glinda of oz-第14部分

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and　the　Sorceress　told　them　all　she　knew　of　the　plight

of　Ozma　and　Dorothy



〃Of　course　we　must　rescue　them；〃　she　continued；　〃and

the　sooner　they　are　rescued　the　better　pleased　they

will　be；　but　what　we　must　now　determine　is　how　they　can

be　saved。　That　is　why　I　have　called　you　together　in

council。〃



〃The　easiest　way；〃　remarked　the　Shaggy　Man；　〃is　to

raise　the　sunken　island　of　the　Skeezers　to　the　top　of

the　water　again。〃



〃Tell　me　how？〃　said　Glinda。



〃I　don't　know　how；　your　Highness；　for　I　have　never

raised　a　sunken　island。〃



〃We　might　all　get　under　it　and　lift；〃　suggested

Professor　Wogglebug。



〃How　can　we　get　under　it　when　it　rests　on　the　bottom

of　the　lake？〃　asked　the　Sorceress。



〃Couldn't　we　throw　a　rope　around　it　and　pull　it

ashore？〃　inquired　Jack　Pumpkinhead。



〃Why　not　pump　the　water　out　of　the　lake？〃　suggested

the　Patchwork　Girl　with　a　laugh。



〃Do　be　sensible！〃　pleaded　Glinda。　〃This　is　a　serious

matter；　and　we　must　give　it　serious　thought。〃



〃How　big　is　the　lake　and　how　big　is　the　island？〃　was

the　Frogman's　question。



〃None　of　us　can　tell；　for　we　have　not　been　there。〃



〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃it　appears　to　me

we　ought　to　go　to　the　Skeezer　country　and　examine　it

carefully。〃



〃Quite　right；〃　agreed　the　Tin　Woodman。



〃We…will…have…to…go…there…any…how；〃　remarked　Tik…Tok

in　his　jerky　machine　voice。



〃The　question　is　which　of　us　shall　go；　and　how　many

of　us？〃　said　the　Wizard。



〃I　shall　go　of　course；〃　declared　the　Scarecrow。



〃And　I；〃　said　Scraps。



〃It　is　my　duty　to　Ozma　to　go；〃　asserted　the　Tin

Woodman。



〃I　could　not　stay　away；　knowing　our　loved　Princess　is

in　danger；〃　said　the　Wizard。



〃We　all　feel　like　that；〃　Uncle　Henry　said。



Finally　one　and　all　present　decided　to　go　to　the

Skeezer　country；　with　Glinda　and　the　little　Wizard　to

lead　them。　Magic　must　meet　magic　in　order　to　conquer

it；　so　these　two　skillful　magic…workers　were　necessary

to　insure　the　success　of　the　expedition。



They　were　all　ready　to　start　at　a　moment's　notice；

for　none　had　any　affairs　of　importance　to　attend　to。

Jack　was　wearing　a　newly　made　Pumpkin…head　and　the

Scarecrow　had　recently　been　stuffed　with　fresh　straw。

Tik…Tok's　machinery　was　in　good　running　order　and　the

Tin　Woodman　always　was　well　oiled。



〃It　is　quite　a　long　journey；〃　said　Glinda；　〃and　while

I　might　travel　quickly　to　the　Skeezer　country　by　means

of　my　stork　chariot　the　rest　of　you　will　be　obliged　to

walk。　So；　as　we　must　keep　together；　I　will　send　my

chariot　back　to　my　castle　and　we　will　plan　to　leave　the

Emerald　City　at　sunrise　to…morrow。〃









Chapter　Fifteen



The　Great　Sorceress







Betsy　and　Trot；　when　they　heard　of　the　rescue

expedition；　begged　the　Wizard　to　permit　them　to　join　it

and　he　consented。　The　Glass　Cat；　overhearing　the

conversation；　wanted　to　go　also　and　to　this　the　Wizard

made　no　objection。



This　Glass　Cat　was　one　of　the　real　curiosities　of　Oz。

It　had　been　made　and　brought　to　life　by　a　clever

magician　named　Dr。　Pipt；　who　was　not　now　permitted　to

work　magic　and　was　an　ordinary　citizen　of　the　Emerald

City。　The　cat　was　of　transparent　glass；　through　which

one　could　plainly　see　its　ruby　heart　beating　and　its

