按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and whispered：
〃My friend； it is your duty to defend the white kitten and try to save
her； but I fear you will fail because Eureka has long wished to eat a
piglet； to my certain knowledge； and my opinion is that she has been
unable to resist the temptation。 Yet her disgrace and death would not
bring back the piglet； but only serve to make Dorothy unhappy。 So I
intend to prove the kitten's innocence by a trick。〃
He drew from his inside pocket one of the eight tiny piglets that
were remaining and continued：
〃This creature you must hide in some safe place； and if the jury
decides that Eureka is guilty you may then produce this piglet and
claim it is the one that was lost。 All the piglets are exactly alike；
so no one can dispute your word。 This deception will save Eureka's
life； and then we may all be happy again。〃
〃I do not like to deceive my friends；〃 replied the Tin Woodman；
〃still； my kind heart urges me to save Eureka's life； and I can
usually trust my heart to do the right thing。 So I will do as you
say； friend Wizard。〃
After some thought he placed the little pig inside his funnel…shaped
hat； and then put the hat upon his head and went back to his room to
think over his speech to the jury。
19。 The Wizard Performs Another Trick
At three o'clock the Throne Room was crowded with citizens； men； women
and children being eager to witness the great trial。
Princess Ozma； dressed in her most splendid robes of state； sat in the
magnificent emerald throne； with her jewelled sceptre in her hand and
her sparkling coronet upon her fair brow。 Behind her throne stood the
twenty…eight officers of her army and many officials of the royal
household。 At her right sat the queerly assorted Juryanimals；
animated dummies and peopleall gravely prepared to listen to what
was said。 The kitten had been placed in a large cage just before the
throne； where she sat upon her haunches and gazed through the bars at
the crowds around her； with seeming unconcern。
And now； at a signal from Ozma； the Woggle…Bug arose and addressed the
jury。 His tone was pompous and he strutted up and down in an absurd
attempt to appear dignified。
〃Your Royal Highness and Fellow Citizens；〃 he began； 〃the small cat
you see a prisoner before you is accused of the crime of first
murdering and then eating our esteemed Ruler's fat pigletor else
first eating and then murdering it。 In either case a grave crime has
been committed which deserves a grave punishment。〃
〃Do you mean my kitten must be put in a grave？〃 asked Dorothy。
〃Don't interrupt； little girl；〃 said the Woggle…Bug。 〃When I get my
thoughts arranged in good order I do not like to have anything upset
them or throw them into confusion。〃
〃If your thoughts were any good they wouldn't become confused；〃
remarked the Scarecrow； earnestly。 〃My thoughts are always〃
〃Is this a trial of thoughts； or of kittens？〃 demanded the Woggle…Bug。
〃It's a trial of one kitten；〃 replied the Scarecrow； 〃but your manner
is a trial to us all。〃
〃Let the Public Accuser continue；〃 called Ozma from her throne； 〃and I
pray you do not interrupt him。〃
〃The criminal who now sits before the court licking her paws；〃 resumed
the Woggle…Bug； 〃has long desired to unlawfully eat the fat piglet；
which was no bigger than a mouse。 And finally she made a wicked
plan to satisfy her depraved appetite for pork。 I can see her；
in my mind's eye〃
〃What's that？〃 asked the Scarecrow。
〃I say I can see her in my mind's eye〃
〃The mind has no eye；〃 declared the Scarecrow。 〃It's blind。〃
〃Your Highness；〃 cried the Woggle…Bug； appealing to Ozma； 〃have I a
mind's eye； or haven't I？〃
〃If you have； it is invisible；〃 said the Princess。
〃Very true；〃 returned the Woggle…Bug； bowing。 〃I say I see the
criminal； in my mind's eye； creeping stealthily into the room of our
Ozma and secreting herself； when no one was looking； until the
Princess had gone away and the door was closed。 Then the murderer was
alone with her helpless victim； the fat piglet； and I see her pounce
upon the innocent creature and eat it up〃
〃Are you still seeing with your mind's eye？〃 enquired the Scarecrow。
〃Of course； how else could I see it？ And we know the thing is true；
because since the time of that interview there is no piglet to be
found anywhere。〃
〃I suppose； if the cat had been gone； instead of the piglet；
your mind's eye would see the piglet eating the cat；〃 suggested
the Scarecrow。
〃Very likely；〃 acknowledged the Woggle…Bug。 〃And now； Fellow Citizens
and Creatures of the Jury； I assert that so awful a crime deserves
death； and in the case of the ferocious criminal before youwho is
now washing her facethe death penalty should be inflicted nine times。〃
There was great applause when the speaker sat down。 Then the Princess
spoke in a stern voice：
〃Prisoner； what have you to say for yourself？ Are you guilty；
or not guilty？〃
〃Why； that's for you to find out；〃 replied Eureka。 〃If you can prove
I'm guilty； I'll be willing to die nine times； but a mind's eye is no
proof； because the Woggle…Bug has no mind to see with。〃
〃Never mind； dear；〃 said Dorothy。
Then the Tin Woodman arose and said：
〃Respected Jury and dearly beloved Ozma； I pray you not to judge this
feline prisoner unfeelingly。 I do not think the innocent kitten can
be guilty； and surely it is unkind to accuse a luncheon of being a
murder。 Eureka is the sweet pet of a lovely little girl whom we all
admire； and gentleness and innocence are her chief virtues。 Look at
the kitten's intelligent eyes；〃 （here Eureka closed her eyes sleepily）
〃gaze at her smiling countenance！〃 （here Eureka snarled and showed her
teeth） 〃mark the tender pose of her soft； padded little hands！〃 （Here
Eureka bared her sharp claws and scratched at the bars of the cage。）
〃Would such a gentle animal be guilty of eating a fellow creature？
No； a thousand times； no！〃
〃Oh； cut it short；〃 said Eureka； 〃you've talked long enough。〃
〃I'm trying to defend you；〃 remonstrated the Tin Woodman。
〃Then say something sensible；〃 retorted the kitten。 〃Tell them it
would be foolish for me to eat the piglet； because I had sense enough
to know it would raise a row if I did。 But don't try to make out I'm
too innocent to eat a fat piglet if I could do it and not be found
out。 I imagine it would taste mighty good。〃
〃Perhaps it would； to those who eat；〃 remarked the Tin Woodman。 〃I
myself； not being built to eat； have no personal experience in such
matters。 But I remember that our great poet once said：
〃'To eat is sweet
When hunger's seat
Demands a treat
Of savory meat。'
〃Take this into consideration； friends of the Jury； and you will
readily decide that the kitten is wrongfully accused and should be set
at liberty。〃
When the Tin Woodman sat down no one applauded him； fo