第 40 节
作者:空白协议书      更新:2024-04-07 21:07      字数:9322
  hung tin chandeliers。
  The Tin Woodman wanted to know; first of
  all; where Dorothy had found the Patchwork
  Girl; so between them the visitors told the story
  of how Scraps was made; as well as the accident
  to Margolotte and Unc Nunkie and how Ojo
  had set out upon a journey to procure the things
  needed for the Crooked Magician's magic
  charm。 Then Dorothy told of their adventures
  in the Quadling Country and how at last they
  succeeded in getting the water from a dark well。
  While the little girl was relating these
  adventures the Tin Woodman sat in an easy chair
  listening with intense interest; while the others
  sat grouped around him。 Ojo; however; had kept his
  eyes fixed upon the body of the tin Emperor; and
  now he noticed that under the joint of his left
  knee a tiny drop of oil was forming。 He watched
  this drop of oil with a fast…beating heart; and
  feeling in his pocket brought out a tiny vial of
  crystal; which he held secreted in his hand。
  Presently the Tin Woodman changed his
  position; and at once Ojo; to the astonishment
  of all; dropped to the floor and held his crystal
  vial under the Emperor's knee joint。 Just then
  the drop of oil fell; and they boy caught it in
  his bottle and immediately corked it tight。 Then;
  with a red face and embarrassed manner; he rose
  to confront the others。
  〃What in the world were you doing?〃 asked
  the Tin Woodman。
  〃I caught a drop of oil that fell from your
  knee…joint;〃 confessed Ojo。
  〃A drop of oil!〃 exclaimed the Tin Woodman。
  〃Dear me; how careless my valet must have
  been in oiling me this morning。 I'm afraid I
  shall have to scold the fellow; for I can't be
  dropping oil wherever I go。〃
  〃Never mind;〃 said Dorothy。 Ojo seems glad
  to have the oil; for some reason。〃
  〃Yes;〃 declared the Munchkin boy; 〃I am
  glad。 For one of the things the Crooked Magician
  sent me to get was a drop of oil from a live man's
  body。 I had no idea; at first; that there was such
  a thing; but it's now safe in the little crystal
  vial。〃
  〃You are very welcome to it; indeed;〃 said
  the Tin Woodman。 〃Have you now secured all
  the things you were in search of?〃
  〃Not quite all;〃 answered Ojo。 〃There were five
  things I had to get; and I have found four of
  them。 I have the three hairs in the tip of a
  Woozy's tail; a six…leaved clover; a gill of water
  from a dark well and a drop of oil from a live
  man's body。 The last thing is the easiest of all
  to get; and I'm sure that my dear Unc Nunkieand
  good Margolotte; as wellwill soon be restored to
  life。〃
  The Munchkin boy said this with much pride and
  pleasure。
  〃Good!〃 exclaimed the Tin Woodman; 〃I
  congratulate you。 But what is the fifth and last
  thing you need; in order to complete the magic
  charm?〃
  〃The left wing of a yellow butterfly;〃 said
  Ojo。 〃In this yellow country; and with your
  kind assistance; that ought to be very easy to
  find。〃
  The Tin Woodman stared at him in amazement。
  〃Surely you are joking!〃 he said。
  〃No;〃 replied Ojo; much surprised; 〃I am in
  earnest。〃
  〃But do you think for a moment that I would
  permit you; or anyone else; to pull the left wing
  from a yellow butterfly?〃 demanded the Tin Woodman
  sternly。
  〃Why not; sir?〃
  〃Why not? You ask me why not? It would be
  cruelone of the most cruel and heartless deeds
  I ever heard of;〃 asserted the Tin Woodman。
  〃The butterflies are among the prettiest of all
  created things; and they are very sensitive to
  pain。 To tear a wing from one would cause it
  exquisite torture and it would soon die in great
  agony。 I would not permit such a wicked deed
  under any circumstances!〃
  Ojo was astounded at hearing this。 Dorothy; too;
  looked grave and disconcerted; but she knew in her
  heart that the Tin Woodman was right。 The
  Scarecrow nodded his head in approval of his
  friend's speech; so it was evident that he agreed
