Волшебник страны Оз
The Winged Monkeys
"Nooneknowsitbutyoufour—andmyself,"repliedOz. "IhavefooledeveryonesolongthatIthoughtIshouldneverbefoundout. ItwasagreatmistakemyeverlettingyouintotheThroneRoom. UsuallyIwillnotseeevenmysubjects,andsotheybelieveIamsomethingterrible."
"But,Idon’tunderstand,"saidDorothy,inbewilderment. "HowwasitthatyouappearedtomeasagreatHead?"
"Thatwasoneofmytricks,"answeredOz. "Stepthisway,please,andIwilltellyouallaboutit."
HeledthewaytoasmallchamberintherearoftheThroneRoom,andtheyallfollowedhim. Hepointedtoonecorner,inwhichlaythegreatHead,madeoutofmanythicknessesofpaper,andwithacarefullypaintedface.
"ThisIhungfromtheceilingbyawire,"saidOz. "Istoodbehindthescreenandpulledathread,tomaketheeyesmoveandthemouthopen."
"Buthowaboutthevoice?"sheinquired.
"Oh,Iamaventriloquist,"saidthelittleman. "IcanthrowthesoundofmyvoicewhereverIwish,sothatyouthoughtitwascomingoutoftheHead. HerearetheotherthingsIusedtodeceiveyou." HeshowedtheScarecrowthedressandthemaskhehadwornwhenheseemedtobethelovelyLady. AndtheTinWoodmansawthathisterribleBeastwasnothingbutalotofskins,sewntogether,withslatstokeeptheirsidesout. AsfortheBallofFire,thefalseWizardhadhungthatalsofromtheceiling. Itwasreallyaballofcotton,butwhenoilwaspoureduponittheballburnedfiercely.
"Really,"saidtheScarecrow,"yououghttobeashamedofyourselfforbeingsuchahumbug."
