dorothy and the wizard in oz-第13章

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more　than　the　fact　that　it　was　really　hurt。　　Before　this　crowned

Gargoyle　had　recovered　himself　Zeb　had　wound　a　strap　several　times

around　its　body；　confining　its　wings　and　arms　so　that　it　could　not

move。　　Then；　having　tied　the　wooden　creature　securely；　the　boy　buckled

the　strap　and　tossed　his　prisoner　into　the　buggy。　　By　that　time　the

others　had　all　retired。







12。　　A　Wonderful　Escape





For　a　while　the　enemy　hesitated　to　renew　the　attack。　　Then　a　few　of　them

advanced　until　another　shot　from　the　Wizard's　revolver　made　them　retreat。



〃That's　fine；〃　said　Zeb。　　〃We've　got　'em　on　the　run　now；　sure　enough。〃



〃But　only　for　a　time；〃　replied　the　Wizard；　shaking　his　head　gloomily。

〃These　revolvers　are　good　for　six　shots　each；　but　when　those　are　gone

we　shall　be　helpless。〃



The　Gargoyles　seemed　to　realize　this；　for　they　sent　a　few　of　their

band　time　after　time　to　attack　the　strangers　and　draw　the　fire　from

the　little　man's　revolvers。　　In　this　way　none　of　them　was　shocked　by

the　dreadful　report　more　than　once；　for　the　main　band　kept　far　away

and　each　time　a　new　company　was　sent　into　the　battle。　　When　the　Wizard

had　fired　all　of　his　twelve　bullets　he　had　caused　no　damage　to　the

enemy　except　to　stun　a　few　by　the　noise；　and　so　he　as　no　nearer　to

victory　than　in　the　beginning　of　the　fray。



〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　asked　Dorothy；　anxiously。



〃Let's　yellall　together；〃　said　Zeb。



〃And　fight　at　the　same　time；〃　added　the　Wizard。　　〃We　will　get　near

Jim；　so　that　he　can　help　us；　and　each　one　must　take　some　weapon　and　do

the　best　he　can。　　I'll　use　my　sword；　although　it　isn't　much　account　in

this　affair。　　Dorothy　must　take　her　parasol　and　open　it　suddenly　when

the　wooden　folks　attack　her。　　I　haven't　anything　for　you；　Zeb。〃



〃I'll　use　the　king；〃　said　the　boy；　and　pulled　his　prisoner　out　of　the

buggy。　　The　bound　Gargoyle's　arms　extended　far　out　beyond　its　head；

so　by　grasping　its　wrists　Zeb　found　the　king　made　a　very　good　club。

The　boy　was　strong　for　one　of　his　years；　having　always　worked　upon　a　farm；

so　he　was　likely　to　prove　more　dangerous　to　the　enemy　than　the　Wizard。



When　the　next　company　of　Gargoyles　advanced；　our　adventurers　began

yelling　as　if　they　had　gone　mad。　　Even　the　kitten　gave　a　dreadfully

shrill　scream　and　at　the　same　time　Jim　the　cab…horse　neighed　loudly。

This　daunted　the　enemy　for　a　time；　but　the　defenders　were　soon　out　of

breath。　　Perceiving　this；　as　well　as　the　fact　that　there　were　no　more

of　the　awful　〃bangs〃　to　come　from　the　revolvers；　the　Gargoyles　advanced

in　a　swarm　as　thick　as　bees；　so　that　the　air　was　filled　with　them。



Dorothy　squatted　upon　the　ground　and　put　up　her　parasol；　which　nearly

covered　her　and　proved　a　great　protection。　　The　Wizard's　sword…blade

snapped　into　a　dozen　pieces　at　the　first　blow　he　struck　against　the

wooden　people。　　Zeb　pounded　away　with　the　Gargoyle　he　was　using　as　a

club　until　he　had　knocked　down　dozens　of　foes；　but　at　the　last　they

clustered　so　thickly　about　him　that　he　no　longer　had　room　in　which　to

swing　his　arms。　　The　horse　performed　some　wonderful　kicking　and　even

Eureka　assisted　when　she　leaped　bodily　upon　the　Gargoyles　and

scratched　and　bit　at　them　like　a　wild…cat。



But　all　this　bravery　amounted　to　nothing　at　all。　　The　wooden　things

wound　their　long　arms　around　Zeb　and　the　Wizard　and　held　them　fast。

Dorothy　was　captured　in　the　same　way；　and　numbers　of　the　Gargoyles

clung　to　Jim's　legs；　so　weighting　him　down　that　the　poor　beast　was

helpless。　　Eureka　made　a　desperate　dash　to　escape　and　scampered　along

the　ground　like　a　streak；　but　a　grinning　Gargoyle　flew　after　her　and

grabbed　her　before　she　had　gone　very　far。



All　of　them　expected　nothing　less　than　instant　death；　but　to　their

surprise　the　wooden　creatures　flew　into　the　air　with　them　and　bore

them　far　away；　over　miles　and　miles　of　wooden　country；　until　they　came

