第 4 节
作者:老是不进球      更新:2022-11-28 19:15      字数:9320
  adventure had upset him and made him nervous and worried。  But he did
  not wish the little girl to think him a coward; so he advanced slowly
  to the edge of the roof。
  Dorothy stretched out a hand to him and Zeb put one foot out and let it
  rest in the air a little over the edge of the roof。  It seemed firm
  enough to walk upon; so he took courage and put out the other foot。
  Dorothy kept hold of his hand and followed him; and soon they were
  both walking through the air; with the kitten frisking beside them。
  〃Come on; Jim!〃 called the boy。  〃It's all right。〃
  Jim had crept to the edge of the roof to look over; and being a
  sensible horse and quite experienced; he made up his mind that he
  could go where the others did。  So; with a snort and a neigh and a
  whisk of his short tail he trotted off the roof into the air and at
  once began floating downward to the street。  His great weight made him
  fall faster than the children walked; and he passed them on the way
  down; but when he came to the glass pavement he alighted upon it so
  softly that he was not even jarred。
  〃Well; well!〃 said Dorothy; drawing a long breath; 〃What a strange
  country this is。〃
  People began to come out of the glass doors to look at the new
  arrivals; and pretty soon quite a crowd had assembled。  There were men
  and women; but no children at all; and the folks were all beautifully
  formed and attractively dressed and had wonderfully handsome faces。
  There was not an ugly person in all the throng; yet Dorothy was not
  especially pleased by the appearance of these people because their
  features had no more expression than the faces of dolls。  They did not
  smile nor did they frown; or show either fear or surprise or curiosity
  or friendliness。  They simply started at the strangers; paying most
  attention to Jim and Eureka; for they had never before seen either a
  horse or a cat and the children bore an outward resemblance to themselves。
  Pretty soon a man joined the group who wore a glistening star in the
  dark hair just over his forehead。  He seemed to be a person of
  authority; for the others pressed back to give him room。  After
  turning his composed eyes first upon the animals and then upon the
  children he said to Zeb; who was a little taller than Dorothy:
  〃Tell me; intruder; was it you who caused the Rain of Stones?〃
  For a moment the boy did not know what he meant by this question。
  Then; remembering the stones that had fallen with them and passed them
  long before they had reached this place; he answered:
  〃No; sir; we didn't cause anything。  It was the earthquake。〃
  The man with the star stood for a time quietly thinking over this
  speech。  Then he asked:
  〃What is an earthquake?〃
  〃I don't know;〃 said Zeb; who was still confused。  But Dorothy; seeing
  his perplexity; answered:
  〃It's a shaking of the earth。  In this quake a big crack opened and we
  fell throughhorse and buggy; and alland the stones got loose and
  came down with us。〃
  The man with the star regarded her with his calm; expressionless eyes。
  〃The Rain of Stones has done much damage to our city;〃 he said;
  〃and we shall hold you responsible for it unless you can prove
  your innocence。〃
  〃How can we do that?〃 asked the girl。
  〃That I am not prepared to say。  It is your affair; not mine。
  You must go to the House of the Sorcerer; who will soon discover
  the truth。〃
  〃Where is the House of the Sorcerer?〃 the girl enquired。
  〃I will lead you to it。  Come!〃
  He turned and walked down the street; and after a moment's hesitation
  Dorothy caught Eureka in her arms and climbed into the buggy。  The boy
  took his seat beside her and said: 〃Gid…dap Jim。〃
  As the horse ambled along; drawing the buggy; the people of the glass
  city made way for them and formed a procession in their rear。  Slowly
  they moved down one street and up another; turning first this way and
  then that; until they came to an open square in the center of which
  was a big glass palace having a central dome and four tall spires on
  each corner。
  3。  The Arrival Of The Wizard
  The doorway of the glass palace was quite big enough for the horse and
  buggy to enter; so Zeb drove straight through it and the children
  found themselves in a lofty hall that was very beautiful。  The people
  at once followed and formed a circle around the sides of the spacious
  room; leaving the horse and buggy and the man with the star to occupy
