Подорож до Країни Оз
22. Important Arrivals
TheyknewTik-tokandBillina,too,andtheScarecrowandTinWoodman,aswellastheLionandTiger;sotherewasajoyfulreunion,asyoumayimagine,anditwasfullyanhourbeforetheQueenandhertrainretiredtotheirrooms.Perhapstheywouldnothavegonethenhadnotthebandbeguntoplaytoannouncenewarrivals;butbeforetheyleftthegreatThrone-RoomKingEvardoaddedtoOzma’sbirthdaypresentsadiademofdiamondssetinradium.
ThenextcomerprovedtobeKingRenardofFoxville;orKingDox,ashepreferredtobecalled.Hewasmagnificentlydressedinanewfeathercostumeandworewhitekidmittensoverhispawsandaflowerinhisbutton-holeandhadhishairpartedinthemiddle.
KingDoxthankedDorothyferventlyforgettinghimtheinvitationtocometoOz,whichheallhislifelongedtovisit.HestruttedaroundratherabsurdlyashewasintroducedtoallthefamouspeopleassembledintheThrone-Room,andwhenhelearnedthatDorothywasaPrincessofOztheFoxKinginsistedonkneelingatherfeetandafterwardretiredbackward—adangerousthingtodo,ashemighthavestubbedhispawandtumbledover.
Nosoonerwashegonethantheblastsofbuglesandclatterofdrumsandcymbalsannouncedimportantvisitors,andtheHighChamberlainassumedhismostdignifiedtoneashethrewopenthedoorandsaidproudly:
"HerSublimeandResplendentMajesty,QueenZixiofIx!HisSereneandTremendousMajesty,KingBudofNoland.HerRoyalHighness,thePrincessFluff.
