[英文]绿野仙踪(英文版)-第13部分

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but　she　was　a　powerful　Witch；　as　well　as　a　wicked　one；　and　she　soon
made　up　her　mind　how　to　act。
　　　　There　was；　in　her　cupboard；　a　Golden　Cap；　with　a　circle　of
diamonds　and　rubies　running　round　it。　　This　Golden　Cap　had　a　charm。
Whoever　owned　it　could　call　three　times　upon　the　Winged　Monkeys；
who　would　obey　any　order　they　were　given。　　But　no　person
could　command　these　strange　creatures　more　than　three　times。
Twice　already　the　Wicked　Witch　had　used　the　charm　of　the　Cap。
Once　was　when　she　had　made　the　Winkies　her　slaves；　and　set　herself
to　rule　over　their　country。　　The　Winged　Monkeys　had　helped　her
do　this。　　The　second　time　was　when　she　had　fought　against　the
Great　Oz　himself；　and　driven　him　out　of　the　land　of　the　West。
The　Winged　Monkeys　had　also　helped　her　in　doing　this。　　Only　once
more　could　she　use　this　Golden　Cap；　for　which　reason　she　did　not
like　to　do　so　until　all　her　other　powers　were　exhausted。　　But　now
that　her　fierce　wolves　and　her　wild　crows　and　her　stinging　bees　were
gone；　and　her　slaves　had　been　scared　away　by　the　Cowardly　Lion；
she　saw　there　was　only　one　way　left　to　destroy　Dorothy　and　her　friends。
　　　　So　the　Wicked　Witch　took　the　Golden　Cap　from　her　cupboard　and
placed　it　upon　her　head。　　Then　she　stood　upon　her　left　foot　and
said　slowly：
　　　　〃Ep…pe；　pep…pe；　kak…ke！〃
　　　　Next　she　stood　upon　her　right　foot　and　said：
　　　　〃Hil…lo；　hol…lo；　hel…lo！〃
　　　　After　this　she　stood　upon　both　feet　and　cried　in　a　loud　voice：
　　　　〃Ziz…zy；　zuz…zy；　zik！〃
　　　　Now　the　charm　began　to　work。　　The　sky　was　darkened；　and　a　low
rumbling　sound　was　heard　in　the　air。　　There　was　a　rushing　of　many
wings；　a　great　chattering　and　laughing；　and　the　sun　came　out　of　the
dark　sky　to　show　the　Wicked　Witch　surrounded　by　a　crowd　of　monkeys；
each　with　a　pair　of　immense　and　powerful　wings　on　his　shoulders。
　　　　One；　much　bigger　than　the　others；　seemed　to　be　their　leader。
He　flew　close　to　the　Witch　and　said；　〃You　have　called　us　for　the
third　and　last　time。　　What　do　you　command？〃
　　　　〃Go　to　the　strangers　who　are　within　my　land　and　destroy　them
all　except　the　Lion；〃　said　the　Wicked　Witch。　　〃Bring　that　beast　to
me；　for　I　have　a　mind　to　harness　him　like　a　horse；　and　make　him　work。〃
　　　　〃Your　commands　shall　be　obeyed；〃　said　the　leader。　　Then；　with
a　great　deal　of　chattering　and　noise；　the　Winged　Monkeys　flew　away
to　the　place　where　Dorothy　and　her　friends　were　walking。
　　　　Some　of　the　Monkeys　seized　the　Tin　Woodman　and　carried　him
through　the　air　until　they　were　over　a　country　thickly　covered
with　sharp　rocks。　　Here　they　dropped　the　poor　Woodman；　who　fell　a
great　distance　to　the　rocks；　where　he　lay　so　battered　and　dented
that　he　could　neither　move　nor　groan。
　　　　Others　of　the　Monkeys　caught　the　Scarecrow；　and　with　their
long　fingers　pulled　all　of　the　straw　out　of　his　clothes　and　head。
They　made　his　hat　and　boots　and　clothes　into　a　small　bundle　and
threw　it　into　the　top　branches　of　a　tall　tree。
　　　　The　remaining　Monkeys　threw　pieces　of　stout　rope　around
the　Lion　and　wound　many　coils　about　his　body　and　head　and　legs；
until　he　was　unable　to　bite　or　scratch　or　struggle　in　any　way。
Then　they　lifted　him　up　and　flew　away　with　him　to　the　Witch's　castle；
where　he　was　placed　in　a　small　yard　with　a　high　iron　fence　around　it；
so　that　he　could　not　escape。
　　　　But　Dorothy　they　did　not　harm　at　all。　　She　stood；　with　Toto　in
