Смарагдове місто країни Оз
11. How the General Met the First and Foremost
"Permitmetocallyourattentiontotheexquisitejoyofmakingthehappyunhappy,"saidheatlast."Considerthepleasureofdestroyinginnocentandharmlesspeople."
"Ah!youhaveansweredme,"criedtheFirstandForemost."Forthatreasonalonewewillaidyou.Gohome,andtellyourbandy-leggedkingthatassoonashistunnelisfinishedthePhanfasmswillbewithhimandleadhislegionstotheconquestofOz.ThedeadlydesertalonehaskeptusfromdestroyingOzlongago,andyourundergroundtunnelisacleverthought.Gohome,andprepareforourcoming!"
Guphwasverygladtobepermittedtogowiththispromise.Theowl-manledhimbackdownthemountainpathandorderedthescarletalligatortocrawlawayandallowtheNometocrossthebridgeinsafety.
Afterthevisitorhadgoneabrilliantandgorgeouscityappeareduponthemountaintop,clearlyvisibletotheeyesofthegailydressedmultitudeofPhanfasmsthatlivedthere.AndtheFirstandForemost,beautifullyarrayed,addressedtheothersinthesewords:
"Itistimewewentintotheworldandbroughtsorrowanddismaytoitspeople.Toolonghaveweremainedforourselvesuponthismountaintop,forwhilewearethussecludedmanynationshavegrownhappyandprosperous,andthechiefjoyoftheraceofPhanfasmsistodestroyhappiness.SoIthinkitisluckythatthismessengerfromtheNomesarrivedamongusjustnow,toremindusthattheopportunityhascomeforustomaketrouble.WewilluseKingRoquat’stunneltoconquertheLandofOz
