　I　intended　to　eat　the　little　pig　for　my

breakfast；　so　I　crept　into　the　room　where　it　was　kept　while　the

Princess　was　dressing　and　hid　myself　under　a　chair。　　When　Ozma　went

away　she　closed　the　door　and　left　her　pet　on　the　table。　　At　once　I

jumped　up　and　told　the　piglet　not　to　make　a　fuss；　for　he　would　be

inside　of　me　in　half　a　second；　but　no　one　can　teach　one　of　these

creatures　to　be　reasonable。　　Instead　of　keeping　still；　so　I　could　eat

him　comfortably；　he　trembled　so　with　fear　that　he　fell　off　the　table

into　a　big　vase　that　was　standing　on　the　floor。　　The　vase　had　a　very

small　neck；　and　spread　out　at　the　top　like　a　bowl。　　At　first　the

piglet　stuck　in　the　neck　of　the　vase　and　I　thought　I　should　get　him；

after　all；　but　he　wriggled　himself　through　and　fell　down　into　the　deep

bottom　partand　I　suppose　he's　there　yet。〃



All　were　astonished　at　this　confession；　and　Ozma　at　once　sent　an

officer　to　her　room　to　fetch　the　vase。　　When　he　returned　the　Princess

looked　down　the　narrow　neck　of　the　big　ornament　and　discovered　her

lost　piglet；　just　as　Eureka　had　said　she　would。



There　was　no　way　to　get　the　creature　out　without　breaking　the　vase；　so

the　Tin　Woodman　smashed　it　with　his　axe　and　set　the　little　prisoner　free。



Then　the　crowd　cheered　lustily　and　Dorothy　hugged　the　kitten　in　her

arms　and　told　her　how　delighted　she　was　to　know　that　she　was　innocent。



〃But　why　didn't　you　tell　us　at　first？〃　she　asked。



〃It　would　have　spoiled　the　fun；〃　replied　the　kitten；　yawning。



Ozma　gave　the　Wizard　back　the　piglet　he　had　so　kindly　allowed　Nick

Chopper　to　substitute　for　the　lost　one；　and　then　she　carried　her　own

into　the　apartments　of　the　palace　where　she　lived。　　And　now；　the　trial

being　over；　the　good　citizens　of　the　Emerald　City　scattered　to　their

homes；　well　content　with　the　day's　amusement。







20。　　Zeb　Returns　to　the　Ranch





Eureka　was　much　surprised　to　find　herself　in　disgrace；　but　she　was；　in

spite　of　the　fact　that　she　had　not　eaten　the　piglet。　　For　the　folks　of

Oz　knew　the　kitten　had　tried　to　commit　the　crime；　and　that　only　an

accident　had　prevented　her　from　doing　so；　therefore　even　the　Hungry

Tiger　preferred　not　to　associate　with　her。　　Eureka　was　forbidden　to

wander　around　the　palace　and　was　made　to　stay　in　confinement　in

Dorothy's　room；　so　she　began　to　beg　her　mistress　to　send　her　to　some

other　place　where　she　could　enjoy　herself　better。



Dorothy　was　herself　anxious　to　get　home；　so　she　promised　Eureka　they

would　not　stay　in　the　Land　of　Oz　much　longer。



The　next　evening　after　the　trial　the　little　girl　begged　Ozma　to　allow

her　to　look　in　the　enchanted　picture；　and　the　Princess　readily

consented。　　She　took　the　child　to　her　room　and　said：　〃Make　your　wish；

dear；　and　the　picture　will　show　the　scene　you　desire　to　behold。〃



Then　Dorothy　found；　with　the　aid　of　the　enchanted　picture；　that　Uncle

Henry　had　returned　to　the　farm　in　Kansas；　and　she　also　saw　that　both

he　and　Aunt　Em　were　dressed　in　mourning；　because　they　thought　their

little　niece　had　been　killed　by　the　earthquake。