her　arms；　watching　the　sad　fate　of　her　comrades　and　thinking　it
would　soon　be　her　turn。　　The　leader　of　the　Winged　Monkeys　flew　up
to　her；　his　long；　hairy　arms　stretched　out　and　his　ugly　face
grinning　terribly；　but　he　saw　the　mark　of　the　Good　Witch's　kiss
upon　her　forehead　and　stopped　short；　motioning　the　others　not　to
touch　her。
　　　　〃We　dare　not　harm　this　little　girl；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃for　she
is　protected　by　the　Power　of　Good；　and　that　is　greater　than　the
Power　of　Evil。　　All　we　can　do　is　to　carry　her　to　the　castle　of　the
Wicked　Witch　and　leave　her　there。〃
　　　　So；　carefully　and　gently；　they　lifted　Dorothy　in　their
arms　and　carried　her　swiftly　through　the　air　until　they　came
to　the　castle；　where　they　set　her　down　upon　the　front　doorstep。
Then　the　leader　said　to　the　Witch：
　　　　〃We　have　obeyed　you　as　far　as　we　were　able。　　The　Tin　Woodman　and
the　Scarecrow　are　destroyed；　and　the　Lion　is　tied　up　in　your　yard。
The　little　girl　we　dare　not　harm；　nor　the　dog　she　carries　in　her　arms。
Your　power　over　our　band　is　now　ended；　and　you　will　never　see　us　again。〃
　　　　Then　all　the　Winged　Monkeys；　with　much　laughing　and　chattering
and　noise；　flew　into　the　air　and　were　soon　out　of　sight。
　　　　The　Wicked　Witch　was　both　surprised　and　worried　when　she　saw
the　mark　on　Dorothy's　forehead；　for　she　knew　well　that　neither　the
Winged　Monkeys　nor　she；　herself；　dare　hurt　the　girl　in　any　way。
She　looked　down　at　Dorothy's　feet；　and　seeing　the　Silver　Shoes；
began　to　tremble　with　fear；　for　she　knew　what　a　powerful　charm
belonged　to　them。　　At　first　the　Witch　was　tempted　to　run　away　from
Dorothy；　but　she　happened　to　look　into　the　child's　eyes　and　saw
how　simple　the　soul　behind　them　was；　and　that　the　little　girl　did
not　know　of　the　wonderful　power　the　Silver　Shoes　gave　her。　　So　the
Wicked　Witch　laughed　to　herself；　and　thought；　〃I　can　still　make
her　my　slave；　for　she　does　not　know　how　to　use　her　power。〃
Then　she　said　to　Dorothy；　harshly　and　severely：
　　　　〃Come　with　me；　and　see　that　you　mind　everything　I　tell　you；
for　if　you　do　not　I　will　make　an　end　of　you；　as　I　did　of　the　Tin
Woodman　and　the　Scarecrow。〃
　　　　Dorothy　followed　her　through　many　of　the　beautiful　rooms　in
her　castle　until　they　came　to　the　kitchen；　where　the　Witch　bade
her　clean　the　pots　and　kettles　and　sweep　the　floor　and　keep　the
fire　fed　with　wood。
　　　　Dorothy　went　to　work　meekly；　with　her　mind　made　up　to　work　as
hard　as　she　could；　for　she　was　glad　the　Wicked　Witch　had　decided
not　to　kill　her。
　　　　With　Dorothy　hard　at　work；　the　Witch　thought　she　would　go　into
the　courtyard　and　harness　the　Cowardly　Lion　like　a　horse；　it　would
amuse　her；　she　was　sure；　to　make　him　draw　her　chariot　whenever　she
wished　to　go　to　drive。　　But　as　she　opened　the　gate　the　Lion　gave　a
loud　roar　and　bounded　at　her　so　fiercely　that　the　Witch　was　afraid；
and　ran　out　and　shut　the　gate　again。
　　　　〃If　I　cannot　harness　you；〃　said　the　Witch　to　the　Lion；
speaking　through　the　bars　of　the　gate；　〃I　can　starve　you。
You　shall　have　nothing　to　eat　until　you　do　as　I　wish。〃
　　　　So　after　that　she　took　no　food　to　the　imprisoned　Lion；
but　every　day　she　came　to　the　gate　at　noon　and　asked；　〃Are　you
ready　to　be　harnessed　like　a　horse？〃
　　　　And　the　Lion　would　answer；　〃No。　　If　you　come　in　this　yard；　I
will　bite　you。〃
　　　　The　reason　the　Lion　did　not　have　to　do　as　the　Witch　wished　was
that　every　night；　while　the　woman　was　asleep；　Dorothy　carried　him
food　from　the　cupboard。　　After　he　had　eaten　he　would　lie　down　on
