Озма из страны Оз
14. Dorothy Tries to be Brave
"Itcan’thurtverymuch,"shethought,"forIhaven’theardanyofthemscreamorcryout--noteventhepoorofficers.Dearme!IwonderifUncleHenryorAuntEmwilleverknowIhavebecomeanorn’mentintheNomeKing’spalace,andmuststandforeverandeverinoneplaceandlookpretty--’ceptwhenI’mmovedtobedusted.Itisn’tthewayIthoughtI’dturnout,atall;butIs’poseitcan’tbehelped."
Shewalkedthroughalltheroomsoncemore,andexaminedwithcarealltheobjectstheycontained;butthereweresomany,theybewilderedher,andshedecided,afterall,asOzmahaddone,thatitcouldbeonlyguessworkatthebest,andthatthechancesweremuchagainstherguessingaright.
Timidlyshetouchedanalabasterbowlandsaid:"Ev."
"That’sonefailure,anyhow,"shethought."ButhowamItoknowwhichthingisenchanted,andwhichisnot?"
Nextshetouchedtheimageofapurplekittenthatstoodonthecornerofamantel,andasshepronouncedtheword"Ev"thekittendisappeared,andapretty,fair-hairedboystoodbesideher.Atthesametimeabellrangsomewhereinthedistance,andasDorothystartedback,partlyinsurpriseandpartlyinjoy,thelittleoneexclaimed:
"WhereamI?Andwhoareyou?Andwhathashappenedtome?"
"Well,Ideclare!"saidDorothy."I’vereallydoneit."
"Donewhat?"askedtheboy.
"Savedmyselffrombeinganornament,"repliedthegirl,withalaugh,"andsavedyoufrombeingforeverapurplekitten."
"Apurplekitten?"herepeated."ThereISnosuchthing."
"Iknow,"sheanswered."Buttherewas,aminuteago