〃Really；〃　said　the　girl；　anxiously；　〃I　must　get　back　as　soon　as

poss'ble　to　my　own　folks。〃



Zeb　also　wanted　to　see　his　home；　and　although　he　did　not　find　anyone

morning　for　him；　the　sight　of　Hugson's　Ranch　in　the　picture　made　him

long　to　get　back　there。



〃This　is　a　fine　country；　and　I　like　all　the　people　that　live　in　it；〃

he　told　Dorothy。　　〃But　the　fact　is；　Jim　and　I　don't　seem　to　fit　into　a

fairyland；　and　the　old　horse　has　been　begging　me　to　go　home　again　ever

since　he　lost　the　race。　　So；　if　you　can　find　a　way　to　fix　it；　we'll　be

much　obliged　to　you。〃



〃Ozma　can　do　it；　easily；〃　replied　Dorothy。　　〃Tomorrow　morning　I'll　go

to　Kansas　and　you　can　go　to　Californy。〃



That　last　evening　was　so　delightful　that　the　boy　will　never　forget　it

as　long　as　he　lives。　　They　were　all　together　（except　Eureka）　in　the

pretty　rooms　of　the　Princess；　and　the　Wizard　did　some　new　tricks；　and

the　Scarecrow　told　stories；　and　the　Tin　Woodman　sang　a　love　song　in　a

sonorous；　metallic　voice；　and　everybody　laughed　and　had　a　good　time。

Then　Dorothy　wound　up　Tik…tok　and　he　danced　a　jig　to　amuse　the

company；　after　which　the　Yellow　Hen　related　some　of　her　adventures

with　the　Nome　King　in　the　Land　of　Ev。



The　Princess　served　delicious　refreshments　to　those　who　were　in　the

habit　of　eating；　and　when　Dorothy's　bed　time　arrived　the　company

separated　after　exchanging　many　friendly　sentiments。



Next　morning　they　all　assembled　for　the　final　parting；　and　many　of　the

officials　and　courtiers　came　to　look　upon　the　impressive　ceremonies。



Dorothy　held　Eureka　in　her　arms　and　bade　her　friends　a　fond　good…bye。



〃You　must　come　again；　some　time；〃　said　the　little　Wizard；　and　she

promised　she　would　if　she　found　it　possible　to　do　so。



〃But　Uncle　Henry　and　Aunt　Em　need　me　to　help　them；〃　she　added；　〃so　I

can't　ever　be　very　long　away　from　the　farm　in　Kansas。〃



Ozma　wore　the　Magic　Belt；　and；　when　she　had　kissed　Dorothy　farewell

and　had　made　her　wish；　the　little　girl　and　her　kitten　disappeared

in　a　twinkling。



〃Where　is　she？〃　asked　Zeb；　rather　bewildered　by　the　suddenness　of　it。



〃Greeting　her　uncle　and　aunt　in　Kansas；　by　this　time；〃　returned　Ozma；

with　a　smile。



Then　Zeb　brought　out　Jim；　all　harnessed　to　the　buggy；　and　took　his　seat。



〃I'm　much　obliged　for　all　your　kindness；〃　said　the　boy；　〃and　very

grateful　to　you　for　saving　my　life　and　sending　me　home　again　after　all

the　good　times　I've　had。　　I　think　this　is　the　loveliest　country　in　the

world；　but　not　being　fairies　Jim　and　I　feel　we　ought　to　be　where　we

belongand　that's　at　the　ranch。　　Good…bye；　everybody！〃



He　gave　a　start　and　rubbed　his　eyes。　　Jim　was　trotting　along　the

well…known　road；　shaking　his　ears　and　whisking　his　tail　with　a

contented　motion。　　Just　ahead　of　them　were　the　gates　of　Hugson's

Ranch；　and　Uncle　Hugson　now　came　out　and　stood　with　uplifted　arms　and

wide　open　mouth；　staring　in　amazement。



〃Goodness　gracious！　　It's　Zeband　Jim；　too！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Where　in

the　world　have　you　been；　my　lad？〃



〃Why；　in　the　world；　Uncle；〃　answered　Zeb；　with　a　laugh。









The　End