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第20章

the patchwork girl of oz-第20章

小说: the patchwork girl of oz 字数: 每页3500字

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place。 It was a pretty house; neatly painted and



with many windows。 Before it was a garden filled



with blooming flowers。 The Soldier with the Green



Whiskers led Ojo up the gravel path to the front



door; on which he knocked。







A woman opened the door and; seeing Ojo



in his white robe; exclaimed:







〃Goodness me! A prisoner at last。 But what a



small one; Soldier。〃







〃The size doesn't matter; Tollydiggle; my



dear。 The fact remains that he is a prisoner;〃



said the soldier。 〃And; this being the prison;



and you the jailer; it is my duty to place the



prisoner in your charge。〃







〃True。 Come in; then; and I'll give you a



receipt for him。〃







They entered the house and passed through a hall



to a large circular room; where the woman pulled



the robe off from Ojo and looked at him with



kindly interest。 The boy; on his part; was gazing



around him in amazement; for never had he dreamed



of such a magnificent apartment as this in which



he stood。 The roof of the dome was of colored



glass; worked into beautiful designs。 The walls



were paneled with plates of







gold decorated with gems of great size and many



colors; and upon the tiled floor were soft rags



delightful to walk upon。 The furniture was framed



in gold and upholstered in satin brocade and it



consisted of easy chairs; divans and stools in



great variety。 Also there were several tables with



mirror tops and cabinets filled with rare and



curious things。 In one place a case filled with



books stood against the wall; and elsewhere Ojo



saw a cupboard containing all sorts of games。







〃May I stay here a little while before I go to



prison?〃 asked the boy; pleadingly。







〃Why; this is your prison;〃 replied Tollydiggle;



〃and in me behold your jailor。 Take off those



handcuffs; Soldier; for it is impossible for



anyone to escape from this house。〃







〃I know that very well;〃 replied the soldier and



at once unlocked the handcuffs and released the



prisoner。







The woman touched a button on the wall and



lighted a big chandelier that hung suspended from



the ceiling; for it was growing dark outside。 Then



she seated herself at a desk and asked:







〃What name?〃







〃Ojo the Unlucky;〃 answered the Soldier



with the Green Whiskers。







〃Unlucky? Ah; that accounts for it;〃 said she。



〃What crime?〃







〃Breaking a Law of Oz。〃







〃All right。 There's your receipt; Soldier; and



now I'm responsible for the prisoner。 I'm glad



of it; for this is the first time I've ever had



anything to do; in my official capacity;〃 remarked



the jailer; in a pleased tone。







〃It's the same with me; Tollydiggle;〃 laughed



the soldier。 〃But my task is finished and I must



go and report to Ozma that I've done my duty



like a faithful Police Force; a loyal Army and



an honest Body…Guardas I hope I am。〃







Saying this; be nodded farewell to Tollydiggle



and Ojo and went away。







〃Now; then;〃 said the woman briskly; 〃I must get



you some supper; for you are doubtless hungry。



What would you prefer: planked whitefish; omelet



with jelly or mutton…chops with gravy?〃







Ojo thought about it。 Then he said: 〃I'll take



the chops; if you please。〃







〃Very well; amuse yourself while I'm gone;



I won't be long;〃 and then she went out by a



door and left the prisoner alone。







Ojo was much astonished; for not only was this



unlike any prison he had ever heard of; but he was



being treated more as a guest than a criminal。



There were many windows and they bad no locks。



There were three doors to the room and none were



bolted。 He cautiously opened one of the doors and



found it led into a hallway。 But he had no



intention of trying to escape。 If his jailor was



willing to trust him in this way he would not



betray her trust; and moreover a hot supper was



being prepared for him and his prison was very



pleasant and comfortable。 So he took a book from



the case and sat down in a big chair to look at



the pictures。







This amused him until the woman came in with a



large tray and spread a cloth on one of the



tables。 Then she arranged his supper; which proved



the most varied and delicious meal Ojo had ever



eaten in his life。







Tollydiggle sat near him while he ate; sewing



on some fancy work she held in her lap。 When



he had finished she cleared the table and then



read to him a story from one of the books。







〃Is this really a prison?〃 he asked; when she



had finished reading。







〃Indeed it is;〃 she replied。 〃It is the only



prison in the Land of Oz。〃







〃And am I a prisoner?〃







〃Bless the child! Of course。〃







〃Then why is the prison so fine; and why



are you so kind to me?〃 he earnestly asked。







Tollydiggle seemed surprised by the question;



but she presently answered:







