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the lost princess of oz-第22部分

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steed: 〃Bear with this strange creature; my friend; and



remember he is no more extraordinary than you are。



Indeed; it is more natural for a frog to be big than



for a Sawhorse to be alive。〃







On being questioned; the Frogman told them the whole



story of the loss of Cayke's highly prized dishpan and



their adventures in search of it。 When he came to tell



of the Lavender Bear King and of the Little Pink Bear



who could tell anything you wanted to know; his hearers



became eager to see such interesting animals。







〃It will be best;〃 said the Wizard; 〃to unite our two



parties and share our fortunes together; for we are all



bound on the same errand and as one band we may more



easily defy this shoemaker magician than if separate。



Let us be allies。〃







〃I will ask my friends about that;〃 replied the



Frogman; and climbed over the hill to find Cayke and



the toy bears。 The Patchwork Girl accompanied him and



when they came upon the Cookie Cook and the Lavender



Bear and the Pink Bear it was hard to tell which of the



lot was the most surprised。







〃Mercy me!〃 cried Cayke; addressing the Patchwork



Girl。 〃However did you come alive?〃







Scraps stared at the bears。







〃Mercy me!〃 she echoed; 〃you are stuffed; as I am;



with cotton; and yet you appear to be living。 That



makes me feel ashamed; for I have prided myself on



being the only live cotton…stuffed person in Oz。〃







〃Perhaps you are;〃 returned the Lavender Bear; 〃for I



am stuffed with extra…quality curled hair; and so is



the Little Pink Bear。〃







〃You have relieved my mind of a great anxiety;〃



declared the Patchwork Girl; now speaking more



cheerfully。 〃The Scarecrow is stuffed with straw; and



you with hair; so I am still the Original and Only



Cotton…Stuffed!〃







〃I hope I am too polite to criticize cotton; as



compared with curled hair;〃 said the King; 〃especially



as you seem satisfied with it。〃







Then the Frogman told of his interview with the party



from the Emerald City and added that the Wizard of Oz



had invited the bears and Cayke and himself to travel



in company with them to the castle of Ugu the



Shoemaker。 Cayke was much pleased; but the Bear King



looked solemn。 He set the Little Pink Bear on his lap



and turned the crank in its side and asked:







〃Is it safe for us to associate with those people



from the Emerald City?〃







And the Pink Bear at once replied: 〃Safe for you and



safe for me; Perhaps no others safe will be。〃







〃That 'perhaps' need not worry us;〃 said the King;



〃so let us join the others and offer them our



protection。〃







Even the Lavender Bear was astonished; however; when



on climbing over the hill he found on the other side



the group of queer animals and the people from the



Emerald City。 The bears and Cayke were received very



cordially; although Button…Bright was cross when they



wouldn't let him play with the Little Pink Bear。 The



three girls greatly admired the toy bears; and



especially the pink one; which they longed to hold。







〃You see;〃 explained the Lavender King; in denying



them this privilege; 〃he's a very valuable bear;



because his magic is a correct guide on all occasions;



and especially if one is in difficulties。 It was the



Pink Bear who told us that Ugu the Shoemaker had stolen



the Cookie Cook's dishpan。〃







〃And the King's magic is just as wonderful;〃 added



Cayke; 〃because it showed us the Magician himself。〃







〃What did he look like?〃 inquired Dorothy。







〃He was dreadful!〃







〃He was sitting at a table and examining an immense



Book which had three golden clasps;〃 remarked the King。







〃Why; that must have been Glinda's Great Book of



Records!〃 exclaimed Dorothy。 〃If it is; it proves that



Ugu the Shoemaker stole Ozma; and with her all the



magic in the Emerald City。〃







〃And my dishpan;〃 said Cayke。







 And the Wizard added:







〃It also proves that he is following our adventures



in the Book of Records; and therefore knows that we are



seeking him and that we are determined to find him and



rescue Ozma at all hazards。〃







〃If we can;〃 added the Woozy; but everybody frowned



at him。







The Wizard's statement was so true that the faces



around him were very serious until the Patchwork Girl



broke into a peal of laughter。







〃Wouldn't it be a rich joke if he made prisoners of



us; too?〃 she said。







〃No one but a crazy Patchwork Girl would consider



that a joke;〃 grumbled Button…Bright。







And then the Lavender Bear King asked:







