rinkitink in oz-第11部分

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〃Better　yet！〃　laughed　Buzzub。　〃He　will　make　a　fine

slave　for　Queen　Cor；　who　loves　to　tickle　fat　men；　and

see　them　jump。〃



King　Rinkitink　was　filled　with　horror　when　he　heard

this；　but　the　Prince　answered　as　boldly　as　before；

saying：



〃We　are　not　to　be　frightened　by　bluster；　believe　me；

nor　are　we　so　weak　as　you　imagine。　We　have　magic　powers

so　great　and　terrible　that　no　host　of　warriors　can

possibly　withstand　us；　and　therefore　I　call　upon　you　to

surrender　your　city　and　your　island　to　us；　before　we

crush　you　with　our　mighty　powers。〃



The　boy　spoke　very　gravely　and　earnestly；　but　his

words　only　aroused　another　shout　of　laughter。　So　while

the　men　of　Regos　were　laughing　Inga　drove　the　boat

we'll　up　onto　the　sandy　beach　and　leaped　out。　He　also

helped　Rinkitink　out；　and　when　the　goat　had　unaided

sprung　to　the　sands；　the　King　got　upon　Bilbil's　back；

trembling　a　little　internally；　but　striving　to　look　as

brave　as　possible。



There　was　a　bunch　of　coarse　hair　between　the　goat's

ears；　and　this　Inga　clutched　firmly　in　his　left　hand。

The　boy　knew　the　Pink　Pearl　would　protect　not　only

himself；　but　all　whom　he　touched；　from　any　harm；　and　as

Rinkitink　was　astride　the　goat　and　Inga　had　his　hand

upon　the　animal；　the　three　could　not　be　injured　by

anything　the　warriors　could　do。　But　Captain　Buzzub　did

not　know　this；　and　the　little　group　of　three　seemed　so

weak　and　ridiculous　that　he　believed　their　capture

would　be　easy。　So　he　turned　to　his　men　and　with　a　wave

of　his　hand　said：



〃Seize　the　intruders！〃



Instantly　two　or　three　of　the　warriors　stepped

forward　to　obey；　but　to　their　amazement　they　could　not

reach　any　of　the　three；　their　hands　were　arrested　as　if

by　an　invisible　wall　of　iron。　Without　paying　any

attention　to　these　attempts　at　capture；　Inga　advanced

slowly　and　the　goat　kept　pace　with　him。　And　when

Rinkitink　saw　that　he　was　safe　from　harm　he　gave　one　of

his　big；　merry　laughs；　and　it　startled　the　warriors　and

made　them　nervous。　Captain　Buzzub's　eyes　grew　big　with

surprise　as　the　three　steadily　advanced　and　forced　his

men　backward；　nor　was　he　free　from　terror　himself　at

the　magic　that　protected　these　strange　visitors。　As　for

the　warriors；　they　presently　became　terror…stricken　and

fled　in　a　panic　up　the　slope　toward　the　city；　and

Buzzub　was　obliged　to　chase　after　them　and　shout

threats　of　punishment　before　he　could　halt　them　and

form　them　into　a　line　of　battle。



All　the　men　of　Regos　bore　spears　and　bows…and…arrows；

and　some　of　the　officers　had　swords　and　battle…axes；　so

Buzzub　ordered　them　to　stand　their　ground　and　shoot　and

slay　the　strangers　as　they　approached。　This　they　tried

to　do。　Inga　being　in　advance；　the　warriors　sent　a

flight　of　sharp　arrows　straight　at　the　boy's　breast；

while　others　cast　their　long　spears　at　him。



It　seemed　to　Rinkitink　that　the　little　Prince　must

surely　perish　as　he　stood　facing　this　hail　of　murderous

missiles；　but　the　power　of　the　Pink　Pearl　did　not

desert　him；　and　when　the　arrows　and　spears　had　reached

to　within　an　inch　of　his　body　they　bounded　back　again

and　fell　harmlessly　at　his　feet。　Nor　were　Rinkitink　or

Bilbil　injured　in　the　least；　although　they　stood　close

beside　Inga。



Buzzub　stood　for　a　moment　looking　upon　the　boy　in

