fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第10节

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mass　of　wrinkles　that　made　him　look　exactly　like　a　Japanese　pug　dog。
　　Tip　would　have　laughed　…　had　he　not　been　so　anxious　about　his　man　Jack。　But　the　Scarecrow；　however　damaged；　was　all　there；　while　the　pumpkin　head　that　was　so　necessary　to　Jack's　existence　was　missing；　so　the　boy　seized　a　long　pole　that　fortunately　lay　near　at　hand　and　anxiously　turned　again　toward　the　river。
　　Far　out　upon　the　waters　he　sighted　the　golden　hue　of　the　pumpkin；　which　gently　bobbed　up　and　down　with　the　motion　of　the　waves。　At　that　moment　it　was　quite　out　of　Tip's　reach；　but　after　a　time　it　floated　nearer　and　still　nearer　until　the　boy　was　able　to　reach　it　with　his　pole　and　draw　it　to　the　shore。　Then　he　brought　it　to　the　top　of　the　bank；　carefully　wiped　the　water　from　its　pumpkin　face　with　his　handkerchief；　and　ran　with　it　to　Jack　and　replaced　the　head　upon　the　man's　neck。
　　〃Dear　me！〃　were　Jack's　first　words。　〃What　a　dreadful　experience！　I　wonder　if　water　is　liable　to　spoil　pumpkins？〃　Tip　did　not　think　a　reply　was　necessary；　for　he　knew　that　the　Scarecrow　also　stood　in　need　of　his　help。　So　he　carefully　removed　the　straw　from　the　King's　body　and　legs；　and　spread　it　out　in　the　sun　to　dry。　The　wet　clothing　he　hung　over　the　body　of　the　Saw…Horse。
　　〃If　water　spoils　pumpkins；〃　observed　Jack；　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃then　my　days　are　numbered。〃
　　〃I've　never　noticed　that　water　spoils　pumpkins；〃　returned　Tip；　〃unless　the　water　happens　to　be　boiling。　If　your　head　isn't　cracked；　my　friend；　you　must　be　in　fairly　good　condition。〃
　　〃Oh；　my　head　isn't　cracked　in　the　least；〃　declared　Jack；　more　cheerfully。
　　〃Then　don't　worry；〃　retorted　the　boy。　〃Care　once　killed　a　cat。〃
　　〃Then；〃　said　Jack；　seriously；　〃I　am　very　glad　indeed　that　I　am　not　a　cat。〃　The　sun　was　fast　drying　their　clothing；　and　Tip　stirred　up　his　Majesty's　straw　so　that　the　warm　rays　might　absorb　the　moisture　and　make　it　as　crisp　and　dry　as　ever。　When　this　had　been　acplished　he　stuffed　the　Scarecrow　into　symmetrical　shape　and　smoothed　out　his　face　so　that　he　wore　his　usual　gay　and　charming　expression。
　　〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　said　the　monarch；　brightly；　as　he　walked　about　and　found　himself　to　be　well　balanced。　〃There　are　several　distinct　advantages　in　being　a　Scarecrow。　For　if　one　has　friends　near　at　hand　to　repair　damages；　nothing　very　serious　can　happen　to　you。〃
　　〃I　wonder　if　hot　sunshine　is　liable　to　crack　pumpkins；〃　said　Jack；　with　an　anxious　ring　in　his　voice。
　　〃Not　at　all　…　not　at　all！〃　replied　the　Scarecrow；　gaily。〃　All　you　need　fear；　my　boy；　is　old　age。　When　your　golden　youth　has　decayed　we　shall　quickly　part　pany　…　but　you　needn't　look　forward　to　it；　we'll　discover　the　fact　ourselves；　and　notify　you。　But　e！　Let　us　resume　our　journey。　I　am　anxious　to　greet　my　friend　the　Tin　Woodman。〃　So　they　remounted　the　Saw…Horse；　Tip　holding　to　the　post；　the　Pumpkinhead　clinging　to　Tip；　and　the　Scarecrow　with　both　arms　around　the　wooden　form　of　Jack。
　　〃Go　slowly；　for　now　there　is　no　danger　of　pursuit；〃　said　Tip　to　his　steed。
