fb.themarvelouslandofoz-第13节

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y　across　the　wide　body；　knickerbockers　of　fawn…colored　plush；　fastened　at　the　knees　with　gilt　buckles；　and；　perched　upon　its　small　head；　was　jauntily　set　a　tall　silk　hat。
　　Standing　upright　before　our　amazed　friends　the　Woggle…Bug　appeared　to　be　fully　as　tall　as　the　Tin　Woodman；　and　surely　no　bug　in　all　the　Land　of　Oz　had　ever　before　attained　so　enormous　a　size。
　　〃I　confess；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　〃that　your　abrupt　appearance　has　caused　me　surprise；　and　no　doubt　has　startled　my　panions。　I　hope；　however；　that　this　circumstance　will　not　distress　you。　We　shall　probably　get　used　to　you　in　time。〃
　　〃Do　not　apologize；　I　beg　of　you！〃　returned　the　Woggle…Bug；　earnestly。　〃It　affords　me　great　pleasure　to　surprise　people；　for　surely　I　cannot　be　classed　with　ordinary　insects　and　am　entitled　to　both　curiosity　and　admiration　from　those　I　meet。〃
　　〃You　are；　indeed；〃　agreed　his　Majesty。
　　〃If　you　will　permit　me　to　seat　myself　in　your　august　pany；〃　continued　the　stranger；　〃I　will　gladly　relate　my　history；　so　that　you　will　be　better　able　to　prehend　my　unusual　…　may　I　say　remarkable？　…appearance。〃
　　〃You　may　say　what　you　please；〃　answered　the　Tin　Woodman；　briefly。
　　So　the　Woggle…Bug　sat　down　upon　the　grass；　facing　the　little　group　of　wanderers；　and　told　them　the　following　story：
　　
　　
　　　A　Highly　Magnified　History
　　
　　〃It　is　but　honest　that　I　should　acknowledge　at　the　beginning　of　my　recital　that　I　was　born　an　ordinary　Woggle…Bug；〃　began　the　creature；　in　a　frank　and　friendly　tone。　〃Knowing　no　better；　I　used　my　arms　as　well　as　my　legs　for　walking；　and　crawled　under　the　edges　of　stones　or　hid　among　the　roots　of　grasses　with　no　thought　beyond　finding　a　few　insects　smaller　than　myself　to　feed　upon。
　　〃The　chill　nights　rendered　me　stiff　and　motionless；　for　I　wore　no　clothing；　but　each　morning　the　warm　rays　of　the　sun　gave　me　new　life　and　restored　me　to　activity。　A　horrible　existence　is　this；　but　you　must　remember　it　is　the　regular　ordained　existence　of　Woggle…Bugs；　as　well　as　of　many　other　tiny　creatures　that　inhabit　the　earth。
　　〃But　Destiny　had　singled　me　out；　humble　though　I　was；　for　a　grander　fate！　One　day　I　crawled　near　to　a　country　school　house；　and　my　curiosity　being　excited　by　the　monotonous　hum　of　the　students　within；　I　made　bold　to　enter　and　creep　along　a　crack　between　two　boards　until　I　reached　the　far　end；　where；　in　front　of　a　hearth　of　glowing　embers；　sat　the　master　at　his　desk。
　　〃No　one　noticed　so　small　a　creature　as　a　Woggle…Bug；　and　when　I　found　that　the　hearth　was　even　warmer　and　more　fortable　than　the　sunshine；　I　resolved　to　establish　my　future　home　beside　it。　So　I　found　a　charming　nest　between　two　bricks　and　hid　myself　therein　for　many；　many　months。
　　〃Professor　Nowitall　is；　doubtless；　the　most　famous　scholar　in　the　land　of　Oz；　and　after　a　few　days　I　began　to　listen　to　the　lectures　and　discourses　he　gave　his　pupils。　Not　one　of　them　was　more　attentive　than　the　humble；　unnoticed　Woggle…Bug；　and　I　acquired　in　this　way　a　fund　of　knowledge　that　I　will　myself　confess　is　simply　marvelous。　That　is　why　I　place　'T。E。'　Thoroughly　Educated　upon　my　cards；　for　my　greatest　pride　lies　in　the　fact　that　the　world　cannot　produce　another　Woggle…Bug　with　a　tenth　part　of　my　own　culture　and　erudition。〃
