Озма з країни Оз

           Billinahadquietlywalkedaroundandpickedupthecrumbsofcakewhichhadbeenscattered,andnow,asitwaslongafterbed-time,shetriedtofindsomedarkplaceinwhichtogotosleep.

           PresentlythehenespiedahollowunderneaththeKing’srockythrone,andcreptintoitunnoticed.Shecouldstillhearthechatteringofthosearoundher,butitwasalmostdarkunderneaththethrone,sothatsoonshehadfallenfastasleep.

           "Next!"calledtheKing,andtheprivate,whoseturnitwastoenterthefatalpalace,shookhandswithDorothyandtheScarecrowandbadethemasorrowfulgood-bye,andpassedthroughtherockyportal.

           Theywaitedalongtime,fortheprivatewasinnohurrytobecomeanornamentandmadehisguessesveryslowly.TheNomeKing,whoseemedtoknow,bysomemagicalpower,allthattookplaceinhisbeautifulroomsofhispalace,grewimpatientfinallyanddeclaredhewouldsitupnolonger.

           "Iloveornaments,"saidhe,"butIcanwaituntiltomorrowtogetmoreofthem;so,assoonasthatstupidprivateistransformed,wewillallgotobedandleavethejobtobefinishedinthemorning."

           "Isitsoverylate?"askedDorothy.

           "Why,itisaftermidnight,"saidtheKing,"andthatstrikesmeasbeinglateenough.Thereisneithernightnordayinmykingdom,becauseitisundertheearth’ssurface,wherethesundoesnotshine.Butwehavetosleep,justthesameastheup-stairspeopledo,andformypartI’mgoingtobedinafewminutes."

           Indeed,itwasnotlongafterthisthattheprivatemadehislastguess.Ofcourseheguessedwrongly,andofcourseheatoncebecameanornament.