dorothy and the wizard in oz-第7章

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〃Where　shall　we　stay？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃I　think　I　shall　take　possession　of　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer；〃

replied　the　Wizard；　〃for　the　Prince　said　in　the　presence　of　his　people

that　he　would　keep　me　until　they　picked　another　Sorcerer；　and　the　new

Princess　won't　know　but　that　we　belong　there。〃



They　agreed　to　this　plan；　and　when　they　reached　the　great　square　Jim

drew　the　buggy　into　the　big　door　of　the　domed　hall。



〃It　doesn't　look　very　homelike；〃　said　Dorothy；　gazing　around　at　the

bare　room。　　〃But　it's　a　place　to　stay；　anyhow。〃



〃What　are　those　holes　up　there？〃　enquired　the　boy；　pointing　to　some

openings　that　appeared　near　the　top　of　the　dome。



〃They　look　like　doorways；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃only　there　are　no　stairs　to

get　to　them。〃



〃You　forget　that　stairs　are　unnecessary；〃　observed　the　Wizard。　　〃Let

us　walk　up；　and　see　where　the　doors　lead　to。〃



With　this　he　began　walking　in　the　air　toward　the　high　openings；　and

Dorothy　and　Zeb　followed　him。　　It　was　the　same　sort　of　climb　one

experiences　when　walking　up　a　hill；　and　they　were　nearly　out　of　breath

when　they　came　to　the　row　of　openings；　which　they　perceived　to　be

doorways　leading　into　halls　in　the　upper　part　of　the　house。　　Following

these　halls　they　discovered　many　small　rooms　opening　from　them；　and

some　were　furnished　with　glass　benches；　tables　and　chairs。　　But　there

were　no　beds　at　all。



〃I　wonder　if　these　people　never　sleep；〃　said　the　girl。



〃Why；　there　seems　to　be　no　night　at　all　in　this　country；〃　Zeb　replied。

〃Those　colored　suns　are　exactly　in　the　same　place　they　were　when　we

came；　and　if　there　is　no　sunset　there　can　be　no　night。〃



〃Very　true；〃　agreed　the　Wizard。　　〃But　it　is　a　long　time　since　I　have

had　any　sleep；　and　I'm　tired。　　So　I　think　I　shall　lie　down　upon　one　of

these　hard　glass　benches　and　take　a　nap。〃



〃I　will；　too；〃　said　Dorothy；　and　chose　a　little　room　at　the　end

of　the　hall。



Zeb　walked　down　again　to　unharness　Jim；　who；　when　he　found　himself

free；　rolled　over　a　few　times　and　then　settled　down　to　sleep；　with

Eureka　nestling　comfortably　beside　his　big；　boney　body。　　Then　the　boy

returned　to　one　of　the　upper　rooms；　and　in　spite　of　the　hardness　of

the　glass　bench　was　soon　deep　in　slumberland。







6。　　The　Mangaboos　Prove　Dangerous





When　the　Wizard　awoke　the　six　colored　suns　were　shining　down　upon　the

Land　of　the　Mangaboos　just　as　they　had　done　ever　since　his　arrival。

The　little　man；　having　had　a　good　sleep；　felt　rested　and　refreshed；

and　looking　through　the　glass　partition　of　the　room　he　saw　Zeb　sitting

up　on　his　bench　and　yawning。　　So　the　Wizard　went　in　to　him。



〃Zeb；〃　said　he；　〃my　balloon　is　of　no　further　use　in　this　strange

country；　so　I　may　as　well　leave　it　on　the　square　where　it　fell。　　But

in　the　basket…car　are　some　things　I　would　like　to　keep　with　me。　　I

wish　you　would　go　and　fetch　my　satchel；　two　lanterns；　and　a　can　of

kerosene　oil　that　is　under　the　seat。　　There　is　nothing　else　that　I

care　about。〃



So　the　boy　went　willingly　upon　the　errand；　and　by　the　time　he　had

returned　Dorothy　was　awake。　　Then　the　three　held　a　counsel　to　decide

what　they　should　do　next；　but　could　think　of　no　way　to　better

their　condition。



〃I　don't　like　these　veg'table　people；〃　said　the　little　girl。　　〃They're

cold　and　flabby；　like　cabbages；　in　spite　of　their　prettiness。〃



〃I　agree　with　you。　　It　is　because　there　is　no　warm　blood　in　them；〃

remarked　the　Wizard。



〃And　they　have　no　hearts；　so　they　can't　love　anyonenot　even

themselves；〃　declared　the　boy。



〃The　Princess　is　lovely　to　look　at；〃　continued　Dorothy；　thoughtfully；

〃but　I　don't　care　much　for　her；　after　all。　　If　there　was　any　other

place　to　go；　I'd　like　to　go　there。〃



〃But　IS　there　any　other　place？〃　asked　the　Wizard。



〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。



Just　then　they　heard　the　big　voice　of　Jim　the　cab…horse　calling　to　them；

and　going　to　the　doorway　leading　to　the　dome　they　found　the　Princess

and　a　throng　of　her　people　had　entered　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer。