　　〃I　do　not　blame　you；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。　〃Education　is　a　thing　to　be　proud　of。　I'm　educated　myself。　The　mess　of　brains　given　me　by　the　Great　Wizard　is　considered　by　my　friends　to　be　unexcelled。〃
　　〃Nevertheless；〃　interrupted　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃a　good　heart　is；　I　believe；　much　more　desirable　than　education　or　brains。〃
　　〃To　me；〃　said　the　Saw…Horse；　〃a　good　leg　is　more　desirable　than　either。〃
　　〃Could　seeds　be　considered　in　the　light　of　brains？〃　enquired　the　Pumpkinhead；　abruptly。
　　〃Keep　quiet！〃　manded　Tip；　sternly。
　　〃Very　well；　dear　father；〃　answered　the　obedient　Jack。
　　The　Woggle…Bug　listened　patiently　…　even　respectfully　…　to　these　remarks；　and　then　resumed　his　story。
　　〃I　must　have　lived　fully　three　years　in　that　secluded　school…house　hearth；〃　said　he；　〃drinking　thirstily　of　the　ever…flowing　fount　of　limpid　knowledge　before　me。〃
　　〃Quite　poetical；〃　mented　the　Scarecrow；　nodding　his　head　approvingly。
　　〃But　one；　day〃　continued　the　Bug；　〃a　marvelous　circumstance　occurred　that　altered　my　very　existence　and　brought　me　to　my　present　pinnacle　of　greatness。　The　Professor　discovered　me　in　the　act　of　crawling　across　the　hearth；　and　before　I　could　escape　he　had　caught　me　between　his　thumb　and　forefinger。
　　〃'My　dear　children；'　said　he；　'I　have　captured　a　Woggle…Bug　…　a　very　rare　and　interesting　specimen。　Do　any　of　you　know　what　a　Woggle…Bug　is？'　〃'No！'　yelled　the　scholars；　in　chorus。
　　〃'Then；'　said　the　Professor；　'I　will　get　out　my　famous　magnifying…glass　and　throw　the　insect　upon　a　screen　in　a　highly…magnified　condition；　that　you　may　all　study　carefully　its　peculiar　construction　and　bee　acquainted　with　its　habits　and　manner　of　life。'　〃He　then　brought　from　a　cupboard　a　most　curious　instrument；　and　before　I　could　realize　what　had　happened　I　found　myself　thrown　upon　a　screen　in　a　highly…magnified　state　…　even　as　you　now　behold　me。
　　〃The　students　stood　up　on　their　stools　and　craned　their　heads　forward　to　get　a　better　view　of　me；　and　two　little　girls　jumped　upon　the　sill　of　an　open　window　where　they　could　see　more　plainly。
　　〃'Behold！'　cried　the　Professor；　in　a　loud　voice；　'this　highly…magnified　Woggle…Bug；　one　of　the　most　curious　insects　in　existence！'　〃Being　Thoroughly　Educated；　and　knowing　what　is　required　of　a　cultured　gentleman；　at　this　juncture　I　stood　upright　and；　placing　my　hand　upon　my　bosom；　made　a　very　polite　bow。　My　action；　being　unexpected；　must　have　startled　them；　for　one　of　the　little　girls　perched　upon　the　window…sill　gave　a　scream　and　fell　backward　out　the　window；　drawing　her　panion　with　her　as　she　disappeared。
　　〃The　Professor　uttered　a　cry　of　horror　and　rushed　away　through　the　door　to　see　if　the　poor　children　were　injured　by　the　fall。　The　scholars　followed　after　him　in　a　wild　mob；　and　I　was　left　alone　in　the　school…room；　still　in　a　Highly…Magnified　state　and　free　to　do　as　I　pleased。
