dorothy and the wizard in oz-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



squealing；　while　Eureka；　snarling　and　biting　at　the　thorns　pushed

toward　her；　also　tried　to　protect　the　pretty　little　things　from

injury。　　Slowly　but　steadily　the　heartless　Mangaboos　drove　them　on；

until　they　had　passed　through　the　city　and　the　gardens　and　come　to　the

broad　plains　leading　to　the　mountain。



〃What　does　all　this　mean；　anyhow？〃　asked　the　horse；　jumping　to　escape

a　thorn。



〃Why；　they　are　driving　us　toward　the　Black　Pit；　into　which　they

threatened　to　cast　us；〃　replied　the　kitten。　　〃If　I　were　as　big　as　you

are；　Jim；　I'd　fight　these　miserable　turnip…roots！〃



〃What　would　you　do？〃　enquired　Jim。



〃I'd　kick　out　with　those　long　legs　and　iron…shod　hoofs。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　the　horse；　〃I'll　do　it。〃



An　instant　later　he　suddenly　backed　toward　the　crowd　of　Mangaboos　and

kicked　out　his　hind　legs　as　hard　as　he　could。　　A　dozen　of　them　smashed

together　and　tumbled　to　the　ground；　and　seeing　his　success　Jim　kicked

again　and　again；　charging　into　the　vegetable　crowd；　knocking　them　in

all　directions　and　sending　the　others　scattering　to　escape　his　iron

heels。　　Eureka　helped　him　by　flying　into　the　faces　of　the　enemy　and

scratching　and　biting　furiously；　and　the　kitten　ruined　so　many

vegetable　complexions　that　the　Mangaboos　feared　her　as　much　as　they

did　the　horse。



But　the　foes　were　too　many　to　be　repulsed　for　long。　　They　tired　Jim

and　Eureka　out；　and　although　the　field　of　battle　was　thickly　covered

with　mashed　and　disabled　Mangaboos；　our　animal　friends　had　to　give　up

at　last　and　allow　themselves　to　be　driven　to　the　mountain。







7。　　Into　the　Black　Pit　and　Out　Again





When　they　came　to　the　mountain　it　proved　to　be　a　rugged；　towering

chunk　of　deep　green　glass；　and　looked　dismal　and　forbidding　in　the

extreme。　　Half　way　up　the　steep　was　a　yawning　cave；　black　as　night

beyond　the　point　where　the　rainbow　rays　of　the　colored　suns　reached

into　it。



The　Mangaboos　drove　the　horse　and　the　kitten　and　the　piglets　into　this

dark　hole　and　then；　having　pushed　the　buggy　in　after　themfor　it

seemed　some　of　them　had　dragged　it　all　the　way　from　the　domed

hallthey　began　to　pile　big　glass　rocks　within　the　entrance；　so　that

the　prisoners　could　not　get　out　again。



〃This　is　dreadful！〃　groaned　Jim。　　〃It　will　be　about　the　end　of　our

adventures；　I　guess。〃



〃If　the　Wizard　was　here；〃　said　one　of　the　piglets；　sobbing　bitterly；

〃he　would　not　see　us　suffer　so。〃



〃We　ought　to　have　called　him　and　Dorothy　when　we　were　first　attacked；〃

added　Eureka。　　〃But　never　mind；　be　brave；　my　friends；　and　I　will　go

and　tell　our　masters　where　you　are；　and　get　them　to　come　to　your　rescue。〃



The　mouth　of　the　hole　was　nearly　filled　up　now；　but　the　kitten　gave　a

leap　through　the　remaining　opening　and　at　once　scampered　up　into　the

air。　　The　Mangaboos　saw　her　escape；　and　several　of　them　caught　up

their　thorns　and　gave　chase；　mounting　through　the　air　after　her。

Eureka；　however；　was　lighter　than　the　Mangaboos；　and　while　they　could

mount　only　about　a　hundred　feet　above　the　earth　the　kitten　found　she

could　go　nearly　two　hundred　feet。　　So　she　ran　along　over　their　heads

until　she　had　left　them　far　behind　and　below　and　had　come　to　the　city

and　the　House　of　the　Sorcerer。　　There　she　entered　in　at　Dorothy's

window　in　the　dome　and　aroused　her　from　her　sleep。



As　soon　as　the　little　girl　knew　what　had　happened　she　awakened　the

Wizard　and　Zeb；　and　at　once　preparations　were　made　to　go　to　the　rescue

of　Jim　and　the　piglets。　　The　Wizard　carried　his　satchel；　which　was

quite　heavy；　and　Zeb　carried　the　two　lanterns　and　the　oil　can。

