第 26 节
作者:老是不进球      更新:2022-11-28 19:15      字数:9320
  usually trust my heart to do the right thing。  So I will do as you
  say; friend Wizard。〃
  After some thought he placed the little pig inside his funnel…shaped
  hat; and then put the hat upon his head and went back to his room to
  think over his speech to the jury。
  19。  The Wizard Performs Another Trick
  At three o'clock the Throne Room was crowded with citizens; men; women
  and children being eager to witness the great trial。
  Princess Ozma; dressed in her most splendid robes of state; sat in the
  magnificent emerald throne; with her jewelled sceptre in her hand and
  her sparkling coronet upon her fair brow。  Behind her throne stood the
  twenty…eight officers of her army and many officials of the royal
  household。  At her right sat the queerly assorted Juryanimals;
  animated dummies and peopleall gravely prepared to listen to what
  was said。  The kitten had been placed in a large cage just before the
  throne; where she sat upon her haunches and gazed through the bars at
  the crowds around her; with seeming unconcern。
  And now; at a signal from Ozma; the Woggle…Bug arose and addressed the
  jury。  His tone was pompous and he strutted up and down in an absurd
  attempt to appear dignified。
  〃Your Royal Highness and Fellow Citizens;〃 he began; 〃the small cat
  you see a prisoner before you is accused of the crime of first
  murdering and then eating our esteemed Ruler's fat pigletor else
  first eating and then murdering it。  In either case a grave crime has
  been committed which deserves a grave punishment。〃
  〃Do you mean my kitten must be put in a grave?〃 asked Dorothy。
  〃Don't interrupt; little girl;〃 said the Woggle…Bug。  〃When I get my
  thoughts arranged in good order I do not like to have anything upset
  them or throw them into confusion。〃
  〃If your thoughts were any good they wouldn't become confused;〃
  remarked the Scarecrow; earnestly。  〃My thoughts are always〃
  〃Is this a trial of thoughts; or of kittens?〃 demanded the Woggle…Bug。
  〃It's a trial of one kitten;〃 replied the Scarecrow; 〃but your manner
  is a trial to us all。〃
  〃Let the Public Accuser continue;〃 called Ozma from her throne; 〃and I
  pray you do not interrupt him。〃
  〃The criminal who now sits before the court licking her paws;〃 resumed
  the Woggle…Bug; 〃has long desired to unlawfully eat the fat piglet;
  which was no bigger than a mouse。  And finally she made a wicked
  plan to satisfy her depraved appetite for pork。 I can see her;
  in my mind's eye〃
  〃What's that?〃 asked the Scarecrow。
  〃I say I can see her in my mind's eye〃
  〃The mind has no eye;〃 declared the Scarecrow。  〃It's blind。〃
  〃Your Highness;〃 cried the Woggle…Bug; appealing to Ozma; 〃have I a
  mind's eye; or haven't I?〃
  〃If you have; it is invisible;〃 said the Princess。
  〃Very true;〃 returned the Woggle…Bug; bowing。  〃I say I see the
  criminal; in my mind's eye; creeping stealthily into the room of our
  Ozma and secreting herself; when no one was looking; until the
  Princess had gone away and the door was closed。  Then the murderer was
  alone with her helpless victim; the fat piglet; and I see her pounce
  upon the innocent creature and eat it up〃
  〃Are you still seeing with your mind's eye?〃 enquired the Scarecrow。
  〃Of course; how else could I see it?  And we know the thing is true;
  because since the time of that interview there is no piglet to be
  found anywhere。〃
  〃I suppose; if the cat had been gone; instead of the piglet;
  your mind's eye would see the piglet eating the cat;〃 suggested
  the Scarecrow。
  〃Very likely;〃 acknowledged the Woggle…Bug。  〃And now; Fellow Citizens
  and Creatures of the Jury; I assert that so awful a crime deserves
  death; and in the case of the ferocious criminal before youwho is
  now washing her facethe death penalty should be inflicted nine times。〃
  There was great applause when the speaker sat down。  Then the Princess
  spoke in a stern voice:
  〃Prisoner; what have you to say for yourself?  Are you guilty;
  or not guilty?〃
  〃Why; that's for you to find out;〃 replied Eureka。  〃If you can prove
  I'm guilty; I'll be willing to die nine times; but a mind's eye is no
  proof; because the Woggle…Bug has no mind to see with。〃
  〃Never mind; dear;〃 said Dorothy。
  Then the Tin Woodman arose and said:
  〃Respected Jury and dearly beloved Ozma; I pray you not to judge this
  feline prisoner unfeelingly。  I do not think the innocent kitten can
  be guilty; and surely it is unkind to accuse a luncheon of being a
  murder。  Eureka is the sweet pet of a lovely little girl whom we all
  admire; and gentleness and innocence are her chief virtues。  Look at
  the kitten's intelligent eyes;〃 (here Eureka closed her eyes sleepily)
  〃gaze at her smiling countenance!〃 (here Eureka snarled and showed her
  teeth) 〃mark the tender pose of her soft; padded little hands!〃  (Here
  Eureka bared her sharp claws and scratched at the bars of the cage。)
  〃Would such a gentle animal be guilty of eating a fellow creature?
