fb.ozmaofoz- 第15节

　　The　Tiger　went　next。Dorothy　sat　upon　his　back　and　locked　her　arms　around　his　striped　neck；　for　he　had　no　mane　to　cling　to。He　made　the　leap　straight　and　true　as　an　arrow　from　a　bow；　and　ere　Dorothy　realized　it　she　was　out　of　danger　and　standing　by　Ozma's　side。
　　Now　came　the　Scarecrow　on　the　Sawhorse；　and　while　they　made　the　dash　in　safety　they　were　within　a　hair's　breadth　of　being　caught　by　the　descending　hammer。
　　Tiktok　walked　up　to　the　very　edge　of　the　spot　the　hammer　struck；　and　as　it　was　raised　for　the　next　blow　he　calmly　stepped　forward　and　escaped　its　descent。That　was　an　idea　for　the　Tin　Woodman　to　follow；　and　he　also　crossed　in　safety　while　the　great　hammer　was　in　the　air。　But　when　it　came　to　the　twenty…six　officers　and　the　private；　their　knees　were　so　weak　that　they　could　not　walk　a　step。
　　〃In　battle　we　are　wonderfully　courageous；〃　said　one　of　the　generals；　〃and　our　foes　find　us　very　terrible　to　face。But　war　is　one　thing　and　this　is　another。When　it　es　to　being　pounded　upon　the　head　by　an　iron　hammer；　and　smashed　into　pancakes；　we　naturally　object。〃
　　〃Make　a　run　for　it；〃　urged　the　Scarecrow。
　　〃Our　knees　shake　so　that　we　cannot　run；〃　answered　a　captain。〃If　we　should　try　it　we　would　all　certainly　be　pounded　to　a　jelly。〃
　　〃Well；　well；〃　sighed　the　Cowardly　Lion；　〃I　see；　friend　Tiger；　that　we　must　place　ourselves　in　great　danger　to　rescue　this　bold　armye　with　me；　and　we　will　do　the　best　we　can。〃
　　So；　Ozma　and　Dorothy　having　already　dismounted　from　their　backs；　the　Lion　and　the　Tiger　leaped　back　again　under　the　awful　hammer　and　returned　with　two　generals　clinging　to　their　necks。They　repeated　this　daring　passage　twelve　times；　when　all　the　officers　had　been　carried　beneath　the　giant's　legs　and　landed　safely　on　the　further　side。By　that　time　the　beasts　were　very　tired；　and　panted　so　hard　that　their　tongues　hung　out　of　their　great　mouths。
　　〃But　what　is　to　bee　of　the　private？〃　asked　Ozma。
　　〃Oh；　leave　him　there　to　guard　the　chariot；〃　said　the　Lion。〃I'm　tired　out；　and　won't　pass　under　that　mallet　again。〃
　　The　officers　at　once　protested　that　they　must　have　the　private　with　them；　else　there　would　be　no　one　for　them　to　mand。But　neither　the　Lion　or　the　Tiger　would　go　after　him；　and　so　the　Scarecrow　sent　the　Sawhorse。
　　Either　the　wooden　horse　was　careless；　or　it　failed　to　properly　time　the　descent　of　the　hammer；　for　the　mighty　weapon　caught　it　squarely　upon　its　head；　and　thumped　it　against　the　ground　so　powerfully　that　the　private　flew　off　its　back　high　into　the　air；　and　landed　upon　one　of　the　giant's　cast…iron　arms。Here　he　clung　desperately　while　the　arm　rose　and　fell　with　each　one　of　the　rapid　strokes。
　　The　Scarecrow　dashed　in　to　rescue　his　Sawhorse；　and　had　his　left　foot　smashed　by　the　hammer　before　he　could　pull　the　creature　out　of　danger。
　　They　then　found　that　the　Sawhorse　had　been　badly　dazed　by　the　blow；　for　while　the　hard　wooden　knot　of　which　his　head　was　formed　could　not　be　crushed　by　the　hammer；　both　his　ears　were　broken　off　and　he　would　be　unable　to　hear　a　sound　until　some　new　ones　were　made　for　him。Also　his　left　knee　was　cracked；　and　had　to　be　bound　up　with　a　string。
　　Billina　having　fluttered　under　the　hammer；　it　now　remained　only　to　rescue　the　private　who　was　riding　upon　the　iron　giant's　arm；　high　in　the　air。
　　The　Scarecrow　lay　flat　upon　the　ground　and　called　to　the　man　to　jump　down　upon　his　body；　which　was　soft　because　it　was　stuffed　with　straw。
　　This　the　private　managed　to　do；　waiting　until　a　time　when　he　was　nearest　the　ground　and　then　letting　himself　drop　upon　the　Scarecrow。　He　acplished　the　feat　without　breaking　any　bones；　and　the　Scarecrow　declared　he　was　not　injured　in　the　least。
　　Therefore；　the　Tin　Woodman　having　by　this　time　fitted　new　ears　to　the　Sawhorse；　the　entire　party　proceeded　upon　its　way；　leaving　the　giant　to　pound　the　path　behind　them。
　　
　　　11。The　Nome　King
　　
　　By　and　by；　when　they　drew　near　to　the　mountain　that　blocked　their　path　and　which　was　the　furthermost　edge　of　the　Kingdom　of　Ev；　the　way　grew　dark　and　gloomy　for　the　reason　that　the　high　peaks　on　either　side　shut　out　the　sunshine。And　it　was　very　silent；　too；　as　there　were　no　birds　to　sing　or　squirrels　to　chatter；　the　trees　being　left　far　behind　them　and　only　the　bare　rocks　remaining。
