the patchwork girl of oz-第12章

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the　great　Fairy　City；　and　so　we　must　be　very



careful。〃







〃I　hope　nothing　will　break　me；〃　said　the



Glass　Cat；　in　a　nervous　voice。　〃I'm　a　little　brittle；



you　know；　and　can't　stand　many　hard　knocks。〃







〃If　anything　should　fade　the　colors　of　my　lovely



patches　it　would　break　my　heart；〃　said　the



Patchwork　Girl。







〃I'm　not　sure　you　have　a　heart；〃　Ojo　reminded



her。







〃Then　it　would　break　my　cotton；〃　persisted



Scraps。　〃Do　you　think　they　are　all　fast　colors；



Ojo？〃　she　asked　anxiously。







〃They　seem　fast　enough　when　you　run；〃　he



replied；　and　then；　looking　ahead　of　them；　he



exclaimed：　〃Oh；　what　lovely　trees！〃







They　were　certainly　pretty　to　look　upon　and



the　travelers　hurried　forward　to　observe　them



more　closely。







〃Why；　they　are　not　trees　at　all；〃　said　Scraps；



〃they　are　just　monstrous　plants。〃







That　is　what　they　really　were：　masses　of　great



broad　leaves　which　rose　from　the　ground　far　into



the　air；　until　they　towered　twice　as　high　as　the



top　of　the　Patchwork　Girl's　head；　who　was　a　little



taller　than　Ojo。　The　plants　formed　rows　on　both



sides　of　the　road　and　from　each　plant　rose　a　dozen



or　more　of　the　big　broad　leaves；　which　swayed



continually　from　side　to　side；　although　no　wind



was　blowing。　But　the　most　curious　thing　about　the



swaying　leaves　was　their　color。　They　seemed　to



have　a　general　groundwork　of　blue；　but　here　and



there　other　colors　glinted　at　times　through　the



bluegorgeous　yellows；　turning　to　pink；　purple；



orange　and　scarlet；　mingled　with　more　sober　browns



and　grayseach　appearing　as　a　blotch　or　stripe



anywhere　on　a　leaf　and　then　disappearing；　to　be



replaced　by　some　other　color　of　a　different　shape。



The　changeful　coloring　of　the　great　leaves　was



very　beautiful；　but　it　was　bewildering；　as　well；



and　the　novelty　of　the　scene　drew　our　travelers



close　to　the　line　of　plants；　where　they　stood



watching　them　with　rapt　interest。







Suddenly　a　leaf　bent　lower　than　usual　and



touched　the　Patchwork　Girl。　Swiftly　it　enveloped



her　in　its　embrace；　covering　her　completely　in



its　thick　folds；　and　then　it　swayed　back　upon　its



stem。







〃Why；　she's　gone！〃　gasped　Ojo；　in　amazement；　and



listening　carefully　he　thought　he　could　hear　the



muffled　screams　of　Scraps　coming　from　the　center



of　the　folded　leaf。　But；　before　he　could　think



what　he　ought　to　do　to　save　her；　another　leaf　bent



down　and　captured　the　Glass　Cat；　rolling　around



the　little　creature　until　she　was　completely



hidden；　and　then　straightening　up　again　upon　its



stem。







〃Look　out；〃　cried　the　Woozy。　〃Run！　Run



fast；　or　you　are　lost。〃







Ojo　turned　and　saw　the　Woozy　running



swiftly　up　the　road。　But　the　last　leaf　of　the　row



of　plants　seized　the　beast　even　as　he　ran　and



instantly　he　disappeared　from　sight。







The　boy　had　no　chance　to　escape。　Half　a　dozen　of



the　great　leaves　were　bending　toward　him　from



different　directions　and　as　he　stood　hesitating



one　of　them　clutched　him　in　its　embrace。　In　a



