rinkitink in oz-第25部分

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glued　in　place　before　they　hurt　someone。〃　Then　he　began

to　chuckle：　〃Hoo；　hoo；　hoo…hee；　hee…heek；　keek；　eek！〃

and　Kaliko　sat　and　frowned　because　he　realized　that　the

little　fat　King　was　poking　fun　at　him。



〃I　asked　Your　Majesty　to　come　here；〃　said　the　Nome

King；　〃to　show　you　a　curious　skein　of　golden　thread

which　my　workmen　have　made。　If　it　pleases　you；　I　will

make　you　a　present　of　it。〃



With　this　he　held　out　a　small　skein　of　glittering

gold　twine；　which　was　really　pretty　and　curious。

Rinkitink　took　it　in　his　hand　and　at　once　the　golden

thread　began　to　unwind　　so　swiftly　that　the　eye　could

not　follow　its　motion。　And；　as　it　unwound；　it　coiled

itself　around　Rinkitink's　body；　at　the　same　time

weaving　itself　into　a　net；　until　it　had　enveloped　the

little　King　from　head　to　foot　and　placed　him　in　a

prison　of　gold。



〃Aha！〃　cried　Kaliko；　〃this　magic　worked　all　right；　it

seems。



〃Oh；　did　it？〃　replied　Rinkitink；　and　stepping　forward

he　walked　right　through　the　golden　net；　which　fell　to

the　floor　in　a　tangled　mass



Kaliko　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully　and　stared　hard

at　Rinkitink。



〃I　understand　a　good　bit　of　magic；〃　said　；he；　〃but

Your　Majesty　has　a　sort　of　magic　that　greatly　puzzles

me；　because　it　is　unlike　anything　of　the　sort　that　I

ever　met　with　before。〃



〃Now；　see　here；　Kaliko；〃　said　Rinkitink；　〃if　you　are

trying　to　harm　me　or　my　companions；　give　it　up；　for　you

will　never　succeed。　We're　harm…proof；　so　to　speak；　and

you　are　merely　wasting　your　time　trying　to　injure　us。



〃You　may　be　right；　and　I　hope　I　am　not　so　impolite　as

to　argue　with　a　guest；〃　returned　the　Nome　King。　〃But

you　will　pardon　me　if　I　am　not　yet　satisfied　that　you

are　stronger　than　my　famous　magic。　However；　I　beg　you

to　believe　that　I　bear　you　no　ill　will；　King　Rinkitink；

but　it　is　my　duty　to　destroy　you；　if　possible；　because

you　and　that　insignificant　boy　Prince　have　openly

threatened　to　take　away　my　captives　and　have　positively

refused　to　go　back　to　the　earth's　surface　and　let　me

alone。　I'm　very　tender…hearted；　as　a　matter　of　fact；

and　I　like　you　immensely；　and　would　enjoy　having　you　as

a　friend；　but　〃　Here　he　pressed　a　button　on　the　arm

of　his　throne　chair　and　the　section　of　the　floor　where

Rinkitink　stood　suddenly　opened　and　disclosed　a　black

pit　beneath；　which　was　a　part　of　'the　terrible

Bottomless　Gulf。



But　Rinkitink　did　not　fall　into　the　pit；　his　body

remained　suspended　in　the　air　until　he　put　out　his　foot

and　stepped　to　the　solid　floor；　when　the　opening

suddenly　closed　again。



〃I　appreciate　Your　Majesty's　friendship；〃　remarked

Rinkitink；　as　calmly　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　〃but　I

