第 23 节
作者:冥王      更新:2021-02-24 22:16      字数:9321
  and punished them。 The Scarecrow understood at once that
  the old woman meant harm to his new friends; so as she
  drew near he stepped before her。 His appearance was so
  sudden and unexpected that Blinkie ran into him and
  toppled him over; but she tripped on his straw body and
  went rolling in the path beside him。
  The Scarecrow sat up and said: 〃I beg your pardon!〃 but
  she whacked him with her stick and knocked him flat
  again。 Then; furious with rage; the old witch sprang upon
  her victim and began pulling the straw out of his body。
  The poor Scarecrow was helpless to resist and in a few
  moments all that was left of him was an empty suit of
  clothes and a heap of straw beside it。 Fortunately;
  Blinkie did not harm his head; for it rolled into a
  little hollow and escaped her notice。 Fearing that Pon
  and Trot would escape her; she quickly resumed the chase
  and disappeared over the brow of a hill; following the
  direction in which she had seen them go。
  Only a short time elapsed before a gray grasshopper
  with a wooden leg came hopping along and lit directly on
  the upturned face of the Scarecrow's head。
  〃Pardon me; but you are resting yourself upon my nose;〃
  remarked the Scarecrow
  〃Oh! are you alive?〃 asked the grasshopper。
  〃That is a question I have never been able to decide;〃
  said the Scarecrow's head。 〃When my body is properly
  stuffed I have animation and can move around as well as
  any live person。 The brains in the head you are now
  occupying as a throne; are of very superior quality and
  do a lot of very clever thinking。 But whether that is
  being alive; or not; I cannot prove to you; for one who
  lives is liable to death; while I am only liable to
  destruction。〃
  〃Seems to me;〃 said the grasshopper; rubbing his nose
  with his front legs; 〃that in your case it doesn't matter
  unless you're destroyed already。〃
  〃I am not; all I need is re…stuffing;〃 declared the
  Scarecrow; 〃and if Pon and Trot escape the witch; and
  come back here; I am sure they will do me that favor。〃
  〃Tell me! Are Trot and Pon around here?〃 inquired the
  grasshopper; its small voice trembling with excitement。
  The Scarecrow did not answer at once; for both his eyes
  were staring straight upward at a beautiful face that was
  slightly bent over his head。 It was; indeed; Princess
  Gloria; who had wandered to this spot; very much
  surprised when she heard the Scarecrow's head talk and
  the tiny gray grasshopper answer it。
  〃This;〃 said the Scarecrow; still staring at her; 〃must
  be the Princess who loves Pon; the gardener's boy。〃
  〃Oh; indeed!〃 exclaimed the grasshopper  who of
  course was Cap'n Bill  as he examined the young lady
  curiously。
  〃No;〃 said Gloria frigidly; 〃I do not love Pon; or
  anyone else; for the Wicked Witch has frozen my heart。〃
  〃What a shame!〃 cried the Scarecrow。 〃One so lovely
  should be able to love。 But would you mind; my dear;
  stuffing that straw into my body again?〃
  The dainty Princess glanced at the straw and at the
  well…worn blue Munchkin clothes and shrank back in
  disdain。 But she was spared from refusing the Scarecrow's
  request by the appearance of Trot and Pon; who had hidden
  in some bushes just over the brow of the hill and waited
  until old Blinkie had passed them by。 Their hiding place
  was on the same side as the witch's blind eye; and she
  rushed on in the chase of the girl and the youth without
  being aware that they had tricked her。
  Trot was shocked at the Scarecrow's sad condition and
  at once began putting the straw back into his body。 Pon;
  at sight of Gloria; again appealed to her to take pity on
  him; but the frozen…hearted Princess turned coldly away
  and with a sigh the gardener's boy began to assist Trot。
  Neither of them at first noticed the small grasshopper;
  which at their appearance had skipped off the Scarecrow's
  nose and was now clinging to a wisp of grass beside the
  path; where he was not likely to be stepped upon。 Not
