fb.ozmaofoz-第16节

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　　Then　she　wandered　into　another　room　and　touched　a　china　lamb；　thinking　it　might　be　one　of　the　children　she　sought。But　again　she　was　unsuccessful。Three　guesses；　four　guesses；　five；　six；　seven；　eight；　nine　and　ten　she　made；　and　still　not　one　of　them　was　right！
　　The　girl　shivered　a　little　and　grew　pale　even　under　the　rosy　light；　for　now　but　one　guess　remained；　and　her　own　fate　depended　upon　the　result。
　　She　resolved　not　to　be　hasty；　and　strolled　through　all　the　rooms　once　more；　gazing　earnestly　upon　the　various　ornaments　and　trying　to　decide　which　she　would　touch。Finally；　in　despair；　she　decided　to　leave　it　entirely　to　chance。She　faced　the　doorway　of　a　room；　shut　her　eyes　tightly；　and　then；　thrusting　aside　the　heavy　draperies；　she　advanced　blindly　with　her　right　arm　outstretched　before　her。
　　Slowly；　softly　she　crept　forward　until　her　hand　came　in　contact　with　an　object　upon　a　small　round　table。She　did　not　know　what　it　was；　but　in　a　low　voice　she　pronounced　the　word　〃Ev。〃
　　The　rooms　were　quite　empty　of　life　after　that。The　Nome　King　had　gained　a　new　ornament。For　upon　the　edge　of　the　table　rested　a　pretty　grasshopper；　that　seemed　to　have　been　formed　from　a　single　emerald。　It　was　all　that　remained　of　Ozma　of　Oz。
　　In　the　throne　room　just　beyond　the　palace　the　Nome　King　suddenly　looked　up　and　smiled。
　　〃Next！〃　he　said；　in　his　pleasant　voice。
　　Dorothy；　the　Scarecrow；　and　the　Tin　Woodman；　who　had　been　sitting　in　anxious　silence；　each　gave　a　start　of　dismay　and　stared　into　one　another's　eyes。
　　〃Has　she　failed？〃　asked　Tiktok。
　　〃So　it　seems；〃　answered　the　little　monarch；　cheerfully。〃But　that　is　no　reason　one　of　you　should　not　succeed。The　next　may　have　twelve　guesses；　instead　of　eleven；　for　there　are　now　twelve　persons　transformed　into　ornaments。Well；　well！Which　of　you　goes　next？〃
　　〃I'll　go；〃　said　Dorothy。
　　〃Not　so；〃　replied　the　Tin　Woodman。〃As　mander　of　Ozma's　army；　it　is　my　privilege　to　follow　her　and　attempt　her　rescue。〃
　　〃Away　you　go；　then；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。〃But　be　careful；　old　friend。〃
　　〃I　will；〃　promised　the　Tin　Woodman；　and　then　he　followed　the　Nome　King　to　the　entrance　to　the　palace　and　the　rock　closed　behind　him。
　　
　　　13。The　Nome　King　Laughs
　　
　　In　a　moment　the　King　returned　to　his　throne　and　relighted　his　pipe；　and　the　rest　of　the　little　band　of　adventurers　settled　themselves　for　another　long　wait。They　were　greatly　disheartened　by　the　failure　of　their　girl　Ruler；　and　the　knowledge　that　she　was　now　an　ornament　in　the　Nome　King's　palace…a　dreadful；　creepy　place　in　spite　of　all　its　magnificence。Without　their　little　leader　they　did　not　know　what　to　do　next；　and　each　one；　down　to　the　trembling　private　of　the　army；　began　to　fear　he　would　soon　be　more　ornamental　than　useful。
　　Suddenly　the　Nome　King　began　laughing。
　　〃Ha；　ha；　ha！He；　he；　he！Ho；　ho；　ho！〃
　　〃What's　happened？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Why；　your　friend；　the　Tin　Woodman；　has　bee　the　funniest　thing　you　can　imagine；〃　replied　the　King；　wiping　the　tears　of　merriment　from　his　eyes。〃No　one　would　ever　believe　he　could　make　such　an　amusing　ornament。Next！〃
