English
Severaldaysoffestivityandmerry-makingfollowed,forsucholdfriendsdidnotoftenmeetandtherewasmuchtobetoldandtalkedoverbetweenthem,andmanyamusementstobeenjoyedinthisdelightfulcountry.
OzmawashappytohaveDorothybesideher,forgirlsofherownagewithwhomitwasproperforthePrincesstoassociatewereveryfew,andoftentheyouthfulRulerofOzwaslonelyforlackofcompanionship.
ItwasthethirdmorningafterDorothy’sarrival,andshewassittingwithOzmaandtheirfriendsinareceptionroom,talkingoveroldtimes,whenthePrincesssaidtohermaid:
“Pleasegotomyboudoir,Jellia,andgetthewhitepigletIleftonthedressing-table.Iwanttoplaywithit.”
Jelliaatoncedepartedontheerrand,andshewasgonesolongthattheyhadalmostforgottenhermissionwhenthegreenrobedmaidenreturnedwithatroubledface.
“Thepigletisnotthere,yourHighness,”saidshe.
“Notthere!”exclaimedOzma.“Areyousure?”
“Ihavehuntedineverypartoftheroom,”themaidreplied.
“Wasnotthedoorclosed?”askedthePrincess.
“Yes,yourHighness;Iamsureitwas;forwhenIopeneditDorothy’swhitekittencreptoutandranupthestairs.”
Hearingthis,DorothyandtheWizardexchangedstartledglances,fortheyrememberedhowoftenEurekahadlongedtoeatapiglet.Thelittlegirljumpedupatonce.
“Come,Ozma,”shesaid,anxiously;“letusgoourselvestosearchforthepiglet.”
SothetwowenttothedressingroomofthePrincessandsearchedcarefullyineverycornerandamongthevasesandbasketsandornamentsthatstoodabouttheprettyboudoir.
Butnotatracecouldtheyfindofthetinycreaturetheysought.
Dorothywasnearlyweeping,bythistime,whileOzmawasangryandindignant.WhentheyreturnedtotheothersthePrincesssaid:
“Thereislittledoubtthatmyprettypiglethasbeeneatenbythathorridkitten,andifthatistruetheoffendermustbepunished.”
“Idon’tb’lieveEurekawoulddosuchadreadfulthing!”criedDorothy,muchdistressed.“Goandgetmykitten,please,Jellia,andwe’llhearwhatshehastosayaboutit.”
Thegreenmaidenhastenedaway,butpresentlyreturnedandsaid:
“Thekittenwillnotcome.ShethreatenedtoscratchmyeyesoutifItouchedher.”
“Whereisshe?”askedDorothy.
“Underthebedinyourownroom,”wasthereply.
SoDorothyrantoherroomandfoundthekittenunderthebed.
“Comehere,Eureka!”shesaid.
“Iwon’t,”answeredthekitten,inasurlyvoice.
“Oh,Eureka!Whyareyousobad?”
Thekittendidnotreply.
“Ifyoudon’tcometome,rightaway,”continuedDorothy,gettingprovoked,“I’lltakemyMagicBeltandwishyouintheCountryoftheGurgles.”
“Whydoyouwantme?”askedEureka,disturbedbythisthreat.
“YoumustgotoPrincessOzma.Shewantstotalktoyou.”
“Allright,”returnedthekitten,creepingout.“I’mnotafraidofOzma—oranyoneelse.”
Dorothycarriedherinherarmsbacktowheretheotherssatingrievedandthoughtfulsilence.
“Tellme,Eureka,”saidthePrincess,gently:“didyoueatmyprettypiglet?”
“Iwon’tanswersuchafoolishquestion,”assertedEureka,withasnarl.
“Oh,yesyouwill,dear,”Dorothydeclared.
“Thepigletisgone,andyouranoutoftheroomwhenJelliaopenedthedoor.
So,ifyouareinnocent,Eureka,youmusttellthePrincesshowyoucametobeinherroom,andwhathasbecomeofthepiglet.”
“Whoaccusesme?”askedthekitten,defiantly.
“Noone,”answeredOzma.“Youractionsaloneaccuseyou.
ThefactisthatIleftmylittlepetinmydressingroomlyingasleepuponthetable;andyoumusthavestoleninwithoutmyknowingit.
Whennextthedoorwasopenedyouranoutandhidyourself—andthepigletwasgone.”
“That’snoneofmybusiness,”growledthekitten.
“Don’tbeimpudent,Eureka,”admonishedDorothy.
“Itisyouwhoareimpudent,”saidEureka,“foraccusingmeofsuchacrimewhenyoucan’tproveitexceptbyguessing.”
