第 4 节
作者:千顷寒      更新:2021-02-20 15:27      字数:9322
  outside   the   window。   Fortunately   the   sash   had   been   up;   and   Koku   had
  tossed   Mr。   Period   through   the   open   window。   Otherwise;   had   there   been
  glass;    the  well…meaning;       but  unreasoning      giant   would    probably     have
  thrown his   victim  through   that;  and   he   might   have   been   badly  cut。 Tom
  had the window open for fresh air; as it was rather close in the shop。
  〃Why; Koku!〃 exclaimed the young inventor; as he leaned out of the
  window; and extended his hand to the moving picture man to help him out
  of the drift。 〃What do von mean by that?〃 Have you gone crazy?〃
  〃No; but no one shall lay hands on my master!〃 declared the giant half
  savagely。 〃I have vowed to always protect you from danger; in return for
  what   you   did   for   me。   I   saw   this   man   lay   his   hand   on   you。   In   another
  moment he might have killed you; had not Koku been here。 There is no
  danger   when   I   am   by;〃   and   he   stretched   out   his   huge   arms;   and   looked
  ferocious。 〃I have turned over that man; your enemy!〃 he added。
  〃Yes; you overturned me all right;〃 admitted Mr。 Period; as he got to
  his   feet;   and   crawled   in   through   the   window   to   the   shop   again。   〃I   went
  head   over heels。  I'm  glad it   was   clean snow;  and   not   a   mud   bank; Tom。
  What in the world is the matter with him?〃
  〃I   guess he   thought   you   were going   to harm  me;   said Tom  in   a   low
  voice; as the picture man came in the shop。 〃Koku is very devoted to me;
  and sometimes he makes trouble;〃 the youth went on。 〃But he means it all
  for   the   best。   I   am   very   sorry   for   what   happened;〃   and   Tom   aided   Mr。
  Period in brushing   the snow  off   his garments。  〃Koku;  you   must   beg the
  pardon of this gentleman;〃 Tom directed。
  〃What for?〃 the giant wanted to know。
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  〃For throwing him into the snow。 It is not allowed to do such things in
  this country; even though it is in Giant Land。 Beg his pardon。
  〃I shall not;〃 said the giant calmly; for Tom had taught him to speak
  fairly good English; though sometimes he got his words backwards。
  〃The   man   was   about   to   kill   you;   and   I   stopped himI   will stop   him
  once     more;   though     if  he  does   not   like  the   snow;   I  can   throw    him
  somewhere else。〃
  〃No! No! You must not do it!〃 cried Tom。 〃He meant no harm。 He is
  my friend。〃
  〃I am glad to hear you say that;〃 exclaimed the picture man。 〃I have
  hopes that you will do what I want。〃
  〃He your friend?〃 asked Koku wonderingly。 〃Certainly; and you must
  beg his pardon for what you did;〃 insisted Tom。
  〃Very well。 I am glad you did not hurt yourself;〃 said the giant; and
  with that 〃apology〃 he stalked out of the room; his feelings evidently very
  much disturbed。
  〃Ha! Ha!〃 laughed Mr。 Period。 〃I guess he can't see any one but you;
  Tom。 But never mind。 I know he didn't mean anything; and; as I'm none
  the worse I'll forgive him。 My necktie isn't spotted; is it?〃
  〃No;   the   snow   didn't   seem   to   do   that   any   harm;〃   replied   the   young
  inventor; as he looked at the brilliant piece of red silk around Mr。 Period's
  collar。
  〃I am very particular about my neckties;〃 went on the picture man。 〃I
  always wear one color。 My friends never forget me then。〃
  Tom wondered how they could ever forget him; even though he wore
  no tie; for his figure and face were such as to not easily be forgotten。
  〃I'm  glad   it's   not   soiled;〃   went   on   〃Spotty〃   as   he   liked   to   be   called。
  〃Now; Tom; you said you were my friend。 Prove it by accepting my offer。
  Build that wizard camera; and get me some moving pictures that will be a
  sensation。 Say you will!〃
  He looked appealingly at Tom; and; remembering the rather rude and
  unexpected   treatment   to   which   Koku had   submitted the   gentleman; Tom
  felt   his   mind   changing。   Still   he   was   not   yet   ready   to   give   in。   He   rather
  liked the idea the more he thought of it; but he felt that he had other duties;
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  and   much   to   occupy   him   at   home;   especially   if   he   perfected   his   silent
