Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
19. The Wizard Performs Another Trick
Butnowthatthisfoolishtrialisended,Iwilltellyouwhatreallybecameofyourpetpiglet."
AtthiseveryoneintheThroneRoomsuddenlybecamequiet,andthekittencontinued,inacalm,mockingtoneofvoice:
"IwillconfessthatIintendedtoeatthelittlepigformybreakfast;soIcreptintotheroomwhereitwaskeptwhilethePrincesswasdressingandhidmyselfunderachair.WhenOzmawentawaysheclosedthedoorandleftherpetonthetable.AtonceIjumpedupandtoldthepigletnottomakeafuss,forhewouldbeinsideofmeinhalfasecond;butnoonecanteachoneofthesecreaturestobereasonable.Insteadofkeepingstill,soIcouldeathimcomfortably,hetrembledsowithfearthathefelloffthetableintoabigvasethatwasstandingonthefloor.Thevasehadaverysmallneck,andspreadoutatthetoplikeabowl.AtfirstthepigletstuckintheneckofthevaseandIthoughtIshouldgethim,afterall,buthewriggledhimselfthroughandfelldownintothedeepbottompart—andIsupposehe’sthereyet."
Allwereastonishedatthisconfession,andOzmaatoncesentanofficertoherroomtofetchthevase.WhenhereturnedthePrincesslookeddownthenarrowneckofthebigornamentanddiscoveredherlostpiglet,justasEurekahadsaidshewould.
Therewasnowaytogetthecreatureoutwithoutbreakingthevase,sotheTinWoodmansmasheditwithhisaxeandsetthelittleprisonerfree.
ThenthecrowdcheeredlustilyandDorothyhuggedthekitteninherarmsandtoldherhowdelightedshewastoknowthatshewasinnocent.
"Butwhydidn’tyoutellusatfirst?"sheasked