  the center of the hall。
  〃Come to us; oh; Gwig!〃 called the man; in a loud voice。
  Instantly a cloud of smoke appeared and rolled over the floor; then it
  slowly spread and ascended into the dome; disclosing a strange
  personage seated upon a glass throne just before Jim's nose。  He was
  formed just as were the other inhabitants of this land and his
  clothing only differed from theirs in being bright yellow。  But he had
  no hair at all; and all over his bald head and face and upon the backs
  of his hands grew sharp thorns like those found on the branches of
  rose…bushes。  There was even a thorn upon the tip of his nose and he
  looked so funny that Dorothy laughed when she saw him。
  The Sorcerer; hearing the laugh; looked toward the little girl with
  cold; cruel eyes; and his glance made her grow sober in an instant。
  〃Why have you dared to intrude your unwelcome persons into the
  secluded Land of the Mangaboos?〃 he asked; sternly。
  〃'Cause we couldn't help it;〃 said Dorothy。
  〃Why did you wickedly and viciously send the Rain of Stones to crack
  and break our houses?〃 he continued。
  〃We didn't;〃 declared the girl。
  〃Prove it!〃 cried the Sorcerer。
  〃We don't have to prove it;〃 answered Dorothy; indignantly。  〃If you
  had any sense at all you'd known it was the earthquake。〃
  〃We only know that yesterday came a Rain of Stones upon us; which did
  much damage and injured some of our people。  Today came another Rain
  of Stones; and soon after it you appeared among us。〃
  〃By the way;〃 said the man with the star; looking steadily at the
  Sorcerer; 〃you told us yesterday that there would not be a second Rain
  of Stones。  Yet one has just occurred that was even worse than the
  first。  What is your sorcery good for if it cannot tell us the truth?〃
  〃My sorcery does tell the truth!〃 declared the thorn…covered man。  〃I
  said there would be but one Rain of Stones。  This second one was a Rain
  of People…and…Horse…and…Buggy。  And some stones came with them。〃
  〃Will there be any more Rains?〃 asked the man with the star。
  〃No; my Prince。〃
  〃Neither stones nor people?〃
  〃No; my Prince。〃
  〃Are you sure?〃
  〃Quite sure; my Prince。  My sorcery tells me so。〃
  Just then a man came running into the hall and addressed the Prince
  after making a low bow。
  〃More wonders in the air; my Lord;〃 said he。
  Immediately the Prince and all of his people flocked out of the hall
  into the street; that they might see what was about to happen。
  Dorothy and Zeb jumped out of the buggy and ran after them; but the
  Sorcerer remained calmly in his throne。
  Far up in the air was an object that looked like a balloon。  It was not
  so high as the glowing star of the six colored suns; but was
  descending slowly through the airso slowly that at first it scarcely
  seemed to move。
  The throng stood still and waited。  It was all they could do; for to
  go away and leave that strange sight was impossible; nor could they
  hurry its fall in any way。  The earth children were not noticed; being
  so near the average size of the Mangaboos; and the horse had remained
  in the House of the Sorcerer; with Eureka curled up asleep on the seat
  of the buggy。
  Gradually the balloon grew bigger; which was proof that it was settling
  down upon the Land of the Mangaboos。  Dorothy was surprised to find
  how patient the people were; for her own little heart was beating
  rapidly with excitement。  A balloon meant to her some other arrival
  from the surface of the earth; and she hoped it would be some one able
  to assist her and Zeb out of their difficulties。
  In an hour the balloon had come near enough for her to see a basket
  suspended below it; in two hours she could see a head looking over the
  side of the basket; in three hours the big balloon settled slowly into the
  great square in which they stood and came to rest on the glass pavement。
  Then a little man jumped out of the basket; took off his tall hat; and
  bowed very gracefully to the crowd of Mangaboos around him。  He was
  quite an old little man and his head was long and entirely bald。
  〃Why;〃 cried Dorothy; in amazement; 〃it's Oz!〃
  The little man looked toward her and seemed as much surprised as she
  was。  But he smiled and bowed as he answered:
  〃Yes; my dear; I am Oz; the Great and Terrible。  Eh?  And you are
  little Dorothy; from Kansas。  I remember you very well。〃
  〃Who did you say it was?〃 whispered Zeb to the girl。