Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
15. Old Friends are Reunited
,becausetheotherinitialswereP-I-N-H-E-A-D;andthatspelled’pinhead,’whichwasareflectiononmyintelligence."
"Surelynoonecouldblameyouforcuttingyournameshort,"saidOzma,sympathetically."Butdidn’tyoucutitalmosttooshort?"
"Perhapsso,"repliedtheWizard."WhenayoungmanIranawayfromhomeandjoinedacircus.IusedtocallmyselfaWizard,anddotricksofventriloquism."
"Whatdoesthatmean?"askedthePrincess.
"ThrowingmyvoiceintoanyobjectIpleased,tomakeitappearthattheobjectwasspeakinginsteadofme.AlsoIbegantomakeballoonascensions.OnmyballoonandonalltheotherarticlesIusedinthecircusIpaintedthetwoinitials:’O.Z.’,toshowthatthosethingsbelongedtome.
"Onedaymyballoonranawaywithmeandbroughtmeacrossthedesertstothisbeautifulcountry.Whenthepeoplesawmecomefromtheskytheynaturallythoughtmesomesuperiorcreature,andboweddownbeforeme.ItoldthemIwasaWizard,andshowedthemsomeeasytricksthatamazedthem;andwhentheysawtheinitialspaintedontheballoontheycalledmeOz."
"NowIbegintounderstand,"saidthePrincess,smiling.
"Atthattime,"continuedtheWizard,busilyeatinghissoupwhiletalking,"therewerefourseparatecountriesinthisLand,eachoneofthefourbeingruledbyaWitch.ButthepeoplethoughtmypowerwasgreaterthanthatoftheWitches;andperhapstheWitchesthoughtsotoo,fortheyneverdaredopposeme.
