the patchwork girl of oz-第8章

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soon　began　to　fear　they　had　made　a　mistake　in



leaving　the　woodchopper。







〃I　can　scarcely　see　the　path；〃　he　said　at　last。



〃Can　you　see　it；　Scraps？〃







〃No；〃　replied　the　Patchwork　Girl；　who　was



holding　fast　to　the　boy's　arm　so　he　could



guide　her。







〃I　can　see；〃　declared　the　Glass　Cat。　〃My　eyes



are　better　than　yours；　and　my　pink　brains〃







〃Never　mind　your　pink　brains；　please；〃　said



Ojo　hastily；　〃just　run　ahead　and　show　us　the



way。　Wait　a　minute　and　I'll　tie　a　string　to　you；



for　then　you　can　lead　us。〃







He　got　a　string　from　his　pocket　and　tied　it



around　the　cat's　neck；　and　after　that　the　creature



guided　them　along　the　path。　They　had　proceeded　in



this　way　for　about　an　hour　when　a　twinkling　blue



light　appeared　ahead　of　them。







〃Good！　there's　a　house　at　last；〃　cried　Ojo。



〃When　we　reach　it　the　good　people　will　surely



welcome　us　and　give　us　a　night's　lodging。〃　But



however　far　they　walked　the　light　seemed　to　get



no　nearer；　so　by　and　by　the　cat　stopped　short；



saying：







〃I　think　the　light　is　traveling；　too；　and　we



shall　never　be　able　to　catch　up　with　it。　But　here



is　a　house　by　the　roadside；　so　why　go　farther？〃







〃Where　is　the　house；　Bungle？〃







〃Just　here　beside　us；　Scraps。〃







Ojo　was　now　able　to　see　a　small　house　near



the　pathway。　It　was　dark　and　silent；　but　the　boy



was　tired　and　wanted　to　rest；　so　he　went　up　to



the　door　and　knocked。







〃Who　is　there？〃　cried　a　voice　from　within。







〃I　am　Ojo　the　Unlucky；　and　with　me　are



Miss　Scraps　Patchwork　and　the　Glass　Cat；〃　he



replied。







〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　Voice。







〃A　place　to　sleep；〃　said　Ojo。







〃Come　in；　then；　but　don't　make　any　noise；



and　you　must　go　directly　to　bed；〃　returned　the



Voice。







Ojo　unlatched　the　door　and　entered。　It　was



very　dark　inside　and　he　could　see　nothing　at　all。



But　the　cat　exclaimed：　〃Why；　there's　no　one



here！〃







〃There　must　be；〃　said　the　boy。　〃Some　one



spoke　to　me。〃







〃I　can　see　everything　in　the　room；〃　replied　the



cat；　〃and　no　one　is　present　but　ourselves。　But



here　are　three　beds；　all　made　up；　so　we　may　as



well　go　to　sleep。〃







〃What　is　sleep？〃　inquired　the　Patchwork　Girl。







〃It's　what　you　do　when　you　go　to　bed；〃　said　Ojo。







〃But　why　do　you　go　to　bed？〃　persisted　the



Patchwork　Girl。







〃Here；　here！　You　are　making　altogether　too



much　noise；〃　cried　the　Voice　they　had　heard



before。　〃Keep　quiet；　strangers；　and　go　to　bed。〃







The　cat；　which　could　see　in　the　dark；　looked



sharply　around　for　the　owner　of　the　Voice；　hut



could　discover　no　one；　although　the　Voice　had



seemed　close　beside　them。　She　arched　her　back



a　little　and　seemed　afraid。　Then　she　whispered



to　Ojo：　〃Come！〃　and　led　him　to　a　bed。







With　his　hands　the　boy　felt　of　the　bed　and



found　it　was　big　and　soft；　with　feather　pillows



and　plenty　of　blankets。　So　he　took　off　his　shoes



and　hat　and　crept　into　the　bed。　Then　the　cat



led　Scraps　to　another　bed　and　the　Patchwork



Girl　was　puzzled　to　know　what　to　do　with　it。







〃Lie　down　and　keep　quiet；〃　whispered　the



cat；　warningly。







〃Can't　I　sing？〃　asked　Scraps。







〃Can't　I　whistle？〃　asked　Scraps。







〃Can't　I　dance　till　morning；　if　I　want　to？〃



