the patchwork girl of oz-第23章

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pick　a　six…leaved　clover。　You　are　accused　of



having　broken　this　Law；　even　after　you　had



been　warned　not　to　do　so。







Ojo　hung　his　head　and　while　he　hesitated　how　to



reply　the　Patchwork　Girl　stepped　forward　and　spoke



for　him。







〃All　this　fuss　is　about　nothing　at　all；〃　she



said；　facing　Ozma　unabashed。　〃You　can't　prove　he



picked　the　six…leaved　clover；　so　you've　no　right



to　accuse　him　of　it。　Search　him；　if　you　like；　but



you　won't　find　the　clover；　look　in　his　basket　and



you'll　find　it's　not　there。　He　hasn't　got　it；　so　I



demand　that　you　set　this　poor　Munchkin　boy　free。〃







The　people　of　Oz　listened　to　this　defiance　in



amazement　and　wondered　at　the　queer　Patchwork　Girl



who　dared　talk　so　boldly　to　their　Ruler。　But　Ozma



sat　silent　and　motionless　and　it　was　the　little



Wizard　who　answered　Scraps。







〃So　the　clover　hasn't　been　picked；　eh？〃　he　said。



〃I　think　it　has。　I　think　the　boy　hid　it　in　his



basket；　and　then　gave　the　basket　to　you。　I　also



think　you　dropped　the　clover　into　this　vase；　which



stood　in　Princess　Dorothy's　room；　hoping　to　get



rid　of　it　so　it　would　not　prove　the　boy　guilty。



You're　a　stranger　here；　Miss　Patches；　and　so　you



don't　know　that　nothing　can　be　hidden　from　our



powerful　Ruler's　Magic　Picturenor　from　the



watchful　eyes　of　the　humble　Wizard　of　Oz。　Look；



all　of　you！〃　With　these　words　he　waved　his　hands



toward　the　vase　on　the　table；　which　Scraps　now



noticed　for　the　first　time。







From　the　mouth　of　the　vase　a　plant　sprouted；



slowly　growing　before　their　eyes　until　it　became　a



beautiful　bush；　and　on　the　topmost　branch　appeared



the　six…leaved　clover　which　Ojo　had　unfortunately



picked。







The　Patchwork　Girl　looked　at　the　clover　and



said：　〃Oh；　so　you've　found　it。　Very　well；　prove



he　picked　it；　if　you　can。〃







Ozma　turned　to　Ojo。







〃Did　you　pick　the　six…leaved　clover？〃　she　asked。







〃Yes；〃　he　replied。　〃I　knew　it　was　against　the



Law；　but　I　wanted　to　save　Unc　Nunkie　and　I　was



afraid　if　I　asked　your　consent　to　pick　it　you



would　refuse　me。〃







〃What　caused　you　to　think　that？〃　asked　the



Ruler。







〃Why；　it　seemed　to　me　a　foolish　law；　unjust　and



unreasonable。　Even　now　I　can　see　no　harm　in



picking　a　six…leaved　clover。　And　II　had　not　seen



the　Emerald　City；　then；　nor　you；　and　I　thought　a



girl　who　would　make　such　a　silly　Law　would　not　be



likely　to　help　anyone　in　trouble。〃







Ozma　regarded　him　musingly；　her　chin　resting



upon　her　hand；　but　she　was　not　angry。　On　the



contrary　she　smiled　a　little　at　her　thoughts　and



then　grew　sober　again。







〃I　suppose　a　good　many　laws　seem　foolish　to



those　people　who　do　not　understand　them；〃　she



said；　〃but　no　law　is　ever　made　without　some



purpose；　and　that　purpose　is　usually　to　protect



all　the　people　and　guard　their　welfare。　As　you　are



a　stranger；　I　will　explain　this　Law　which　to　you



seems　so　foolish。　Years　ago　there　were　many



Witches　and　Magicians　in　the　Land　of　Oz；　and　one



of　the　things　they　often　used　in　making　their



magic　charms　and　transformations　was　a　six…leaved



clover。　These　Witches　and　Magicians　caused　so　much



trouble　among　my　people；　often　using　their　powers



for　evil　rather　than　good；　that　I　decided　to



forbid　anyone　to　practice　magic　or　sorcery　except



Glinda　the　Good　and　her　assistant；　the　Wizard　of



Oz；　both　of　whom　I　can　trust　to　use　their　arts



only　to　benefit　my　people　and　to　make　them