am　getting　tired　with　standing。　Will　you　kindly　send

for　my　goat；　Bilbil；　that　I　may　sit　upon　his　back　to

rest？〃



〃Indeed　I　will！〃　promised　Kaliko。　〃I　have　not　yet

completed　my　test　of　your　magic；　and　as　I　owe　that　goat

a　slight　grudge　for　bumping　my　head　and　smashing　my

second…best　crown；　I　will　be　glad　to　discover　if　the

beast　can　also　escape　my　delightful　little　sorceries。〃



So　Klik　was　sent　to　fetch　Bilbil　and　presently

returned　with　the　goat；　which　was　very　cross　this

morning　because　it　had　not　slept　well　in　the

underground　caverns。



Rinkitink　lost　no　time　in　getting　upon　the　red　velvet

saddle　which　the　goat　constantly　wore；　for　he　feared

the　Nome　King　would　try　to　destroy　Bilbil　and　knew　that

as　long　as　his　body　touched　that　of　the　goat　the　Pink

Pearl　would　protect　them　both；　whereas；　if　Bilbil　stood

alone；　there　was　no　magic　to　save　him。



Bilbil　glared　wickedly　at　King　Kaliko；　who　moved

uneasily　in　his　ivory　throne。　Then　the　Nome　King

whispered　a　moment　in　the　ear　of　Klik；　who　nodded　and

left　the　room。



〃Please　make　yourselves　at　home　here　for　a　few

minutes；　while　I　attend　to　an　errand；〃　said　the　Nome

King；　getting　up　from　the　throne。　〃I　shall　return

pretty　soon；　when　I　hope　to　find　you　pieceful　　ha；

ha；　ha！　　that's　a　joke　you　can't　appreciate　now　but

will　later。　Be　pieceful　　that's　the　idea。　Ho；　ho；　ho！

How　funny。〃　Then　he　waddled　from　the　cavern；　closing

the　door　behind　him。



〃Well；　why　didn't　you　laugh　when　Kaliko　laughed？〃

demanded　the　goat；　when　they　were　left　alone　in　the

cavern。



〃Because　he　means　mischief　of　some　sort；〃　replied

Rinkitink；　〃and　we'll　laugh　after　the　danger　is　over；

Bilbil。　There's　an　old　adage　that　says：　'He　laughs　best

who　laughs　last；'　and　the　only　way　to　laugh　last　is　to

give　the　other　fellow　a　chance。　Where　did　that　knife

come　from；　I　wonder。〃



For　a　long；　sharp　knife　suddenly　appeared　in　the　air

near　them；　twisting　and　turning　from　side　to　side　and

darting　here　and　there　in　a　dangerous　manner；　without

any　support　whatever。　Then　another　knife　became　visible

　and　another　and　another　　until　all　the　space　in

the　royal　cavern　seemed　filled　with　them。　Their　sharp

points　and　edges　darted　toward　Rinkitink　and　Bilbil

perpetually　and　nothing　could　have　saved　them　from

being　cut　to　pieces　except　the　protecting　power　of　the

Pink　Pearl。　As　it　was；　not　a　knife　touched　them　and

even　Bilbil　gave　a　gruff　laugh　at　the　failure　of

Kaliko's　clever　magic。



The　goat　wandered　here　and　there　in　the　cavern；

carrying　Rinkitink　upon　his　back；　and　neither　of　them

paid　the　slightest　heed　to　the　knives；　although　the

glitter　of　the　hundreds　of　polished　blades　was　rather

trying。　to　their　eyes。　Perhaps　for　ten　minutes　the

knives　darted　about　them　in　bewildering　fury；　then　they

disappeared　as　suddenly　as　they　had　appeared。



Kaliko　cautiously　stuck　his　head　through　the　doorway

and　found　the　goat　chewing　the　embroidery　of　his　royal

cloak；　which　he　had　left　lying　over　the　throne；　while

Rinkitink　was　reading　his　manuscript　on　〃How　to　be

Good〃　and　chuckling　over　its　advice。　The　Nome　King

seemed　greatly　disappointed　as　he　came　in　and　resumed

his　seat　on　the　throne。　Said　Rinkitink　with　a　chuckle：



〃We've　really　had　a　peaceful　time；　Kaliko；　although

not　the　pieceful　time　you　expected。　Forgive　me　if　I

indulge　in　a　laugh　　hoo；　hoo；　hoo…hee；　heek…keek…eek！

And　now；　tell　me；　aren't　you　getting　tired　of　trying　to

injure　us？〃



〃Eh　　heh；〃　said　the　Nome　King。　〃I　see　now　that　your

magic　can　protect　you　from　all　my　arts。　But　is　the　boy

Inga　as；　well　protected　as　Your　Majesty　and　the　goat？'