　　〃All　right！〃　responded　the　creature；　in　a　voice　rather　gruff。
　　〃Aren't　you　a　little　hoarse？〃　asked　the　Pumpkinhead　politely。
　　The　Saw…Horse　gave　an　angry　prance　and　rolled　one　knotty　eye　backward　toward　Tip。
　　〃See　here；〃　he　growled；　〃can't　you　protect　me　from　insult？〃
　　〃To　be　sure！〃　answered　Tip；　soothingly。　〃I　am　sure　Jack　meant　no　harm。　And　it　will　not　do　for　us　to　quarrel；　you　know；　we　must　all　remain　good　friends。〃
　　〃I'll　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　that　Pumpkinhead；〃　declared　the　Saw…　Horse；　viciously。　〃he　loses　his　head　too　easily　to　suit　me。〃　There　seemed　no　fitting　reply　to　this　speech；　so　for　a　time　they　rode　along　in　silence。
　　After　a　while　the　Scarecrow　remarked：　〃This　reminds　me　of　old　times。　It　was　upon　this　grassy　knoll　that　I　once　saved　Dorothy　from　the　Stinging　Bees　of　the　Wicked　Witch　of　the　West。〃
　　〃Do　Stinging　Bees　injure　pumpkins？〃　asked　Jack；　glancing　around　fearfully。
　　〃They　are　all　dead；　so　it　doesn't　matter；〃　replied　the　Scarecrow。〃　And　here　is　where　Nick　Chopper　destroyed　the　Wicked　Witch's　Grey　Wolves。〃
　　〃Who　was　Nick　Chopper？〃　asked　Tip。
　　〃That　is　the　name　of　my　friend　the　Tin　Woodman；　answered　his　Majesty。　And　here　is　where　the　Winged　Monkeys　captured　and　bound　us；　and　flew　away　with　little　Dorothy；〃　he　continued；　after　they　had　traveled　a　little　way　farther。
　　〃Do　Winged　Monkeys　ever　eat　pumpkins？〃　asked　Jack；　with　a　shiver　of　fear。
　　〃I　do　not　know；　but　you　have　little　cause　to；　worry；　for　the　Winged　Monkeys　are　now　the　slaves　of　Glinda　the　Good；　who　owns　the　Golden　Cap　that　mands　their　services；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　reflectively。
　　Then　the　stuffed　monarch　became　lost　in　thought　recalling　the　days　of　past　adventures。　And　the　Saw…Horse　rocked　and　rolled　over　the　flower…strewn　fields　and　carried　its　riders　swiftly　upon　their　way。
　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　Twilight　fell；　bye　and　bye；　and　then　the　dark　shadows　of　night。　So　Tip　stopped　the　horse　and　they　all　proceeded　to　dismount。
　　〃I'm　tired　out；〃　said　the　boy；　yawning　wearily；　〃and　the　grass　is　soft　and　cool。　Let　us　lie　down　here　and　sleep　until　morning。〃
　　〃I　can't　sleep；〃　said　Jack。
　　〃I　never　do；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃I　do　not　even　know　what　sleep　is；〃　said　the　Saw…Horse。
　　〃Still；　we　must　have　consideration　for　this　poor　boy；　who　is　made　of　flesh　and　blood　and　bone；　and　gets　tired；〃　suggested　the　Scarecrow；　in　his　usual　thoughtful　manner。　〃I　remember　it　was　the　same　way　with　little　Dorothy。　We　always　had　to　sit　through　the　night　while　she　slept。〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Tip；　meekly；　〃but　I　can't　help　it。　And　I'm　dreadfully　hungry；　too！〃
　　〃Here　is　a　new　danger！〃　remarked　Jack；　gloomily。　〃I　hope　you　are　not　fond　of　eating　pumpkins。〃
　　〃Not　unless　they're　stewed　and　made　into　pies；〃　answered　the　boy；　laughing。　〃So　have　no　fears　of　me；　friend　Jack。〃
　　〃What　a　coward　that　Pumpkinhead　is！〃　said　the　Saw…Horse；　scornfully。
　　〃You　might　be　a　coward　yourself；　if　you　knew　you　were　liable　to　spoil！〃　retorted　Jack；　angrily。
