Смарагдове місто країни Оз
23. How They Encountered the Flutterbudgets
"Thenthedoctorswouldhavecutmyfootoff,andI’dbelamedforlife!"
"Surely,ma’am,"repliedtheWizard,"andifyou’dprickedyournosetheymightcutyourheadoff.Butyouseeyoudidn’t."
"ButImighthave!"sheexclaimed,andbegantocryagain.Sotheyleftheranddroveawayintheirwagon.Andherhusbandcameoutandbegancalling"Help!"ashehadbefore;butnooneseemedtopayanyattentiontohim.
Asthetravelersturnedintoanotherstreettheyfoundamanwalkingexcitedlyupanddownthepavement.HeappearedtobeinaverynervousconditionandtheWizardstoppedhimtoask:
"Isanythingwrong,sir?"
"Everythingiswrong,"answeredtheman,dismally."Ican’tsleep."
"Whynot?"inquiredOmbyAmby.
"IfIgotosleepI’llhavetoshutmyeyes,"heexplained;"andifIshutmyeyestheymaygrowtogether,andthenI’dbeblindforlife!"
"Didyoueverhearofanyone’seyesgrowingtogether?"askedDorothy.
"No,"saidtheman,"Ineverdid.Butitwouldbeadreadfulthing,wouldn’tit?AndthethoughtofitmakesmesonervousI’mafraidtogotosleep."
"There’snohelpforthiscase,"declaredtheWizard;andtheywenton.
Atthenextstreetcornerawomanrusheduptothemcrying:
"Savemybaby!Oh,good,kindpeople,savemybaby!"
"Isitindanger?"askedDorothy,noticingthatthechildwasclaspedinherarmsandseemedsleepingpeacefully.
"Yes,indeed,"saidthewoman,nervously.
