Озма из страны Оз

           "Then,"saidtheNomeKing,"Iwillmakeyouthisoffer:Youshallgoaloneandunattendedintomypalaceandexaminecarefullyallthattheroomscontain.Thenyoushallhavepermissiontotouchelevendifferentobjects,pronouncingatthetimetheword’Ev,’andifanyoneofthem,ormorethanone,provestobethetransformationoftheQueenofEvoranyofhertenchildren,thentheywillinstantlyberestoredtotheirtrueformsandmayleavemypalaceandmykingdominyourcompany,withoutanyobjectionwhatever.Itispossibleforyou,inthisway,tofreetheentireeleven;butifyoudonotguessalltheobjectscorrectly,andsomeoftheslavesremaintransformed,theneachoneofyourfriendsandfollowersmay,inturn,enterthepalaceandhavethesameprivilegesIgrantyou."

           "Oh,thankyou!thankyouforthiskindoffer!"saidOzma,eagerly.

           "Imakebutonecondition,"addedtheNomeKing,hiseyestwinkling.

           "Whatisit?"sheenquired.

           "IfnoneoftheelevenobjectsyoutouchprovestobethetransformationofanyoftheroyalfamilyofEv,then,insteadoffreeingthem,youwillyourselfbecomeenchanted,andtransformedintoanarticleofbric-a-bracoranornament.Thisisonlyfairandjust,andistheriskyoudeclaredyouwerewillingtotake."