English
Atthreeo’clocktheThroneRoomwascrowdedwithcitizens,men,womenandchildrenbeingeagertowitnessthegreattrial.
PrincessOzma,dressedinhermostsplendidrobesofstate,satinthemagnificentemeraldthrone,withherjeweledsceptreinherhandandhersparklingcoronetuponherfairbrow.
Behindherthronestoodthetwenty-eightofficersofherarmyandmanyofficialsoftheroyalhousehold.
AtherrightsatthestrangelyassortedJury—animals,animateddummiesandpeople—allgravelypreparedtolistentowhatwassaid.
Thekittenhadbeenplacedinalargecagejustbeforethethrone,whereshesatuponherhaunchesandgazedthroughthebarsatthecrowdsaroundher,withseemingunconcern.
Andnow,atasignalfromOzma,theWoggle-Bugaroseandaddressedthejury.Histonewaspompousandhestruttedupanddowninanabsurdattempttoappeardignified.
“YourRoyalHighnessandFellowCitizens,”hebegan;“thesmallcatyouseeaprisonerbeforeyouisaccusedofthecrimeoffirstmurderingandtheneatingouresteemedRuler’sfatpiglet—orelsefirsteatingandthenmurderingit.
Ineithercaseagravecrimehasbeencommittedwhichdeservesagravepunishment.”
“Doyoumeanmykittenmustbeputinagrave?”askedDorothy.
“Don’tinterrupt,littlegirl,”saidtheWoggle-Bug.“WhenIgetmythoughtsarrangedingoodorderIdonotliketohaveanythingupsetthemorthrowthemintoconfusion.”
“Ifyourthoughtswereanygoodtheywouldn’tbecomeconfused,”remarkedtheScarecrow,earnestly.“Mythoughtsarealways—”
“Isthisatrialofthoughts,orofkittens?”demandedtheWoggle-Bug.
“It’satrialofonekitten,”repliedtheScarecrow;“butyourmannerisatrialtousall.”
“LetthePublicAccusercontinue,”calledOzmafromherthrone,“andIprayyoudonotinterrupthim.”
“Thecriminalwhonowsitsbeforethecourtlickingherpaws,”resumedtheWoggle-Bug,“haslongdesiredtounlawfullyeatthefatpiglet,whichwasnobiggerthanamouse.
Andfinallyshemadeawickedplantosatisfyherdepravedappetiteforpork.Icanseeher,inmymind’seye—”
“What’sthat?”askedtheScarecrow.
“IsayIcanseeherinmymind’seye—”
“Themindhasnoeye,”declaredtheScarecrow.“It’sblind.”
“YourHighness,”criedtheWoggle-Bug,appealingtoOzma,“haveIamind’seye,orhaven’tI?”
“Ifyouhave,itisinvisible,”saidthePrincess.
“Verytrue,”returnedtheWoggle-Bug,bowing.
“IsayIseethecriminal,inmymind’seye,creepingstealthilyintotheroomofourOzmaandsecretingherself,whennoonewaslooking,untilthePrincesshadgoneawayandthedoorwasclosed.
Thenthemurdererwasalonewithherhelplessvictim,thefatpiglet,andIseeherpounceupontheinnocentcreatureandeatitup—”
“Areyoustillseeingwithyourmind’seye?”enquiredtheScarecrow.
“Ofcourse;howelsecouldIseeit?Andweknowthethingistrue,becausesincethetimeofthatinterviewthereisnopiglettobefoundanywhere.”
“Isuppose,ifthecathadbeengone,insteadofthepiglet,yourmind’seyewouldseethepigleteatingthecat,”suggestedtheScarecrow.
“Verylikely,”acknowledgedtheWoggle-Bug.
“Andnow,FellowCitizensandCreaturesoftheJury,Iassertthatsoawfulacrimedeservesdeath,andinthecaseoftheferociouscriminalbeforeyou—whoisnowwashingherface—thedeathpenaltyshouldbeinflictedninetimes.”
Therewasgreatapplausewhenthespeakersatdown.ThenthePrincessspokeinasternvoice:
“Prisoner,whathaveyoutosayforyourself?Areyouguilty,ornotguilty?”
“Why,that’sforyoutofindout,”repliedEureka.“IfyoucanproveI’mguilty,I’llbewillingtodieninetimes,butamind’seyeisnoproof,becausetheWoggle-Bughasnomindtoseewith.”
“Nevermind,dear,”saidDorothy.
ThentheTinWoodmanaroseandsaid:
“RespectedJuryanddearlybelovedOzma,Iprayyounottojudgethisfelineprisonerunfeelingly.
Idonotthinktheinnocentkittencanbeguilty,andsurelyitisunkindtoaccusealuncheonofbeingamurder.
Eurekaisthesweetpetofalovelylittlegirlwhomwealladmire,andgentlenessandinnocenceareherchiefvirtues.
Lookatthekitten’sintelligenteyes;”(hereEurekaclosedhereyessleepily)“gazeathersmilingcountenance!”
(hereEurekasnarledandshowedherteeth)“markthetenderposeofhersoft,paddedlittlehands!”
(HereEurekabaredhersharpclawsandscratchedatthebarsofthecage.)
“Wouldsuchagentleanimalbeguiltyofeatingafellowcreature?No;athousandtimes,no!”
“Oh,cutitshort,”saidEureka;“you’vetalkedlongenough.”
“I’mtryingtodefendyou,”remonstratedtheTinWoodman.
“Thensaysomethingsensible,”retortedthekitten.
“Tellthemitwouldbefoolishformetoeatthepiglet,becauseIhadsenseenoughtoknowitwouldraisearowifIdid.
