《the patchwork girl of oz》

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the patchwork girl of oz- 第5部分


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〃Are you going to make that dreadful thing



live?〃 she asked。







The Magician nodded。







〃It is intended to be my wife's servant maid;〃



he said。 〃When she is alive she will do all our



work and mind the house。 But you are not to



order her around; Bungle; as you do us。 You



must treat the Patchwork Girl respectfully。〃







〃I won't。 I couldn't respect such a bundle



of scraps under any circumstances。〃







〃If you don't; there will be more scraps than



you will like;〃 cried Margolotte; angrily。







〃Why didn't you make her pretty to look at?〃



asked the cat。 〃You made me prettyvery pretty;



indeedand I love to watch my pink brains roll



around when they're working; and to see my



precious red heart beat。〃 She went to a long



mirror; as she said this; and stood before it;



looking at herself with an air of much pride。



〃But that poor patched thing will hate herself;



when she's once alive;〃 continued the cat。 〃If



I were you I'd use her for a mop; and make



another servant that is prettier。〃







〃You have a perverted taste;〃 snapped



Margolotte; much annoyed at this frank criticism。



〃I think the Patchwork Girl is beautiful;



considering what she's made of。 Even the rainbow



hasn't as many colors; and you must admit that the



rainbow is a pretty thing。〃







The Glass Cat yawned and stretched herself



upon the floor。







〃Have your own way;〃 she said。 〃I'm sorry



for the Patchwork Girl; that's all。〃







Ojo and Unc Nunkie slept that night in the



Magician's house; and the boy was glad to stay



because he was anxious to see the Patchwork



Girl brought to life。 The Glass Cat was also a



wonderful creature to little Ojo; who had never



seen or known anything of magic before; although



he had lived in the Fairyland of Oz ever since he



was born。 Back there in the woods nothing unusual



ever happened。 Unc Nunkie; who might have been



King of the Munchkins; had not his people united



with all the other countries of Oz in



acknowledging Ozma as their Sole ruler; had



retired into this forgotten forest nook with his



baby nephew and they had lived all alone there。



Only that the neglected garden had failed to grow



food for them; they would always have lived in the



solitary Blue Forest; but now they had started out



to mingle with other people; and the first place



they came to proved so interesting that Ojo could



scarcely sleep a wink all night。







Margolotte was an excellent cook and gave



them a fine breakfast。 While they were all engaged



in eating; the good woman said:







〃This is the last meal I shall have to cook



for some time; for right after breakfast Dr。 Pipt



has promised to bring my new servant to life。



I shall let her wash the breakfast dishes and



sweep and dust the house。 What a relief it



will be!〃







〃It will; indeed; relieve you of much drudgery;〃



said the Magician。 〃By the way; Margolotte; I



thought I saw you getting some brains from the



cupboard; while I was busy with my kettles。 What



qualities have you given your new servant?〃







〃Only those that an humble servant requires;〃



she answered。 〃I do not wish her to feel above



her station; as the Glass Cat does。 That would



make her discontented and unhappy; for of



course she must always be a servant。〃







Ojo was somewhat disturbed as he listened to



this; and the boy began to fear he had done wrong



in adding all those different qualities of brains



to the lot Margolotte had prepared for the



servant。 But it was too late now for regret; since



all the brains were securely sewn up inside the



Patchwork Girl's head。 He might have confessed



what he had done and thus allowed Margolotte and



her husband to change the brains; but he was



afraid of incurring their anger。 He believed that



Unc had seen him add to the brains; and Unc had



not said a word against it; but then; Unc never



did say anything unless it was absolutely



necessary。







As soon as breakfast was over they all went



into the Magician's big workshop; where the



Glass Cat was lying before the mirror and the



Patchwork Girl lay limp and lifeless upon the



bench。







〃Now; then;〃 said Dr。 Pipt; in a brisk tone;



