glinda of oz-第21部分

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dignified　manner。　The　three　knelt　an　instant　before　the

great　Sorceress　and　then　stood　upright　and　waited　for

her　to　speak。



〃Whoever　you　may　be；〃　said　Glinda；　〃I　bid　you

welcome。〃



〃My　name　is　Audah；〃　said　one。



〃My　name　is　Aurah；〃　said　another。



〃My　name　is　Aujah；〃　said　the　third。



Glinda　had　never　heard　these　names　before；　but

looking　closely　at　the　three　she　asked：



〃Are　you　witches　or　workers　in　magic？〃



〃Some　of　the　secret　arts　we　have　gleaned　from

Nature；〃　replied　the　brownhaired　maiden　modestly；　〃but

we　do　not　place　our　skill　beside　that　of　the　Great

Sorceress；　Glinda　the　Good。〃



〃I　suppose　you　are　aware　it　is　unlawful　to　practice

magic　in　the　Land　of　Oz；　without　the　permission　of　our

Ruler；　Princess　Ozma？〃



〃No；　we　were　not　aware　of　that；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃We

have　heard　of　Ozma；　who　is　the　appointed　Ruler　of　all

this　great　fairyland；　but　her　laws　have　not　reached　us；

as　yet。〃



Glinda　studied　the　strange　maidens　thoughtfully；　then

she　said　to　them：



〃Princess　Ozma　is　even　now　imprisoned　in　the　Skeezer

village。　for　the　whole　island　with　its　Great　Dome；　was

sunk　to　the　bottom　of　the　lake　by　the　witchcraft　of

Coo…ee…oh；　whom　the　Flathead　Su…dic　transformed　into　a

silly　swan。　I　am　seeking　some　way　to　overcome

Coo…ee…oh's　magic　and　raise　the　isle　to　the　surface

again。　Can　you　help　me　do　this？〃



The　maidens　exchanged　glances；　and　the　white…haired

one　replied



〃We　do　not　know；　but　we　will　try　to　assist　you。〃



〃It　seems；〃　continued　Glinda　musingly；　〃that

Coo…ee…oh　derived　most　of　her　witchcraft　from　three

Adepts　at　Magic；　who　at　one　time　ruled　the　Flatheads。

While　the　Adepts　were　being　entertained　by　Coo…ee…oh　at

a　banquet　in　her　palace；　she　cruelly　betrayed　them　and

after　transforming　them　into　fishes　cast　them　into　the

lake。



〃If　I　could　find　these　three　fishes　and　return　them

to　their　natural　shapes　　they　might　know　what　magic

Coo…ee…oh　used　to　sink　the　island。　I　was　about　to　go　to

the　shore　and　call　these　fishes　to　me　when　you　arrived。

So；　if　you　will　join　me；　we　will　try　to　find　them。〃



The　maidens　exchanged　smiles　now；　and　the　golden…

haired　one；　Audah；　said　to　Glinda：



〃It　will　not　be　necessary　to　go　to　the　lake。　We　are

the　three　fishes。〃



〃Indeed！〃　cried　Glinda。　〃Then　you　are　the　three

Adepts　at　Magic；　restored　to　your　proper　forms？〃



〃We　are　the　three　Adepts；〃　admitted　Aujah。



〃Then；〃　said　Glinda；　〃my　task　is　half　accomplished。

But　who　destroyed　the　transformation　that　made　you

fishes？〃



〃We　have　promised　not　to　tell；〃　answered　Aurah；　〃but

this　young　Skeezer　was　largely　responsible　for　our

release；　he　is　brave　and　clever；　and　we　owe　him　our