  No; a thousand times; no!〃
  〃Oh; cut it short;〃 said Eureka; 〃you've talked long enough。〃
  〃I'm trying to defend you;〃 remonstrated the Tin Woodman。
  〃Then say something sensible;〃 retorted the kitten。  〃Tell them it
  would be foolish for me to eat the piglet; because I had sense enough
  to know it would raise a row if I did。  But don't try to make out I'm
  too innocent to eat a fat piglet if I could do it and not be found
  out。  I imagine it would taste mighty good。〃
  〃Perhaps it would; to those who eat;〃 remarked the Tin Woodman。  〃I
  myself; not being built to eat; have no personal experience in such
  matters。  But I remember that our great poet once said:
  〃'To eat is sweet
  When hunger's seat
  Demands a treat
  Of savory meat。'
  〃Take this into consideration; friends of the Jury; and you will
  readily decide that the kitten is wrongfully accused and should be set
  at liberty。〃
  When the Tin Woodman sat down no one applauded him; for his arguments
  had not been very convincing and few believed that he had proved
  Eureka's innocence。  As for the Jury; the members whispered to each
  other for a few minutes and then they appointed the Hungry Tiger their
  spokesman。  The huge beast slowly arose and said:
  〃Kittens have no consciences; so they eat whatever pleases them。  The
  jury believes the white kitten known as Eureka is guilty of having
  eaten the piglet owned by Princess Ozma; and recommends that she be
  put to death in punishment of the crime。〃
  The judgment of the jury was received with great applause; although
  Dorothy was sobbing miserably at the fate of her pet。  The Princess
  was just about to order Eureka's head chopped off with the Tin
  Woodman's axe when that brilliant personage once more arose and
  addressed her。
  〃Your Highness;〃 said he; 〃see how easy it is for a jury to be mistaken。
  The kitten could not have eaten your pigletfor here it is!〃
  He took off his funnel hat and from beneath it produced a tiny white
  piglet; which he held aloft that all might see it clearly。
  Ozma was delighted and exclaimed; eagerly:
  〃Give me my pet; Nick Chopper!〃
  And all the people cheered and clapped their hands; rejoicing that the
  prisoner had escaped death and been proved to be innocent。
  As the Princess held the white piglet in her arms and stroked its soft
  hair she said: 〃Let Eureka out of the cage; for she is no longer a
  prisoner; but our good friend。  Where did you find my missing pet;
  Nick Chopper?〃
  〃In a room of the palace;〃 he answered。
  〃Justice;〃 remarked the Scarecrow; with a sigh; 〃is a dangerous thing
  to meddle with。  If you hadn't happened to find the piglet; Eureka
  would surely have been executed。〃
  〃But justice prevailed at the last;〃 said Ozma; 〃for here is my pet;
  and Eureka is once more free。〃
  〃I refuse to be free;〃 cried the kitten; in a sharp voice; 〃unless the
  Wizard can do his trick with eight piglets。  If he can produce but
  seven; then this is not the piglet that was lost; but another one。〃
  〃Hush; Eureka!〃 warned the Wizard。
  〃Don't be foolish;〃 advised the Tin Woodman; 〃or you may be sorry for it。〃
  〃The piglet that belonged to the Princess wore an emerald collar;〃
  said Eureka; loudly enough for all to hear。
  〃So it did!〃 exclaimed Ozma。  〃This cannot be the one the Wizard gave me。〃
  〃Of course not; he had nine of them; altogether;〃 declared Eureka;
  〃and I must say it was very stingy of him not to let me eat just a
  few。  But now that this foolish trial is ended; I will tell you what
  really became of your pet piglet。〃
  At this everyone in the Throne Room suddenly became quiet; and the
  kitten continued; in a calm; mocking tone of voice:
  〃I will confess that I intended to eat the little pig for my
  breakfast; so I crept into the room where it was kept while the
  Princess was dressing and hid myself under a chair。  When Ozma went