Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
10. The Braided Man of Pyramid Mountain
Afterrestingafewmomentstheyresumedtheirclimb,andstillthestairswerebroadandlowenoughforJimtodrawthebuggyeasilyafterhim.Theoldhorsepantedalittle,andhadtostopoftentogethisbreath.Atsuchtimestheywereallgladtowaitforhim,forcontinuallyclimbingupstairsissuretomakeone’slegsache.
Theywoundabout,alwaysgoingupward,forsometime.Thelightsfromthelanternsdimlyshowedtheway,butitwasagloomyjourney,andtheywerepleasedwhenabroadstreakoflightaheadassuredthemtheywerecomingtoasecondlanding.
Hereonesideofthemountainhadagreatholeinit,likethemouthofacavern,andthestairsstoppedatthenearedgeofthefloorandcommencedascendingagainattheoppositeedge.
TheopeninginthemountainwasonthesideoppositetotheValleyofVoe,andourtravellerslookedoutuponastrangescene.Belowthemwasavastspace,atthebottomofwhichwasablackseawithrollingbillows,throughwhichlittletonguesofflameconstantlyshotup.Justabovethem,andalmostonalevelwiththeirplatform,werebanksofrollingcloudswhichconstantlyshiftedpositionandchangedcolor.Thebluesandgreyswereverybeautiful,andDorothynoticedthatonthecloudbankssatorreclinedfleecy,shadowyformsofbeautifulbeingswhomusthavebeentheCloudFairies.Mortalswhostandupontheearthandlookupattheskycannotoftendistinguishtheseforms,butourfriendswerenowsoneartothecloudsthattheyobservedthedaintyfairiesveryclearly.
"Aretheyreal?"askedZeb,inanawedvoice.
"Ofcourse,"repliedDorothy,softly.