　　They　gazed　at　each　other　with　sinking　hearts。One　of　the　generals　began　to　weep　dolefully。
　　〃What　are　you　crying　for？〃　asked　the　Scarecrow；　indignant　at　such　a　display　of　weakness。
　　〃He　owed　me　six　weeks　back　pay；〃　said　the　general；　〃and　I　hate　to　lose　him。〃
　　〃Then　you　shall　go　and　find　him；〃　declared　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Me！〃　cried　the　general；　greatly　alarmed。
　　〃Certainly。It　is　your　duty　to　follow　your　mander。March！〃
　　〃I　won't；〃　said　the　general。〃I'd　like　to；　of　course；　but　I　just　simply　WON'T。〃
　　The　Scarecrow　looked　enquiringly　at　the　Nome　King。
　　〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　jolly　monarch。〃If　he　doesn't　care　to　enter　the　palace　and　make　his　guesses　I'll　throw　him　into　one　of　my　fiery　furnaces。〃
　　〃I'll　go！…of　course　I'm　going；〃　yelled　the　general；　as　quick　as　scat。
　　〃Where　is　the　entrance…where　is　it？Let　me　go　at　once！〃
　　So　the　Nome　King　escorted　him　into　the　palace；　and　again　returned　to　await　the　result。What　the　general　did；　no　one　can　tell；　but　it　was　not　long　before　the　King　called　for　the　next　victim；　and　a　colonel　was　forced　to　try　his　fortune。
　　Thus；　one　after　another；　all　of　the　twenty…six　officers　filed　into　the　palace　and　made　their　guesses…　and　became　ornaments。
　　Meantime　the　King　ordered　refreshments　to　be　served　to　those　waiting；　and　at　his　mand　a　rudely　shaped　Nome　entered；　bearing　a　tray。This　Nome　was　not　unlike　the　others　that　Dorothy　had　seen；　but　he　wore　a　heavy　gold　chain　around　his　neck　to　show　that　he　was　the　Chief　Steward　of　the　Nome　King；　and　he　assumed　an　air　of　much　importance；　and　even　told　his　majesty　not　to　eat　too　much　cake　late　at　night；　or　he　would　be　ill。
　　Dorothy；　however；　was　hungry；　and　she　was　not　afraid　of　being　ill；　so　she　ate　several　cakes　and　found　them　good；　and　also　she　drank　a　cup　of　excellent　coffee　made　of　a　richly　flavored　clay；　browned　in　the　furnaces　and　then　ground　fine；　and　found　it　most　refreshing　and　not　at　all　muddy。
　　Of　all　the　party　which　had　started　upon　this　adventure；　the　little　Kansas　girl　was　now　left　alone　with　the　Scarecrow；　Tiktok；　and　the　private　for　counsellors　and　panions。Of　course　the　Cowardly　Lion　and　the　Hungry　Tiger　were　still　there；　but　they；　having　also　eaten　some　of　the　cakes；　had　gone　to　sleep　at　one　side　of　the　cave；　while　upon　the　other　side　stood　the　Sawhorse；　motionless　and　silent；　as　became　a　mere　thing　of　wood。Billina　had　quietly　walked　around　and　picked　up　the　crumbs　of　cake　which　had　been　scattered；　and　now；　as　it　was　long　after　bed…time；　she　tried　to　find　some　dark　place　in　which　to　go　to　sleep。
　　Presently　the　hen　espied　a　hollow　underneath　the　King's　rocky　throne；　and　crept　into　it　unnoticed。She　could　still　hear　the　chattering　of　those　around　her；　but　it　was　almost　dark　underneath　the　throne；　so　that　soon　she　had　fallen　fast　asleep。
　　〃Next！〃　called　the　King；　and　the　private；　whose　turn　it　was　to　enter　the　fatal　palace；　shook　hands　with　Dorothy　and　the　Scarecrow　and　bade　them　a　sorrowful　good…bye；　and　passed　through　the　rocky　portal。