to　a　wooden　city。　　The　houses　of　this　city　had　many　corners；　being


square　and　six…sided　and　eight…sided。　　They　were　tower…like　in　shape

and　the　best　of　them　seemed　old　and　weather…worn；　yet　all　were　strong

and　substantial。



To　one　of　these　houses　which　had　neither　doors　nor　windows；　but　only

one　broad　opening　far　up　underneath　the　roof；　the　prisoners　were

brought　by　their　captors。　　The　Gargoyles　roughly　pushed　them　into　the

opening；　where　there　was　a　platform；　and　then　flew　away　and　left　them。

As　they　had　no　wings　the　strangers　could　not　fly　away；　and　if　they

jumped　down　from　such　a　height　they　would　surely　be　killed。　　The

creatures　had　sense　enough　to　reason　that　way；　and　the　only　mistake

they　made　was　in　supposing　the　earth　people　were　unable　to　overcome

such　ordinary　difficulties。



Jim　was　brought　with　the　others；　although　it　took　a　good　many

Gargoyles　to　carry　the　big　beast　through　the　air　and　land　him　on　the

high　platform；　and　the　buggy　was　thrust　in　after　him　because　it

belonged　to　the　party　and　the　wooden　folks　had　no　idea　what　it　was

used　for　or　whether　it　was　alive　or　not。　　When　Eureka's　captor　had

thrown　the　kitten　after　the　others　the　last　Gargoyle　silently

disappeared；　leaving　our　friends　to　breathe　freely　once　more。



〃What　an　awful　fight！〃　said　Dorothy；　catching　her　breath　in　little　gasps。



〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　purred　Eureka；　smoothing　her　ruffled　fur　with　her

paw；　〃we　didn't　manage　to　hurt　anybody；　and　nobody　managed　to　hurt　us。〃



〃Thank　goodness　we　are　together　again；　even　if　we　are　prisoners；〃

sighed　the　little　girl。



〃I　wonder　why　they　didn't　kill　us　on　the　spot；〃　remarked　Zeb；　who　had

lost　his　king　in　the　struggle。



〃They　are　probably　keeping　us　for　some　ceremony；〃　the　Wizard　answered；

reflectively；　〃but　there　is　no　doubt　they　intend　to　kill　us　as　dead　as

possible　in　a　short　time。〃



〃As　dead　as　poss'ble　would　be　pretty　dead；　wouldn't　it？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃Yes；　my　dear。　　But　we　have　no　need　to　worry　about　that　just　now。　　Let

us　examine　our　prison　and　see　what　it　is　like。〃



The　space　underneath　the　roof；　where　they　stood；　permitted　them　to　see

on　all　sides　of　the　tall　building；　and　they　looked　with　much　curiosity

at　the　city　spread　out　beneath　them。　　Everything　visible　was　made　of

wood；　and　the　scene　seemed　stiff　and　extremely　unnatural。



From　their　platform　a　stair　descended　into　the　house；　and　the　children

and　the　Wizard　explored　it　after　lighting　a　lantern　to　show　them　the

way。　　Several　stories　of　empty　rooms　rewarded　their　search；　but

nothing　more；　　so　after　a　time　they　came　back　to　the　platform　again。

Had　there　been　any　doors　or　windows　in　the　lower　rooms；　or　had　not　the

boards　of　the　house　been　so　thick　and　stout；　escape　could　have　been

easy；　but　to　remain　down　below　was　like　being　in　a　cellar　or　the　hold

of　a　ship；　and　they　did　not　like　the　darkness　or　the　damp　smell。



In　this　country；　as　in　all　others　they　had　visited　underneath　the

earth's　surface；　there　was　no　night；　a　constant　and　strong　light

coming　from　some　unknown　source。　　Looking　out；　they　could　see　into

some　of　the　houses　near　them；　where　there　were　open　windows　in

abundance；　and　were　able　to　mark　the　forms　of　the　wooden　Gargoyles

moving　about　in　their　dwellings。



〃This　seems　to　be　their　time　of　rest；〃　observed　the　Wizard。

〃All　people　need　rest；　even　if　they　are　made　of　wood；　and　as

there　is　no　night　here　they　select　a　certain　time　of　the　day

in　which　to　sleep　or　doze。〃



〃I　feel　sleepy　myself；〃　remarked　Zeb；　yawning。



〃Why；　where's　Eureka？〃　cried　Dorothy；　suddenly。



They　all　looked　around；　but　the　kitten　was　no　place　to　be　seen。



〃She's　gone　out　for　a　walk；〃　said　Jim；　gruffly。



〃Where？　　On　the　roof？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃No；　she　just　dug　her　claws　into　the　wood　and　climbed　down　the　sides

of　this　house　to　the　ground。〃



〃She　couldn't　climb　DOWN；　Jim；〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃To　climb　means　to　go　up。〃



