Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
3. The Arrival of the Wizard
"
"WeonlyknowthatyesterdaycameaRainofStonesuponus,whichdidmuchdamageandinjuredsomeofourpeople.TodaycameanotherRainofStones,andsoonafterityouappearedamongus."
"Bytheway,"saidthemanwiththestar,lookingsteadilyattheSorcerer,"youtoldusyesterdaythattherewouldnotbeasecondRainofStones.Yetonehasjustoccurredthatwasevenworsethanthefirst.Whatisyoursorcerygoodforifitcannottellusthetruth?"
"Mysorcerydoestellthetruth!"declaredthethorn-coveredman."IsaidtherewouldbebutoneRainofStones.ThissecondonewasaRainofPeople-and-Horse-and-Buggy.Andsomestonescamewiththem."
"WilltherebeanymoreRains?"askedthemanwiththestar.
"No,myPrince."
"Neitherstonesnorpeople?"
"No,myPrince."
"Areyousure?"
"Quitesure,myPrince.Mysorcerytellsmeso."
JustthenamancamerunningintothehallandaddressedthePrinceaftermakingalowbow.
"Morewondersintheair,myLord,"saidhe.
ImmediatelythePrinceandallofhispeopleflockedoutofthehallintothestreet,thattheymightseewhatwasabouttohappen.DorothyandZebjumpedoutofthebuggyandranafterthem,buttheSorcererremainedcalmlyinhisthrone.
Farupintheairwasanobjectthatlookedlikeaballoon.Itwasnotsohighastheglowingstarofthesixcoloredsuns,butwasdescendingslowlythroughtheair—soslowlythatatfirstitscarcelyseemedtomove.
Thethrongstoodstillandwaited.Itwasalltheycoulddo,fortogoawayandleavethatstrangesightwasimpossible;norcouldtheyhurryitsfallinanyway.
