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6. The Heads of Langwidere
Butsherosefromherchair,andwasabouttoleavetheroomwhenthePrincess,whohadbeenscanningthegirl’sface,stoppedherbysaying,moregently:
"Comenearertome."
Dorothyobeyed,withoutathoughtoffear,andstoodbeforethePrincesswhileLangwidereexaminedherfacewithcarefulattention.
"Youareratherattractive,"saidthelady,presently."Notatallbeautiful,youunderstand,butyouhaveacertainstyleofprettinessthatisdifferentfromthatofanyofmythirtyheads.SoIbelieveI’lltakeyourheadandgiveyouNo.26forit."
"Well,Ib’lieveyouwon’t!"exclaimedDorothy.
"Itwilldoyounogoodtorefuse,"continuedthePrincess;"forIneedyourheadformycollection,andintheLandofEvmywillislaw.IneverhavecaredmuchforNo.26,andyouwillfindthatitisverylittleworn.Besides,itwilldoyoujustaswellastheoneyou’rewearing,forallpracticalpurposes."
"Idon’tknowanythingaboutyourNo.26,andIdon’twantto,"saidDorothy,firmly."I’mnotusedtotakingcast-offthings,soI’lljustkeepmyownhead."
"Yourefuse?"criedthePrincess,withafrown.
"OfcourseIdo,"wasthereply.
"Then,"saidLangwidere,"Ishalllockyouupinatoweruntilyoudecidetoobeyme.Nanda,"turningtohermaid,"callmyarmy."
Nandarangasilverbell,andatonceabigfatcolonelinabrightreduniformenteredtheroom,followedbytenleansoldiers,whoalllookedsadanddiscouragedandsalutedtheprincessinaverymelancholyfashion.
"CarrythatgirltotheNorthTowerandlockherup!"criedthePrincess,pointingtoDorothy.