Ozmawasnowgreatlyincensedbythekitten’sconduct.ShesummonedherCaptain-General,andwhenthelong,leanofficerappearedshesaid:
“Carrythiscatawaytoprison,andkeepherinsafeconfinementuntilsheistriedbylawforthecrimeofmurder.”
SotheCaptain-GeneraltookEurekafromthearmsofthenowweepingDorothyandinspiteofthekitten’ssnarlsandscratchescarrieditawaytoprison.
“Whatshallwedonow?”askedtheScarecrow,withasigh,forsuchacrimehadcastagloomoverallthecompany.
“IwillsummontheCourttomeetintheThroneRoomatthreeo’clock,”repliedOzma.“Imyselfwillbethejudge,andthekittenshallhaveafairtrial.”
“Whatwillhappenifsheisguilty?”askedDorothy.
“Shemustdie,”answeredthePrincess.
“Ninetimes?”enquiredtheScarecrow.
“Asmanytimesasisnecessary,”wasthereply.
“IwillasktheTinWoodmantodefendtheprisoner,becausehehassuchakindheartIamsurehewilldohisbesttosaveher.
AndtheWoggle-BugshallbethePublicAccuser,becauseheissolearnedthatnoonecandeceivehim.”
“Whowillbethejury?”askedtheTinWoodman.
“Thereoughttobeseveralanimalsonthejury,”saidOzma,“becauseanimalsunderstandeachotherbetterthanwepeopleunderstandthem.
SothejuryshallconsistoftheCowardlyLion,theHungryTiger,JimtheCab-horse,theYellowHen,theScarecrow,theWizard,Tik-toktheMachineMan,theSawhorseandZebofHugson’sRanch.
Thatmakestheninewhichthelawrequires,andallmypeopleshallbeadmittedtohearthetestimony.”
Theynowseparatedtoprepareforthesadceremony;forwheneveranappealismadetolawsorrowisalmostcertaintofollow—eveninafairylandlikeOz.
ButitmustbestatedthatthepeopleofthatLandweregenerallysowell-behavedthattherewasnotasinglelawyeramongstthem,andithadbeenyearssinceanyRulerhadsatinjudgmentuponanoffenderofthelaw.
Thecrimeofmurderbeingthemostdreadfulcrimeofall,tremendousexcitementprevailedintheEmeraldCitywhenthenewsofEureka’sarrestandtrialbecameknown.
TheWizard,whenhereturnedtohisownroom,wasexceedinglythoughtful.
HehadnodoubtEurekahadeatenhispiglet,butherealizedthatakittencannotbedependeduponatalltimestoactproperly,sinceitsnatureistodestroysmallanimalsandevenbirdsforfood,andthetamecatthatwekeepinourhousestodayisdescendedfromthewildcatofthejungle—averyferociouscreature,indeed.
TheWizardknewthatifDorothy’spetwasfoundguiltyandcondemnedtodeaththelittlegirlwouldbemadeveryunhappy;so,althoughhegrievedoverthepiglet’ssadfateasmuchasanyofthem,heresolvedtosaveEureka’slife.
SendingfortheTinWoodmantheWizardtookhimintoacornerandwhispered:
“Myfriend,itisyourdutytodefendthewhitekittenandtrytosaveher,butIfearyouwillfailbecauseEurekahaslongwishedtoeatapiglet,tomycertainknowledge,andmyopinionisthatshehasbeenunabletoresistthetemptation.
Yetherdisgraceanddeathwouldnotbringbackthepiglet,butonlyservetomakeDorothyunhappy.
SoIintendtoprovethekitten’sinnocencebyatrick.”
Hedrewfromhisinsidepocketoneoftheeighttinypigletsthatwereremainingandcontinued:
“Thiscreatureyoumusthideinsomesafeplace,andifthejurydecidesthatEurekaisguiltyyoumaythenproducethispigletandclaimitistheonethatwaslost.
Allthepigletsareexactlyalike,sonoonecandisputeyourword.
ThisdeceptionwillsaveEureka’slife,andthenwemayallbehappyagain.”
“Idonotliketodeceivemyfriends,”repliedtheTinWoodman;“still,mykindhearturgesmetosaveEureka’slife,andIcanusuallytrustmyhearttodotherightthing.
SoIwilldoasyousay,friendWizard.”
Aftersomethoughtheplacedthelittlepiginsidehisfunnel-shapedhat,andthenputthehatuponhisheadandwentbacktohisroomtothinkoverhisspeechtothejury.
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