Путешествие в Страну Оз
9. Facing the Scoodlers
Insteadofbeingblack,itwasnowpurewhite,withafacelikethatofaclowninacircusandhairofabrilliantpurple.Thecreaturecouldbendeitherway,anditswhitetoesnowcurledthesamewaytheblackonesontheothersidehaddone.
"Ithasafacebothfrontandback,"whisperedDorothy,wonderingly;"onlythere’snobackatall,buttwofronts."
Havingmadetheturn,thebeingsatmotionlessasbefore,whileTotobarkedlouderatthewhitemanthanhehaddoneattheblackone.
"Once,"saidtheshaggyman,"Ihadajumpingjacklikethat,withtwofaces."
"Wasitalive?"askedButton-Bright.
"No,"repliedtheshaggyman;"itworkedonstringsandwasmadeofwood."
"Wonderifthisworkswithstrings,"saidDorothy;butPolychromecried"Look!"foranothercreaturejustlikethefirsthadsuddenlyappearedsittingonanotherrock,itsblacksidetowardthem.Thetwotwistedtheirheadsaroundandshowedablackfaceonthewhitesideofoneandawhitefaceontheblacksideoftheother.
"Howcurious,"saidPolychrome;"andhowloosetheirheadsseemtobe!Aretheyfriendlytous,doyouthink?"
"Can’ttell,Polly,"repliedDorothy."Let’sask’em."
Thecreaturesfloppedfirstonewayandthentheother,showingblackorwhitebyturns;andnowanotherjoinedthem,appearingonanotherrock.Ourfriendshadcometoalittlehollowinthehills,andtheplacewheretheynowstoodwassurroundedbyjaggedpeaksofrock,exceptwheretheroadranthrough.
"Nowtherearefourofthem,"saidtheshaggyman.
"Five,"declaredPolychrome.
"Six,"saidDorothy.
