Смарагдове місто країни Оз
24. How the Tin Woodman Told the Sad News
Thereasontheybitepeopleinyourcountryisbecausetheyarehungry--poorthings!"
"Yes,"agreedAuntEm;"they’rehungry,allright.An’theyain’tveryparticularwhotheyfeedon.I’mgladyou’vegotthe’skeeterseducatedinOz."
ThateveningafterdinnertheywereentertainedbytheEmperor’sTinCornetBand,whichplayedforthemseveralsweetmelodies.AlsotheWizarddidafewsleight-of-handtrickstoamusethecompany;afterwhichtheyallretiredtotheircozytinbedroomsandsleptsoundlyuntilmorning.
AfterbreakfastDorothysaidtotheTinWoodman:
"Ifyou’lltelluswhichwaytogowe’llvisittheScarecrowonourwayhome."
"Iwillgowithyou,andshowyoutheway,"repliedtheEmperor;"forImustjourneyto-daytotheEmeraldCity."
Helookedsoanxious,ashesaidthis,thatthelittlegirlasked:
"Thereisn’tanythingwrongwithOzma,isthere?"
"Notyet,"saidhe;"butI’mafraidthetimehascomewhenImusttellyousomeverybadnews,littlefriend."
"Oh,whatisit?"criedDorothy.
"DoyouremembertheNomeKing?"askedtheTinWoodman.
"Irememberhimverywell,"shereplied.
"TheNomeKinghasnotakindheart,"saidtheEmperor,sadly,"andhehasbeenharboringwickedthoughtsofrevenge,becauseweoncedefeatedhimandliberatedhisslavesandyoutookawayhisMagicBelt.SohehasorderedhisNomestodigalongtunnelunderneaththedeadlydesert,sothathemaymarchhishostsrightintotheEmeraldCity.Whenhegetsthereheintendstodestroyourbeautifulcountry."
Dorothywasmuchsurprisedtohearthis.
