Смарагдове місто країни Оз

           "Luncheonisserved!"criedBlinkem,throwingopenthedoor,andincameadozenrabbitsinlivery,allbearingtrayswhichtheyplaceduponthetable,wheretheyarrangedthedishesinanorderlymanner.

           "Nowclearout--allofyou!"exclaimedtheKing."Bristle,youmaywaitoutside,incaseIwantyou."

           WhentheyhadgoneandtheKingwasalonewithDorothyhecamedownfromhisthrone,tossedhiscrownintoacornerandkickedhiserminerobeunderthetable.

           "Sitdown,"hesaid,"andtrytobehappy.It’suselessformetotry,becauseI’malwayswretchedandmiserable.ButI’mhungry,andIhopeyouare."

           "Iam,"saidDorothy."I’veonlyeatenawheelbarrowandapianoto-day--oh,yes!andasliceofbreadandbutterthatusedtobeadoor-mat."

           "Thatsoundslikeasquaremeal,"remarkedtheKing,seatinghimselfoppositeher;"butperhapsitwasn’tasquarepiano.Eh?"

           Dorothylaughed.

           "Youdon’tseemsoveryunhappynow,"shesaid.

           "ButIam,"protestedtheKing,freshtearsgatheringinhiseyes."Evenmyjokesaremiserable.I’mwretched,woeful,afflicted,distressedanddismalasanindividualcanbe.Areyounotsorryforme?"

           "No,"answeredDorothy,honestly,"Ican’tsayIam.Seemstomethatforarabbityou’rerightinclover.ThisistheprettiestlittlecityIeversaw."

           "Oh,thecityisgoodenough,"headmitted."Glinda,theGoodSorceress,madeitforusbecauseshewasfondofrabbits.Idon’tmindtheCitysomuch,althoughIwouldn’tlivehereifIhadmychoice.ItisbeingKingthathasabsolutelyruinedmyhappiness."

           "Whywouldn’tyouliveherebychoice?"sheasked.