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Themountainbeforethemwasshapedlikeaconeandwassotallthatitspointwaslostintheclouds.
DirectlyfacingtheplacewhereJimhadstoppedwasanarchedopeningleadingtoabroadstairway.
Thestairswerecutintherockinsidethemountain,andtheywerebroadandnotverysteep,becausetheycircledaroundlikeacorkscrew,andatthearchedopeningwheretheflightbeganthecirclewasquitebig.
Atthefootofthestairswasasignreading:
WARNING.
Thesestepsleadtothe
LandoftheGargoyles.
DANGER!KEEPOUT.
“IwonderhowJimisevergoingtodrawthebuggyupsomanystairs,”saidDorothy,gravely.
“Notroubleatall,”declaredthehorse,withacontemptuousneigh.“Still,Idon’tcaretodraganypassengers.You’llallhavetowalk.”
“Supposethestairsgetsteeper?”suggestedZeb,doubtfully.
“Thenyou’llhavetoboostthebuggy-wheels,that’sall,”answeredJim.
“We’lltryit,anyway,”saidtheWizard.“It’stheonlywaytogetoutoftheValleyofVoe.”
Sotheybegantoascendthestairs,DorothyandtheWizardfirst,Jimnext,drawingthebuggy,andthenZebtowatchthatnothinghappenedtotheharness.
Thelightwasdim,andsoontheymountedintototaldarkness,sothattheWizardwasobligedtogetouthislanternstolighttheway.
Butthisenabledthemtoproceedsteadilyuntiltheycametoalandingwheretherewasariftinthesideofthemountainthatletinbothlightandair.
LookingthroughthisopeningtheycouldseetheValleyofVoelyingfarbelowthem,thecottagesseemingliketoyhousesfromthatdistance.
Afterrestingafewmomentstheyresumedtheirclimb,andstillthestairswerebroadandlowenoughforJimtodrawthebuggyeasilyafterhim.
Theoldhorsepantedalittle,andhadtostopoftentogethisbreath.
Atsuchtimestheywereallgladtowaitforhim,forcontinuallyclimbingupstairsissuretomakeone’slegsache.
Theywoundabout,alwaysgoingupward,forsometime.
Thelightsfromthelanternsdimlyshowedtheway,butitwasagloomyjourney,andtheywerepleasedwhenabroadstreakoflightaheadassuredthemtheywerecomingtoasecondlanding.
Hereonesideofthemountainhadagreatholeinit,likethemouthofacavern,andthestairsstoppedatthenearedgeofthefloorandcommencedascendingagainattheoppositeedge.
TheopeninginthemountainwasonthesideoppositetotheValleyofVoe,andourtravelerslookedoutuponastrangescene.
Belowthemwasavastspace,atthebottomofwhichwasablackseawithrollingbillows,throughwhichlittletonguesofflameconstantlyshotup.
Justabovethem,andalmostonalevelwiththeirplatform,werebanksofrollingcloudswhichconstantlyshiftedpositionandchangedcolor.
Thebluesandgreyswereverybeautiful,andDorothynoticedthatonthecloudbankssatorreclinedfleecy,shadowyformsofbeautifulbeingswhomusthavebeentheCloudFairies.
Mortalswhostandupontheearthandlookupattheskycannotoftendistinguishtheseforms,butourfriendswerenowsoneartothecloudsthattheyobservedthedaintyfairiesveryclearly.
“Aretheyreal?”askedZeb,inanawedvoice.
“Ofcourse,”repliedDorothy,softly.“TheyaretheCloudFairies.”
“Theyseemlikeopen-work,”remarkedtheboy,gazingintently.“IfIshouldsqueezeone,therewouldn’tbeanythingleftofit.”
Intheopenspacebetweenthecloudsandtheblack,bubblingseafarbeneath,couldbeseenanoccasionalstrangebirdwingingitswayswiftlythroughtheair.
Thesebirdswereofenormoussize,andremindedZeboftherocshehadreadaboutintheArabianNights.
Theyhadfierceeyesandsharptalonsandbeaks,andthechildrenhopednoneofthemwouldventureintothecavern.
“Well,Ideclare!”suddenlyexclaimedthelittleWizard.“Whatintheworldisthis?”
Theyturnedaroundandfoundamanstandingonthefloorinthecenterofthecave,whobowedverypolitelywhenhesawhehadattractedtheirattention.
Hewasaveryoldman,bentnearlydouble;butthestrangestthingabouthimwashiswhitehairandbeard.
Theseweresolongthattheyreachedtohisfeet,andboththehairandthebeardwerecarefullyplaitedintomanybraids,andtheendofeachbraidfastenedwithabowofcoloredribbon.
“Wheredidyoucomefrom?”askedDorothy,wonderingly.