　　〃It　immediately　occurred　to　me　that　this　was　a　good　opportunity　to　escape。　I　was　proud　of　my　great　size；　and　realized　that　now　I　could　safely　travel　anywhere　in　the　world；　while　my　superior　culture　would　make　me　a　fit　associate　for　the　most　learned　person　I　might　chance　to　meet。
　　〃So；　while　the　Professor　picked　the　little　girls　…　who　were　more　frightened　than　hurt　…　off　the　ground；　and　the　pupils　clustered　around　him　closely　grouped；　I　calmly　walked　out　of　the　school…house；　turned　a　corner；　and　escaped　unnoticed　to　a　grove　of　trees　that　stood　near〃
　　〃Wonderful！〃　exclaimed　the　Pumpkinhead；　admiringly。
　　〃It　was；　indeed；〃　agreed　the　Woggle…Bug。　〃I　have　never　ceased　to　congratulate　myself　for　escaping　while　I　was　Highly　Magnified；　for　even　my　excessive　knowledge　would　have　proved　of　little　use　to　me　had　I　remained　a　tiny；　insignificant　insect。〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　before；〃　said　Tip；　looking　at　the　Woggle…Bug　with　a　puzzled　expression；　〃that　insects　wore　clothes。〃
　　〃Nor　do　they；　in　their　natural　state；〃　returned　the　stranger。　〃But　in　the　course　of　my　wanderings　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　save　the　ninth　life　of　a　tailor　…　tailors　having；　like　cats；　nine　lives；　as　you　probably　know。　The　fellow　was　exceedingly　grateful；　for　had　he　lost　that　ninth　life　it　would　have　been　the　end　of　him；　so　he　begged　permission　to　furnish　me　with　the　stylish　costume　I　now　wear。　It　fits　very　nicely；　does　it　not？〃　and　the　Woggle…Bug　stood　up　and　turned　himself　around　slowly；　that　all　might　examine　his　person。
　　〃He　must　have　been　a　good　tailor；〃　said　the　Scarecrow；　somewhat　enviously。
　　〃He　was　a　good…hearted　tailor；　at　any　rate；〃　observed　Nick　Chopper。
　　〃But　where　were　you　going；　when　you　met　us？〃　Tip　asked　the　Woggle…Bug。
　　〃Nowhere　in　particular；〃　was　the　reply；　〃although　it　is　my　intention　soon　to　visit　the　Emerald　City　and　arrange　to　give　a　course　of　lectures　to　select　audiences　on　the　'Advantages　of　Magnification。'〃
　　〃We　are　bound　for　the　Emerald　City　now；〃　said　the　Tin　Woodman；　〃so；　if　it　pleases　you　to　do　so；　you　are　wele　to　travel　in　our　pany。〃　The　Woggle…Bug　bowed　with　profound　grace。
　　〃It　will　give　me　great　pleasure；〃　said　he　〃to　accept　your　kind　invitation；　for　nowhere　in　the　Land　of　Oz　could　I　hope　to　meet　with　so　congenial　a　pany。〃
　　〃That　is　true；〃　acknowledged　the　Pumpkinhead。　〃We　are　quite　as　congenial　as　flies　and　honey。〃
　　〃But　…　pardon　me　if　I　seem　inquisitive　…　are　you　not　all　rather　…　ahem！　rather　unusual？〃　asked　the　Woggle…Bug；　looking　from　one　to　another　with　unconcealed　interest。
　　〃Not　more　so　than　yourself；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。　〃Everything　in　life　is　unusual　until　you　get　accustomed　to　it。〃
　　〃What　rare　philosophy！〃　exclaimed　the　Woggle…Bug；　admiringly。
　　〃Yes；　my　brains　are　working　well　today；〃　admitted　the　Scarecrow；　an　accent　of　pride　in　his　voice。
　　〃Then；　if　you　are　sufficiently　rested　and　refreshed；　let　us　bend　our　steps　toward　the　Emerald　City；〃　suggested　the　magnified　one。
　　〃We　can't；〃　said　Tip。　〃The　Saw…Horse　has　broken　a　leg；　so　he　can't　bend　his　steps。　And　there　is　no　wood　around　to　make　him　a　new　limb　from。　A