〃we shall perform one of the greatest feats of



magic possible to man; even in this marvelous



Land of Oz。 In no other country could it be



done at all。 I think we ought to have a little



music while the Patchwork Girl comes to life。



It is pleasant to reflect that the first sounds her



golden ears will hear will be delicious music。







As he spoke he went to a phonograph; which



screwed fast to a small table; and wound up



the spring of the instrument and adjusted the



big gold horn。







〃The music my servant will usually hear;〃



remarked Margolotte; 〃will be my orders to do



her work。 But I see no harm in allowing her to



listen to this unseen band while she wakens to



her first realization of life。 My orders will beat



the band; afterward。〃







The phonograph was now playing a stirring



march tune and the Magician unlocked his



cabinet and took out the gold bottle containing



the Powder of Life。







They all bent over the bench on which the



Patchwork Girl reclined。 Unc Nunkie and Margolotte



stood behind; near the windows; Ojo at one side



and the Magician in front; where he would have



freedom to sprinkle the powder。 The Glass Cat came



near; too; curious to watch the important scene。







〃All ready?〃 asked Dr。 Pipt。







〃All is ready;〃 answered his wife。







So the Magician leaned over and shook from



the bottle some grains of the wonderful Powder;



and they fell directly on the Patchwork Girl's



head and arms。



















Chapter Five







A Terrible Accident















〃It will take a few minutes for this powder to



do its work;〃 remarked the Magician; sprinkling



the body up and down with much care。







But suddenly the Patchwork Girl threw up one



arm; which knocked the bottle of powder from the



crooked man's hand and sent it flying across the



room。 Unc Nunkie and Margolotte were so startled



that they both leaped backward and bumped



together; and Unc's head joggled the shelf above



them and upset the bottle containing the Liquid of



Petrifaction。







The Magician uttered such a wild cry that Ojo



jumped away and the Patchwork Girl sprang after



him and clasped her stuffed arms around him in



terror。 The Glass Cat snarled and hid under the



table; and so it was that when the powerful Liquid



of Petrifaction was spilled it fell only upon the



wife of the Magician and the uncle of Ojo。 With



these two the charm worked promptly。 They stood



motionless and stiff as marble statues; in exactly



the positions they were in when the Liquid struck



them。







Ojo pushed the Patchwork Girl away and



ran to Unc Nunkie; filled with a terrible fear



for the only friend and protector he had ever



known。 When he grasped Unc's hand it was



cold and hard。 Even the long gray beard was



solid  marble。  The  Crooked  Magician  was



dancing around the room in a frenzy of despair;



calling upon his wife to forgive him; to speak



to him; to come to life again!







The Patchwork Girl; quickly recovering from her



fright; now came nearer and looked from one to



another of the people with deep interest。 Then she



looked at herself and laughed。 Noticing the



mirror; she stood before it and examined her



extraordinary features with amazementher button



eyes; pearl bead teeth and puffy nose。 Then;



addressing her reflection in the glass; she exclaimed:











〃Whee; but there's a gaudy dame!



Makes a paint…box blush with shame。



Razzle…dazzle; fizzle…fazzle!



Howdy…do; Miss What's…your…name?〃















She bowed; and the reflection bowed。 Then



she laughed again; long and merrily; and the



Glass Cat crept out from under the table and said:







〃I don't blame you for laughing at yourself。



Aren't you horrid?〃







〃Horrid?〃 she replied。 〃Why; I'm thoroughly



delightful。 I'm an Original; if you please; and



therefore incomparable。 Of all the comic; absurd;



rare and amusing creatures the world contains; I



must be the supreme freak。 Who but poor Margolotte



could have managed to invent such an unreasonable



being as I? But I'm gladI'm awfully glad!that



I'm just what I am; and nothing else。〃







〃Be quiet; will you?〃 cried the frantic



Magician; 〃be quiet and let me think! If I don't



think I shall go mad。〃







〃Think ahead;〃 said the Patchwork Girl; seating



herself in a chair。 〃Think all you want to。 I



don't mind。〃







〃Gee! but I'm fired playing that tune;〃 called



the phonograph; speaking through its horn in



a brazen; scratchy voice。 〃If you don't mind;



Pipt; old boy; I'll cut it out and take a rest。〃







The Magician looked gloomily at the music…



machine。







〃What dreadful luck!〃 he wailed; despondently。



〃The Powder of Life must have fallen on the



phonograph。〃







He went up to it and found that the gold bottle



that contained the precious powder had dropped



upon the stand and scattere
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