gratitude。〃



Glinda　looked　at　Ervic；　who　stood　modestly　behind　the

Adepts；　hat　in　hand。　〃He　shall　be　properly　rewarded；〃

she　declared；　〃for　in　helping　you　he　has　helped　us　all；

and　perhaps　saved　his　people　from　being　imprisoned

forever　in　the　sunken　isle。〃



The　Sorceress　now　asked　her　guests　to　seat　themselves

and　a　long　talk　followed；　in　which　the　Wizard　of　Oz

shared。



〃We　are　quite　certain；〃　said　Aurah；　〃that　if　we　could

get　inside　the　Dome　we　could　discover　Coo…ee…oh's

secrets；　for　in　all　her　work；　after　we　became　fishes；

she　used　the　formulas　and　incantations　and　arts　that

she　stole　from　us。　She　may　have　added　to　these　things；

but　they　were　the　foundation　of　all　her　work。〃



〃What　means　do　you　suggest　for　our　getting　into　the

Dome？〃　inquired　Glinda。



The　three　Adepts　hesitated　to　reply；　for　they　had　not

yet　considered　what　could　be　done　to　reach　the　inside

of　the　Great　Dome。　While　they　were　in　deep　thought；　and

Glinda　and　the　Wizard　were　quietly　awaiting　their

suggestions；　into　the　tent　rushed　Trot　and　Betsy；

dragging　between　them　the　Patchwork　Girl。



〃Oh；　Glinda；〃　cried　Trot；　〃Scraps　has　thought　of　a

way　to　rescue　Ozma　and　Dorothy　and　all　of　the

Skeezers。〃



The　three　Adepts　could　not　avoid　laughing　merrily；

for　not　only　were　they　amused　by　the　queer　form　of　the

Patchwork　Girl；　but　Trot's　enthusiastic　speech　struck

them　as　really　funny。　If　the　Great　Sorceress　and　the

famous　Wizard　and　the　three　talented　Adepts　at　Magic

were　unable　as　yet　to　solve　the　important　problem　of

the　sunken　isle；　there　was　little　chance　for　a　patched

girl　stuffed　with　cotton　to　succeed。



But　Glinda；　smiling　indulgently　at　the　earnest　faces

turned　toward　her；　patted　the　children's　heads　and

said：



〃Scraps　is　very　clever。　Tell　us　what　she　has　thought

of；　my　dear。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Trot；　〃Scraps　says　that　if　you　could　dry

up　all　the　water　in　the　lake　the　island　would　be　on　dry

land；　an'　everyone　could　come　and　go　whenever　they

liked。〃



Glinda　smiled　again；　but　the　Wizard　said　to　the

girls：



〃If　we　should　dry　up　the　lake；　what　would　become　of

all　the　beautiful　fishes　that　now　live　in　the　water？〃



〃Dear　me！　That's　so；〃　admitted　Betsy；　crestfallen；　〃we

never　thought　of　that；　did　we　Trot？〃



〃Couldn't　you　transform　'em　into　polliwogs？〃　asked

Scraps；　turning　a　somersault　and　then　standing　on　one

leg。　〃You　could　give　them　a　little；　teeny　pond　to　swim

in；　and　they'd　be　just　as　happy　as　they　are　as　fishes。〃



〃No　indeed！〃　replied　the　Wizard；　severely。　〃It　is

wicked　to　transform　any　living　creatures　without　their

consent；　and　the　lake　is　the　home　of　the　fishes　and

belongs　to　them。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　Scraps；　making　a　face　at　him；　〃I