Butdon’ttrytomakeoutI’mtooinnocenttoeatafatpigletifIcoulddoitandnotbefoundout.Iimagineitwouldtastemightygood.”
“Perhapsitwould,tothosewhoeat,”remarkedtheTinWoodman.“Imyself,notbeingbuilttoeat,havenopersonalexperienceinsuchmatters.ButIrememberthatourgreatpoetoncesaid:
‘Toeatissweet
Whenhunger’sseat
Demandsatreat
Ofsavorymeat.’”
“Takethisintoconsideration,friendsoftheJury,andyouwillreadilydecidethatthekitteniswrongfullyaccusedandshouldbesetatliberty.”
WhentheTinWoodmansatdownnooneapplaudedhim,forhisargumentshadnotbeenveryconvincingandfewbelievedthathehadprovedEureka’sinnocence.
AsfortheJury,thememberswhisperedtoeachotherforafewminutesandthentheyappointedtheHungryTigertheirspokesman.Thehugebeastslowlyaroseandsaid:
“Kittenshavenoconsciences,sotheyeatwhateverpleasesthem.
ThejurybelievesthewhitekittenknownasEurekaisguiltyofhavingeatenthepigletownedbyPrincessOzma,andrecommendsthatshebeputtodeathinpunishmentofthecrime.”
Thejudgmentofthejurywasreceivedwithgreatapplause,althoughDorothywassobbingmiserablyatthefateofherpet.
ThePrincesswasjustabouttoorderEureka’sheadchoppedoffwiththeTinWoodman’saxewhenthatbrilliantpersonageoncemorearoseandaddressedher.
“YourHighness,”saidhe,“seehoweasyitisforajurytobemistaken.Thekittencouldnothaveeatenyourpiglet—forhereitis!”
Hetookoffhisfunnelhatandfrombeneathitproducedatinywhitepiglet,whichheheldaloftthatallmightseeitclearly.
Ozmawasdelightedandexclaimed,eagerly:
“Givememypet,NickChopper!”
Andallthepeoplecheeredandclappedtheirhands,rejoicingthattheprisonerhadescapeddeathandbeenprovedtobeinnocent.
AsthePrincessheldthewhitepigletinherarmsandstrokeditssofthairshesaid:“LetEurekaoutofthecage,forsheisnolongeraprisoner,butourgoodfriend.
Wheredidyoufindmymissingpet,NickChopper?”
“Inaroomofthepalace,”heanswered.
“Justice,”remarkedtheScarecrow,withasigh,“isadangerousthingtomeddlewith.Ifyouhadn’thappenedtofindthepiglet,Eurekawouldsurelyhavebeenexecuted.”
“Butjusticeprevailedatthelast,”saidOzma,“forhereismypet,andEurekaisoncemorefree.”
“Irefusetobefree,”criedthekitten,inasharpvoice,“unlesstheWizardcandohistrickwitheightpiglets.
Ifhecanproducebutseven,thenthisisnotthepigletthatwaslost,butanotherone.”
“Hush,Eureka!”warnedtheWizard.
“Don’tbefoolish,”advisedtheTinWoodman,“oryoumaybesorryforit.”
“ThepigletthatbelongedtothePrincessworeanemeraldcollar,”saidEureka,loudlyenoughforalltohear.
“Soitdid!”exclaimedOzma.“ThiscannotbetheonetheWizardgaveme.”
“Ofcoursenot;hehadnineofthem,altogether,”declaredEureka;“andImustsayitwasverystingyofhimnottoletmeeatjustafew.
Butnowthatthisfoolishtrialisended,Iwilltellyouwhatreallybecameofyourpetpiglet.”
AtthiseveryoneintheThroneRoomsuddenlybecamequiet,andthekittencontinued,inacalm,mockingtoneofvoice:
“IwillconfessthatIintendedtoeatthelittlepigformybreakfast;soIcreptintotheroomwhereitwaskeptwhilethePrincesswasdressingandhidmyselfunderachair.
WhenOzmawentawaysheclosedthedoorandleftherpetonthetable.
AtonceIjumpedupandtoldthepigletnottomakeafuss,forhewouldbeinsideofmeinhalfasecond;butnoonecanteachoneofthesecreaturestobereasonable.
Insteadofkeepingstill,soIcouldeathimcomfortably,hetrembledsowithfearthathefelloffthetableintoabigvasethatwasstandingonthefloor.
Thevasehadaverysmallneck,andspreadoutatthetoplikeabowl.
AtfirstthepigletstuckintheneckofthevaseandIthoughtIshouldgethim,afterall,buthewriggledhimselfthroughandfelldownintothedeepbottompart—andIsupposehe’sthereyet.”
Allwereastonishedatthisconfession,andOzmaatoncesentanofficertoherroomtofetchthevase.
WhenhereturnedthePrincesslookeddownthenarrowneckofthebigornamentanddiscoveredherlostpiglet,justasEurekahadsaidshewould.
Therewasnowaytogetthecreatureoutwithoutbreakingthevase,sotheTinWoodmansmasheditwithhisaxeandsetthelittleprisonerfree.
ThenthecrowdcheeredlustilyandDorothyhuggedthekitteninherarmsandtoldherhowdelightedshewastoknowthatshewasinnocent.
“Butwhydidn’tyoutellusatfirst?”sheasked.
“Itwouldhavespoiledthefun,”repliedthekitten,yawning.
OzmagavetheWizardbackthepiglethehadsokindlyallowedNickChoppertosubstituteforthelostone,andthenshecarriedherownintotheapartmentsofthepalacewhereshelived.
Andnow,thetrialbeingover,thegoodcitizensoftheEmeraldCityscatteredtotheirhomes,wellcontentwiththeday’samusement.
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