　　Ozma　and　Dorothy　were　a　little　awed　by　the　silence；　and　all　the　others　were　quiet　and　grave　except　the　Sawhorse；　which；　as　it　trotted　along　with　the　Scarecrow　upon　his　back；　hummed　a　queer　song；　of　which　this　was　the　chorus：
　　
　　〃Would　a　wooden　horse　in　a　woodland　go？Aye；　aye！I　sigh；　he　would；　although　Had　he　not　had　a　wooden　headHe'd　mount　the　mountain　top　instead。〃
　　
　　But　no　one　paid　any　attention　to　this　because　they　were　now　close　to　the　Nome　King's　dominions；　and　his　splendid　underground　palace　could　not　be　very　far　away。
　　Suddenly　they　heard　a　shout　of　jeering　laughter；　and　stopped　short。　They　would　have　to　stop　in　a　minute；　anyway；　for　the　huge　mountain　barred　their　further　progress　and　the　path　ran　close　up　to　a　wall　of　rock　and　ended。
　　〃Who　was　that　laughing？〃　asked　Ozma。
　　There　was　no　reply；　but　in　the　gloom　they　could　see　strange　forms　flit　across　the　face　of　the　rock。Whatever　the　creations　might　be　they　seemed　very　like　the　rock　itself；　for　they　were　the　color　of　rocks　and　their　shapes　were　as　rough　and　rugged　as　if　they　had　been　broken　away　from　the　side　of　the　mountain。They　kept　close　to　the　steep　cliff　facing　our　friends；　and　glided　up　and　down；　and　this　way　and　that；　with　a　lack　of　regularity　that　was　quite　confusing。And　they　seemed　not　to　need　places　to　rest　their　feet；　but　clung　to　the　surface　of　the　rock　as　a　fly　does　to　a　window…pane；　and　were　never　still　for　a　moment。
　　〃Do　not　mind　them；〃　said　Tiktok；　as　Dorothy　shrank　back。〃They　are　on…ly　the　Nomes。〃
　　〃And　what　are　Nomes？〃　asked　the　girl；　half　frightened。
　　〃They　are　rock　fair…ies；　and　serve　the　Nome　King；〃　replied　the　machine。
　　〃But　they　will　do　us　no　harm。You　must　call　for　the　King；　be…cause　with…out　him　you　can　ne…ver　find　the　en…trance　to　the　pal…ace。〃
　　〃YOU　call；〃　said　Dorothy　to　Ozma。
　　Just　then　the　Nomes　laughed　again；　and　the　sound　was　so　weird　and　disheartening　that　the　twenty…six　officers　manded　the　private　to　〃right…about…face！〃　and　they　all　started　to　run　as　fast　as　they　could。
　　The　Tin　Woodman　at　once　pursued　his　army　and　cried　〃halt！〃　and　when　they　had　stopped　their　flight　he　asked：　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　　〃I…I　find　I've　forgotten　the　brush　for　my　whiskers；〃　said　a　general；　trembling　with　fear。〃S…s…so　we　are　g…going　back　after　it！〃
　　〃That　is　impossible；〃　replied　the　Tin　Woodman。〃For　the　giant　with　the　hammer　would　kill　you　all　if　you　tried　to　pass　him。〃
　　〃Oh！　I'd　forgotten　the　giant；〃　said　the　general；　turning　pale。
　　〃You　seem　to　forget　a　good　many　things；〃　remarked　the　Tin　Woodman。　〃I　hope　you　won't　forget　that　you　are　brave　men。〃
　　〃Never！〃　cried　the　general；　slapping　his　gold…embroidered　chest。
　　〃Never！〃　cried　all　the　other　officers；　indignantly　slapping　their　chests。
　　〃For　my　part；〃　said　the　private；　meekly；　〃I　must　obey　my　officers；　so　when　I　am　told　to　run；　I　run；　and　when　I　am　told　to　fight；　I　fight。〃
　　〃That　is　right；〃　agreed　the　Tin　Woodman。〃And　now　you　must　all　e　back　to　Ozma；　and　obey　HER　orders。And　if　you　try　to　run　away　again　I　will　have　her　reduce　all　the　twenty…six　officers　to　privates；　and　make　the　private　your　general。〃
　　This　terrible　threat　so　frightened　them　that　they　at　once　returned　to　where　Ozma　was　standing　beside　the　Cowardly　Lion。
　　Then　Ozma　cried　out　in　a　loud　voice：
　　〃I　demand　that　the　Nome　King　appear　to　us！〃
　　There　was　no　reply；　except　that　the　shifting　Nomes　upon　the　mountain　laughed　in　derision。
　　〃You　must　not　mand　the　Nome　King；〃　said　Tiktok；　〃for　you　do　not　rule　him；　as　you　do　your　own　peo…ple。〃
　　So　Ozma　called　again；　saying：
　　〃I　request　the　Nome　King　to　appear　to　us。〃
　　Only　the　mocking　laughter　replied　to　her；　and　the　shadowy　Nomes　continued　to　flit　here　and　there　upon　the　rocky　cliff。
　　〃Try　en…treat…y；〃　said　Tiktok　to　Ozma。〃If　he　will　not　e　at　your　re…quest；　then　the　Nome　King　may　list…en　to　your　plead…ing。〃
　　Ozma　looked　around　her　proudly。
　　〃Do　y