Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
18. The Trial of Eureka, the Kitten
HehadnodoubtEurekahadeatenhispiglet,butherealizedthatakittencannotbedependeduponatalltimestoactproperly,sinceitsnatureistodestroysmallanimalsandevenbirdsforfood,andthetamecatthatwekeepinourhousestodayisdescendedfromthewildcatofthejungle—averyferociouscreature,indeed.TheWizardknewthatifDorothy’spetwasfoundguiltyandcondemnedtodeaththelittlegirlwouldbemadeveryunhappy;so,althoughhegrievedoverthepiglet’ssadfateasmuchasanyofthem,heresolvedtosaveEureka’slife.
SendingfortheTinWoodmantheWizardtookhimintoacornerandwhispered:
"Myfriend,itisyourdutytodefendthewhitekittenandtrytosaveher,butIfearyouwillfailbecauseEurekahaslongwishedtoeatapiglet,tomycertainknowledge,andmyopinionisthatshehasbeenunabletoresistthetemptation.Yetherdisgraceanddeathwouldnotbringbackthepiglet,butonlyservetomakeDorothyunhappy.SoIintendtoprovethekitten’sinnocencebyatrick."
Hedrewfromhisinsidepocketoneoftheeighttinypigletsthatwereremainingandcontinued:
"Thiscreatureyoumusthideinsomesafeplace,andifthejurydecidesthatEurekaisguiltyyoumaythenproducethispigletandclaimitistheonethatwaslost.Allthepigletsareexactlyalike,sonoonecandisputeyourword.ThisdeceptionwillsaveEureka’slife,andthenwemayallbehappyagain."
"Idonotliketodeceivemyfriends,"repliedtheTinWoodman;"still,mykindhearturgesmetosaveEureka’slife,andIcanusuallytrustmyhearttodotherightthing