don't　care。〃



〃It's　too　bad；〃　sighed　Trot；　〃for　I　thought　we'd

struck　a　splendid　idea。〃



〃So　you　did；〃　declared　Glinda；　her　face　now　grave　and

thoughtful。　〃There　is　something　in　the　Patchwork　Girl's

idea　that　may　be　of　real　value　to　us。〃



〃I　think　so；　too；〃　agreed　the　golden…haired　Adept。

〃The　top　of　the　Great　Dome　is　only　a　few　feet　below　the

surface　of　the　water。　If　we　could　reduce　the　level　of

the　lake　until　the　Dome　sticks　a　little　above　the

water；　we　could　remove　some　of　the　glass　and　let

ourselves　down　into　the　village　by　means　of　ropes。〃



〃And　there　would　be　plenty　of　water　left　for　the

fishes　to　swim　in；〃　added　the　white…haired　maiden。



〃If　we　succeed　in　raising　the　island　we　could　fill　up

the　lake　again；〃　suggested　the　brown…haired　Adept。



〃I　believe；〃　said　the　Wizard；　rubbing　his　hands

together　in　delight；　〃that　the　Patchwork　Girl　has　shown

us　the　way　to　success。〃



The　girls　were　looking　curiously　at　the　three

beautiful　Adepts；　wondering　who　they　were；　so　Glinda

introduced　them　to　Trot　and　Betsy　and　Scraps；　and　then

sent　the　children　away　while　she　considered　how　to

carry　the　new　idea　into　effect。



Not　much　could　be　done　that　night；　so　the　Wizard

prepared　another　tent　for　the　Adepts；　and　in　the

evening　Glinda　held　a　reception　and　invited　all　her

followers　to　meet　the　new　arrivals。　The　Adepts　were

greatly　astonished　at　the　extraordinary　personages

presented　to　them；　and　marveled　that　Jack　Pumpkinhead

and　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman　and　Tik…Tok　could

really　live　and　think　and　talk　just　like　other　people。

They　were　especially　pleased　with　the　lively　Patchwork

Girl　and　loved　to　watch　her　antics。



It　was　quite　a　pleasant　party；　for　Glinda　served　some

dainty　refreshments　to　those　who　could　eat；　and　the

Scarecrow　recited　some　poems；　and　the　Cowardly　Lion

sang　a　song　in　his　deep　bass　voice。　The　only　thing

that　marred　their　joy　was　the　thought　that　their

beloved　Ozma　and　dear　little　Dorothy　were　yet　confined

in　the　Great　Dome　of　the　Sunken　island。









Chapter　Twenty…Two



The　Sunken　Island







As　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted　the　next　morning；

Glinda　and　the　Wizard　and　the　three　Adepts　went　down　to

the　shore　of　the　lake　and　formed　a　line　with　their

faces　toward　the　submerged　island。　All　the　others　came

to　watch　them；　but　stood　at　a　respectful　distance　in

the　background。



At　the　right　of　the　Sorceress　stood　Audah　and　Aurah；

while　at　the　left　stood　the　Wizard　and　Aujah。　Together

they　stretched　their　arms　over　the　water's　edge　and　in

unison　the　five　chanted　a　rhythmic　incantation。



This　chant　they　repeated　again　and　again；　swaying

their　arms　gently　from　side　to　side；　and　in　a　few

minutes　the　watchers　behind　them　noticed　that　the　lake

had　begun　to　recede　from　the　shore。　Before　long　the

highest　point　of　the　dome　appeared　above　the　water。

Gradually　the　water　fell；　making　the　dome　appear　to

rise。　When　it　was　three　or　four　feet　above　the　surface

Glinda　gave　the　signal　to　stop；　for　their　work　had　been

accomplished。



The　blackened　submarine　was　now　entirely　out　of

water；　but　Uncle　Henry　and　Cap'n　Bill　managed　to　push

it　into　the　lake。　Glinda；　the　Wizard；　Ervic　and　the

Adepts　got　into　the　boat；　taking　with　them　a　coil　of

strong　rope；　and　at　the　command　of　the　Sorceress　the

craft　cleaved　its　way　through　the　water　toward　the　part

of　the　Dome　which　was　now　visible。



〃There's　still　plenty　of　water　for　the　fish　to　swim

in；〃　observed　the　Wizard　as　they　rode　along。　〃They

might　like　more　but　I'm　sure　they　can　get　along　until

we　have　raised　the　island　and　can　fill　up　the　lake

again。〃



The　boat　touched　gently　on　the　sloping　glass　of　the

Dome；　and　the　Wizard　took　some　tools　from　his　black　bag

and　quickly　removed　one　large　pane　of　glass；　thus

making　a　hole　large　enough　for　their　bodies　to　pass

through。　Stout　frames　of　steel　supported　the　glass　of

the　Dome；　and　around　one　of　these　frames　the　Wizard

tied　the　end　of　a　rope。



〃I'll　go　down　first；〃　said　he；　〃for　while　I'm　not　as

spry　as　Cap'n　Bill　I'm　sure　I　can　manage　it　easily。　　Are

you　sure　the　rope　is　long　enough　to　reach　the　bottom？〃



〃Quite　sure；〃　replied　the　Sorceress。



So　the　Wizard　let　down　the　rope　and　climbing　through

the　opening　lowered　himself　down；　hand　over　hand；

clinging　to　the　rope　with　his　legs　and　feet。　Below　in

the　streets　of　the　village　were　gathered　all　the

Skeezers；　me