Dorothy's　wicker　suit…case　was　still　under　the　seat　of　the　buggy；　and

by　good　fortune　the　boy　had　also　placed　the　harness　in　the　buggy　when

he　had　taken　it　off　from　Jim　to　let　the　horse　lie　down　and　rest。　　So

there　was　nothing　for　the　girl　to　carry　but　the　kitten；　which　she　held

close　to　her　bosom　and　tried　to　comfort；　for　its　little　heart　was　still

beating　rapidly。



Some　of　the　Mangaboos　discovered　them　as　soon　as　they　left　the　House

of　the　Sorcerer；　but　when　they　started　toward　the　mountain　the

vegetable　people　allowed　them　to　proceed　without　interference；　yet

followed　in　a　crowd　behind　them　so　that　they　could　not　go　back　again。



Before　long　they　neared　the　Black　Pit；　where　a　busy　swarm　of

Mangaboos；　headed　by　their　Princess；　was　engaged　in　piling　up　glass

rocks　before　the　entrance。



〃Stop；　I　command　you！〃　cried　the　Wizard；　in　an　angry　tone；　and　at　once

began　pulling　down　the　rocks　to　liberate　Jim　and　the　piglets。　　Instead

of　opposing　him　in　this　they　stood　back　in　silence　until　he　had　made　a

good…sized　hole　in　the　barrier；　when　by　order　of　the　Princess　they　all

sprang　forward　and　thrust　out　their　sharp　thorns。



Dorothy　hopped　inside　the　opening　to　escape　being　pricked；　and　Zeb　and

the　Wizard；　after　enduring　a　few　stabs　from　the　thorns；　were　glad　to

follow　her。　　At　once　the　Mangaboos　began　piling　up　the　rocks　of　glass

again；　and　as　the　little　man　realized　that　they　were　all　about　to　be

entombed　in　the　mountain　he　said　to　the　children：



〃My　dears；　what　shall　we　do？　　Jump　out　and　fight？〃



〃What's　the　use？〃　replied　Dorothy。　　〃I'd　as　soon　die　here　as　live　much

longer　among　these　cruel　and　heartless　people。〃



〃That's　the　way　I　feel　about　it；〃　remarked　Zeb；　rubbing　his　wounds。

〃I've　had　enough　of　the　Mangaboos。〃



〃All　right；〃　said　the　Wizard；　〃I'm　with　you；　whatever　you　decide。　　But

we　can't　live　long　in　this　cavern；　that's　certain。〃



Noticing　that　the　light　was　growing　dim　he　picked　up　his　nine　piglets；

patted　each　one　lovingly　on　its　fat　little　head；　and　placed　them

carefully　in　his　inside　pocket。



Zeb　struck　a　match　and　lighted　one　of　the　lanterns。　　The　rays　of　the

colored　suns　were　now　shut　out　from　them　forever；　for　the　last　chinks

had　been　filled　up　in　the　wall　that　separated　their　prison　from　the

Land　of　the　Mangaboos。



〃How　big　is　this　hole？〃　asked　Dorothy。



〃I'll　explore　it　and　see；〃　replied　the　boy。



So　he　carried　the　lantern　back　for　quite　a　distance；　while　Dorothy　and

the　Wizard　followed　at　his　side。　　The　cavern　did　not　come　to　an　end；

as　they　had　expected　it　would；　but　slanted　upward　through　the　great

glass　mountain；　running　in　a　direction　that　promised　to　lead　them　to

the　side　opposite　the　Mangaboo　country。



〃It　isn't　a　bad　road；〃　observed　the　Wizard；　〃and　if　we　followed　it　it

might　lead　us　to　some　place　that　is　more　comfortable　than　this　black

pocket　we　are　now　in。　　I　suppose　the　vegetable　folk　were　always

afraid　to　enter　this　cavern　because　it　is　dark；　but　we　have　our

lanterns　to　light　the　way；　so　I　propose　that　we　start　out　and　discover

where　this　tunnel　in　the　mountain　leads　to。〃



The　others　agreed　readily　to　this　sensible　suggestion；　and　at　once　the

boy　began　to　harness　Jim　to　the　buggy。　　When　all　was　in　readiness　the

three　took　their　seats　in　the　buggy　and　Jim　started　cautiously　along

the　way；　Zeb　driving　while　the　Wizard　and　Dorothy　each　held　a　lighted

lantern　so　the　horse　could　see　where　to　go。



Sometimes　the　tunnel　was　so　narrow　that　the　wheels　of　the　buggy　grazed

the　sides；　then　it　would　broaden　out　as　wide　as　a　street；　but　the

floor　was　usually　smooth；　and　for　a　long　time　they　travelled　on