“Noplaceatall,”answeredthemanwiththebraids;“thatis,notrecently.OnceIlivedontoptheearth,butformanyyearsIhavehadmyfactoryinthisspot—halfwayupPyramidMountain.”
“Areweonlyhalfwayup?”enquiredtheboy,inadiscouragedtone.
“Ibelieveso,mylad,”repliedthebraidedman.“ButasIhaveneverbeenineitherdirection,downorup,sinceIarrived,Icannotbepositivewhetheritisexactlyhalfwayornot.”
“Haveyouafactoryinthisplace?”askedtheWizard,whohadbeenexaminingthestrangepersonagecarefully.
“Tobesure,”saidtheother.“Iamagreatinventor,youmustknow,andImanufacturemyproductsinthislonelyspot.”
“Whatareyourproducts?”enquiredtheWizard.
“Well,ImakeAssortedFluttersforflagsandbunting,andasuperiorgradeofRustlesforladies’silkgowns.”
“Ithoughtso,”saidtheWizard,withasigh.“Mayweexaminesomeofthesearticles?”
“Yes,indeed;comeintomyshop,please,”andthebraidedmanturnedandledthewayintoasmallercave,whereheevidentlylived.
Here,onabroadshelf,wereseveralcardboardboxesofvarioussizes,eachtiedwithcottoncord.
“This,”saidtheman,takingupaboxandhandlingitgently,“containstwelvedozenrustles—enoughtolastanyladyayear.Willyoubuyit,mydear?”heasked,addressingDorothy.
“Mygownisn’tsilk,”shesaid,smiling.
“Nevermind.Whenyouopentheboxtherustleswillescape,whetheryouarewearingasilkdressornot,”saidtheman,seriously.Thenhepickedupanotherbox.
“Inthis,”hecontinued,“aremanyassortedflutters.
Theyareinvaluabletomakeflagsflutteronastillday,whenthereisnowind.
You,sir,”turningtotheWizard,“oughttohavethisassortment.
OnceyouhavetriedmygoodsIamsureyouwillneverbewithoutthem.”
“Ihavenomoneywithme,”saidtheWizard,evasively.
“Idonotwantmoney,”returnedthebraidedman,“forIcouldnotspenditinthisdesertedplaceifIhadit.
ButIwouldlikeverymuchabluehair-ribbon.
Youwillnoticemybraidsaretiedwithyellow,pink,brown,red,green,whiteandblack;butIhavenoblueribbons.”
“I’llgetyouone!”criedDorothy,whowassorryforthepoorman;sosheranbacktothebuggyandtookfromhersuitcaseaprettyblueribbon.
Itdidhergoodtoseehowthebraidedman’seyessparkledwhenhereceivedthistreasure.
“Youhavemademevery,veryhappy,mydear!”heexclaimed;andthenheinsistedontheWizardtakingtheboxoffluttersandthelittlegirlacceptingtheboxofrustles.
“Youmayneedthem,sometime,”hesaid,“andthereisreallynouseinmymanufacturingthesethingsunlesssomebodyusesthem.”
“Whydidyouleavethesurfaceoftheearth?”enquiredtheWizard.
“Icouldnothelpit.Itisasadstory,butifyouwilltrytorestrainyourtearsIwilltellyouaboutit.
OnearthIwasamanufacturerofImportedHolesforAmericanSwissCheese,andIwillacknowledgethatIsuppliedasuperiorarticle,whichwasingreatdemand.
AlsoImadeporesforporousplastersandhigh-gradeholesfordoughnutsandbuttons.
FinallyIinventedanewAdjustablePost-hole,whichIthoughtwouldmakemyfortune.
Imanufacturedalargequantityofthesepost-holes,andhavingnoroominwhichtostorethemIsetthemallendtoendandputthetoponeintheground.
Thatmadeanextraordinarylonghole,asyoumayimagine,andreachedfardownintotheearth;and,asIleanedoverittotrytoseetothebottom,Ilostmybalanceandtumbledin.
Unfortunately,theholeleddirectlyintothevastspaceyouseeoutsidethismountain;butImanagedtocatchapointofrockthatprojectedfromthiscavern,andsosavedmyselffromtumblingheadlongintotheblackwavesbeneath,wherethetonguesofflamethatdartoutwouldcertainlyhaveconsumedme.
Here,then,Imademyhome;andalthoughitisalonelyplaceIamusemyselfmakingrustlesandflutters,andsogetalongverynicely.”
WhenthebraidedmanhadcompletedthisstrangetaleDorothynearlylaughed,becauseitwasallsoabsurd;buttheWizardtappedhisforeheadsignificantly,toindicatethathethoughtthepoormanwascrazy.
Sotheypolitelybadehimgoodday,andwentbacktotheoutercaverntoresumetheirjourney.
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