〃Why　do　you　ask？〃　inquired　Rinkitink；　uneasy　at　the

question　because　he　remembered　he　had　not　seen　the

little　Prince　of　Pingaree　that　morning。



〃Because；〃　said　Kaliko；　〃the　boy　has　been　undergoing

trials　far　greater　and　more　dangerous　than　any　you　have

encountered；　and　it　has　been　hundreds　of　years　since

anyone　has　been　able　to　escape　alive　from　the　perils　of

my　Three　Trick　Caverns。〃



King　Rinkitink　was　much　alarmed　at　hearing　this；　for

although　he　knew　that　Inga　possessed　the　Blue　Pearl；

that　would　only　give　to　him　marvelous　strength；　and

perhaps　strength　alone　would　not　enable　him　to　escape

from　danger。　But　he　would　not　let　Kaliko　see　the　fear

he　felt　for　Inga's　safety；　so　he　said　in　a　careless

way：



〃You're　a　mighty　poor　magician；　Kaliko；　and　I'll　give

you　my　crown　if　Inga　hasn't　escaped　any　danger　you　have

threatened　him　with。〃



〃Your　whole　crown　is　not　worth　one　of　the　valuable

diamonds　in　my　crown；〃　answered　the　Nome　King；　〃but

I'll　take　it。　Let　us　go　at　once；　therefore；　and　see

what　has　become　of　the　boy　Prince；　for　if　he　is　not

destroyed　by　this　time　I　will　admit　he　cannot　be

injured　by　any　of　the　magic　arts　which　I　have　at　my

command。〃



He　left　the　room；　accompanied　by　Klik；　who　had　now

rejoined　his　master；　and　by　Rinkitink　riding　upon

Bilbil。　After　traversing　several　of　the　huge　caverns

they　entered　one　that　was　somewhat　more　bright　and

cheerful　than　the　others；　where　the　Nome　King　paused

before　a　wall　of　rock。　Then　Klik　pressed　a　secret

spring　and　a　section　of　the　wall　opened　and　disclosed

the　corridor　where　Prince　Inga　stood　facing　them。



〃Tarts　and　tadpoles！〃　cried　Kaliko　in　surprise。　〃The

boy　is　still　alive！〃









Chapter　Twenty



Dorothy　to　the　Rescue





One　day　when　Princess　Dorothy　of　Oz　was　visiting　Glinda

the　Good；　who　is　Ozma's　Royal　Sorceress；　she　was

looking　through　Glinda's　Great　Book　of　Records　

wherein　is　inscribed　all　important　events　that　happen

in　every　part　of　the　world　　when　she　came　upon　the

record　of　the　destruction　of　Pingaree；　the　capture　of

King　Kitticut　and　Queen　Garee　and　all　their　people；　and

the　curious　escape　of　Inga；　the　boy　Prince；　and　of　King

Rinkitink　and　the　talking　goat。　Turning　over　some　of

the　following　pages；　Dorothy　read　how　Inga　had　found

the　Magic　Pearls　and　was　rowing　the　silver…lined　boat

to　Regos　to　try　to　rescue　his　parents。



The　little　girl　was　much　interested　to　know　how　well

Inga　succeeded；　but　she　returned　to　the　palace　of　Ozma

at　the　Emerald　City　of　Oz　the　next　day　and　other　events

made　her　forget　the　boy　Prince　of　Pingaree　for　a　time。

However；　she　was　one　day　idly　looking　at　Ozma's　Magic

Picture；　which　shows　any　scene　you　may　wish　to　see；

when　the　girl　thought　of　Inga　and　commanded　the　Magic

Picture　to　show　what　the　boy　was　doing　at　that　moment。



It　was　the　time　when　Inga　and　Rinkitink　had　followed

the　King　of　Regos　and　Queen　of　Coregos　to　the　Nome

King's　country　and　she　saw　them　hiding　behind　the　rock

as　Cor　and　Gos　passed　them　by　after　having　placed　the

King　and　Queen　of　Pingaree　in　the　keeping　of　the　Nome

King。　From　that　time　Dorothy　followed；　by　means　of　the

Magic　Picture；　the　adventures　of　Inga　and　his　friend　in

the　Nome　King's　caverns；　and　the　danger　and

helplessness　of　the　poor　boy　aroused　the　little　girl's

pity　and　indignation。



So　she　went　to　Ozma　and　told　the　lovely　girl　Ruler　of

Oz　all　about　Inga　and　Rinkitink。



〃I　think　Kaliko　is　treating　them　dreadfully　mean；〃

declared　Dorothy；　〃and　I　wish　you'd　let　me　go　to　the

Nome　Country　and　help　them　out　of　their　troubl