〃Would you like to see this magical shoemaker?〃







〃Wouldn't he know it?〃 Dorothy inquired。







〃No; I think not。〃







Then the King waved his metal wand and before them



appeared a room in the wicker castle of Ugu。 On the



wall of the room hung Ozma's Magic Picture; and seated



before it was the Magician。 They could see the Picture



as well as he could; because it faced them; and in the



Picture was the hillside where they were now sitting;



all their forms being reproduced in miniature。 And;



curiously enough; within the scene of the Picture was



the scene they were now beholding; so they knew that



the Magician was at this moment watching them in the



Picture; and also that he saw himself and the room he



was in become visible to the people on the hillside。



Therefore he knew very well that they were watching him



while he was watching them。







In proof of this; Ugu sprang from his seat and turned



a scowling face in their direction; but now he could



not see the travelers who were seeking him; although



they could still see him。 His actions were so distinct;



indeed; that it seemed he was actually before them。







〃It is only a ghost;〃 said the Bear King。 〃It isn't



real at all; except that it shows us Ugu just as he



looks and tells us truly just what he is doing。〃







〃I don't see anything of my lost growl; though;〃 said



Toto; as if to himself。







Then the vision faded away and they could see nothing



but the grass and trees and bushes around them。



















Chapter Eighteen







The Conference











〃Now; then;〃 said the Wizard; 〃let us talk this matter



over and decide what to do when we get to Ugu's wicker



castle。 There can be no doubt that the Shoemaker is a



powerful Magician; and his powers have been increased a



hundredfold since he secured the Great Book of Records;



the Magic Picture; all of Glinda's recipes for sorcery



and my own black bag  which was full of tools of



wizardry。 The man who could rob us of those things; and



the man with all their powers at his command; is one



who may prove somewhat difficult to conquer; there fore



we should plan our actions well before we venture too



near to his castle。〃







〃I didn't see Ozma in the Magic Picture;〃 said Trot。



〃What do you suppose Ugu has done with her?〃







〃Couldn't the Little Pink Bear tell us what he did



with Ozma?〃 asked Button…Bright。







〃To be sure;〃 replied the Lavender King; 〃I'll ask



him。〃







So he turned the crank in the Little Pink Bear's side



and inquired:







〃Did Ugu the Shoemaker steal Ozma of Oz?〃







〃Yes;〃 answered the Little Pink Bear。







〃Then what did he do with her?〃 asked the King。







〃Shut her up in a dark place;〃 answered the Little



Pink Bear。







〃Oh; that must be a dungeon cell!〃 cried Dorothy;



horrified。 〃How dreadful!〃







〃Well; we must get her out of it;〃 said the Wizard。



〃That is what we came for and of course we must rescue



Ozma。 But  how?〃







Each one looked at some other one for an answer and



all shook their heads in a grave and dismal manner。 All



but Scraps; who danced around them gleefully。







〃You're afraid;〃 said the Patchwork Girl; 〃because so



many things can hurt your meat bodies。 Why don't you



give it up and go home? How can you fight a great



magician when you have nothing to fight with?〃







Dorothy looked at her reflectively。







〃Scraps;〃 said she; 〃you know that Ugu couldn't hurt



you; a bit; whatever he did; nor could he hurt me;



'cause I wear the Nome King's Magic Belt。 Spose just we



two go on together; and leave the others here to wait



for us?〃







〃No; no!〃 said the Wizard positively。 〃That won't do



at all。 Ozma is more powerful than either of you; yet



she could not defeat the wicked Ugu; who has shut her



up in a dungeon。 We must go to the Shoemaker in one



mighty band; for only in union is there strength。〃







〃That is excellent advice;〃 said the Lavender Bear;



approvingly。







〃But what can we do; when we get to Ugu?〃 inquired



the Cookie Cook anxiously。







〃Do not expect a prompt answer to that important



question;〃 replied the Wizard; 〃for we must first plan



our line of conduct。 Ugu knows; of course; that we are



after him; for he has seen our approach in the Magic



Picture; and he has read of all we have done up to the



present moment in the Great Book of Records。 Therefore



we cannot expect to take him by surprise。〃







〃Don't you suppose Ugu would listen to reason?〃 asked



Betsy。 〃If we explained to him how wicked h

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