Волшебник страны Оз
The Guardian of the Gate
"WhatmustIdo?"askedthegirl.
"KilltheWickedWitchoftheWest,"answeredOz.
"ButIcannot!"exclaimedDorothy,greatlysurprised.
"YoukilledtheWitchoftheEastandyouwearthesilvershoes,whichbearapowerfulcharm. ThereisnowbutoneWickedWitchleftinallthisland,andwhenyoucantellmesheisdeadIwillsendyoubacktoKansas—butnotbefore."
Thelittlegirlbegantoweep,shewassomuchdisappointed; andtheeyeswinkedagainandlookeduponheranxiously,asiftheGreatOzfeltthatshecouldhelphimifshewould.
"Ineverkilledanything,willingly,"shesobbed. "EvenifIwantedto,howcouldIkilltheWickedWitch? Ifyou,whoareGreatandTerrible,cannotkillheryourself,howdoyouexpectmetodoit?"
"Idonotknow,"saidtheHead;"butthatismyanswer,anduntiltheWickedWitchdiesyouwillnotseeyouruncleandauntagain. RememberthattheWitchisWicked—tremendouslyWicked-andoughttobekilled. Nowgo,anddonotasktoseemeagainuntilyouhavedoneyourtask."
SorrowfullyDorothylefttheThroneRoomandwentbackwheretheLionandtheScarecrowandtheTinWoodmanwerewaitingtohearwhatOzhadsaidtoher. "Thereisnohopeforme,"shesaidsadly,"forOzwillnotsendmehomeuntilIhavekilledtheWickedWitchoftheWest;andthatIcanneverdo."
