Озма з країни Оз
11. The Nome King
Andtheyseemednottoneedplacestoresttheirfeet,butclungtothesurfaceoftherockasaflydoestoawindow-pane,andwereneverstillforamoment.
"Donotmindthem,"saidTiktok,asDorothyshrankback."Theyareon-lytheNomes."
"AndwhatareNomes?"askedthegirl,halffrightened.
"Theyarerockfair-ies,andservetheNomeKing,"repliedthemachine."Buttheywilldousnoharm.YoumustcallfortheKing,be-causewith-outhimyoucanne-verfindtheen-trancetothepal-ace."
"YOUcall,"saidDorothytoOzma.
JustthentheNomeslaughedagain,andthesoundwassoweirdanddishearteningthatthetwenty-sixofficerscommandedtheprivateto"right-about-face!"andtheyallstartedtorunasfastastheycould.
TheTinWoodmanatoncepursuedhisarmyandcried"halt!"andwhentheyhadstoppedtheirflightheasked:"Whereareyougoing?"
"I--IfindI’veforgottenthebrushformywhiskers,"saidageneral,tremblingwithfear."S-s-soweareg-goingbackafterit!"
"Thatisimpossible,"repliedtheTinWoodman."Forthegiantwiththehammerwouldkillyouallifyoutriedtopasshim."
"Oh!I’dforgottenthegiant,"saidthegeneral,turningpale.
"Youseemtoforgetagoodmanythings,"remarkedtheTinWoodman."Ihopeyouwon’tforgetthatyouarebravemen."
"Never!"criedthegeneral,slappinghisgold-embroideredchest.
"Never!"criedalltheotherofficers,indignantlyslappingtheirchests.
"Formypart,"saidtheprivate,meekly,"Imustobeymyofficers;sowhenIamtoldtorun,Irun;andwhenIamtoldtofight,Ifight."
"Thatisright,"agreedtheTinWoodman.