happier。　Since　I　issued　that　Law　the　Land　of　Oz



has　been　far　more　peaceful　and　quiet；　but　I



learned　that　some　of　the　Witches　and　Magicians



were　still　practicing　magic　on　the　sly　and　using



the　six…leaved　clovers　to　make　their　potions　and



charms。　Therefore　I　made　another　Law　forbidding



anyone　from　plucking　a　six…leaved　clover　or　from



gathering　other　plants　and　herbs　which　the　Witches



boil　in　their　kettles　to　work　magic　with。　That　has



almost　put　an　end　to　wicked　sorcery　in　our　land；



so　you　see　the　Law　was　not　a　foolish　one；　but　wise



and　just；　and；　in　any　event；　it　is　wrong　to



disobey　a　Law。〃







Ojo　knew　she　was　right　and　felt　greatly



mortified　to　realize　he　had　acted　and　spoken　so



ridiculously。　But　he　raised　his　head　and　looked



Ozma　in　the　face；　saying：







〃I　am　sorry　I　have　acted　wrongly　and　broken



your　Law。　I　did　it　to　save　Unc　Nunkie；　and



thought　I　would　not　be　found　out。　But　I　am



guilty　of　this　act　and　whatever　punishment　you



think　I　deserve　I　will　suffer　willingly。〃







Ozma　smiled　more　brightly；　then；　and　nodded



graciously。







〃You　are　forgiven；〃　she　said。　〃For；　although



you　have　committed　a　serious　fault；　you　are　now



penitent　and　I　think　you　have　been　punished



enough。　Soldier；　release　Ojo　the　Lucky　and〃







〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　Ojo　the　Unlucky；〃



said　the　boy。







〃At　this　moment　you　are　lucky；〃　said　she。



〃Release　him；　Soldier；　and　let　him　go　free。〃







The　people　were　glad　to　hear　Ozma's　decree　and



murmured　their　approval。　As　the　royal　audience　was



now　over；　they　began　to　leave　the　Throne　Room　and



soon　there　were　none　remaining　except　Ojo　and　his



friends　and　Ozma　and　her　favorites。







The　girl　Ruler　now　asked　Ojo　to　sit　down　and



tell　her　all　his　story；　which　he　did；　beginning



at　the　time　he　had　left　his　home　in　the　forest



and　ending　with　his　arrival　at　the　Emerald　City



and　his　arrest。　Ozma　listened　attentively　and



was　thoughtful　for　some　moments　after　the　boy



had　finished　speaking。　Then　she　said：







〃The　Crooked　Magician　was　wrong　to　make　the



Glass　Cat　and　the　Patchwork　Girl；　for　it　was



against　the　Law。　And　if　he　had　not　unlawfully　kept



the　bottle　of　Liquid　of　Petrifaction　standing　on



his　shelf；　the　accident　to　his　wife　Margolotte　and



to　Unc　Nunkie　could　not　have　occurred。　I　can



understand；　however；　that　Ojo；　who　loves　his



uncle；　will　be　unhappy　unless　he　can　save　him。



Also　I　feel　it　is　wrong　to　leave　those　two　victims



standing　as　marble　statues；　when　they　ought　to　be



alive。　So　I　propose　we　allow　Dr。　Pipt　to　make　the



magic　charm　which　will　save　them；　and　that　we



assist　Ojo　to　find　the　things　he　is　seeking。　What



do　you　think；　Wizard？〃







〃That　is　perhaps　the　best　thing　to　do；〃　replied



the　Wizard。　〃But　after　the　Crooked　Magician



has　restored　those　poor　people　to　life　you　must



take　away　his　magic　powers。〃







〃I　will；〃　promised　Ozma。







〃Now　tell　me；　please；　what　magic　things　must　you



find？〃　continued　the　Wizard；　addressing　Ojo。







〃The　three　hairs　from　the　Woozy's　tail　I



have；〃　said　the　boy。　〃That　is；　I　have　the　Woozy；



and　the　hairs　are　in　his　tail。　The　six…leaved



clover　II〃







〃You　may　take　it　and　keep　it；〃　said　Ozma。　〃That



will　not　be　breaking　the　Law；　for　it　is　already



picked；　and　the　crime　of　picking　it　is　forgiven。〃







〃Thank　you！〃　cried　Ojo　gratefully。　Then　he



continued：　〃The　next　thing；　I　must　find　is　a　gill



of　water　from　a　dark　well。'







