Путешествие в Страну Оз
10. Escaping the Soup-Kettle
"Wemayaswellsubmit,"declaredtheshaggyman,inaruefulvoice,ashegotuponhisfeetagain.Heturnedtowardtheirfoesandasked:
"Whatdoyouwantustodo?"
"Come!"theycried,inatriumphantchorus,andatoncesprangfromtherocksandsurroundedtheircaptivesonallsides.OnefunnythingabouttheScoodlerswastheycouldwalkineitherdirection,comingorgoing,withoutturningaround;becausetheyhadtwofacesand,asDorothysaid,"twofrontsides,"andtheirfeetwereshapedliketheletterTupsidedown.Theymovedwithgreatrapidityandtherewassomethingabouttheirglitteringeyesandcontrastingcolorsandremovableheadsthatinspiredthepoorprisonerswithhorror,andmadethemlongtoescape.
Butthecreaturesledtheircaptivesawayfromtherocksandtheroad,downthehillbyasidepathuntiltheycamebeforealowmountainofrockthatlookedlikeahugebowlturnedupsidedown.Attheedgeofthismountainwasadeepgulf—sodeepthatwhenyoulookedintoittherewasnothingbutblacknessbelow.Acrossthegulfwasanarrowbridgeofrock,andattheotherendofthebridgewasanarchedopeningthatledintothemountain.
OverthisbridgetheScoodlersledtheirprisoners,throughtheopeningintothemountain,whichtheyfoundtobeanimmensehollowdomelightedbyseveralholesintheroof.Allaroundthecircularspacewerebuiltrockhouses,setclosetogether,eachwithadoorinthefrontwall.Noneofthesehouseswasmorethansixfeetwide,buttheScoodlerswerethinpeoplesidewiseanddidnotneedmuchroom.