Изумрудный город страны Оз
24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News
"Hefeelsthathecannotbehappywithoutafarmofhisown,soOzmagavehimsomelandandeveryonehelpedhimbuildhismansion,andnowheissettledthereforgood."
"Whodesignedhishouse?"askedtheShaggyMan.
"IbelieveitwasJackPumpkinhead,whoisalsoafarmer,"wasthereply.
Theywerenowinvitedtoenterthetindiningroom,whereluncheonwasserved.
AuntEmfound,tohersatisfaction,thatDorothy’spromisewasmorethanfulfilled;for,althoughtheTinWoodmanhadnoappetiteofhisown,herespectedtheappetitesofhisguestsandsawthattheywerebountifullyfed.
Theypassedtheafternooninwanderingthroughthebeautifulgardensandgroundsofthepalace.Thewalkswereallpavedwithsheetsoftin,brightlypolished,andthereweretinfountainsandtinstatueshereandthereamongthetrees.Theflowersweremostlynaturalflowersandgrewintheregularway;buttheirhostshowedthemoneflowerbedwhichwashisespecialpride.
"Yousee,allcommonflowersfadeanddieintime,"heexplained,"andsothereareseasonswhentheprettybloomsarescarce.ThereforeIdecidedtomakeonetinflowerbedalloftinflowers,andmyworkmenhavecreatedthemwithrareskill.Hereyouseetincamelias,tinmarigolds,tincarnations,tinpoppiesandtinhollyhocksgrowingasnaturallyasiftheywerereal."
Indeed,theywereaprettysight,andglistenedunderthesunlightlikespunsilver."Isn’tthistinhollyhockgoingtoseed?"askedtheWizard,bendingovertheflowers.
"Why,Ibelieveitis!"exclaimedtheTinWoodman,asifsurprised."Ihadn’tnoticedthatbefore.
