Подорож до Країни Оз
14. Tik-Tok and Billina
"Yes,hecan,"repliedDorothy;"hetalkswithhistail,andIknoweverythinghesays.Ifyoucouldwagyourtail,Billina,youwouldn’tneedwordstotalkwith."
"Nonsense!"saidBillina.
"Itisn’tnonsenseatall.JustnowTotosayshe’ssorry,andthathe’lltrytoloveyouformysake.Don’tyou,Toto?"
"Bow-wow!"saidToto,wagginghistailagain.
"ButI’vesuchwonderfulnewsforyou,Dorothy,"criedtheyellowhen;"I’ve—"
"Waitaminute,dear,"interruptedthelittlegirl;"I’vegottointroduceyouall,first.That’smanners,Billina.This,"turningtohertravelingcompanions,"isMr.Tik-tok,whoworksbymachinery’causehisthoughtswindup,andhistalkwindsup,andhisactionwindsup—likeaclock."
"Dotheyallwinduptogether?"askedtheshaggyman.
"No;eachoneseparate.Butheworksjustlovely,andTik-tokwasagoodfriendtomeonce,andsavedmylife—andBillina’slife,too."
"Ishealive?"askedButton-Bright,lookinghardatthecopperman.
"Oh,no,buthismachinerymakeshimjustasgoodasalive."Sheturnedtothecoppermanandsaidpolitely:"Mr.Tik-tok,thesearemynewfriends:theshaggyman,andPollytheRainbow’sDaughter,andButton-Bright,andToto.OnlyTotoisn’tanewfriend,’causehe’sbeentoOzbefore."
Thecoppermanbowedlow,removinghiscopperhatashedidso.
"I’mve-rypleasedtomeetDor-o-thy’sfr-r-r-r—-"Herehestoppedshort.
"Oh,Iguesshisspeechneedswinding!"saidthelittlegirl,runningbehindthecoppermantogetthekeyoffahookathisback.