Дороти и Волшебник в стране Оз
7. Into the Black Pit and Out Again
AtoncetheMangaboosbeganpilinguptherocksofglassagain,andasthelittlemanrealizedthattheywereallabouttobeentombedinthemountainhesaidtothechildren:
"Mydears,whatshallwedo?Jumpoutandfight?"
"What’stheuse?"repliedDorothy."I’dassoondiehereaslivemuchlongeramongthesecruelandheartlesspeople."
"That’sthewayIfeelaboutit,"remarkedZeb,rubbinghiswounds."I’vehadenoughoftheMangaboos."
"Allright,"saidtheWizard;"I’mwithyou,whateveryoudecide.Butwecan’tlivelonginthiscavern,that’scertain."
Noticingthatthelightwasgrowingdimhepickeduphisninepiglets,pattedeachonelovinglyonitsfatlittlehead,andplacedthemcarefullyinhisinsidepocket.
Zebstruckamatchandlightedoneofthelanterns.Theraysofthecoloredsunswerenowshutoutfromthemforever,forthelastchinkshadbeenfilledupinthewallthatseparatedtheirprisonfromtheLandoftheMangaboos.
"Howbigisthishole?"askedDorothy.
"I’llexploreitandsee,"repliedtheboy.
Sohecarriedthelanternbackforquiteadistance,whileDorothyandtheWizardfollowedathisside.Thecaverndidnotcometoanend,astheyhadexpecteditwould,butslantedupwardthroughthegreatglassmountain,runninginadirectionthatpromisedtoleadthemtothesideoppositetheMangaboocountry.
"Itisn’tabadroad,"observedtheWizard,"andifwefollowedititmightleadustosomeplacethatismorecomfortablethanthisblackpocketwearenowin.