　　〃There！　…　there！〃　interrupted　the　Scarecrow；　〃don't　let　us　quarrel。　We　all　have　our　weaknesses；　dear　friends；　so　we　must　strive　to　be　considerate　of　one　another。　And　since　this　poor　boy　is　hungry　and　has　nothing　whatever　to　eat；　let　us　all　remain　quiet　and　allow　him　to　sleep；　for　it　is　said　that　in　sleep　a　mortal　may　forget　even　hunger。〃
　　〃Thank　you！〃　exclaimed　Tip；　gratefully。　〃Your　Majesty　is　fully　as　good　as　you　are　wise　…　and　that　is　saying　a　good　deal！〃　He　then　stretched　himself　upon　the　grass　and；　using　the　stuffed　form　of　the　Scarecrow　for　a　pillow；　was　presently　fast　asleep。
　　
　　。
　　　A　Nickel…Plated　Emperor
　　
　　Tip　awoke　soon　after　dawn；　but　the　Scarecrow　had　already　risen　and　plucked；　with　his　clumsy　fingers；　a　double…handful　of　ripe　berries　from　some　bushes　near　by。　These　the　boy　ate　greedily；　finding　them　an　ample　breakfast；　and　afterward　the　little　party　resumed　its　Journey。
　　After　an　hour's　ride　they　reached　the　summit　of　a　hill　from　whence　they　espied　the　City　of　the　Winkies　and　noted　the　tall　domes　of　the　Emperor's　palace　rising　from　the　clusters　of　more　modest　dwellings。
　　The　Scarecrow　became　greatly　animated　at　this　sight；　and　exclaimed：　〃How　delighted　I　shall　be　to　see　my　old　friend　the　Tin　Woodman　again！　I　hope　that　he　rules　his　people　more　successfully　than　I　have　ruled　mine！〃　Is　the　Tin　Woodman　the　Emperor　of　the　Winkies？〃　asked　the　horse。
　　〃Yes；　indeed。　They　invited　him　to　rule　over　them　soon　after　the　Wicked　Witch　was　destroyed；　and　as　Nick　Chopper　has　the　best　heart　in　all　the　world　I　am　sure　he　has　proved　an　excellent　and　able　emperor。〃
　　〃I　thought　that　'Emperor'　was　the　title　of　a　person　who　rules　an　empire；〃　said　Tip；　〃and　the　Country　of　the　Winkies　is　only　a　Kingdom。〃
　　〃Don't　mention　that　to　the　Tin　Woodman！〃　exclaimed　the　Scarecrow；　earnestly。　〃You　would　hurt　his　feelings　terribly。　He　is　a　proud　man；　as　he　has　every　reason　to　be；　and　it　pleases　him　to　be　termed　Emperor　rather　than　King。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　it　makes　no　difference　to　me；〃　replied　the　boy。
　　The　Saw…Horse　now　ambled　forward　at　a　pace　so　fast　that　its　riders　had　hard　work　to　stick　upon　its　back；　so　there　was　little　further　conversation　until　they　drew　up　beside　the　palace　steps。
　　An　aged　Winkie；　dressed　in　a　uniform　of　silver　cloth；　came　forward　to　assist　them　to　alight。　Said　the　Scarecrow　to　his　personage：　〃Show　us　at　once　to　your　master；　the　Emperor。〃　The　man　looked　from　one　to　another　of　the　party　in　an　embarrassed　way；　and　finally　answered：　〃I　fear　I　must　ask　you　to　wait　for　a　time。　The　Emperor　is　not　receiving　this　morning。〃
　　〃How　is　that？〃　enquired　the　Scarecrow；　anxiously。〃　I　hope　nothing　has　happened　to　him。〃
　　〃Oh；　no；　nothing　serious；〃　returned　the　man。　〃But　this　is　his　Majesty's　day　for　being　polished；　and　just　now　his　august　presence　is　thickly　smeared　with　putz…pomade。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　see！〃　cried　the　Scarecrow；　greatly　reassured。　〃My　friend　was　ever　inclined　to　be　a　dandy；　and　I　suppose　he　is　now　more　proud　than　ever　of　his　personal　appearance。〃
　　〃He　is；　indeed；〃　said　the　man；　with　a　polite　bow。　〃Our　mighty　Emperor　has　lately　caused　himself　to　be　nickel…plated。〃
　　〃Good　Gracious！〃　the　Scarecrow　exclaimed　at　hearing　this。　〃If　his　w