pink　brains　whirling　around　in　the　top　of　the　head。



The　Glass　Cat's　eyes　were　emeralds；　its　fluffy　tail

was　of　spun　glass　and　very　beautiful。　The　ruby　heart；

while　pretty　to　look　at；　was　hard　and　cold　and　the

Glass　Cat's　disposition　was　not　pleasant　at　all　times。

It　scorned　to　catch　mice；　did　not　eat；　and　was

extremely　lazy。　If　you　complimented　the　remarkable　cat

on　her　beauty；　she　would　be　very　friendly；　for　she

loved　admiration　above　everything。　The　pink　brains　were

always　working　and　their　owner　was　indeed　more

intelligent　than　most　common　cats。



Three　other　additions　to　the　rescue　party　were　made

the　next　morning；　just　as　they　were　setting　out　upon

their　journey。　The　first　was　a　little　boy　called　Button

Bright；　because　he　had　no　other　name　that　anyone　could

remember。　He　was　a　fine；　manly　little　fellow；　well

mannered　and　good　humored；　who　had　only　one　bad　fault。

He　was　continually　getting　lost。　To　be　sure；　Button

Bright　got　found　as　often　as　he　got　lost；　but　when　he

was　missing　his　friends　could　not　help　being　anxious

about　him。



〃Some　day；〃　predicted　the　Patchwork　Girl；　〃he　won't

be　found；　and　that　will　be　the　last　of　him。〃　But　that

didn't　worry　Button　Bright；　who　was　so　careless　that　he

did　not　seem　to　be　able　to　break　the　habit　of　getting

lost。



The　second　addition　to　the　party　was　a　Munchkin　boy

of　about　Button　Bright's　age；　named　Ojo。　He　was　often

called　〃Ojo　the　Lucky；〃　because　good　fortune　followed

him　wherever　he　went。　He　and　Button　Bright　were　close

friends；　although　of　such　different　natures；　and　Trot

and　Betsy　were　fond　of　both。



The　third　and　last　to　join　the　expedition　was　an

enormous　lion；　one　of　Ozma's　regular　guardians　and　the

most　important　and　intelligent　beast　in　all　Oz。　He

called　himself　the　Cowardly　Lion；　saying　that　every

little　danger　scared　him　so　badly　that　his　heart

thumped　against　his　ribs；　but　all　who　knew　him　knew

that　the　Cowardly　Lion's　fears　were　coupled　with

bravery　and　that　however　much　he　might　be　frightened　he

summoned　courage　to　meet　every　danger　he　encountered。

Often　he　had　saved　Dorothy　and　Ozma　in　times　of　peril；

but　afterward　he　moaned　and　trembled　and　wept　because

he　had　been　so　scared。



〃If　Ozma　needs　help；　I'm　going　to　help　her；〃　said　the

great　beast。　〃Also；　I　suspect　the　rest　of　you　may　need

me　on　the　journey　　especially　Trot　and　Betsy　　for

you　may　pass　through　a　dangerous　part　of　the　country。　I

know　that　wild　Gillikin　country　pretty　well。　Its

forests　harbor　many　ferocious　beasts。〃



They　were　glad　the　Cowardly　Lion　was　to　join　them；

and　in　good　spirits　the　entire　party　formed　a

procession　and　marched　out　of　the　Emerald　City　amid　the

shouts　of　the　people；　who　wished　them　success　and　a

safe　return　with　their　beloved　Ruler。



They　followed　a　different　route　from　that　taken　by

Ozma　and　Dorothy；　for　they　went　through　the　Winkie

Country　and　up　north　toward　Oogaboo。　But　before　they

got　there　they　swerved　to　the　left　and　entered　the

Great　Gillikin　Forest；　the　nearest　thing　to　a

wilderness　in　all　Oz。　Even　the　Cowardly　Lion　had　to

admit　that　certain　parts　of　this　forest　were　unknown　to

him；　although　he　had　often　wandered　among　the　trees；

and　the　Scarecrow　and　Tin　Woodman；　who　were　great

travelers；　never　had　been　there　at　all。