  motor。
  〃Will   you   go?〃   asked   Mr。   Period;   picking   up   his   fountain   pen   and
  check   book;   that   he   had   laid   aside   when   he   walked   over   to   Tom;   just
  before the giant grasped him。 〃Say you will。〃
  The young inventor was silent a moment。 He thought over the many
  adventures he had gone throughin the caves of ice; in the city of gold;
  escaping from the giants; and the red pygmiesHe went over the details of
  his   trips   through   the   air;   of   the   dangers   under   the   seas;   of   those   he   had
  escaped from on Earthquake Island。 Surely e was entitled to a little rest at
  home。
  And yet there was a lure to it all。 A certain fascination that was hard to
  resist。 Mr。 Period must have seen what was going on in Tom's mind; for he
  said:
  〃I know you're going。 I can see it。 Why; it will be just the very thing
  you   need。 You'll get   more   fame   out   of   this thing   than   from  any  of   your
  other inventions。 Come; say you'll do it。
  〃I'll tell you what I'll do !〃 he went on eagerly。 〃After you make the
  camera; and take a lot of films; showing strange and wonderful scenes; I'll
  put at the end of each film; next to my picture; your name; and a statement
  showing       that  you    took   the   originals。   How's     that?   Talk   about    being
  advertised! Why you can't beat it! Millions of people will read your name
  at the picture shows every night。〃
  〃I am not looking for advertisements;〃 said Tom; with a laugh。
  〃Well; then; think of the benefit you will be to science;〃 went on Mr。
  Period quickly。 〃Think of the few people who have seen wild animals as
  they   are;   of   those   who   have   ever   seen   an   earth…   quake;   or   a   volcano   in
  action。 You can go to Japan; and get pictures of earthquakes。 They have
  them on tap there。 And as for volcanoes; why the Andes mountains are full
  of   'em。 Think   of   how   many  people   will   be   thankful   to   you   for   showing
  them these wonderful scenes。〃
  〃And think of what might happen if I should take a tumble into a crack
  in the earth; or down a hot volcano; or fall into a jungle when there was a
  fight on among the elephants;〃 suggested Tom。 〃My airship might take a
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  notion to go down when I was doing the photographing;〃 he added。
  〃No。 Nothing like that will happen to Tom Swift;〃 was the confident
  answer   of   the   picture   man。   〃I've   read   of   your   doings。   You   don't   have
  accidents that you can't get the better of。 But come; I know you're thinking
  of   it;   and   I'm   sure   you'll   go。   Let   me   make   you   out   this   check;   sign   a
  contract which I have all ready; and then get to work on the camera。〃
  Tom was silent a moment。 Then he said:
  〃Well; I admit that there is something attractive about it。 I hoped I was
  going to stay home。 for a long time。 But〃
  〃Then you'll go!〃 cried Mr。 Period eagerly。 〃Here's the money;〃 and he
  quickly   filled   out   a   check   for   Tom's   first   expenses;   holding   the   slip   of
  paper toward the young inventor。
  〃Wait   a   minute!   Hold   on!〃   cried   Tom。   〃Not   so   fast   if   you   please。   I
  haven't yet made up my mind。〃
  〃But you will; won't you?〃 asked Mr。 Period。
  〃Well; I'll make up my mind; one way or the other;〃 replied the young
  man。 〃I won't say I'll go; but〃
  〃I'll tell you what I'll do!〃 interrupted Mr。 Period。 〃I'm a busy man; and
  every second is worth money to me。 But I'll wait for you to make up your
  mind。 I'll give you until to…morrow night。 How's that? Fair; isn't it?〃
  〃YesI think so。 I am afraid〃
  〃I'm not!〃 broke in the picture man。 〃I know you'll decide to go。 Think
  of the fun and excitement you'll have。 Now I've taken up a lot of your time;
  and I'm going to leave you alone。 I'll be back tomorrow evening for my
  answer。 But I know you're going to get those moving pictures for me。 Is
  that   giant   of   yours   anywhere   about?〃   he   asked;   as   he   looked   cautiously
  around before leaving the shop。 〃I don't want to fall into his hands again。〃
  〃I don't blame you;〃 agreed Tom。 〃I never knew him to act that way
  before。 But I