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the patchwork girl of oz-第10章

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hand seized her firmly and threw her out of the



door; which closed behind her with a sharp



slam。 She found herself bumping and rolling in



the road and when she got up and tried to open



the door of the house again she found it locked。







〃What has happened to Scraps?〃 asked Ojo。







〃Never mind。 Let's go to sleep; or something



will happen to us;〃 answered the Glass Cat。







So Ojo snuggled down in his bed and fell



asleep; and he was so tired that he never



wakened until broad daylight。



















Chapter Seven







The Troublesome Phonograph















When the boy opened his eyes next morning he



looked carefully around the room。 These small



Munchkin houses seldom had more than one room in



them。 That in which Ojo now found himself had



three beds; set all in a row on one side of it。



The Glass Cat lay asleep on one bed; Ojo was in



the second; and the third was neatly made up and



smoothed for the day。 On the other side of the



room was a round table on which breakfast was



already placed; smoking hot。 Only one chair was



drawn up to the table; where a place was set for



one person。 No one seemed to be in the room except



the boy and Bungle。







Ojo got up and put on his shoes。 Finding a



toilet stand at the head of his bed he washed his



face and hands and brushed his hair。 Then he



went to the table and said:







〃I wonder if this is my breakfast?〃







〃Eat it!〃 commanded a Voice at his side; so



near that Ojo jumped; But no person could he



see。







He was hungry; and the breakfast looked



good; so he sat down and ate all he wanted。



Then; rising; he took his hat and wakened the



Glass Cat。







〃Come on; Bungle;〃 said he; 〃we must go。







He cast another glance about the room and;



speaking to the air; he said: 〃Whoever lives here



has been kind to me; and I'm much obliged。〃







There was no answer; so he took his basket



and went out the door; the cat following him。



In the middle of the path sat the Patchwork



Girl; playing with pebbles she had picked up。







〃Oh; there you are!〃 she exclaimed cheerfully。



〃I thought you were never coming out。 It has been



daylight a long time。〃







〃What did you do all night?〃 asked the boy。







〃Sat here and watched the stars and the



moon;〃 she replied。 〃They're interesting。 I never



saw them before; you know。〃







〃Of course not;〃 said Ojo。







〃You were crazy to act so badly and get



thrown outdoors;〃 remarked Bungle; as they



renewed their journey。







〃That's all right;〃 said Scraps。 〃If I hadn't



been thrown out I wouldn't have seen the stars;



nor the big gray wolf。〃







〃What wolf?〃 inquired Ojo。







〃The one that came to the door of the house



three times during the night。〃







〃I don't see why that should be;〃 said the



boy; thoughtfully; 〃there was plenty to eat in



that house; for I had a fine breakfast; and I



slept in a nice bed。〃







〃Don't you feel tired?〃 asked the Patchwork



Girl; noticing that the boy yawned。







〃Why; yes; I'm as tired as I was last night;



and yet I slept very well。〃







〃And aren't you hungry?〃







〃It's strange;〃 replied Ojo。 〃I had a good



breakfast; and yet I think I'll now eat some of



my crackers and cheese。〃







Scraps danced up and down the path。 Then



she sang:











〃Kizzle…kazzle…kore;



The wolf is at the door;



There's nothing to eat but a bone without meat;



And a bill from the grocery store。〃















〃What does that mean?〃 asked Ojo。







〃Don't ask me;〃 replied Scraps。 〃I say what



comes into my head; but of course I know nothing



of a grocery store or bones without meat or



very much else。〃







〃No;〃 said the cat; 〃she's stark; staring;



raving crazy; and her brains can't be pink; for



they don't work properly。〃







〃Bother the brains!〃 cried Scraps。 〃Who cares



for 'em; anyhow? Have you noticed how beautiful my



patches are in this sunlight?〃







Just then they heard a sound as of footsteps



pattering along the path behind them and all three



turned to see what was coming。 To their



astonishment they beheld a small round table



running as fast as its four spindle legs could



carry it; and to the top was screwed fast a



phonograph with a big gold horn。







〃Hold on!〃 shouted the phonograph。 〃Wait for



me!〃







〃Goodness me; it's that music thing which the



Crooked Magician scattered the Powder of Life



over;〃 said Ojo。







〃So it is;〃 returned Bungle; in a grumpy tone of



voice; and then; as the phonograph overtook them;



the Glass Cat added sternly: 〃What are you doing



here; anyhow?〃







〃I've run away;〃 said the music thing。 〃After



you left; old Dr。 Pipt and I had a dreadful



quarrel and he threatened to smash me to pieces if



I didn't keep quiet。 Of course I wouldn't do that;



because a talking…machine is supposed to talk and



make a noiseand sometimes music。 So I slipped out



of the house while the Magician was stirring his



four kettles and I've been running after you all



night。 Now that I've found such pleasant company;



I can talk and play tunes all I want to。〃







Ojo was greatly annoyed by this unwelcome



addition to their party。 At first he did not know



what to say to the newcomer; but a little thought



decided him not to make friends。







〃We are traveling on important business;〃 he



declared; 〃and you'll excuse me if I say we can't



be bothered。〃







〃How very impolite!〃 exclaimed the phonograph。







〃I'm sorry; but it's true;〃 said the boy。 〃You'll



have to go somewhere else。〃







〃This is very unkind treatment; I must say;



whined the phonograph; in an injured tone。



〃Everyone seems to hate me; and yet I was intended



to amuse people。〃







〃It isn't you we hate; especially;〃 observed



the Glass Cat; 〃it's your dreadful music。 When



I lived in the same room with you I was much



annoyed by your squeaky horn。 It growls and



grumbles and clicks and scratches so it spoils



the music; and your machinery rumbles so that



the racket drowns every tune you attempt。〃







〃That isn't my fault; it's the fault of my



records。 I must admit that I haven't a clear



record;〃 answered the machine。







〃Just the same; you'll have to go away;〃 said



Ojo。







〃Wait a minute;〃 cried Scraps。 〃This music



thing interests me。 I remember to have heard



music when I first came to life; and I would like



to hear it again。 What is your name; my poor



abused phonograph?〃







〃Victor Columbia Edison;〃 it answered。







〃Well; I shall call you 'Vic' for short;〃 said



the Patchwork Girl。 〃Go ahead and play something。〃







〃It'll drive you crazy;〃 warned the cat。







〃I'm crazy now; according to your statement。



Loosen up and reel out the music; Vic。〃







〃The only record I have with me;〃 explained



the phonograph; 〃is one the Magician attached



just before we had our quarrel。 It's a highly



classical composition。〃







〃A what?〃 inquired Scraps。







〃It is classical music; and is considered the



best and most puzzling ever manufactured。



You're supposed to like it; whether you do or



not; and if you don't; the proper thing is to look



as if you did。 Understand?〃







〃Not in the least;〃 said Scraps。







〃Then; listen!〃







At once the machine began to play and in a



few minutes Ojo put his hands to his ears to



shut out the sounds and the cat snarled and



Scraps began to Jaugh。







〃Cut it out; Vic;〃 she said。 〃That's enough。〃







But the phonograph continued playing the dreary



tune; so Ojo seized the crank; jerked it free and



threw it into the road。 However; the moment the



crank struck the ground it hounded back to the



machine again and began winding it up。 And still



the music played。







〃Let's run!〃 cried Scraps; and they all started



and ran down the path as fast as they could go。



But the phonograph was right behind them



and could run and play at the same time。 It



called out; reproachfully:







〃What's the matter? Don't you love classical



music?〃







〃No; Vic;〃 said Scraps; halting。 〃We will



passical 
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