Волшебство страны Оз
3. Two Bad Ones
"Thesmallestofthesejewelsisworthahundredgoldpiecessuchasyoustolefromtheoldman."
"Don’ttalksoloud,"beggedKiki,uneasily."Someoneelsemighthearwhatyouaresaying."
Aftersuppertheytookawalktogether,andtheformerNomeKingsaid:
"DoyouknowtheShaggyMan,andtheScarecrow,andtheTinWoodman,andDorothy,andOzmaandalltheotherOzpeople?"
"No,"repliedtheboy,"IhaveneverbeenawayfromMountMunchuntilIflewovertheDeadlyDeserttheotherdayintheshapeofahawk."
"Thenyou’veneverseentheEmeraldCityofOz?"
"Never."
"Well,"saidtheNome,"IknewalltheOzpeople,andyoucanguessIdonotlovethem.AllduringmywanderingsIhavebroodedonhowIcanberevengedonthem.NowthatI’vemetyouIcanseeawaytoconquertheLandofOzandbeKingtheremyself,whichisbetterthanbeingKingoftheNomes."
"Howcanyoudothat?"inquiredKikiAru,wonderingly.
"Nevermindhow.Inthefirstplace,I’llmakeabargainwithyou.TellmethesecretofhowtoperformtransformationsandIwillgiveyouapocketfulofjewels,thebiggestandfinestthatIpossess."
"No,"saidKiki,whorealizedthattosharehispowerwithanotherwouldbedangeroustohimself.
"I’llgiveyouTWOpocketsfulofjewels,"saidtheNome.
"No,"answeredKiki.
"I’llgiveyoueveryjewelIpossess."
"No,no,no!"saidKiki,whowasbeginningtobefrightened.
"Then,"saidtheNome,withawickedlookattheboy,"I’lltelltheinn-keeperthatyoustolethatgoldpieceandhewillhaveyouputinprison."
Kikilaughedatthethreat.