asked　Scraps。







〃You　must　keep　quiet；〃　said　the　cat；　in　a　soft



voice。







〃I　don't　want　to；〃　replied　the　Patchwork　Girl；



speaking　as　loudly　as　usual。　〃What　right　have　you



to　order　me　around？　If　I　want　to　talk；　or　yell；　or



whistle〃







Before　she　could　say　anything　more　an　unseen



hand　seized　her　firmly　and　threw　her　out　of　the



door；　which　closed　behind　her　with　a　sharp



slam。　She　found　herself　bumping　and　rolling　in



the　road　and　when　she　got　up　and　tried　to　open



the　door　of　the　house　again　she　found　it　locked。







〃What　has　happened　to　Scraps？〃　asked　Ojo。







〃Never　mind。　Let's　go　to　sleep；　or　something



will　happen　to　us；〃　answered　the　Glass　Cat。







So　Ojo　snuggled　down　in　his　bed　and　fell



asleep；　and　he　was　so　tired　that　he　never



wakened　until　broad　daylight。



















Chapter　Seven







The　Troublesome　Phonograph















When　the　boy　opened　his　eyes　next　morning　he



looked　carefully　around　the　room。　These　small



Munchkin　houses　seldom　had　more　than　one　room　in



them。　That　in　which　Ojo　now　found　himself　had



three　beds；　set　all　in　a　row　on　one　side　of　it。



The　Glass　Cat　lay　asleep　on　one　bed；　Ojo　was　in



the　second；　and　the　third　was　neatly　made　up　and



smoothed　for　the　day。　On　the　other　side　of　the



room　was　a　round　table　on　which　breakfast　was



already　placed；　smoking　hot。　Only　one　chair　was



drawn　up　to　the　table；　where　a　place　was　set　for



one　person。　No　one　seemed　to　be　in　the　room　except



the　boy　and　Bungle。







Ojo　got　up　and　put　on　his　shoes。　Finding　a



toilet　stand　at　the　head　of　his　bed　he　washed　his



face　and　hands　and　brushed　his　hair。　Then　he



went　to　the　table　and　said：







〃I　wonder　if　this　is　my　breakfast？〃







〃Eat　it！〃　commanded　a　Voice　at　his　side；　so



near　that　Ojo　jumped；　But　no　person　could　he



see。







He　was　hungry；　and　the　breakfast　looked



good；　so　he　sat　down　and　ate　all　he　wanted。



Then；　rising；　he　took　his　hat　and　wakened　the



Glass　Cat。







〃Come　on；　Bungle；〃　said　he；　〃we　must　go。







He　cast　another　glance　about　the　room　and；



speaking　to　the　air；　he　said：　〃Whoever　lives　here



has　been　kind　to　me；　and　I'm　much　obliged。〃







There　was　no　answer；　so　he　took　his　basket



and　went　out　the　door；　the　cat　following　him。



In　the　middle　of　the　path　sat　the　Patchwork



Girl；　playing　with　pebbles　she　had　picked　up。







〃Oh；　there　you　are！〃　she　exclaimed　cheerfully。



〃I　thought　you　were　never　coming　out。　It　has　been



daylight　a　long　time。〃







〃What　did　you　do　all　night？〃　asked　the　boy。







〃Sat　here　and　watched　the　stars　and　the



moon；〃　she　replied。　〃They're　interesting。　I　never



saw　them　before；　you　know。〃







〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Ojo。







〃You　were　crazy　to　act　so　badly　and　get



thrown　outdoors；〃　remarked　Bungle；　as　they



renewed　their　journey。







〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Scraps。　〃If　I　hadn't



been　thrown　out　I　wouldn't　have　seen　the　stars；



nor　the　big　gray　wolf。〃







〃What　wolf？〃　inquired　Ojo。







〃The　one　that　came　to　the　door　of　the　house



three　times　during　the　night。〃







〃I　don't　see　why　that　should　be；〃　said　the



boy；　thoughtfully；　〃there　was　plenty　to　eat　in



that　house；　for　I　had　a　fine　breakfast；　and　I



slept　in　a　nice　bed。〃







〃Don't　you　feel　tired？〃　asked　the　Patchwork



