Путешествие в Страну Оз
6. The City of Beasts
Insideweresuspendedmanysheetsoftinorthiniron,andagainstthesemetalsheetsarowofdonkeyswerepoundingtheirheelswithviciouskicks.
Theshaggymanranuptothenearestdonkeyandgavethebeastasharpblowwithhisswitch.
"Stopthatnoise!"heshouted;andthedonkeystoppedkickingthemetalsheetandturneditsheadtolookwithsurpriseattheshaggyman.Heswitchedthenextdonkey,andmadehimstop,andthenthenext,sothatgraduallytherattlingofheelsceasedandtheawfulnoisesubsided.Thedonkeysstoodinagroupandeyedthestrangerswithfearandtrembling.
"Whatdoyoumeanbymakingsucharacket?"askedtheshaggyman,sternly.
"Wewerescaringawaythefoxes,"saidoneofthedonkeys,meekly."Usuallytheyrunfastenoughwhentheyhearthenoise,whichmakesthemafraid."
"Therearenofoxeshere,"saidtheshaggyman.
"Ibegtodifferwithyou.There’sone,anyhow,"repliedthedonkey,sittinguprightonitshaunchesandwavingahooftowardButton-Bright."Wesawhimcomingandthoughtthewholearmyoffoxeswasmarchingtoattackus."
"Button-Brightisn’tafox,"explainedtheshaggyman."He’sonlywearingafoxheadforatime,untilhecangethisownheadback."
"Oh,Isee,"remarkedthedonkey,wavingitsleftearreflectively."I’msorrywemadesuchamistake,andhadallourworkandworryfornothing."
Theotherdonkeysbythistimeweresittingupandexaminingthestrangerswithbig,glassyeyes.Theymadeaqueerpicture,indeed;fortheyworewide,whitecollarsaroundtheirnecksandthecollarshadmanyscallopsandpoints.
