fb.ozmaofoz-第17部分

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p　the　crumbs　of　cake。〃
　　〃We　must　have　left　her　in　the　room　where　the　King's　throne　is；〃　decided　Dorothy；　and　at　once　she　turned　and　ran　down　the　hall　to　the　door　through　which　they　had　entered。But　it　was　fast　closed　and　locked　on　the　other　side；　and　the　heavy　slab　of　rock　proved　to　be　so　thick　that　no　sound　could　pass　through　it。So　Dorothy　was　forced　to　return　to　her　chamber。
　　The　Cowardly　Lion　stuck　his　head　into　her　room　to　try　to　console　the　girl　for　the　loss　of　her　feathered　friend。
　　〃The　yellow　hen　is　well　able　to　take　care　of　herself；〃　said　he；　〃so　don't　worry　about　her；　but　try　to　get　all　the　sleep　you　can。It　has　been　a　long　and　weary　day；　and　you　need　rest。〃
　　〃I'll　prob'ly　get　lots　of　rest　tomorrow；　when　I　bee　an　orn'ment；〃　said　Dorothy；　sleepily。But　she　lay　down　upon　her　couch；　nevertheless；　and　in　spite　of　all　her　worries　was　soon　in　the　land　of　dreams。
　　
　　　14。Dorothy　Tries　to　be　Brave
　　
　　Meantime　the　Chief　Steward　had　returned　to　the　throne　room；　where　he　said　to　the　King：
　　〃You　are　a　fool　to　waste　so　much　time　upon　these　people。〃
　　〃What！〃　cried　his　Majesty；　in　so　enraged　a　voice　that　it　awoke　Billina；　who　was　asleep　under　his　throne。〃How　dare　you　call　me　a　fool？〃
　　〃Because　I　like　to　speak　the　truth；〃　said　the　Steward。〃Why　didn't　you　enchant　them　all　at　once；　instead　of　allowing　them　to　go　one　by　one　into　the　palace　and　guess　which　ornaments　are　the　Queen　of　Ev　and　her　children？〃
　　〃Why；　you　stupid　rascal；　it　is　more　fun　this　way；〃　returned　the　King；　〃and　it　serves　to　keep　me　amused　for　a　long　time。〃
　　〃But　suppose　some　of　them　happen　to　guess　aright；〃　persisted　the　Steward；　〃then　you　would　lose　your　old　ornaments　and　these　new　ones；　too。〃
　　〃There　is　no　chance　of　their　guessing　aright；〃　replied　the　monarch；　with　a　laugh。〃How　could　they　know　that　the　Queen　of　Ev　and　her　family　are　all　ornaments　of　a　royal　purple　color？〃
　　〃But　there　are　no　other　purple　ornaments　in　the　palace；〃　said　the　Steward。
　　〃There　are　many　other　colors；　however；　and　the　purple　ones　are　scattered　throughout　the　rooms；　and　are　of　many　different　shapes　and　sizes。Take　my　word　for　it；　Steward；　they　will　never　think　of　choosing　the　purple　ornaments。〃
　　Billina；　squatting　under　the　throne；　had　listened　carefully　to　all　this　talk；　and　now　chuckled　softly　to　herself　as　she　heard　the　King　disclose　his　secret。
　　〃Still；　you　are　acting　foolishly　by　running　the　chance；〃　continued　the　Steward；　roughly；　〃and　it　is　still　more　foolish　of　you　to　transform　all　those　people　from　Oz　into　green　ornaments。〃
　　〃I　did　that　because　they　came　from　the　Emerald　City；〃　replied　the　King；　〃and　I　had　no　green　ornaments　in　my　collection　until　now。I　think　they　will　look　quite　pretty；　mixed　with　the　others。Don't　you？〃
　　The　Steward　gave　an　angry　grunt。
　　〃Have　your　own　way；　since　you　are　the　King；〃　he　growled。〃But　if　you　e　to　grief　through　your　carelessness；　remember　that　I　told　you　so。　If　I　wore　the　magic　belt　which　enables　you　to　work　all　your　transformations；　and　gives　you　so　much　other　power；　I　am　sure　I　would　make　a　much　wiser　and　better　King　than　you　are。〃