his　bed　of　straw；　and　Dorothy　would　lie　beside　him　and　put　her
head　on　his　soft；　shaggy　mane；　while　they　talked　of　their　troubles
and　tried　to　plan　some　way　to　escape。　　But　they　could　find　no　way
to　get　out　of　the　castle；　for　it　was　constantly　guarded　by　the
yellow　Winkies；　who　were　the　slaves　of　the　Wicked　Witch　and
too　afraid　of　her　not　to　do　as　she　told　them。
　　　　The　girl　had　to　work　hard　during　the　day；　and　often　the　Witch
threatened　to　beat　her　with　the　same　old　umbrella　she　always
carried　in　her　hand。　　But；　in　truth；　she　did　not　dare　to　strike
Dorothy；　because　of　the　mark　upon　her　forehead。　　The　child　did　not
know　this；　and　was　full　of　fear　for　herself　and　Toto。　　Once　the
Witch　struck　Toto　a　blow　with　her　umbrella　and　the　brave　little
dog　flew　at　her　and　bit　her　leg　in　return。　　The　Witch　did　not
bleed　where　she　was　bitten；　for　she　was　so　wicked　that　the　blood
in　her　had　dried　up　many　years　before。
　　　　Dorothy's　life　became　very　sad　as　she　grew　to　understand　that
it　would　be　harder　than　ever　to　get　back　to　Kansas　and　Aunt　Em　again。
Sometimes　she　would　cry　bitterly　for　hours；　with　Toto　sitting　at　her
feet　and　looking　into　her　face；　whining　dismally　to　show　how　sorry
he　was　for　his　little　mistress。　　Toto　did　not　really　care　whether
he　was　in　Kansas　or　the　Land　of　Oz　so　long　as　Dorothy　was　with　him；
but　he　knew　the　little　girl　was　unhappy；　and　that　made　him　unhappy　too。
　　　　Now　the　Wicked　Witch　had　a　great　longing　to　have　for　her　own
the　Silver　Shoes　which　the　girl　always　wore。　　Her　bees　and　her
crows　and　her　wolves　were　lying　in　heaps　and　drying　up；　and　she
had　used　up　all　the　power　of　the　Golden　Cap；　but　if　she　could
only　get　hold　of　the　Silver　Shoes；　they　would　give　her　more　power
than　all　the　other　things　she　had　lost。　　She　watched　Dorothy　carefully；
to　see　if　she　ever　took　off　her　shoes；　thinking　she　might　steal　them。
But　the　child　was　so　proud　of　her　pretty　shoes　that　she　never　took
them　off　except　at　night　and　when　she　took　her　bath。　　The　Witch　was
too　much　afraid　of　the　dark　to　dare　go　in　Dorothy's　room　at　night
to　take　the　shoes；　and　her　dread　of　water　was　greater　than　her
fear　of　the　dark；　so　she　never　came　near　when　Dorothy　was　bathing。
Indeed；　the　old　Witch　never　touched　water；　nor　ever　let　water
touch　her　in　any　way。
　　　　But　the　wicked　creature　was　very　cunning；　and　she　finally　thought　of
a　trick　that　would　give　her　what　she　wanted。　　She　placed　a　bar　of　iron
in　the　middle　of　the　kitchen　floor；　and　then　by　her　magic　arts　made　the
iron　invisible　to　human　eyes。　　So　that　when　Dorothy　walked　across　the　floor
she　stumbled　over　the　bar；　not　being　able　to　see　it；　and　fell　at　full　length。
She　was　not　much　hurt；　but　in　her　fall　one　of　the　Silver　Shoes　came　off；　and
before　she　could　reach　it；　the　Witch　had　snatched　it　away　and　put　it　on　her
own　skinny　foot。
　　　　The　wicked　woman　was　greatly　pleased　with　the　success　of　her　trick；
for　as　long　as　she　had　one　of　the　shoes　she　owned　half　the　power　of
their　charm；　and　Dorothy　could　not　use　it　against　her；　even　had　she
known　how　to　do　so。
　　　　The　little　girl；　seeing　she　had　lost　one　of　her　pretty　shoes；
grew　angry；　and　said　to　the　Witch；　〃Give　me　back　my　shoe！〃
　　　　〃I　will　not；〃　retorted　the　Witch；　〃for　it　is　now　my　shoe；　and
not　yours。〃
　　　　〃You　are　a　wicked　creature！〃　cried　Dorothy。　　〃You　have　no　right
to　take　my　shoe　from　me。〃
　　　　〃I　shall　keep　it；　just　the　same；〃　said　the　Witch；　laug