silent　wonder。　Then；　recovering　himself；　he　shouted　in

a　loud　voice：



〃Once　again！　All　together；　my　men。　No　one　shall　ever

defy　our　might　and　live！〃



Again　a　flight　of　arrows　and　spears　sped　toward　the

three；　and　since　many　more　of　the　warriors　of　Regos　had

by　this　time　joined　their　fellows；　the　air　was　for　a

moment　darkened　by　the　deadly　shafts。　But　again　all

fell　harmless　before　the　power　of　the　Pink　Pearl；　and

Bilbil；　who　had　been　growing　very　angry　at　the　attempts

to　injure　him　and　his　party；　suddenly　made　a　bolt

forward；　casting　off　Inga's　hold；　and　butted　into　the

line　of　warriors；　who　were　standing　amazed　at　their

failure　to　conquer。



Taken　by　surprise　at　the　goat's　attack；　a　dozen　big

warriors　tumbled　in　a　heap；　yelling　with　fear；　and

their　comrades；　not　knowing　what　had　happened　but

imagining　that　their　foes　were　attacking　them；　turned

about　and　ran　to　the　city　as　hard　as　they　could　go。

Bilbil；　still　angry；　had　just　time　to　catch　the　big

captain　as　he　turned　to　follow　his　men；　and　Buzzub

first　sprawled　headlong　upon　the　ground；　then　rolled

over　two　or　three　times；　and　finally　jumped　up　and　ran

yelling　after　his　defeated　warriors。　This　butting　on

the　part　of　the　goat　was　very　hard　upon　King　Rinkitink；

who　nearly　fell　off　Bilbil's　back　at　the　shock　of

encounter；　but　the　little　fat　King　wound　his　arms

around　the　goat's　neck　and　shut　his　eyes　and　clung　on

with　all　his　might。　It　was　not　until　he　heard　Inga　say

triumphantly；　〃We　have　won　the　fight　without　striking　a

blow！〃　that　Rinkitink　dared　open　his　eyes　again。　Then

he　saw　the　warriors　rushing　into　the　City　of　Regos　and

barring　the　heavy　gates；　and　he　was　very　much　relieved

at　the　sight。



〃Without　striking　a　blow！〃　said　Bilbil　indignantly。

〃That　is　not　quite　true；　Prince　Inga。　You　did　not

fight；　I　admit；　but　I　struck　a　couple　of　times　to　good

purpose；　and　I　claim　to　have　conquered　the　cowardly

warriors　unaided。〃



〃You　and　I　together；　Bilbil；〃　said　Rinkitink　mildly。

〃But　the　next　time　you　make　a　charge；　please　warn　me　in

time；　so　that　I　may　dismount　and　give　you　all　the

credit　for　the　attack。〃



There　being　no　one　now　to　oppose　their　advance；　the

three　walked　to　the　gates　of　the　city；　which　had　been

closed　against　them。　The　gates　were　of　iron　and　heavily

barred；　and　upon　the　top　of　the　high　walls　of　the　city

a　host　of　the　warriors　now　appeared　armed　with　arrows

and　spears　and　other　weapons。　For　Buzzub　had　gone

straight　to　the　palace　of　King　Cos　and　reported　his

defeat；　relating　the　powerful　magic　of　the　boy；　the　fat

King　and　the　goat；　and　had　asked　what　to　do　next。



The　big　captain　still　trembled　with　fear；　but　King

Gos　did　not　helieve　in　magic；　and　called　Buzzub　a

coward　and　a　weakling。　At　once　the　King　took　command　of

his　men　personally；　and　he　ordered　the　walls　manned

with　warriors　and　instructed　them　to　shoot　to　kill　if

any　of　the　three　strangers　approached　the　gates。



Of　course；　neither　Rinkitink　nor　Bilbil　knew　how　they

had　been　protected　from　harm　and　so　at　first　they　were

inclined　to　resent　the　boy's　command　that　the　three

must　always　keep　together　and　touch　one　another　at　all

times。　But　when　Inga　explained　that　his　magic　would　not

otherwise　save　them　from　injury；　they　agreed　to　obey；

