Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
5. Dorothy Picks the Princess
"Sir,"saidtheRoyalLady,withmuchdignity,"youhavewrongedmegreatly,andwouldhavewrongedmestillmorehadnotthesestrangerscometomyrescue.Ihavebeenreadyforpickingallthepastweek,butbecauseyouwereselfishanddesiredtocontinueyourunlawfulrule,youleftmetostandsilentuponmybush."
"Ididnotknowthatyouwereripe,"answeredthePrince,inalowvoice.
"GivemetheStarofRoyalty!"shecommanded.
SlowlyhetooktheshiningstarfromhisownbrowandplacedituponthatofthePrincess.Thenallthepeoplebowedlowtoher,andthePrinceturnedandwalkedawayalone.Whatbecameofhimafterwardourfriendsneverknew.
ThepeopleofMangaboonowformedthemselvesintoaprocessionandmarchedtowardtheglasscitytoescorttheirnewrulertoherpalaceandtoperformthoseceremoniespropertotheoccasion.ButwhilethepeopleintheprocessionwalkeduponthegroundthePrincesswalkedintheairjustabovetheirheads,toshowthatshewasasuperiorbeingandmoreexaltedthanhersubjects.
Noonenowseemedtopayanyattentiontothestrangers,soDorothyandZebandtheWizardletthetrainpassonandthenwanderedbythemselvesintothevegetablegardens.Theydidnotbothertocrossthebridgesoverthebrooks,butwhentheycametoastreamtheysteppedhighandwalkedintheairtotheotherside.Thiswasaveryinterestingexperiencetothem,andDorothysaid:
"Iwonderwhyitisthatwecanwalksoeasilyintheair."
"Perhaps,"answeredtheWizard,"itisbecauseweareclosetothecenteroftheearth,wheretheattractionofgravitationisveryslight.