So　they　went　down　to　greet　the　beautiful　vegetable　lady；　who　said　to　them：



〃I　have　been　talking　with　my　advisors　about　you　meat　people；　and　we

have　decided　that　you　do　not　belong　in　the　Land　of　the　Mangaboos　and

must　not　remain　here。〃



〃How　can　we　go　away？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Oh；　you　cannot　go　away；　of　course；　so　you　must　be　destroyed；〃　was

the　answer。



〃In　what　way？〃　enquired　the　Wizard。



〃We　shall　throw　you　three　people　into　the　Garden　of　the　Twining

Vines；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃and　they　will　soon　crush　you　and　devour

your　bodies　to　make　themselves　grow　bigger。　　The　animals　you　have　with

you　we　will　drive　to　the　mountains　and　put　into　the　Black　Pit。　　Then

our　country　will　be　rid　of　all　its　unwelcome　visitors。〃



〃But　you　are　in　need　of　a　Sorcerer；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃and　not　one　of

those　growing　is　yet　ripe　enough　to　pick。　　I　am　greater　than　any

thorn…covered　sorcerer　that　every　grew　in　your　garden。　　Why　destroy　me？〃



〃It　is　true　we　need　a　Sorcerer；〃　acknowledged　the　Princess；　〃but　I　am

informed　that　one　of　our　own　will　be　ready　to　pick　in　a　few　days；　to

take　the　place　of　Gwig；　whom　you　cut　in　two　before　it　was　time　for　him

to　be　planted。　　Let　us　see　your　arts；　and　the　sorceries　you　are　able

to　perform。　　Then　I　will　decide　whether　to　destroy　you　with　the　others

or　not。〃



At　this　the　Wizard　made　a　bow　to　the　people　and　repeated　his　trick　of

producing　the　nine　tiny　piglets　and　making　them　disappear　again。　　He

did　it　very　cleverly；　indeed；　and　the　Princess　looked　at　the　strange

piglets　as　if　she　were　as　truly　astonished　as　any　vegetable　person

could　be。　　But　afterward　she　said：



〃I　have　heard　of　this　wonderful　magic。　　But　it　accomplishes　nothing　of

value。　　What　else　can　you　do？〃



The　Wizard　tried　to　think。　　Then　he　jointed　together　the　blades　of　his

sword　and　balanced　it　very　skillfully　upon　the　end　of　his　nose。　　But

even　that　did　not　satisfy　the　Princess。



Just　then　his　eye　fell　upon　the　lanterns　and　the　can　of　kerosene　oil

which　Zeb　had　brought　from　the　car　of　his　balloon；　and　he　got　a　clever

idea　from　those　commonplace　things。



〃Your　Highness；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　now　proceed　to　prove　my　magic　by