Girl；　noticing　that　the　boy　yawned。







〃Why；　yes；　I'm　as　tired　as　I　was　last　night；



and　yet　I　slept　very　well。〃







〃And　aren't　you　hungry？〃







〃It's　strange；〃　replied　Ojo。　〃I　had　a　good



breakfast；　and　yet　I　think　I'll　now　eat　some　of



my　crackers　and　cheese。〃







Scraps　danced　up　and　down　the　path。　Then



she　sang：











〃Kizzle…kazzle…kore；



The　wolf　is　at　the　door；



There's　nothing　to　eat　but　a　bone　without　meat；



And　a　bill　from　the　grocery　store。〃















〃What　does　that　mean？〃　asked　Ojo。







〃Don't　ask　me；〃　replied　Scraps。　〃I　say　what



comes　into　my　head；　but　of　course　I　know　nothing



of　a　grocery　store　or　bones　without　meat　or



very　much　else。〃







〃No；〃　said　the　cat；　〃she's　stark；　staring；



raving　crazy；　and　her　brains　can't　be　pink；　for



they　don't　work　properly。〃







〃Bother　the　brains！〃　cried　Scraps。　〃Who　cares



for　'em；　anyhow？　Have　you　noticed　how　beautiful　my



patches　are　in　this　sunlight？〃







Just　then　they　heard　a　sound　as　of　footsteps



pattering　along　the　path　behind　them　and　all　three



turned　to　see　what　was　coming。　To　their



astonishment　they　beheld　a　small　round　table



running　as　fast　as　its　four　spindle　legs　could



carry　it；　and　to　the　top　was　screwed　fast　a



phonograph　with　a　big　gold　horn。







〃Hold　on！〃　shouted　the　phonograph。　〃Wait　for



me！〃







〃Goodness　me；　it's　that　music　thing　which　the



Crooked　Magician　scattered　the　Powder　of　Life



over；〃　said　Ojo。







〃So　it　is；〃　returned　Bungle；　in　a　grumpy　tone　of



voice；　and　then；　as　the　phonograph　overtook　them；



the　Glass　Cat　added　sternly：　〃What　are　you　doing



here；　anyhow？〃







〃I've　run　away；〃　said　the　music　thing。　〃After



you　left；　old　Dr。　Pipt　and　I　had　a　dreadful



quarrel　and　he　threatened　to　smash　me　to　pieces　if



I　didn't　keep　quiet。　Of　course　I　wouldn't　do　that；



because　a　talking…machine　is　supposed　to　talk　and



make　a　noiseand　sometimes　music。　So　I　slipped　out



of　the　house　while　the　Magician　was　stirring　his



four　kettles　and　I've　been　running　after　you　all



night。　Now　that　I've　found　such　pleasant　company；



I　can　talk　and　play　tunes　all　I　want　to。〃







Ojo　was　greatly　annoyed　by　this　unwelcome



addition　to　their　party。　At　first　he　did　not　know



what　to　say　to　the　newcomer；　but　a　little　thought



decided　him　not　to　make　friends。







〃We　are　traveling　on　important　business；〃　he



declared；　〃and　you'll　excuse　me　if　I　say　we　can't



be　bothered。〃







〃How　very　impolite！〃　exclaimed　the　phonograph。







〃I'm　sorry；　but　it's　true；〃　said　the　boy。　〃You'll



have　to　go　somewhere　else。〃







〃This　is　very　unkind　treatment；　I　must　say；



whined　the　phonograph；　in　an　injured　tone。



〃Everyone　seems　to　hate　me；　and　yet　I　was　intended



to　amuse　people。〃







〃It　isn't　you　we　hate；　especially；〃　observed



the　Glass　Cat；　〃it's　your　dreadful　music。　When



I　lived　in　the　same　room　with　you　I　was　much



annoyed　by　your　squeaky　horn。　It　growls　and



grumbles　and　clicks　and　scratches　so　it　spoils



the　music；　and　your　machinery　rumbles　so　that



the　racket　drowns　every　tune　you　attempt。〃







〃That　isn't　my　fault；　it's　the　fault　of　my



records。　I　must　admit　that　I　haven't　a　clear



record；〃　answered　the　machine。







〃Just　the　same；　you'll　have　to　go　away；〃　said



Ojo。







〃Wait　a　minute；〃　cried　Scraps。　〃This　music



thing　interests　m