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第23章

the patchwork girl of oz-第23章

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

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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。〃










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