  with the Emperor's decision。 Scraps looked from
  one to another in perplexity。
  〃Who cares for a butterfly?〃 she asked。
  〃Don't you?〃 inquired the Tin Woodman。
  〃Not the snap of a finger; for I have no heart;〃
  said the Patchwork Girl。 〃But I want to help
  Ojo; who is my friend; to rescue the uncle whom
  he loves; and I'd kill a dozen useless butterflies
  to enable him to do that。〃
  The Tin Woodman sighed regretfully。
  〃You have kind instincts;〃 he said; 〃and with a
  heart you would indeed be a fine creature。 I
  cannot blame you for your heartless remark; as you
  cannot understand the feelings of those who
  possess hearts。 I; for instance; have a very neat
  and responsive heart which the wonderful Wizard
  of Oz once gave me; and so I shall nevernever
  never permit a poor yellow butterfly to be
  tortured by anyone。〃
  〃The yellow country of the Winkies;〃 said Ojo
  sadly; 〃is the only place in Oz where a yellow
  butterfly can be found。〃
  〃I'm glad of that;〃 said the Tin Woodman。
  〃As I rule the Winkie Country; I can protect
  my butterflies。〃
  Unless I get the wingjust one left wing〃
  said Ojo miserably; 〃I can't save Unc Nunkie。〃
  〃Then he must remain a marble statue forever;〃
  declared the Tin Emperor; firmly。
  Ojo wiped his eyes; for he could not hold back
  the tears。
  〃I'll tell you what to do;〃 said Scraps。 〃We'll
  take a whole yellow butterfly; alive and well; to
  the Crooked Magician; and let him pull the left
  wing off。〃
  〃No; you won't;〃 said the Tin Woodman。
  〃You can't have one of my dear little butterflies
  to treat in that way。
  〃Then what in the world shall we do?〃 asked
  Dorothy。
  They all became silent and thoughtful。 No
  one spoke for a long time。 Then the Tin Woodman
  suddenly roused himself and said:
  〃We must all go back to the Emerald City
  and ask Ozma's advice。 She's a wise little girl;
  our Ruler; and she may find a way to help Ojo
  save his Unc Nunkie。〃
  So the following morning the party started
  on the journey to the Emerald City; which they
  reached in due time without any important
  adventure。 It was a sad journey for Ojo; for
  without the wing of the yellow butterfly he saw
  no way to save Unc Nunkieunless he waited
  six years for the Crooked Magician to make a
  new lot of the Powder of Life。 The boy was
  utterly discouraged; and as he walked along he
  groaned aloud。
  〃Is anything hurting you?〃 inquired the Tin
  Woodman in a kindly tone; for the Emperor
  was with the party。
  〃I'm Ojo the Unlucky;〃 replied the boy。 〃I
  might have known I would fail in anything
  I tried to do。〃
  〃Why are you Ojo the Unlucky?〃 asked the tin
  man。
  〃Because I was born on a Friday。〃
  〃Friday is not unlucky;〃 declared the Emperor。
  〃It's just one of seven days。 Do you suppose all
  the world becomes unlucky one…seventh of the
  time?〃
  〃It was the thirteenth day of the month;〃 said
  Ojo。
  〃Thirteen! Ah; that is indeed a lucky number;〃
  replied the Tin Woodman。 〃All my good luck seems
  to happen on the thirteenth。 I suppose most
  people never notice the good luck that comes to
  them with the number 13; and yet if the least bit
  of bad luck falls on that day; they blame it to
  the number; and not to the proper cause。〃
  〃Thirteen's my lucky number; too;〃 remarked the
  Scarecrow
  〃And mine;〃 said Scraps。 〃I've just thirteen
  patches on my head。〃
  〃But;〃 continued Ojo; 〃I'm left…handed。〃
  〃Many of our greatest men are that way;〃
  asserted the Emperor。 〃To be left…handed is
  usually to be two…handed; the right…handed people
  are usually one…handed。〃
  〃And I've a wart under my right arm;〃 said Ojo。
  〃How lucky!〃 cried the Tin Woodman。 〃If
  it were on the end of your nose it might be
  unlucky; but under your arm it is luckily out
  of the way。〃
  〃For all those reasons;〃 said the Munchkin
  boy; 〃I have been called Ojo the Unlucky。〃
  〃Then we must turn over a new leaf and call you
  henceforth Ojo the Lucky;〃 declared the tin man。
  〃Every reason you have given is absurd。 B