fb.ozmaofoz-第19节

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　　〃Then　go　ahead；　you　absurd　feathered　fool！〃　grumbled　the　King；　and　he　caused　the　opening　that　led　to　the　palace　to　appear　once　more。
　　〃Don't　go；　Billina；〃　said　Dorothy；　earnestly。〃It　isn't　easy　to　guess　those　orn'ments；　and　only　luck　saved　me　from　being　one　myself。Stay　with　me　and　we'll　go　back　to　the　Land　of　Ev　together。I'm　sure　this　little　Prince　will　give　us　a　home。〃
　　〃Indeed　I　will；〃　said　Evring；　with　much　dignity。
　　〃Don't　worry；　my　dear；〃　cried　Billina；　with　a　cluck　that　was　meant　for　a　laugh。〃I　may　not　be　human；　but　I'm　no　fool；　if　I　AM　a　chicken。〃
　　〃Oh；　Billina！〃　said　Dorothy；　〃you　haven't　been　a　chicken　in　a　long　time。
　　Not　since　you…you've　been…grown　up。〃
　　〃Perhaps　that's　true；〃　answered　Billina；　thoughtfully。〃But　if　a　Kansas　farmer　sold　me　to　some　one；　what　would　he　call　me？…a　hen　or　a　chicken！〃
　　〃You　are　not　a　Kansas　farmer；　Billina；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃and　you　said〃
　　〃Never　mind　that；　Dorothy。I'm　going。I　won't　say　good…bye；　because　I'm　ing　back。Keep　up　your　courage；　for　I'll　see　you　a　little　later。〃
　　Then　Billina　gave　several　loud　〃cluck…clucks〃　that　seemed　to　make　the　fat　little　King　MORE　nervous　than　ever；　and　marched　through　the　entrance　into　the　enchanted　palace。
　　〃I　hope　I've　seen　the　last　of　THAT　bird；〃　declared　the　monarch；　seating　himself　again　in　his　throne　and　mopping　the　perspiration　from　his　forehead　with　his　rock…colored　handkerchief。〃Hens　are　bothersome　enough　at　their　best；　but　when　they　can　talk　they're　simply　dreadful。〃
　　〃Billina's　my　friend；〃　said　Dorothy　quietly。〃She　may　not　always　be　'zactly　polite；　but　she　MEANS　well；　I'm　sure。〃
　　
　　　16。Purple；　Green；　and　Gold
　　
　　The　yellow　hen；　stepping　high　and　with　an　air　of　vast　importance；　walked　slowly　over　the　rich　velvet　carpets　of　the　splendid　palace；　examining　everything　she　met　with　her　sharp　little　eyes。
　　Billina　had　a　right　to　feel　important；　for　she　alone　shared　the　Nome　King's　secret　and　knew　how　to　tell　the　objects　that　were　transformations　from　those　that　had　never　been　alive。She　was　very　sure　that　her　guesses　would　be　correct；　but　before　she　began　to　make　them　she　was　curious　to　behold　all　the　magnificence　of　this　underground　palace；　which　was　perhaps　one　of　the　most　splendid　and　beautiful　places　in　any　fairyland。
　　As　she　went　through　the　rooms　she　counted　the　purple　ornaments；　and　although　some　were　small　and　hidden　in　queer　places；　Billina　spied　them　all；　and　found　the　entire　ten　scattered　about　the　various　rooms。　The　green　ornaments　she　did　not　bother　to　count；　for　she　thought　she　could　find　them　all　when　the　time　came。
　　Finally；　having　made　a　survey　of　the　entire　palace　and　enjoyed　its　splendor；　the　yellow　hen　returned　to　one　of　the　rooms　where　she　had　noticed　a　large　purple　footstool。She　placed　a　claw　upon　this　and　said　〃Ev；〃　and　at　once　the　footstool　vanished　and　a　lovely　lady；　tall　and　slender　and　most　beautifully　robed；　stood　before　her。
　　The　lady's　eyes　were　round　with　astonishment　for　a　moment；　for　she　could　not　remember　her　transformation；　nor　imagine　what　had　restored　her　to　life。