without　any　accident。　　Jim　stopped　sometimes　to　rest；　for　the　climb

was　rather　steep　and　tiresome。



〃We　must　be　nearly　as　high　as　the　six　colored　suns；　by　this　time；〃

said　Dorothy。　　〃I　didn't　know　this　mountain　was　so　tall。〃



〃We　are　certainly　a　good　distance　away　from　the　Land　of　the　Mangaboos；〃

added　Zeb；　〃for　we　have　slanted　away　from　it　ever　since　we　started。〃



But　they　kept　steadily　moving；　and　just　as　Jim　was　about　tired　out　with

his　long　journey　the　way　suddenly　grew　lighter；　and　Zeb　put　out　the

lanterns　to　save　the　oil。



To　their　joy　they　found　it　was　a　white　light　that　now　greeted　them；

for　all　were　weary　of　the　colored　rainbow　lights　which；　after　a　time；

had　made　their　eyes　ache　with　their　constantly　shifting　rays。　　The

sides　of　the　tunnel　showed　before　them　like　the　inside　of　a　long

spy…glass；　and　the　floor　became　more　level。　　Jim　hastened　his　lagging

steps　at　this　assurance　of　a　quick　relief　from　the　dark　passage；　and

in　a　few　moments　more　they　had　emerged　from　the　mountain　and　found

themselves　face　to　face　with　a　new　and　charming　country。







8。　　The　Valley　of　Voices





By　journeying　through　the　glass　mountain　they　had　reached　a　delightful

valley　that　was　shaped　like　the　hollow　of　a　great　cup；　with　another

rugged　mountain　showing　on　the　other　side　of　it；　and　soft　and　pretty

green　hills　at　the　ends。　　It　was　all　laid　out　into　lovely　lawns　and

gardens；　with　pebble　paths　leading　through　them　and　groves　of

beautiful　and　stately　trees　dotting　the　landscape　here　and　there。

There　were　orchards；　too；　bearing　luscious　fruits　that　are　all　unknown

in　our　world。　　Alluring　brooks　of　crystal　water　flowed　sparkling

between　their　flower…strewn　banks；　while　scattered　over　the　valley　were

dozens　of　the　quaintest　and　most　picturesque　cottages　our　travelers

had　ever　beheld。　　None　of　them　were　in　clusters；　such　as　villages　or

towns；　but　each　had　ample　grounds　of　its　own；　with　orchards　and

gardens　surrounding　it。



As　the　new　arrivals　gazed　upon　this　exquisite　scene　they　were

enraptured　by　its　beauties　and　the　fragrance　that　permeated　the　soft

air；　which　they　breathed　so　gratefully　after　the　confined　atmosphere

of　the　tunnel。　　Several　minutes　were　consumed　in　silent　admiration

before　they　noticed　two　very　singular　and　unusual　facts　about　this

valley。　　One　was　that　it　was　lighted　from　some　unseen　source；　for　no

sun　or　moon　was　in　the　arched　blue　sky；　although　every　object　was

flooded　with　a　clear　and　perfect　light。　　The　second　and　even　more

singular　fact　was　the　absence　of　any　inhabitant　of　this　splendid

place。　　From　their　elevated　position　they　could　overlook　the　entire

valley；　but　not　a　single　moving　object　could　they　see。　　All　appeared

mysteriously　deserted。



The　mountain　on　this　side　was　not　glass；　but　made　of　a　stone　similar

to　granite。　　With　some　difficulty　and　danger　Jim　drew　the　buggy　over

the　loose　rocks　until　he　reached　the　green　lawns　below；　where　the

paths　and　orchards　and　gardens　began。　　The　nearest　cottage　was　still

some　distance　away。



〃Isn't　it　fine？〃　cried　Dorothy；　in　a　joyous　voice；　as　she　sprang　out

of　the　buggy　and　let　Eureka　run　frolicking　over　the　velvety　grass。



〃Yes；　indeed！〃　answered　Zeb。　　〃We　were　lucky　to　get　away　from　those

dreadful　vegetable　people。〃



〃It　wouldn't　be　so　bad；〃　remarked　the　Wizard；　gazing　around　him；　〃if

we　were　obliged　to　live　here　always。　　We　couldn't　find　a　prettier

place；　I'm　sure。〃



He　took　the　piglets　from　his　pocket　and　let　them　run　on　the　grass；　and

Jim　tasted　a　mouthful　of　the　green　blades　and　declared　he　was　very

contented　in　his　new　surroundings。



〃We　can't　walk　in　the　air　here；　though；〃　called　Eureka