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glinda of oz-第22部分

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the streets of the village were gathered all the

Skeezers; men; women and children; and you may be sure

that Ozma and Dorothy; with Lady Aurex; were filled

with joy that their friends were at last coming to

their rescue。



The Queen's palace; now occupied by Ozma; was

directly in the center of the Dome; so that when the

rope was let down the end of it came just in front of

the palace entrance。 Several Skeezers held fast to the

rope's end to steady it and the Wizard reached the

ground in safety。 He hugged first Ozma and then

Dorothy; while all the Skeezers cheered as loud as they

could。



The Wizard now discovered that the rope was long

enough to reach from the top of the Dome to the ground

when doubled; so he tied a chair to one end of the rope

and called to Glinda to sit in the chair while he and

some of the Skeezers lowered her to the pavement。 In

this way the Sorceress reached the ground quite

comfortably and the three Adepts and Ervic soon

followed her。



The Skeezers quickly recognized the three Adepts at

Magic; whom they had learned to respect before their

wicked Queen betrayed them; and welcomed them as

friends。 All the inhabitants of the village had been

greatly frightened by their imprisonment under water;

but now realized that an attempt was to be made to

rescue them。



Glinda; the Wizard and the Adepts followed Ozma and

Dorothy into the palace; and they asked Lady Aurex and

Ervic to join them。 After Ozma had told of her

adventures in trying to prevent war between the

Flatheads and the Skeezers; and Glinda had told all

about the Rescue Expedition and the restoration of the

three Adepts by the help of Ervic; a serious

consultation was held as to how the island could be

made to rise。



〃I've tried every way in my power;〃 said Ozma; 〃but

Coo…ee…oh used a very unusual sort of magic which I do

not understand。 She seems to have prepared her

witchcraft in such a way that a spoken word is

necessary to accomplish her designs; and these spoken

words are known only to herself。〃



〃That is a method we taught her;〃 declared Aurah the

Adept。



〃I can do no more; Glinda;〃 continued Ozma; 〃so I

wish you would try what your sorcery can accomplish。〃



〃First; then;〃 said Glinda; 〃let us visit the

basement of the island; which I am told is underneath

the village。〃



A flight of marble stairs led from one of Coo…ee…oh's

private rooms down to the basement; but when the party

arrived all were puzzled by what they saw。 In the

center of a broad; low room; stood a mass of great cog…

wheels; chains and pulleys; all interlocked and seeming

to form a huge machine; but there was no engine or

other motive power to make the wheels turn。



〃This; I suppose; is the means by which the island is

lowered or raised;〃 said Ozma; 〃but the magic word

which is needed to move the machinery is unknown to

us。〃



The three Adepts were carefully examining the mass of

wheels; and soon the golden…haired one said:



〃These wheels do not control the island at all。 On

the contrary; one set of them is used to open the doors

of the little rooms where the submarines are kept; as

may be seen from the chains and pulleys used。 Each boat

is kept in a little room with two doors; one to the

basement room where we are now and the other letting

into the lake。



〃When Coo…ee…oh used the boat in which she attacked

the Flatheads; she first commanded the basement door to

open and with her followers she got into the boat and

made the top close over them。 Then the basement door

being closed; the outer door was slowly opened; letting

the water fill the room to float the boat; which then

left the island; keeping under water。〃



〃But how could she expect to get back again?〃 asked

the Wizard。



〃Why the boat would enter the room filled with water

and after the outer door was closed a word of command

started a pump which pumped all the water from the

room。 Then the boat would open and Coo…ee…oh could

enter the basement。〃



〃I see;〃 said the Wizard。 〃It is a clever

contrivance; but won't work unless one knows the magic

words。〃



〃Another part of this machinery;〃 explained the

white…haired Adept; 〃is used to extend the bridge from

the island to the mainland。 The steel bridge is in a

room much like that in which the boats are kept; and at

Coo…ce…oh's command it would reach out; joint by joint;

until its far end touched the shore of the lake。 The

same magic command would make the bridge return to its

former position。 Of course the bridge could not be used

unless the island was on the surface of the water。〃



〃But how do you suppose Coo…ee…oh managed to sink the

island; and make it rise again?〃 inquired Glinda。



This the Adepts could not yet explain。 As nothing

more could be learned from the basement they mounted

the steps to the Queen's private suite again; and Ozma

showed them to a special room where Coo…ee…oh kept her

magical instruments and performed all her arts of

witchcraft。









Chapter Twenty…Three



The Magic Words







Many interesting things were to be seen in the Room

of Magic; including much that had been stolen from the

Adepts when they were transformed to fishes; but they

had to admit that Coo…ee…oh had a rare genius for

mechanics; and had used her knowledge in inventing a

lot of mechanical apparatus that ordinary witches;