　　〃Oh；　cease　your　tiresome　chatter！〃　manded　the　King；　getting　angry　again。〃Because　you　are　my　Chief　Steward　you　have　an　idea　you　can　scold　me　as　much　as　you　please。But　the　very　next　time　you　bee　impudent；　I　will　send　you　to　work　in　the　furnaces；　and　get　another　Nome　to　fill　your　place。Now　follow　me　to　my　chamber；　for　I　am　going　to　bed。And　see　that　I　am　wakened　early　tomorrow　morning。I　want　to　enjoy　the　fun　of　transforming　the　rest　of　these　people　into　ornaments。〃
　　〃What　color　will　you　make　the　Kansas　girl？〃　asked　the　Steward。
　　〃Gray；　I　think；〃　said　his　Majesty。
　　〃And　the　Scarecrow　and　the　machine　man？〃
　　〃Oh；　they　shall　be　of　solid　gold；　because　they　are　so　ugly　in　real　life。〃
　　Then　the　voices　died　away；　and　Billina　knew　that　the　King　and　his　Steward　had　left　the　room。She　fixed　up　some　of　her　tail　feathers　that　were　not　straight；　and　then　tucked　her　head　under　her　wing　again　and　went　to　sleep。
　　In　the　morning　Dorothy　and　the　Lion　and　Tiger　were　given　their　breakfast　in　their　rooms；　and　afterward　joined　the　King　in　his　throne　room。The　Tiger　plained　bitterly　that　he　was　half　starved；　and　begged　to　go　into　the　palace　and　bee　an　ornament；　so　that　he　would　no　longer　suffer　the　pangs　of　hunger。
　　〃Haven't　you　had　your　breakfast？〃　asked　the　Nome　King。
　　〃Oh；　I　had　just　a　bite；〃　replied　the　beast。〃But　what　good　is　a　bite；　to　a　hungry　tiger？〃
　　〃He　ate　seventeen　bowls　of　porridge；　a　platter　full　of　fried　sausages；　eleven　loaves　of　bread　and　twenty…one　mince　pies；〃　said　the　Steward。
　　〃What　more　do　you　want？〃　demanded　the　King。
　　〃A　fat　baby。I　want　a　fat　baby；〃　said　the　Hungry　Tiger。〃A　nice；　plump；　juicy；　tender；　fat　baby。But；　of　course；　if　I　had　one；　my　conscience　would　not　allow　me　to　eat　it。So　I'll　have　to　be　an　ornament　and　forget　my　hunger。〃
　　〃Impossible！〃　exclaimed　the　King。〃I'll　have　no　clumsy　beasts　enter　my　palace；　to　overturn　and　break　all　my　pretty　nick…nacks。When　the　rest　of　your　friends　are　transformed　you　can　return　to　the　upper　world；　and　go　about　your　business。〃
　　〃As　for　that；　we　have　no　business；　when　our　friends　are　gone；〃　said　the　Lion。〃So　we　do　not　care　much　what　bees　of　us。〃
　　Dorothy　begged　to　be　allowed　to　go　first　into　the　palace；　but　Tiktok　firmly　maintained　that　the　slave　should　face　danger　before　the　mistress。
　　The　Scarecrow　agreed　with　him　in　that；　so　the　Nome　King　opened　the　door　for　the　machine　man；　who　tramped　into　the　palace　to　meet　his　fate。Then　his　Majesty　returned　to　his　throne　and　puffed　his　pipe　so　contentedly　that　a　small　cloud　of　smoke　formed　above　his　head。
　　Bye　and　bye　he　said：
　　〃I'm　sorry　there　are　so　few　of　you　left。Very　soon；　now；　my　fun　will　be　over；　and　then　for　amusement　I　shall　have　nothing　to　do　but　admire　my　new　ornaments。〃
　　〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Dorothy；　〃that　you　are　not　so　honest　as　you　pretend　to　be。〃
　　〃How's　that？〃　asked　the　King。
　　〃Why；　you　made　us　think　it　would　be　easy　to　guess　what　ornaments　the　people　of　Ev　were　changed　into。〃
　　〃It　IS　easy；〃　declared　the　monarch；　〃if　one　is　a　good　guesser。But　it　appears　that　the　members　of　your　party　are　all　poor　guessers。〃