The　Wizard　shook　his　head。　〃That；〃　said　he；



〃will　be　a　hard　task；　but　if　you　travel　far　enough



you　may　discover　it。〃







〃I　am　willing　to　travel　for　years；　if　it　will



save　Unc　Nunkie；〃　declared　Ojo；　earnestly。







〃Then　you'd　better　begin　your　journey　at



once；〃　advised　the　Wizard。







Dorothy　bad　been　listening　with　interest　to



this　conversation。　Now　she　turned　to　Ozma　and



asked：　〃May　I　go　with　Ojo；　to　help　him？〃







〃Would　you　like　to？〃　returned　Ozma。







〃Yes。　I　know　Oz　pretty　well；　but　Ojo　doesn't



know　it　at　all。　I'm　sorry　for　his　uncle　and　poor



Margolotte　and　I'd　like　to　help　save　them。　May



I　go？〃







〃If　you　wish　to；〃　replied　Ozma。







〃If　Dorothy　goes；　then　I　must　go　to　take　care　of



her；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　decidedly。　〃A　dark　well



can　only　be　discovered　in　some　out…of…the…way



place；　and　there　may　be　dangers　there。〃







〃You　have　my　permission　　to　accompany　Dorothy；〃



said　Ozma。　〃And　while　you　are　gone　I　will　take



care　of　the　Patchwork　Girl。〃







〃I'll　take　care　of　myself；〃　announced　Scraps；



〃for　I'm　going　with　the　Scarecrow　and　Dorothy。



I　promised　Ojo　to　help　him　find　the　things　he



wants　and　I'll　stick　to　my　promise。〃







〃Very　well；〃　replied　Ozma。　〃But　I　see　no　need



for　Ojo　to　take　the　Glass　Cat　and　the　Woozy。〃







〃I　prefer　to　remain　here；〃　said　the　cat。　〃I've



nearly　been　nicked　half　a　dozen　times；　already；



and　if　they're　going　into　dangers　it's　best　for　me



to　keep　away　from　them。〃







〃Let　Jellia　Jamb　keep　her　till　Ojo　returns；〃



suggested　Dorothy。　〃We　won't　need　to　take　the



Woozy；　either；　but　he　ought　to　be　saved　because



of　the　three　hairs　in　his　tail。〃







〃Better　take　me　along；〃　said　the　Woozy。　〃My　eyes



can　flash　fire；　you　know；　and　I　can　growla



little。〃







〃I'm　sure　you'll　be　safer　here；〃　Ozma　decided；



and　the　Woozy　made　no　further　objection　to　the



plan。







After　consulting　together　they　decided　that　Ojo



and　his　party　should　leave　the　very　next　day　to



search　for　the　gill　of　water　from　a　dark　well；　so



they　now　separated　to　make　preparations　for　the



journey。







Ozma　gave　the　Munchkin　boy　a　room　in　the　palace



for　that　night　and　the　afternoon　he　passed　with



Dorothygetting　acquainted；　as　she　saidand



receiving　advice　from　the　Shaggy　Man　as　to　where



they　must　go。　The　Shaggy　Man　had　wandered　in　many



parts　of　Oz；　and　so　had　Dorothy；　for　that　matter；



yet　neither　of　them　knew　where　a　dark　well　was　to



be　found。







〃If　such　a　thing　is　anywhere　in　the　settled



parts　of　Oz；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃we'd　prob'ly　have



heard　of　it　long　ago。　If　it's　in　the　wild　parts　of



the　country；　no　one　there　would　need　a　dark



well。　P'raps　there　isn't　such　a　thing。〃







〃Oh；　there　must　he！〃　returned　Ojo；　positively；



〃or　else　the　recipe　of　Dr。　Pipt　wouldn't　call



for　it。〃







〃That's　true；〃　agreed　Dorothy；　〃and；　if　it's



anywhere　in　the　Land　of　Oz；　we're　bound　to　find



it。〃







〃Well；　we're　bound　to　search　for　it；　anyhow；〃



said　the　Scarecrow。　〃As　for　finding　it；　we　must



trust　to　luck。〃







〃Don't　do　that；〃　begged　Ojo；　earnestly。　〃I'm



called　Ojo　the　Unlucky；　you　know。〃