　　They　waited　a　long　time；　for　the　private　was　in　no　hurry　to　bee　an　ornament　and　made　his　guesses　very　slowly。The　Nome　King；　who　seemed　to　know；　by　some　magical　power；　all　that　took　place　in　his　beautiful　rooms　of　his　palace；　grew　impatient　finally　and　declared　he　would　sit　up　no　longer。
　　〃I　love　ornaments；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　can　wait　until　tomorrow　to　get　more　of　them；　so；　as　soon　as　that　stupid　private　is　transformed；　we　will　all　go　to　bed　and　leave　the　job　to　be　finished　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃Is　it　so　very　late？〃　asked　Dorothy。
　　〃Why；　it　is　after　midnight；〃　said　the　King；　〃and　that　strikes　me　as　being　late　enough。There　is　neither　night　nor　day　in　my　kingdom；　because　it　is　under　the　earth's　surface；　where　the　sun　does　not　shine。
　　But　we　have　to　sleep；　just　the　same　as　the　up…stairs　people　do；　and　for　my　part　I'm　going　to　bed　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　　Indeed；　it　was　not　long　after　this　that　the　private　made　his　last　guess。
　　Of　course　he　guessed　wrongly；　and　of　course　he　at　once　became　an　ornament。So　the　King　was　greatly　pleased；　and　clapped　his　hands　to　summon　his　Chief　Steward。
　　〃Show　these　guests　to　some　of　the　sleeping　apartments；〃　he　manded；　〃and　be　quick　about　it；　too；　for　I'm　dreadfully　sleepy　myself。〃
　　〃You've　no　business　to　sit　up　so　late；〃　replied　the　Steward；　gruffly。
　　〃You'll　be　as　cross　as　a　griffin　tomorrow　morning。〃
　　His　Majesty　made　no　answer　to　this　remark；　and　the　Chief　Steward　led　Dorothy　through　another　doorway　into　a　long　hall；　from　which　several　plain　but　fortable　sleeping　rooms　opened。The　little　girl　was　given　the　first　room；　and　the　Scarecrow　and　Tiktok　the　next…although　they　never　slept…and　the　Lion　and　the　Tiger　the　third。The　Sawhorse　hobbled　after　the　Steward　into　a　fourth　room；　to　stand　stiffly　in　the　center　of　it　until　morning。Each　night　was　rather　a　bore　to　the　Scarecrow；　Tiktok　and　the　Sawhorse；　but　they　had　learned　from　experience　to　pass　the　time　patiently　and　quietly；　since　all　their　friends　who　were　made　of　flesh　had　to　sleep　and　did　not　like　to　be　disturbed。
　　When　the　Chief　Steward　had　left　them　alone　the　Scarecrow　remarked；　sadly：
　　〃I　am　in　great　sorrow　over　the　loss　of　my　old　rade；　the　Tin　Woodman。
　　We　have　had　many　dangerous　adventures　together；　and　escaped　them　all；　and　now　it　grieves　me　to　know　he　has　bee　an　ornament；　and　is　lost　to　me　forever。〃
　　〃He　was　al…ways　an　or…na…ment　to　so…ci…e…ty；〃　said　Tiktok。
　　〃True；　but　now　the　Nome　King　laughs　at　him；　and　calls　him　the　funniest　ornament　in　all　the　palace。It　will　hurt　my　poor　friend's　pride　to　be　laughed　at；〃　continued　the　Scarecrow；　sadly。
　　〃We　will　make　rath…er　ab…surd　or…na…ments；　our…selves；　to…mor…row；〃　observed　the　machine；　in　his　monotonous　voice。
　　Just　then　Dorothy　ran　into　their　room；　in　a　state　of　great　anxiety；　crying：
　　〃Where's　Billina？Have　you　seen　Billina？Is　she　here？〃
　　〃No；〃　answered　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Then　what　has　bee　of　her？〃　asked　the　girl。
　　〃Why；　I　thought　she　was　with　you；〃　said　the　Scarecrow。〃Yet　I　do　not　remember　seeing　the　yellow　hen　since　she　picked　up　the　crumbs　of　cake。〃
　　〃We　must　have　left　her　in　the　r