creating　two　suns　that　you　have　never　seen　before；　also　I　will　exhibit

a　Destroyer　much　more　dreadful　that　your　Clinging　Vines。〃



So　he　placed　Dorothy　upon　one　side　of　him　and　the　boy　upon　the　other

and　set　a　lantern　upon　each　of　their　heads。



〃Don't　laugh；〃　he　whispered　to　them；　〃or　you　will　spoil　the　effect　of

my　magic。〃



Then；　with　much　dignity　and　a　look　of　vast　importance　upon　his

wrinkled　face；　the　Wizard　got　out　his　match…box　and　lighted　the　two

lanterns。　The　glare　they　made　was　very　small　when　compared　with　the

radiance　of　the　six　great　colored　suns；　but　still　they　gleamed

steadily　and　clearly。　　The　Mangaboos　were　much　impressed　because

they　had　never　before　seen　any　light　that　did　not　come　directly

from　their　suns。



Next　the　Wizard　poured　a　pool　of　oil　from　the　can　upon　the　glass　floor；

where　it　covered　quite　a　broad　surface。　　When　he　lighted　the　oil　a　hundred

tongues　of　flame　shot　up；　and　the　effect　was　really　imposing。



〃Now；　Princess；〃　exclaimed　the　Wizard；　〃those　of　your　advisors　who

wished　to　throw　us　into　the　Garden　of　Clinging　Vines　must　step　within

this　circle　of　light。　　If　they　advised　you　well；　and　were　in　the

right；　they　will　not　be　injured　in　any　way。　　But　if　any　advised　you

wrongly；　the　light　will　wither　him。〃



The　advisors　of　the　Princess　did　not　like　this　test；　but　she　commanded

them　to　step　into　the　flame　and　one　by　one　they　did　so；　and　were

scorched　so　badly　that　the　air　was　soon　filled　with　an　odor　like　that

of　baked　potatoes。　　Some　of　the　Mangaboos　fell　down　and　had　to　be

dragged　from　the　fire；　and　all　were　so　withered　that　it　would　be

necessary　to　plant　them　at　once。



〃Sir；〃　said　the　Princess　to　the　Wizard；　〃you　are　greater　than　any　Sorcerer

we　have　ever　known。　　As　it　is　evident　that　my　people　have　advised　me

wrongly；　I　will　not　cast　you　three　people　into　the　dreadful　Garden　of

the　Clinging　Vines；　but　your　animals　must　be　driven　into　the　Black　Pit

in　the　mountain；　for　my　subjects　cannot　bear　to　have　them　around。〃



The　Wizard　was　so　pleased　to　have　saved　the　two　children　and　himself

that　he　said　nothing　against　this　decree；　but　when　the　Princess　had

gone　both　Jim　and　Eureka　protested　they　did　not　want　to　go　to　the

Black　Pit；　and　Dorothy　promised　she　would　do　all　that　she　could　to

save　them　from　such　a　fate。



For　two　or　three　days　after　thisif　we　call　days　the　periods　between

sleep；　there　being　no　night　to　divide　the　hours　into　daysour　friends

were　not　disturbed　in　any　way。　　They　were　even　permitted　to　occupy　the

House　of　the　Sorcerer　in　peace；　as　if　it　had　been　their　own；　and　to

wander　in　the　gardens　in　search　of　food。



Once　they　came　near　to　the　enclosed　Garden　of　the　Clinging　Vines；　and

walking　high　into　the　air　looked　down　upon　it　with　much　interest。

They　saw　a　mass　of　tough　green　vines　all　matted　together　and　writhing

and　twisting　around　like　a　nest　of　great　snakes。　　Everything　the　vines

touched　they　crushed；　and　our　adventurers　were　indeed　thankful　to　have

escaped　being　cast　among　them。



Whenever　the　Wizard　went　to　sleep　he　would　take　the　nine　tiny　piglets

from　his　pocket　and　let　them　run　around　on　the　floor　of　his　room　to

amuse　themselves　and　get　some　exercise；　and　one　time　they　found　his

glass　door　ajar　and　wandered　into　the　hall　and　then　into　the　bottom

part　of　the　great　dome；　walking　through　the　air　as　easily　as　Eureka

could。　　They　knew　the　kitten；　by　this　time；　so　they　scampered　over　to

where　she　lay　beside　Jim　and　commenced　to　frisk　and　play　with　her。



The　cab…horse；　who　never　slept　long　at　a　time；　sat　upon　his　haunches

and　watched　the　tiny　piglets　and　the　kitten　with　much　approval。



〃Don't　be　rough！〃　he　would　call　out；　if　Eureka　knocked　over　one　of　the

round；　fat　piglets　with　her　paw；　but　the　pigs　never　minded；　and

enjoyed　the　sport　very　greatly。



Suddenly　they　looked　up　to　find　the　room　filled　with　the　silent；

solemn…eyed　Mangaboos。　　Each　of　the　vegetable　folks　bore　a　branch

covered　with　sharp　thorns；　which　was　thrust　defiantly　toward　the

horse；　the　kitten　and　the　piglets。



〃Herestop　this　foolishness！〃　Jim　roared；　angrily；　but　after　being

pricked　once　or　twice　he　got　upon　his　four　legs　and　kept　out　of　the

way　of　the　thorns。



The　Mangaboos　surrounded　them　in　solid　ranks；　but　left　an　opening　to

the　doorway　of　the　hall；　so　the　animals　slowly　retreated　until　they

were　driven　from　the　room　and　out　upon　the　street。　　Here　were　more　of

the　vegetable　people　with　thorns；and　silently　they　urged　the　now

frightened　creatures　down　the　street。　　Jim　had　to　be　careful　not　to

step　upon　the　tiny　piglets；　who　scampered　under　his　feet　grunting　and

squealing；　while　Eureka；　snarling　and　biting　at　the　thorns　pushed

toward　her