〃Who　said　so？〃　demanded　the　horse。



〃My　school…teacher　said　so；　and　she　knows　a　lot；　Jim。〃



〃To　'climb　down'　is　sometimes　used　as　a　figure　of　speech；〃　remarked

the　Wizard。



〃Well；　this　was　a　figure　of　a　cat；〃　said　Jim；　〃and　she　WENT　down；

anyhow；　whether　she　climbed　or　crept。〃



〃Dear　me！　how　careless　Eureka　is；〃　exclaimed　the　girl；　much

distressed。　　〃The　Gurgles　will　get　her；　sure！〃



〃Ha；　ha！〃　chuckled　the　old　cab…horse；　〃they're　not　'Gurgles；'　little

maid；　they're　Gargoyles。〃



〃Never　mind；　they'll　get　Eureka；　whatever　they're　called。〃



〃No　they　won't；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　kitten；　and　Eureka　herself　crawled

over　the　edge　of　the　platform　and　sat　down　quietly　upon　the　floor。



〃Wherever　have　you　been；　Eureka？〃　asked　Dorothy；　sternly。



〃Watching　the　wooden　folks。　　They're　too　funny　for　anything；　Dorothy。

Just　now　they　are　all　going　to　bed；　andwhat　do　you　think？they

unhook　the　hinges　of　their　wings　and　put　them　in　a　corner　until　they

wake　up　again。〃



〃What；　the　hinges？〃



〃No；　the　wings。〃



〃That；〃　said　Zeb；　〃explains　why　this　house　is　used　by　them　for　a

prison。　　If　any　of　the　Gargoyles　act　badly；　and　have　to　be　put　in

jail；　they　are　brought　here　and　their　wings　unhooked　and　taken　away

from　them　until　they　promise　to　be　good。〃



The　Wizard　had　listened　intently　to　what　Eureka　had　said。



〃I　wish　we　had　some　of　those　loose　wings；〃　he　said。



〃Could　we　fly　with　them？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃I　think　so。　　If　the　Gargoyles　can　unhook　the　wings　then　the　power　to

fly　lies　in　the　wings　themselves；　and　not　in　the　wooden　bodies　of　the

people　who　wear　them。　　So；　if　we　had　the　wings；　we　could　probably　fly

as　well　as　they　doas　least　while　we　are　in　their　country　and　under

the　spell　of　its　magic。〃



〃But　how　would　it　help　us　to　be　able　to　fly？〃　questioned　the　girl。



〃Come　here；〃　said　the　little　man；　and　took　her　to　one　of　the　corners

of　the　building。　　〃Do　you　see　that　big　rock　standing　on　the　hillside

yonder？〃　he　continued；　pointing　with　his　finger。



〃Yes；　it's　a　good　way　off；　but　I　can　see　it；〃　she　replied。



〃Well；　inside　that　rock；　which　reaches　up　into　the　clouds；　is　an

archway　very　much　like　the　one　we　entered　when　we　climbed　the　spiral

stairway　from　the　Valley　of　Voe。　　I'll　get　my　spy…glass；　and　then　you

can　see　it　more　plainly。〃



He　fetched　a　small　but　powerful　telescope；　which　had　been　in　his

satchel；　and　by　its　aid　the　little　girl　clearly　saw　the　opening。



〃Where　does　it　lead　to？〃　she　asked。



〃That　I　cannot　tell；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃but　we　cannot　now　be　far　below

the　earth's　surface；　and　that　entrance　may　lead　to　another　stairway

that　will　bring　us　on　top　of　our　world　again；　where　we　belong。　　So；　if

we　had　the　wings；　and　could　escape　the　Gargoyles；　we　might　fly　to　that

rock　and　be　saved。〃



〃I'll　get　you　the　wings；〃　said　Zeb；　who　had　thoughtfully　listened　to

all　this。　　〃That　is；　if　the　kitten　will　show　me　where　they　are。〃



〃But　how　can　you　get　down？〃　enquired　the　girl；　wonderingly。



For　answer　Zeb　began　to　unfasten　Jim's　harness；　strap　by　strap；　and　to

buckle　one