　　〃Good　morning；　ma'am；〃　said　Billina；　in　her　sharp　voice。〃You're　looking　quite　well；　considering　your　age。〃
　　〃Who　speaks？〃　demanded　the　Queen　of　Ev；　drawing　herself　up　proudly。
　　〃Why；　my　name's　Bill；　by　rights；〃　answered　the　hen；　who　was　now　perched　upon　the　back　of　a　chair；　〃although　Dorothy　has　put　scollops　on　it　and　made　it　Billina。But　the　name　doesn't　matter。I've　saved　you　from　the　Nome　King；　and　you　are　a　slave　no　longer。〃
　　〃Then　I　thank　you　for　the　gracious　favor；〃　said　the　Queen；　with　a　graceful　courtesy。〃But；　my　children…tell　me；　I　beg　of　you…where　are　my　children？〃　and　she　clasped　her　hands　in　anxious　entreaty。
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　advised　Billina；　pecking　at　a　tiny　bug　that　was　crawling　over　the　chair　back。〃Just　at　present　they　are　out　of　mischief　and　perfectly　safe；　for　they　can't　even　wiggle。〃
　　〃What　mean　you；　O　kindly　stranger？〃　asked　the　Queen；　striving　to　repress　her　anxiety。
　　〃They're　enchanted；〃　said　Billina；　〃just　as　you　have　been…all；　that　is；　except　the　little　fellow　Dorothy　picked　out。And　the　chances　are　that　they　have　been　good　boys　and　girls　for　some　time；　because　they　couldn't　help　it。〃
　　〃Oh；　my　poor　darlings！〃　cried　the　Queen；　with　a　sob　of　anguish。
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　returned　the　hen。〃Don't　let　their　condition　make　you　unhappy；　ma'am；　because　I'll　soon　have　them　crowding　'round　to　bother　and　worry　you　as　naturally　as　evere　with　me；　if　you　please；　and　I'll　show　you　how　pretty　they　look。〃
　　She　flew　down　from　her　perch　and　walked　into　the　next　room；　the　Queen　following。As　she　passed　a　low　table　a　small　green　grasshopper　caught　her　eye；　and　instantly　Billina　pounced　upon　it　and　snapped　it　up　in　her　sharp　bill。For　grasshoppers　are　a　favorite　food　with　hens；　and　they　usually　must　be　caught　quickly；　before　they　can　hop　away。It　might　easily　have　been　the　end　of　Ozma　of　Oz；　had　she　been　a　real　grasshopper　instead　of　an　emerald　one。But　Billina　found　the　grasshopper　hard　and　lifeless；　and　suspecting　it　was　not　good　to　eat　she　quickly　dropped　it　instead　of　letting　it　slide　down　her　throat。
　　〃I　might　have　known　better；〃　she　muttered　to　herself；　〃for　where　there　is　no　grass　there　can　be　no　live　grasshoppers。This　is　probably　one　of　the　King's　transformations。〃
　　A　moment　later　she　approached　one　of　the　purple　ornaments；　and　while　the　Queen　watched　her　curiously　the　hen　broke　the　Nome　King's　enchantment　and　a　sweet…faced　girl；　whose　golden　hair　fell　in　a　cloud　over　her　shoulders；　stood　beside　them。
　　〃Evanna！〃　cried　the　Queen；　〃my　own　Evanna！〃　and　she　clasped　the　girl　to　her　bosom　and　covered　her　face　with　kisses。
　　〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Billina；　contentedly。〃Am　I　a　good　guesser；　Mr。　Nome　King？Well；　I　guess！〃
　　Then　she　disenchanted　another　girl；　whom　the　Queen　addressed　as　Evrose；　and　afterwards　a　boy　named　Evardo；　who　was　older　than　his　brother　Evring。Indeed；　the　yellow　hen　kept　the　good　Queen　exclaiming　and　embracing　for　some　time；　until　five　Princesses　and　four　Princes；　all　looking　very　much　alike　except　for　the　difference　in　size；　stood　in　a　row　beside　their　happy　mother。