　　〃What　is　Tiktok　doing　now？〃　asked　the　girl；　uneasily。
　　〃Nothing；〃　replied　the　King；　with　a　frown。〃He　is　standing　perfectly　still；　in　the　middle　of　a　room。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　expect　he's　run　down；〃　said　Dorothy。〃I　forgot　to　wind　him　up　this　morning。How　many　guesses　has　he　made？〃
　　〃All　that　he　is　allowed　except　one；〃　answered　the　King。〃Suppose　you　go　in　and　wind　him　up；　and　then　you　can　stay　there　and　make　your　own　guesses。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃It　is　my　turn　next；〃　declared　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Why；　you　don't　want　to　go　away　and　leave　me　all　alone；　do　you？〃　asked　the　girl。〃Besides；　if　I　go　now　I　can　wind　up　Tiktok；　so　that　he　can　make　his　last　guess。〃
　　〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　with　a　sigh。〃Run　along；　little　Dorothy；　and　may　good　luck　go　with　you！〃
　　So　Dorothy；　trying　to　be　brave　in　spite　of　her　fears；　passed　through　the　doorway　into　the　gorgeous　rooms　of　the　palace。The　stillness　of　the　place　awed　her；　at　first；　and　the　child　drew　short　breaths；　and　pressed　her　hand　to　her　heart；　and　looked　all　around　with　wondering　eyes。
　　Yes；　it　was　a　beautiful　place；　but　enchantments　lurked　in　every　nook　and　corner；　and　she　had　not　yet　grown　accustomed　to　the　wizardries　of　these　fairy　countries；　so　different　from　the　quiet　and　sensible　mon…places　of　her　own　native　land。
　　Slowly　she　passed　through　several　rooms　until　she　came　upon　Tiktok；　standing　motionless。It　really　seemed；　then；　that　she　had　found　a　friend　in　this　mysterious　palace；　so　she　hastened　to　wind　up　the　machine　man's　action　and　speech　and　thoughts。
　　〃Thank　you；　Dor…oth…y；〃　were　his　first　words。〃I　have　now　one　more　guess　to　make。〃
　　〃Oh；　be　very　careful；　Tiktok；　won't　you？〃　cried　the　girl。
　　〃Yes。But　the　Nome　King　has　us　in　his　power；　and　he　has　set　a　trap　for　us。I　fear　we　are　all　lost。〃　he　answered。
　　〃I　fear　so；　too；〃　said　Dorothy；　sadly。
　　〃If　Smith　&　Tin…ker　had　giv…en　me　a　guess…ing　clock…work　at…tach…ment；〃　continued　Tiktok；　〃I　might　have　de…fied　the　Nome　King。But　my　thoughts　are　plain　and　sim…ple；　and　are　not　of　much　use　in　this　case。〃
　　〃Do　the　best　you　can；〃　said　Dorothy；　encouragingly；　〃and　if　you　fail　I　will　watch　and　see　what　shape　you　are　changed　into。〃
　　So　Tiktok　touched　a　yellow　glass　vase　that　had　daisies　painted　on　one　side；　and　he　spoke　at　the　same　time　the　word　〃Ev。〃
　　In　a　flash　the　machine　man　had　disappeared；　and　although　the　girl　looked　quickly　in　every　direction；　she　could　not　tell　which　of　the　many　ornaments　the　room　contained　had　a　moment　before　been　her　faithful　friend　and　servant。
　　So　all　she　could　do　was　to　accept　the　hopeless　task　set　her；　and　make　her　guesses　and　abide　by　the　result。
　　〃It　can't　hurt　very　much；〃　she　thought；　〃for　I　haven't　heard　any　of　them　scream　or　cry　out…not　even　the　poor　officers。Dear　me！I　wonder　if　Uncle　Henry　or　Aunt　Em　will　ever　know　I　have　bee　an　orn'ment　in　the　Nome　King's　palace；　and　must　stand　forever　and　ever　in　one　place　and　look　pretty…'cept　when　I'm　moved　to　be　dusted。It　isn't　the　way　I