Путешествие в Страну Оз
2. Dorothy Meets Button-Bright
"PapaalwayssaidIwasbrightasabutton;somamaalwayscalledmeButton-Bright,"hesaid.
"Whatisyourpapa’sname?"
"JustPapa."
"Whatelse?"
"Don’tknow."
"Nevermind,"saidtheshaggyman,smiling."We’llcalltheboyButton-Bright,ashismamadoes.Thatnameisasgoodasany,andbetterthansome."
Dorothywatchedtheboydig.
"Wheredoyoulive?"sheasked.
"Don’tknow,"wasthereply.
"Howdidyoucomehere?"
"Don’tknow,"hesaidagain.
"Don’tyouknowwhereyoucamefrom?"
"No,"saidhe.
"Why,hemustbelost,"shesaidtotheshaggyman.Sheturnedtotheboyoncemore.
"Whatareyougoingtodo?"sheinquired.
"Dig,"saidhe.
"Butyoucan’tdigforever;andwhatareyougoingtodothen?"shepersisted.
"Don’tknow,"saidtheboy.
"ButyouMUSTknowSOMETHING,"declaredDorothy,gettingprovoked.
"MustI?"heasked,lookingupinsurprise.
"Ofcourseyoumust."
"WhatmustIknow?"
"What’sgoingtobecomeofyou,foronething,"sheanswered.
"DoYOUknowwhat’sgoingtobecomeofme?"heasked.
"Not—not’zactly,"sheadmitted.
"Doyouknowwhat’sgoingtobecomeofYOU?"hecontinued,earnestly.
"Ican’tsayIdo,"repliedDorothy,rememberingherpresentdifficulties.
Theshaggymanlaughed.
"Nooneknowseverything,Dorothy,"hesaid.
"ButButton-Brightdoesn’tseemtoknowANYthing,"shedeclared."Doyou,Button-Bright?"
Heshookhishead,whichhadprettycurlsalloverit,andrepliedwithperfectcalmness:
"Don’tknow."
NeverbeforehadDorothymetwithanyonewhocouldgivehersolittleinformation.