wizards and sorcerers could not understand。



They all carefully inspected this room; taking care

to examine every article they came across。



〃The island;〃 said Glinda thoughtfully; 〃rests on a

base of solid marble。 When it is submerged; as it is

now; the base of the island is upon the bottom of the

lake。 What puzzles me is how such a great weight can be

lifted and suspended in the water; even by magic。〃



〃I now remember;〃 returned Aujah; 〃that one of the

arts we taught Coo…ee…oh was the way to expand steel;

and I think that explains how the island is raised and

lowered。 I noticed in the basement a big steel pillar

that passed through the floor and extended upward to

this palace。 Perhaps the end of it is concealed in this

very room。 If the lower end of the steel pillar is

firmly embedded in the bottom of the lake; Coo…ee…oh

could utter a magic word that would make the pillar

expand; and so lift the entire island to the level of

the water。〃



〃I've found the end of the steel pillar。 It's just

here;〃 announced the Wizard; pointing to one side of

the room where a great basin of polished steel seemed

to have been set upon the floor。



They all gathered around; and Ozma said:



〃Yes; I am quite sure that is the upper end of the

pillar that supports the island。 I noticed it when I

first came here。 It has been hollowed out; you see; and

something has been burned in the basin; for the fire

has left its marks。 I wondered what was under the great

basin and got several of the Skeezers to come up here

and try to lift it for me。 They were strong men; but

could not move it at all。〃



〃It seems to me;〃 said Audah the Adept; 〃that we have

discovered the manner in which Coo…ee…oh raised the

island。 She would burn some sort of magic powder in the

basin; utter the magic word; and the pillar would

lengthen out and lift the island with it。〃



〃What's this?〃 asked Dorothy; who had been searching

around with the others; and now noticed a slight hollow

in the wall; near to where the steel basin stood。 As

she spoke Dorothy pushed her thumb into the hollow and

instantly a small drawer popped out from the wall。



The three Adepts; Glinda and the Wizard sprang

forward and peered into the drawer。 It was half filled

with a grayish powder; the tiny grains of which

constantly moved as if impelled by some living force。



〃It may be some kind of radium;〃 said the Wizard。



〃No;〃 replied Glinda; 〃it is more wonderful than even

radium; for I recognize it as a rare mineral powder

called Gaulau by the sorcerers。 I wonder how Coo…ee…oh

discovered it and where she obtained it。〃



〃There is no doubt;〃 said Aujah the Adept; 〃that this

is the magic powder Coo…ee…oh burned in the basin。 If

only we knew the magic word; I am quite sure we could

raise the island。〃



〃How can we discover the magic word?〃 asked Ozma;

turning to Glinda as she spoke。



〃That we must now seriously consider;〃 answered the

Sorceress。



So all of them sat down in the Room of Magic and

began to think。 It was so still that after a while

Dorothy grew nervous。 The little girl never could keep

silent for long; and at the risk of displeasing her

magic…working friends she suddenly said:



〃Well; Coo…ee…oh used just three magic words; one to

make the bridge work; and one to make the submarines go

out of their holes; and one to raise and lower the

island。 Three words。 And Coo…ee…oh's name is made up of

just three words。 One is 'Coo;' and one is 'ee;' and

one is 'oh。'



The Wizard frowned but Glinda looked wonderingly at

the young girl and Ozma cried out:



〃A good thought; Dorothy dear! You may have solved

our problem。〃



〃I believe it is worth a trial;〃 agreed Glinda。 〃It

would be quite natural for Coo…ee…oh to divide her

name into three magic syllables; and Dorothy's

suggestion seems like an inspiration。〃



The three Adepts also approved the trial but the

brown…haired one said:



〃We must be careful not to use the wrong word; and

send the bridge out under water。 The main thing; if

Dorothy's idea is correct; is to hit upon the one word

that moves the island。〃



〃Let us experiment;〃 suggested the Wizard。



In the drawer with the moving gray powder was a tiny

golden cup; which they thought was used for measuring。

Glinda filled this cup with the powder and carefully

poured it into the shallow basin; which was the top of

the great steel pillar supporting the 
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