Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
6. The Mangaboos Prove Dangerous
"Now,Princess,"exclaimedtheWizard,"thoseofyouradvisorswhowishedtothrowusintotheGardenofClingingVinesmuststepwithinthiscircleoflight.Iftheyadvisedyouwell,andwereintheright,theywillnotbeinjuredinanyway.Butifanyadvisedyouwrongly,thelightwillwitherhim."
TheadvisorsofthePrincessdidnotlikethistest;butshecommandedthemtostepintotheflameandonebyonetheydidso,andwerescorchedsobadlythattheairwassoonfilledwithanodorlikethatofbakedpotatoes.SomeoftheMangaboosfelldownandhadtobedraggedfromthefire,andallweresowitheredthatitwouldbenecessarytoplantthematonce.
"Sir,"saidthePrincesstotheWizard,"youaregreaterthananySorcererwehaveeverknown.Asitisevidentthatmypeoplehaveadvisedmewrongly,IwillnotcastyouthreepeopleintothedreadfulGardenoftheClingingVines;butyouranimalsmustbedrivenintotheBlackPitinthemountain,formysubjectscannotbeartohavethemaround."
TheWizardwassopleasedtohavesavedthetwochildrenandhimselfthathesaidnothingagainstthisdecree;butwhenthePrincesshadgonebothJimandEurekaprotestedtheydidnotwanttogototheBlackPit,andDorothypromisedshewoulddoallthatshecouldtosavethemfromsuchafate.
Fortwoorthreedaysafterthis—ifwecalldaystheperiodsbetweensleep,therebeingnonighttodividethehoursintodays—ourfriendswerenotdisturbedinanyway.TheywereevenpermittedtooccupytheHouseoftheSorcererinpeace,asifithadbeentheirown,andtowanderinthegardensinsearchoffood.
