Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
15. Old Friends are Reunited
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"I’mgladtohearthat,"saidtheWizard."Iwasafraiditwouldgetmoldyinthattinbodyofyours."
"Notatall,"returnedNickChopper."Itkeepsfinely,beingpreservedinmyair-tightchest."
Zebwasalittleshywhenfirstintroducedtothesequeerpeople;buttheyweresofriendlyandsincerethathesoongrewtoadmirethemverymuch,evenfindingsomegoodqualitiesintheyellowhen.Buthebecamenervousagainwhenthenextvisitorwasannounced.
"This,"saidPrincessOzma,"ismyfriendMr.H.M.Woggle-Bug,T.E.,whoassistedmeonetimewhenIwasingreatdistress,andisnowtheDeanoftheRoyalCollegeofAthleticScience."
"Ah,"saidtheWizard;"I’mpleasedtomeetsodistinguishedapersonage."
"H.M.,"saidtheWoggle-Bug,pompously,"meansHighlyMagnified;andT.E.meansThoroughlyEducated.Iam,inreality,averybigbug,anddoubtlessthemostintelligentbeinginallthisbroaddomain."
"Howwellyoudisguiseit,"saidtheWizard."ButIdon’tdoubtyourwordintheleast."
"Nobodydoubtsit,sir,"repliedtheWoggle-Bug,anddrawingabookfromitspocketthestrangeinsectturneditsbackonthecompanyandsatdowninacornertoread.
Nobodymindedthisrudeness,whichmighthaveseemedmoreimpoliteinonelessthoroughlyeducated;sotheystraightwayforgothimandjoinedinamerryconversationthatkeptthemwellamuseduntilbed-timearrived.