The　forest　was　only　reached　after　a　tedious　tramp；

for　some　of　the　Rescue　Expedition　were　quite　awkward　on

their　feet。　The　Patchwork　Girl　was　as　light　as　a

feather　and　very　spry；　the　Tin　Woodman　covered　the

ground　as　easily　as　Uncle　Henry　and　the　Wizard；　but

Tik…Tok　moved　slowly　and　the　slightest　obstruction　in

the　road　would　halt　him　until　the　others　cleared　it

away。　Then；　too；　Tik…Tok's　machinery　kept　running　down；

so　Betsy　and　Trot　took　turns　in　winding　it　up。



The　Scarecrow　was　more　clumsy　but　less　bother；　for

although　he　often　stumbled　and　fell　he　could　scramble

up　again　and　a　little　patting　of　his　straw…stuffed　body

would　put　him　in　good　shape　again。



Another　awkward　one　was　Jack　Pumpkinhead；　for　walking

would　jar　his　head　around　on　his　neck　and　then　he　would

be　likely　to　go　in　the　wrong　direction。　But　the　Frogman

took　Jack's　arm　and　then　he　followed　the　path　more

easily。



Cap'n　Bill's　wooden　leg　didn't　prevent　him　from

keeping　up　with　the　others　and　the　old　sailor　could

walk　as　far　as　any　of　them。



When　they　entered　the　forest　the　Cowardly　Lion　took

the　lead。　There　was　no　path　here　for　men；　but　many

beasts　had　made　paths　of　their　own　which　only　the　eyes

of　the　Lion；　practiced　in　woodcraft；　could　discern。　So

he　stalked　ahead　and　wound　his　way　in　and　out；　the

others　following　in　single　file；　Glinda　being　next　to

the　Lion。



There　are　dangers　in　the　forest；　of　course；　but　as

the　huge　Lion　headed　the　party　he　kept　the　wild

denizens　of　the　wilderness　from　bothering　the

travelers。　Once；　to　be　sure；　an　enormous　leopard　sprang

upon　the　Glass　Cat　and　caught　her　in　his　powerful　jaws；

but　he　broke　several　of　his　teeth　and　with　howls　of

pain　and　dismay　dropped　his　prey　and　vanished　among　the

trees。



〃Are　you　hurt？〃　Trot　anxiously　inquired　of　the　Glass

Cat。



〃How　silly！〃　exclaimed　the　creature　in　an　irritated

tone　of　voice；　〃nothing　can　hurt　glass；　and　I'm　too

solid　to　break　easily。　But　I'm　annoyed　at　that

leopard's　impudence。　He　has　no　respect　for　beauty　or

intelligence。　If　he　had　noticed　my　pink　brains　work；

I'm　sure　he　would　have　realized　I'm　too　important　to　be

grabbed　in　a　wild　beast's　jaws。〃



〃Never　mind；〃　said　Trot　consolingly；　〃I'm　sure　he

won't　do　it　again。〃



They　were　almost　in　the　center　of　the　forest　when

Ojo；　the　Munchkin　boy；　suddenly　said：　〃Why；　where's

Button　Bright？〃



They　halted　and　looked　around　them。　Button　Bright　was

not　with　the　party。



Dear　me；〃　remarked　Betsy；　〃I　expect　he's　lost　again！〃



〃When　did　you　see　him　last；　Ojo？〃inquired　Glinda。



〃It　was　some　time　ago；〃　replied　Ojo。　〃He　was　trailing

along　at　the　end　and　throwing　twigs　at　the　squirrels　in

the　trees。　Then　I　went　to　talk　to　Betsy　and　Trot；　and

just　now　I　noticed　he　was　gone。〃



〃This　is　too　bad；〃　declared　the　Wizard；　〃for　it　is

sure　to　delay　our　journey。　We　must　find　Button　Bright

before　we　go　any　farther；　for　this　forest　is　full　of

ferocious　beasts　that　would　not　hesitate　to　tear　the

boy　to　pieces。〃



〃But　what　shall　we　do？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。　〃If　any

of　us　leaves　the　party　to　search　for　Button　Bright　he

or　she　might　fall　a　victim　to　the　beasts；　and　if　the

Lion　leaves　us　we　will　have　no　protector。



〃The　Glass　Cat　could　go；〃　suggested　the　Frogman。

〃The　beasts　can　do　her　no　harm；　as　we　h