The Essential Works of L. Frank Baum - L. Frank Baum

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In this way the Princess could view any part of the world she wished, and watch the actions of any one in whom she was interested.

      Ozma had often seen Dorothy in her Kansas home by this means, and now, having a little leisure, she expressed a desire to see her little friend again. It was while the travelers were at Fuddlecumjig, and Ozma laughed merrily as she watched in the picture her friends trying to match the pieces of Grandmother Gnit.

      “They seem happy and are doubtless having a good time,” the girl Ruler said to herself; and then she began to think of the many adventures she herself had encountered with Dorothy.

      The image of her friends now faded from the Magic Picture and the old landscape slowly reappeared.

      Ozma was thinking of the time when with Dorothy and her army she marched to the Nome King’s underground cavern, beyond the Land of Ev, and forced the old monarch to liberate his captives, who belonged to the Royal Family of Ev. That was the time when the Scarecrow nearly frightened the Nome King into fits by throwing one of Billina’s eggs at him, and Dorothy had captured King Roquat’s Magic Belt and brought it away with her to the Land of Oz.

      The pretty Princess smiled at the recollection of this adventure, and then she wondered what had become of the Nome King since then. Merely because she was curious and had nothing better to do, Ozma glanced at the Magic Picture and wished to see in it the King of the Nomes.

      Roquat the Red went every day into his tunnel to see how the work was getting along and to hurry his workmen as much as possible. He was there now, and Ozma saw him plainly in the Magic Picture.

      She saw the underground tunnel, reaching far underneath the Deadly Desert which separated the Land of Oz from the mountains beneath which the Nome King had his extensive caverns. She saw that the tunnel was being made in the direction of the Emerald City, and knew at once it was being dug so that the army of Nomes could march through it and attack her own beautiful and peaceful country.

      “I suppose King Roquat is planning revenge against us,” she said, musingly, “and thinks he can surprise us and make us his captives and slaves. How sad it is that any one can have such wicked thoughts! But I must not blame King Roquat too severely, for he is a Nome, and his nature is not so gentle as my own.”

      Then she dismissed from her mind further thought of the tunnel, for that time, and began to wonder if Aunt Em would not be happy as Royal Mender of the Stockings of the Ruler of Oz. Ozma wore few holes in her stockings; still, they sometimes needed mending. Aunt Em ought to be able to do that very nicely.

      Next day, the Princess watched the tunnel again in her Magic Picture, and every day afterward she devoted a few minutes to inspecting the work. It was not especially interesting, but she felt that it was her duty.

      Slowly but surely the big, arched hole crept through the rocks underneath the deadly desert, and day by day it drew nearer and nearer to the Emerald City.

      19. How Bunnybury Welcomed the Strangers

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      Dorothy left Bunbury the same way she had entered it and when they were in the forest again she said to Billina:

      “I never thought that things good to eat could be so dis’gree’ble.”

      “Often I’ve eaten things that tasted good but were disagreeable afterward,” returned the Yellow Hen. “I think, Dorothy, if eatables are going to act badly, it’s better before than after you eat them.”

      “P’raps you’re right,” said the little girl, with a sigh. “But what shall we do now?”

      “Let us follow the path back to the signpost,” suggested Billina. “That will be better than getting lost again.”

      “Why, we’re lost anyhow,” declared Dorothy; “but I guess you’re right about going back to that signpost, Billina.”

      They returned along the path to the place where they had first found it, and at once took “the other road” to Bunnybury. This road was a mere narrow strip, worn hard and smooth but not wide enough for Dorothy’s feet to tread. Still, it was a guide, and the walking through the forest was not at all difficult.

      Before long they reached a high wall of solid white marble, and the path came to an end at this wall.

      At first Dorothy thought there was no opening at all in the marble, but on looking closely she discovered a small square door about on a level with her head, and underneath this closed door was a bell-push. Near the bell-push a sign was painted in neat letters upon the marble, and the sign read:

      NO ADMITTANCE

      EXCEPT ON BUSINESS

      This did not discourage Dorothy, however, and she rang the bell.

      Pretty soon a bolt was cautiously withdrawn and the marble door swung slowly open. Then she saw it was not really a door, but a window, for several brass bars were placed across it, being set fast in the marble and so close together that the little girl’s fingers might barely go between them. Back of the bars appeared the face of a white rabbit—a very sober and sedate face—with an eye-glass held in his left eye and attached to a cord in his buttonhole.

      “Well! what is it?” asked the rabbit, sharply.

      “I’m Dorothy,” said the girl, “and I’m lost, and—”

      “State your business, please,” interrupted the rabbit.

      “My business,” she replied, “is to find out where I am, and to—”

      “No one is allowed in Bunnybury without an order or a letter of introduction from either Ozma of Oz or Glinda the Good,” announced the rabbit; “so that settles the matter,” and he started to close the window.

      “Wait a minute!” cried Dorothy. “I’ve got a letter from Ozma.”

      “From the Ruler of Oz?” asked the rabbit, doubtingly.

      “Of course. Ozma’s my best friend, you know; and I’m a Princess myself,” she announced, earnestly.

      “Hum—ha! Let me see your letter,” returned the rabbit, as if he still doubted her.

      So she hunted in her pocket and found the letter Ozma had given her. Then she handed it through the bars to the rabbit, who took it in his paws and opened it. He read it aloud in a pompous voice, as if to let Dorothy and Billina see that he was educated and could read writing. The letter was as follows:

      “It will please me to have my subjects greet Princess Dorothy, the bearer of this royal missive, with the same courtesy and consideration they would extend to me.”

      “Ha—hum! It is signed ‘Ozma of Oz,’” continued the rabbit, “and is sealed with the Great Seal of the Emerald City. Well, well, well! How strange! How remarkable!”

      “What are you going to do about it?” inquired Dorothy, impatiently.

      “We must obey the royal mandate,” replied the rabbit. “We are subjects of Ozma of Oz, and we live in her country. Also we are under the protection of the great Sorceress Glinda the Good, who made us promise to respect Ozma’s commands.”

      “Then may I come in?” she asked.

      “I’ll open the door,” said the rabbit. He shut the window and disappeared, but a moment afterward a big door in the wall opened and admitted Dorothy to a small room, which seemed to be a part of the wall and built into it.

      Here stood the rabbit she had been talking with, and now that she could see all of him, she gazed at the creature in surprise. He was a good sized white rabbit with pink eyes, much like all other white rabbits. But the astonishing thing about him was the manner in which he was dressed. He wore a white satin jacket embroidered with gold, and having diamond buttons. His vest was rose-colored satin, with tourmaline buttons. His trousers were white,

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