〃We consider a prisoner unfortunate。 He is



unfortunate in two waysbecause he has done



something wrong and because he is deprived of his



liberty。 Therefore we should treat him kindly;



because of his misfortune; for otherwise he would



become hard and bitter and would not be sorry he



had done wrong。 Ozma thinks that one who has



committed a fault did so because he was not strong



and brave; therefore she puts him in prison to



make him strong and brave。 When that is



accomplished he is no longer a prisoner; but a



good and loyal citizen and everyone is glad that



he is now strong enough to resist doing wrong。 You



see; it is kindness that makes one strong and



brave; and so we are kind to our prisoners。〃







Ojo thought this over very carefully。 〃I had



an idea;〃 said he; 〃that prisoners were always



treated harshly; to punish them。〃







〃That would be dreadful!〃 cried Tollydiggle。



〃Isn't one punished enough in knowing he has



done wrong? Don't you wish; Ojo; with all your



heart; that you had not been disobedient and



broken a Law of Oz?〃







〃II hate to be different from other people;〃



he admitted。







〃Yes; one likes to be respected as highly as his



neighbors are;〃 said the woman。 〃When you are



tried and found guilty; you will be obliged to



make amends; in some way。 I don't know just



what Ozma will do to you; because this is the



first time one of us has broken a Law; but you



may be sure she will be just and merciful。 Here



in the Emerald City people are too happy and



contented ever to do wrong; but perhaps you



came from some faraway corner of our land; and



having no love for Ozma carelessly broke one



of her Laws。〃







〃Yes;〃 said Ojo; 〃I've lived all my life in the



heart of a lonely forest; where I saw no one but



dear Unc Nunkie。〃







〃I thought so;〃 said Tollydiggle。 〃But now



we have talked enough; so let us play a game



until bedtime。〃



















Chapter Sixteen







Princess Dorothy











Dorothy Gale was sitting in one of her rooms in



the royal palace; while curled up at her feet was



a little black dog with a shaggy coat and very



bright eyes。 She wore a plain white frock; without



any jewels or other ornaments except an emerald…



green hair…ribbon; for Dorothy was a simple



little girl and had not been in the least spoiled



by the magnificence surrounding her。 Once the



child had lived on the Kansas prairies; but she



seemed marked for adventure for she had made



seven trips to the Land of Oz before she came to



live there for good。 Her very best friend was the



beautiful Ozma of Oz; who loved Dorothy so well



that she kept her in her own palace; so as to be



near her。 The girl's Uncle Henry and Aunt Emthe



only relatives she had in the worldhad also been



brought here by Ozma and given a pleasant home。



Dorothy knew almost everybody in Oz; and it was



she who had discovered the Scarecrow; the Tin



Woodman and the Cowardly Lion; as well as Tik…tok



the Clockwork Man。 Her life was very pleasant now;



and although she had been made a Princess of Oz by



her friend Ozma she did not care much to be a



Princess and remained as sweet as when she had



been plain Dorothy Gale of Kansas。







Dorothy was reading in a book this evening



when Jellia Jamb; the favorite servant…maid of



the palace; came to say that the Shaggy Man



wanted to see her。







〃All right;〃 said Dorothy; 〃tell him to come



right up。〃







〃But he has some queer creatures with himsome



of the queerest I've ever laid eyes on;〃 reported



Jellia。







〃Never mind; let 'em all come up;〃 replied



Dorothy。







But when the door opened to admit not only the



Shaggy Man; but Scraps; the Woozy and the Glass



Cat; Dorothy jumped up and looked at her strange



visitors in amazement。 The Patchwork Girl was the



most curious of all and Dorothy was uncertain at



first whether Scraps was really alive or only a



dream or a nightmare。 Toto; her dog; slowly



uncurled himself and going to the Patchwork Girl



sniffed at her inquiringly; but soon he lay down



again; as if to say he had no interest in such an



irregular creation。







〃You're a new one to me;〃 Dorothy said



reflectively; addressing the Patchwork Girl。 〃I



can't imagine where you've come from。〃







〃Who; me?〃 asked Scraps; looking around the



pretty room instead of at the girl。 〃Oh; I came



from a bed…quilt; I guess。 That's what they say;



anyhow。 Some call it a crazy…quilt and some a



patchwork quilt。 But my name is Scrapsand now



you know all about me。〃







〃Not quite all;〃 returned Dorothy with a smile。



〃I wish you'd tell me how you came to be alive。〃







〃That's an easy job;〃 said Scraps; sitting upon



a big upholstered chair and making the springs



bounce her up and down。 〃Margolotte wanted a



slave; so she made me out of an old bed…quilt she



didn't use。 Cotton stuffing; suspender…button



eyes; red velvet tongue; pearl beads for teeth。



The Crooked Magician made a Powder of Life;



sprinkled me with it andhere I am。 Perhaps



you've noticed my different colors。 A very refined



and educated gentleman named the Scarecrow; whom I



met; t

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