  until the Scarecrow had been neatly restuffed and set
  upon his feet again  when he bowed to his restorers and
  expressed his thanks  did the grasshopper move from his
  perch。 Then he leaped lightly into the path and called
  out:
  〃Trot  Trot! Look at me。 I'm Cap'n Bill! See what the
  Wicked Witch has done to me。〃
  The voice was small; to be sure; but it reached Trot's
  ears and startled her greatly。 She looked intently at the
  grasshopper; her eyes wide with fear at first; then she
  knelt down and; noticing the wooden leg; she began to
  weep sorrowfully。
  〃Oh; Cap'n Bill  dear Cap'n Bill! What a cruel thing
  to do!〃 she sobbed。
  〃Don't cry; Trot;〃 begged the grasshopper。 〃It didn't
  hurt any; and it doesn't hurt now。 But it's mighty
  inconvenient an' humiliatin'; to say the least。〃
  〃I wish;〃 said the girl indignantly; while trying hard
  to restrain her tears; 〃that I was big 'nough an' strong
  'nough to give that horrid witch a good beating。 She
  ought to be turned into a toad for doing this to you;
  Cap'n Bill!〃
  〃Never mind;〃 urged the Scarecrow; in a comforting
  voice; 〃such a transformation doesn't last always; and as
  a general thing there's some way to break the
  enchantment。 I'm sure Glinda could do it; in a jiffy。〃
  〃Who is Glinda?〃 inquired Cap'n Bill。
  Then the Scarecrow told them all about Glinda; not
  forgetting to mention her beauty and goodness and her
  wonderful powers of magic。 He also explained how the
  Royal Sorceress had sent him to Jinxland especially to
  help the strangers; whom she knew to be in danger because
  of the wiles of the cruel King and the Wicked Witch。
  Chapter Sixteen
  Pon Summons the King to Surrender
  Gloria had drawn near to the group to listen to their
  talk; and it seemed to interest her in spite of her
  frigid manner。 They knew; of course; that the poor
  Princess could not help being cold and reserved; so they
  tried not to blame her。
  〃I ought to have come here a little sooner;〃 said the
  Scarecrow; regretfully; 〃but Glinda sent me as soon as
  she discovered you were here and were likely to get into
  trouble。 And now that we are all together  except
  Button…Bright; over whom it is useless to worry  I
  propose we hold a council of war; to decide what is best
  to be done。〃
  That seemed a wise thing to do; so they all sat down
  upon the grass; including Gloria; and the grasshopper
  perched upon Trot's shoulder and allowed her to stroke
  him gently with her hand。
  〃In the first place;〃 began the Scarecrow; 〃this King
  Krewl is a usurper and has no right to rule this Kingdom
  of Jinxland。〃
  〃That is true;〃 said Pon; eagerly。 〃My father was King
  before him; and I 〃
  〃You are a gardener's boy;〃 interrupted the Scarecrow。
  〃Your father had no right to rule; either; for the
  rightful King of this land was the father of Princess
  Gloria; and only she is entitled to sit upon the throne
  of Jinxland。〃
  〃Good!〃 exclaimed Trot。 〃But what'll we do with King
  Krewl? I s'pose he won't give up the throne unless he has
  to。〃
  〃No; of course not;〃 said the Scarecrow。 〃Therefore it
  will be our duty to make him give up the throne。〃
  〃How?〃 asked Trot。
  〃Give me time to think;〃 was the reply。 〃That's what my
  brains are for。 I don't know whether you people ever
  think; or not; but my brains are the best that the Wizard
  of Oz ever turned out; and if I give them plenty of time
  to work; the result usually surprises me。〃
  〃Take your time; then;〃 suggested Trot。 〃There's no
  hurry。〃
  〃Thank you;〃 said the straw man; and sat perfectly
  still for half an hour。 During this interval the
  grasshopper whispered in Trot's ear; to which he was very
  close; and Trot whispered back to the grasshopper sitting
  upon her shoulder。 Pon cast loving glances at Gloria; who
  paid not the slightest heed to them。
  Finally the Scarecrow laughed aloud。
  〃Brains working?〃 inquired Trot。
  〃Yes。 They seem in fine order to…day。 We will conquer
  King Krewl and put Gloria upon his throne as Queen of
  Jinxland。〃
  〃Fine!〃 cried the little girl; clapping her hands
  together