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the wonderful wizard of oz-第12部分

小说: the wonderful wizard of oz 字数: 每页4000字

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emeralds。  They walked over a pavement of the same green marble;

and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds;

set closely; and glittering in the brightness of the sun。  The

window panes were of green glass; even the sky above the City had

a green tint; and the rays of the sun were green。



    There were many peoplemen; women; and childrenwalking about;

and these were all dressed in green clothes and had greenish skins。

They looked at Dorothy and her strangely assorted company with

wondering eyes; and the children all ran away and hid behind

their mothers when they saw the Lion; but no one spoke to them。

Many shops stood in the street; and Dorothy saw that everything

in them was green。  Green candy and green pop corn were offered

for sale; as well as green shoes; green hats; and green clothes

of all sorts。  At one place a man was selling green lemonade;

and when the children bought it Dorothy could see that they paid

for it with green pennies。



    There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men

carried things around in little green carts; which they pushed

before them。  Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous。



    The Guardian of the Gates led them through the streets until

they came to a big building; exactly in the middle of the City;

which was the Palace of Oz; the Great Wizard。  There was a soldier

before the door; dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long

green beard。



    〃Here are strangers;〃 said the Guardian of the Gates to him;

〃and they demand to see the Great Oz。〃



    〃Step inside;〃 answered the soldier; 〃and I will carry your

message to him。〃



    So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a

big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with

emeralds。  The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green

mat before entering this room; and when they were seated he said

politely:



    〃Please make yourselves comfortable while I go to the door of

the Throne Room and tell Oz you are here。〃



    They had to wait a long time before the soldier returned。

When; at last; he came back; Dorothy asked:



    〃Have you seen Oz?〃



    〃Oh; no;〃 returned the soldier; 〃I have never seen him。

But I spoke to him as he sat behind his screen and gave him your

message。  He said he will grant you an audience; if you so desire;

but each one of you must enter his presence alone; and he will

admit but one each day。  Therefore; as you must remain in the

Palace for several days; I will have you shown to rooms where you

may rest in comfort after your journey。〃



    〃Thank you;〃 replied the girl; 〃that is very kind of Oz。〃



    The soldier now blew upon a green whistle; and at once a young girl;

dressed in a pretty green silk gown; entered the room。  She had lovely

green hair and green eyes; and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said;

〃Follow me and I will show you your room。〃



    So Dorothy said good…bye to all her friends except Toto; and

taking the dog in her arms followed the green girl through seven

passages and up three flights of stairs until they came to a room

at the front of the Palace。  It was the sweetest little room in

the world; with a soft comfortable bed that had sheets of green

silk and a green velvet counterpane。  There was a tiny fountain in

the middle of the room; that shot a spray of green perfume into

the air; to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin。

Beautiful green flowers stood in the windows; and there was a shelf

with a row of little green books。  When Dorothy had time to open

these books she found them full of queer green pictures that made

her laugh; they were so funny。



    In a wardrobe were many green dresses; made of silk and satin

and velvet; and all of them fitted Dorothy exactly。



    〃Make yourself perfectly at home;〃 said the green girl;

〃and if you wish for anything ring the bell。  Oz will send

for you tomorrow morning。〃



    She left Dorothy alone and went back to the others。  These she

also led to rooms; and each one of them found himself lodged in a

very pleasant part of the Palace。  Of course this politeness was

wasted on the Scarecrow; for when he found himself alone in his

room he stood stupidly in one spot; just within the doorway; to

wait till morning。  It would not rest him to lie down; and he

could not close his eyes; so he remained all night staring at a

little spider which was weaving its web in a corner of the room;

just as if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms in the world。

The Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit; for he

remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep;

he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they

kept in good working order。  The Lion would have preferred a bed of

dried leaves in the forest; and did not like being shut up in a room;

but he had too much sense to let this worry him; so he sprang upon

the bed and rolled himself up like a cat and purred himself asleep

in a minute。



    The next morning; after breakfast; the green maiden came to

fetch Dorothy; and she dressed her in one of the prettiest gowns;

made of green brocaded satin。  Dorothy put on a green silk apron

and tied a green ribbon around Toto's neck; and they started

for the Throne Room of the Great Oz。



    First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and

gentlemen of the court; all dressed in rich costumes。  These

people had nothing to do but talk to each other; but they always

came to wait outside the Throne Room every morning; although they

were never permitted to see Oz。  As Dorothy entered they looked at

her curiously; and one of them whispered:



    〃Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?〃



    〃Of course;〃 answered the girl; 〃if he will see me。〃



    〃Oh; he will see you;〃 said the soldier who had taken her

message to the Wizard; 〃although he does not like to have people

ask to see him。  Indeed; at first he was angry and said I should

send you back where you came from。  Then he asked me what you

looked like; and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very

much interested。  At last I told him about the mark upon your

forehead; and he decided he would admit you to his presence。〃



    Just then a bell rang; and the green girl said to Dorothy;

〃That is the signal。  You must go into the Throne Room alone。〃



    She opened a little door and Dorothy walked boldly through and

found herself in a wonderful place。  It was a big; round room with

a high arched roof; and the walls and ceiling and floor were covered

with large emeralds set closely together。  In the center of the roof

was a great light; as bright as the sun; which made the emeralds

sparkle in a wonderful manner。



    But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green

marble that stood in the middle of the room。  It was shaped like a

chair and sparkled with gems; as did everything else。  In the

center of the chair was an enormous Head; without a body to

support it or any arms or legs whatever。  There was no hair upon

this head; but it had eyes and a nose and mouth; and was much

bigger than the head of the biggest giant。



    As Dorothy gazed upon this in wonder and fear; the eyes turned

slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily。  Then the mouth

moved; and Dorothy heard a voice say:



    〃I am Oz; the Great and Terrible。  Who are you; and why do you

seek me?〃



    It was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come

from the big Head; so she took courage and answered:



    〃I am Dorothy; the Small and Meek。  I have come to you for help。〃



    The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute。

Then said the voice:



    〃Where did you get the silver shoes?〃



    〃I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East; when my house

fell on her and killed her;〃 she replied。



    〃Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?〃 continued the voice。



    〃That is where the Good Witch of the North kissed me when she

bade me good…bye and sent me to you;〃 said the girl。



    Again the eyes looked at her sharply; and they saw she was

telling the truth。  Then Oz asked; 〃What do you wish me to do?〃



    〃Send me back to Kansas; where my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are;〃

she answered earnestly。  〃I don't like your country; although it is

so beautiful。  And I am sure Aunt Em will be dreadfully worried over

my being away so long。〃



    The eyes winked three times; and then they turned up to the

ceiling and down to the floor and rolled around so queerly that

they seemed to see every part of the room。  And at last they

looked at Dorothy again。



    〃Why should I do this for you?〃 asked Oz。



    〃Because you are strong and I am weak; because you are a Great

Wizard and I am only a little girl。〃



    〃But you were strong 

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