for　they　had　now　seen　enough　to　convince　them　that　the

Prince　was　really　protected　by　some　invisible　power。



As　they　came　before　the　gates　another　shower　of

arrows　and　spears　descended　upon　them；　and　as　before

not　a　single　missile　touched　their　bodies。　King　Gos；

who　was　upon　the　wall；　was　greatly　amazed　and　somewhat

worried；　but　he　depended　upon　the　strength　of　his　gates

and　commanded　his　men　to　continue　shooting　until　all

their　weapons　were　gone。



Inga　let　them　shoot　as　much　as　they　wished；　while　he

stood　before　the　great　gates　and　examined　them

carefully。



〃Perhaps　Bilbil　can　batter　down　the　gates；　suggested

Rinkitink。



〃No；〃　replied　the　goat；　〃my　head　is　hard；　but　not

harder　than　iron。〃



〃Then；〃　returned　the　King；　〃let　us　stay　outside；

especially　as　we　can't　get　in。〃



But　Inga　was　not　at　all　sure　they　could　not　get　in。

The　gates　opened　inward；　and　three　heavy　bars　were　held

in　place　by　means　of　stout　staples　riveted　to　the

sheets　of　steel。　The　boy　had　been　told　that　the　power

of　the　Blue　Pearl　would　enable　him　to　accomplish　any

feat　of　strength；　and　he　believed　that　this　was　true。



The　warriors；　under　the　direction　of　King　Gos；

continued　to　hurl　arrows　and　darts　and　spears　and　axes

and　huge　stones　upon　the　invaders；　all　without　avail。

The　ground　below　was　thickly　covered　with　weapons；　yet

not　one　of　the　three　before　the　gates　had　been　injured

in　the　slightest　manner。　When　everything　had　been　cast

that　was　available　and　not　a　single　weapon　of　any　sort

remained　at　hand；　the　amazed　warriors　saw　the　boy　put

his　shoulder　against　the　gates　and　burst　asunder　the

huge　staples　that　held　the　bars　in　place。　A　thousand　of

their　men　could　not　have　accomplished　this　feat；　yet

the　small；　slight　boy　did　it　with　seeming　ease。　The

gates　burst　open；　and　Inga　advanced　into　the　city

street　and　called　upon　King　Gos　to　surrender。



But　Gos　was　now　as　badly　frightened　as　were　his

warriors。　He　and　his　men　were　accustomed　to　war　and

pillage　and　they　had　carried　terror　into　many

countries；　but　here　was　a　small　boy；　a　fat　man　and　a

goat　who　could　not　be　injured　by　all　his　skill　in

warfare；　his　numerous　army　and　thousands　of　death…

dealing　weapons。　Moreover；　they　not　only　defied　King

Gos's　entire　army　but　they　had　broken　in　the　huge　gates

of　the　city　　as　easily　as　if　they　had　been　made　of

paper　　and　such　an　exhibition　of　enormous　strength

made　the　wicked　King　fear　for　his　life。　Like　all

bullies　and　marauders；　Gos　was　a　coward　at　heart；　and

now　a　panic　seized　him　and　he　turned　and　fled　before

the　calm　advance　of　Prince　Inga　of　Pingaree。　The

warriors　were　like　their　master；　and　having　thrown　all

their　weapons　over　the　wall　and　being　helpless　to

oppose　the　strangers；　they　all　swarmed　after　Gos；　who

abandoned　his　city　and　crossed　the　bridge　of　boats　to

the　Island　of　Coregos。　There　was　a　desperate　struggle

among　these　cowardly　warriors　to　get　over　the　bridge；

and　many　were　pushed　into　the　water　and　obliged　to

swim；　but　finally　every　fighting　man　of　Regos　had

gained　the　shore　of　Coregos　and　then　they　tore　away　the

bridge　of　boats　and　drew　them　up　on　their　own　side；

hoping　the　stretch　of　open　water　would　prevent　the

magic　invaders　from　following　them。



The　humble　citizens　and　serving　people　of　Regos；　who

had　been　terrified　and　abused　by　the　rough　w