　　The　Princesses　were　named；　Evanna；　Evrose；　Evella；　Evirene　and　Evedna；　while　the　Princes　were　Evrob；　Evington；　Evardo　and　Evroland。Of　these　Evardo　was　the　eldest　and　would　inherit　his　father's　throne　and　be　crowned　King　of　Ev　when　he　returned　to　his　own　country。He　was　a　grave　and　quiet　youth；　and　would　doubtless　rule　his　people　wisely　and　with　justice。
　　Billina；　having　restored　all　of　the　royal　family　of　Ev　to　their　proper　forms；　now　began　to　select　the　green　ornaments　which　were　the　transformations　of　the　people　of　Oz。She　had　little　trouble　in　finding　these；　and　before　long　all　the　twenty…six　officers；　as　well　as　the　private；　were　gathered　around　the　yellow　hen；　joyfully　congratulating　her　upon　their　release。The　thirty…seven　people　who　were　now　alive　in　the　rooms　of　the　palace　knew　very　well　that　they　owed　their　freedom　to　the　cleverness　of　the　yellow　hen；　and　they　were　earnest　in　thanking　her　for　saving　them　from　the　magic　of　the　Nome　King。
　　〃Now；〃　said　Billina；　〃I　must　find　Ozma。She　is　sure　to　be　here；　somewhere；　and　of　course　she　is　green；　being　from　Oz。So　look　around；　you　stupid　soldiers；　and　help　me　in　my　search。〃
　　For　a　while；　however；　they　could　discover　nothing　more　that　was　green。
　　But　the　Queen；　who　had　kissed　all　her　nine　children　once　more　and　could　now　find　time　to　take　an　interest　in　what　was　going　on；　said　to　the　hen：
　　〃Mayhap；　my　gentle　friend；　it　is　the　grasshopper　whom　you　seek。〃
　　〃Of　course　it's　the　grasshopper！〃　exclaimed　Billina。〃I　declare；　I'm　nearly　as　stupid　as　these　brave　soldiers。Wait　here　for　me；　and　I'll　go　back　and　get　it。〃
　　So　she　went　into　the　room　where　she　had　seen　the　grasshopper；　and　presently　Ozma　of　Oz；　as　lovely　and　dainty　as　ever；　entered　and　approached　the　Queen　of　Ev；　greeting　her　as　one　high　born　princess　greets　another。
　　〃But　where　are　my　friends；　the　Scarecrow　and　the　Tin　Woodman？〃　asked　the　girl　Ruler；　when　these　courtesies　had　been　exchanged。
　　〃I'll　hunt　them　up；〃　replied　Billina。〃The　Scarecrow　is　solid　gold；　and　so　is　Tiktok；　but　I　don't　exactly　know　what　the　Tin　Woodman　is；　because　the　Nome　King　said　he　had　been　transformed　into　something　funny。〃
　　Ozma　eagerly　assisted　the　hen　in　her　quest；　and　soon　the　Scarecrow　and　the　machine　man；　being　ornaments　of　shining　gold；　were　discovered　and　restored　to　their　accustomed　forms。But；　search　as　they　might；　in　no　place　could　they　find　a　funny　ornament　that　might　be　the　transformation　of　the　Tin　Woodman。
　　〃Only　one　thing　can　be　done；〃　said　Ozma；　at　last；　〃and　that　is　to　return　to　the　Nome　King　and　oblige　him　to　tell　us　what　has　bee　of　our　friend。〃
　　〃Perhaps　he　won't；〃　suggested　Billina。
　　〃He　must；〃　returned　Ozma；　firmly。〃The　King　has　not　treated　us　honestly；　for　under　the　mask　of　fairness　and　good　nature　he　entrapped　us　all；　and　we　would　have　been　forever　enchanted　had　not　our　wise　and　clever　friend；　the　yellow　hen；　found　a　way　to　save　us。〃
　　〃The　King　is　a　villain；〃　declared　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃His　laugh　is　worse　than　another　man's　frown；〃　said　the　private；　with　a　shudder。
　　〃I　thought　he　was　hon…est；　but　I　wa