Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
3. The Arrival of the Wizard
"Sir,"saidhe,"whyareyouhere,intheLandoftheMangaboos?"
"Didn’tknowwhatlanditwas,myson,"returnedtheother,withapleasantsmile;"and,tobehonest,Ididn’tmeantovisityouwhenIstartedout.Iliveontopoftheearth,yourhonor,whichisfarbetterthanlivinginsideit;butyesterdayIwentupinaballoon,andwhenIcamedownIfellintoabigcrackintheearth,causedbyanearthquake.IhadletsomuchgasoutofmyballoonthatIcouldnotriseagain,andinafewminutestheearthclosedovermyhead.SoIcontinuedtodescenduntilIreachedthisplace,andifyouwillshowmeawaytogetoutofit,I’llgowithpleasure.Sorrytohavetroubledyou;butitcouldn’tbehelped."
ThePrincehadlistenedwithattention.Saidhe:
"Thischild,whoisfromthecrustoftheearth,likeyourself,calledyouaWizard.IsnotaWizardsomethinglikeaSorcerer?"
"It’sbetter,"repliedOz,promptly."OneWizardisworththreeSorcerers."
"Ah,youshallprovethat,"saidthePrince."WeMangabooshave,atthepresenttime,oneofthemostwonderfulSorcerersthateverwaspickedfromabush;buthesometimesmakesmistakes.Doyouevermakemistakes?"
"Never!"declaredtheWizard,boldly.
"Oh,Oz!"saidDorothy;"youmadealotofmistakeswhenyouwereinthemarvelousLandofOz."
"Nonsense!"saidthelittleman,turningred—althoughjustthenarayofvioletsunlightwasonhisroundface.
"Comewithme,"saidthePrincetohim."IwishtomeetourSorcerer."
TheWizarddidnotlikethisinvitation,buthecouldnotrefusetoacceptit.