flash　he　was　in　the　dark。　Then　he　felt　himself



gently　lifted　until　he　was　swaying　in　the　air；



with　the　folds　of　the　leaf　hugging　him　on　all



sides。







At　first　he　struggled　hard　to　escape；　crying



out　in　anger：　〃Let　me　go！　Let　me　go！〃　But



neither　struggles　nor　protests　had　any　effect



whatever。　The　leaf　held　him　firmly　and　he　was



a　prisoner。〃







Then　Ojo　quieted　himself　and　tried　to　think。



Despair　fell　upon　him　when　he　remembered　that　all



his　little　party　had　been　captured；　even　as　he



was；　and　there　was　none　to　save　them。







〃I　might　have　expected　it；〃　he　sobbed；



miserably。　〃I'm　Ojo　the　Unlucky；　and　something



dreadful　was　sure　to　happen　to　me。〃







He　pushed　against　the　leaf　that　held　him　and



found　it　to　be　soft；　but　thick　and　firm。　It　was



like　a　great　bandage　all　around　him　and　he



found　it　difficult　to　move　his　body　or　limbs　in



order　to　change　their　position。







The　minutes　passed　and　became　hours。　Ojo



wondered　how　long　one　could　live　in　such　a



condition　and　if　the　leaf　would　gradually　sap



his　strength　and　even　his　life；　in　order　to　feed



itself。　The　little　Munchkin　boy　had　never　heard



of　any　person　dying　in　the　Land　of　Oz；　but　he



knew　one　could　suffer　a　great　deal　of　pain。　His



greatest　fear　at　this　time　was　that　he　would



always　remain　imprisoned　in　the　beautiful　leaf



and　never　see　the　light　of　day　again。







No　sound　came　to　him　through　the　leaf；　all



around　was　intense　silence。　Ojo　wondered　if　Scraps



had　stopped　screaming；　or　if　the　folds　of　the　leaf



prevented　his　hearing　her。　By　and　by　he　thought　he



heard　a　whistle；　as　of　some　one　whistling　a　tune。



Yes；　it　really　must　be　some　one　whistling；　he



decided；　for　he　could　follow　the　strains　of　a



pretty　Munchkin　melody　that　Unc　Nunkie　used　to



sing　to　him。　The　sounds　were　low　and　sweet　and；



although　they　reached　Ojo's　ears　very　faintly；



they　were　clear　and　harmonious。







Could　the　leaf　whistle；　Ojo　wondered？　Nearer　and



nearer　came　the　sounds　and　then　they　seemed　to　be



just　the　other　side　of　the　leaf　that　was　hugging



him。







Suddenly　the　whole　leaf　toppled　and　fell；



carrying　the　boy　with　it；　and　while　he　sprawled　at



full　length　the　folds　slowly　relaxed　and　set　him



free。　He　scrambled　quickly　to　his　feet　and　found



that　a　strange　man　was　standing　before　hima　man



so　curious　in　appearance　that　the　boy　stared　with



round　eyes。







He　was　a　big　man；　with　shaggy　whiskers；　shaggy



eyebrows；　shaggy　hairbut　kindly　blue　eyes　that



were　gentle　as　those　of　a　cow。　On　his　head　was　a



green　velvet　hat　with　a　jeweled　band；　which　was



all　shaggy　around　the　brim。　Rich　but　shaggy　laces



were　at　his　throat；　a　coat　with　shaggy　edges　was



decorated　with　diamond　buttons；　the　velvet



breeches　had　jeweled　buckles　at　the　knees　and



shags　all　around　the　bottoms。　On　his　breast　hung　a



medallion　bearing　a　picture　of　Princess　Dorothy　of



Oz；　and　in　his　hand；　as　he　stood　looking　at　Ojo；



was　a　sharp　knife　shaped　like　a　dagger。







〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Ojo；　greatly　astonished　at　the



