Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
8. The Valley of Voices
Themountainonthissidewasnotglass,butmadeofastonesimilartogranite.WithsomedifficultyanddangerJimdrewthebuggyoverthelooserocksuntilhereachedthegreenlawnsbelow,wherethepathsandorchardsandgardensbegan.Thenearestcottagewasstillsomedistanceaway.
"Isn’titfine?"criedDorothy,inajoyousvoice,asshesprangoutofthebuggyandletEurekarunfrolickingoverthevelvetygrass.
"Yes,indeed!"answeredZeb."Wewereluckytogetawayfromthosedreadfulvegetablepeople."
"Itwouldn’tbesobad,"remarkedtheWizard,gazingaroundhim,"ifwewereobligedtoliveherealways.Wecouldn’tfindaprettierplace,I’msure."
Hetookthepigletsfromhispocketandletthemrunonthegrass,andJimtastedamouthfulofthegreenbladesanddeclaredhewasverycontentedinhisnewsurroundings.
"Wecan’twalkintheairhere,though,"calledEureka,whohadtrieditandfailed;buttheothersweresatisfiedtowalkontheground,andtheWizardsaidtheymustbenearerthesurfaceoftheearththentheyhadbeenintheMangaboocountry,foreverythingwasmorehomelikeandnatural.
"Butwherearethepeople?"askedDorothy.
Thelittlemanshookhisbaldhead.
"Can’timagine,mydear,"hereplied.
Theyheardthesuddentwitteringofabird,butcouldnotfindthecreatureanywhere.Slowlytheywalkedalongthepathtowardthenearestcottage,thepigletsracingandgambollingbesidethemandJimpausingateverystepforanothermouthfulofgrass.