sight　of　this　stranger；　and　then　he　added：　〃Who



has　saved　me；　sir？〃







〃Can't　you　see？〃　replied　the　other；　with　a



smile；　〃I'm　the　Shaggy　Man。〃







〃Yes；　I　can　see　that；〃　said　the　boy；　nodding。



〃Was　it　you　who　rescued　me　from　the　leaf？〃







〃None　other；　you　may　be　sure。　But　take　care；



or　I　shall　have　to　rescue　you　again。〃







Ojo　gave　a　jump；　for　he　saw　several　broad



leaves　leaning　toward　him；　but　the　Shaggy　Man



began　to　whistle　again；　and　at　the　sound　the



leaves　all　straightened　up　on　their　stems　and



kept　still。







The　man　now　took　Ojo's　arm　and　led　him



up　the　road；　past　the　last　of　the　great　plants；



and　not　till　he　was　safely　beyond　their　reach　did



he　cease　his　whistling。







〃You　see；　the　music　charms　'em；〃　said　he。



〃Singing　or　whistlingit　doesn't　matter　which



makes　'em　behave；　and　nothing　else　will。　I　always



whistle　as　I　go　by　'em　and　so　they　always　let　me



alone。　Today　as　I　went　by；　whistling；　I　saw　a　leaf



curled　and　knew　there　must　be　something　inside　it。



I　cut　down　the　leaf　with　my　knife　andout　you



popped。　Lucky　I　passed　by；　wasn't　it？〃







〃You　were　very　kind；〃　said　Ojo；　〃and　I　thank



you。　Will　you　please　rescue　my　companions；　also？〃







〃What　companions？〃　asked　the　Shaggy　Man。







〃The　leaves　grabbed　them　all；〃　said　the　boy。



〃There's　a　Patchwork　Girl　and〃







〃A　what？〃







〃A　girl　made　of　patchwork；　you　know。　She's



alive　and　her　name　is　Scraps。　And　there's　a



Glass　Cat〃







〃Glass？〃　asked　the　Shaggy　Man。







〃All　glass。〃







〃And　alive？〃







〃Yes；〃　said　Ojo；　〃she　has　pink　brains。　And



there's　a　Woozy〃







〃What's　a　Woozy？〃　inquired　the　Shaggy　Man。







〃Why；　IIcan't　describe　it；〃　answered　the



boy；　greatly　perplexed。　〃But　it's　a　queer　animal



with　three　hairs　on　the　tip　of　its　tail　that　won't



come　out　and〃







〃What　won't　come　out？〃　asked　the　Shaggy　Man；



〃the　tail？〃







〃The　hairs　won't　come　out。　But　you'll　see　the



Woozy；　if　you'll　please　rescue　it；　and　then　you'll



know　just　what　it　is。〃







〃Of　course；〃　said　the　Shaggy　Man；　nodding　his



shaggy　head。　And　then　he　walked　back　among　the



plants；　still　whistling；　and　found　the　three



leaves　which　were　curled　around　Ojo's　traveling



companions。　The　first　leaf　he　cut　down　released



Scraps；　and　on　seeing　her　the　Shaggy　Man　threw



back　his　shaggy　head；　opened　wide　his　mouth　and



laughed　so　shaggily　and　yet　so　merrily　that　Scraps



liked　him　at　once。　Then　he　took　off　his　hat　and



made　her　a　low　bow；　saying：







〃My　dear；　you're　a　wonder。　I　must　introduce



you　to　my　friend　the　Scarecrow。〃







When　he　cut　down　the　second　leaf　he　rescued　the



Glass　Cat；　and　Bungle　was　so　frightened　that　she



scampered　away　like　a　streak　and　soon　had　joined



Ojo；　when　she　sat　beside　him　panting　and



trembling。　The　last　plant　of　all　the　row　had



captured　the　Woozy；　and　a　big　bunch　in　the　center



of　the　curled　leaf　showed　plainly　where　he　was。



With　his　sharp　knife　the　Shaggy　Man　sliced　off　the



stem　of　the　leaf　and　as　it　fell　and　unfolded　out



trotted　the　Woozy　and　escaped　beyond　the　reach　of



any　more　of　the　dangerous　plants。



















Chapter　Eleven







A　Good　Friend











Soon　the　entire　party　was　gathered　on　the　road　of



yellow　bricks；　quite　beyond　the　reach　of　the



beautiful　but　treacherous　plants。　The　Shaggy　Man；



staring　first　at　one　and　then　at　the　other；　seemed



greatly　pleased　and　interested。







〃I've　seen　queer　things　since　I　came　to　the　Land



of　Oz；〃　said　he；　〃but　never　anything　queerer　than



this　band　of　adventurers。　Let　us　sit　down　a　while；



and　have　a　talk　and　get　acquainted。〃







〃Haven't　you　always　lived　in　the　Land　of　Oz？〃



asked　the　Munchkin　boy。







〃No；　I　used　to　live　in　the　big；　outside　world。



But　I　came　here　once　with　Dorothy；　and　Ozma



let　me　stay。〃







〃How　do　you　like　Oz？〃　asked　Scraps。　〃Isn't



the　country　and　the　climate　grand？〃







〃It's　the　finest　cou