"hM-rE!" SQtd H /skErkrO, gElI. "wI kn nQ lIv Hs mizarabal /JAkdYz' nest wenevar wI plIz."
"bat i z nIrlI dyrk," sed H /tin /wUdmAn; "n anles wI wEt antil mYrnN t mEk Qr flFt wI mE get intM mYr crabal. F dOn't lFk HIz nFt crips, f wan nevar nOz wat wil hApan."
sO i waz disFdd t wEt antil dElFt, n H Advencararz amjMzd Hemselvz in H twFlFt bF sarcN H /JAkdYz' nest f creZarz.
H /wogal-/bag fQnd tM hAndsam brEslits v rYt gold, wic fitd hiz slendar yrmz vErI wel. H /skErkrO tUk a fAnsI f riNz, v wic HEr war menI in H nest. bifYr loN hI hAd hitd a riN t Ic v hiz pAdd glavz, n not bIiN kntent wiT Ht displE hI Add wan mYr t Ic Tam. Az hI kErfalI cMz HOz riNz set wiT spyrklNstOnz, sac Az rMbIz, AmeTsts n sAfFrz, H /sKerkrO'z hAndz nQ prizentd a mOst briljant apIrans.
"Hs nest wUd b a piknik f /kwIn /JinJar," sed hI, mjMziNlI, "f Az nIrlI Az F kn mEk Qt SI n har garlz koNkard mI mIrlI t rob mF sitI v its emaraldz."
H /tin /wUdmAn waz kntent wiT hiz dFmand neklas n rifjMzd t Aksept enI adiSanal dekYrESnz; bat /tip sekjard a fFn gOld woc, wic waz atAcd t a hevI fob, n plEsd i in hiz pokit wiT mac prFd. hI YlsO pind sevaral JMald brOcz t /JAk /pampkinhed'z red wEstkOt, n atAcd a lYrnjet, bF mInz v a fFn cEn, t H nek v H /sY-/hYrs.
"it's vErI pritI," sed H krIcar, rigyrdN H lYrnjet aprMviNlI, "bat wat z i f?"
nan v Hem kUd Ansar Ht kwescn, hQevar; sO H /sY-/hYrs disFdd i waz sam rEr dekYrESn n bikEm vErI fond v i.
Ht nan v H pyrtI mFt b slFtd, HE endd bF plEsN sevaral lyrJ sIl riNz apon H pqnts v H /gamp's Antlarz, YlHO Ht od parsaniJ sImd bF nO mInz grAtifFd bF H atenSn.
dyrknis sMn fel apon Hem, n /tip n H /wogal-/bag went t slIp wFl H aHarz sAt dQn t wEt pESantlI f H dE.
nekst mYrnN HE hAd kYz t kngrAdjMlEt Hemselz apon H jMsfal kndiSn v H /gamp; f wiT dElFt a grEt flok v /JAkdYz aprOcd t engEJ in wan mYr bAtal f H pazeSn v H nest.
bat Qr Advencararz did not wEt f H asYlt. HE tambald intM H kUSand sIts v H sOfaz Az kwiklI Az posibal, n /tip gEv H ward t H /gamp t styrt.
At wans i rOz intM H Er, H grEt wiNz flopN scroNlI n wiT regjMlar mOSnz, n in a fjM mOmants HE war sO fyr fram H nest Ht H cAtarN /JAkdYz tUk pazeSn wiTQt enI atempt At parsMt.
H /TiN flM dM /nYrT, gOiN in H sEm darekSn fram wens i had kam. At lIst, Ht waz H /skErkrO'z apinjan, n H aHarz agrId Ht H /skErkrO waz H best JaJ v darekSn. Aftar pAsN Ovar sevaral sitIz n wiliJz H /gamp kErId Hem hF abav a brod plEn wEr hQzz bikEm mYr n mYr skAtard antil HE disapIrd YltageHar. nekst kEm H wFd, sAndI dezart separEtN H rest v H warld fram H /lAnd v /oz, n bifYr nMn HE sY H dOm-SEpd hQzz Ht prMvd HE war wans mYr wiHin H bYrdarz v HEr nEtiv lAnd.
"bat H hQzz n fensz r blM," sed h /tin /wUdmAn, "n Ht indikEts wI r in H lAnd v H /manckinz, n HErfYr a loN distans fram /glinda h /gUd."
"wat SAl wI d?" Askd H bq, tarnN t HEr gFd.
"F dOn't nO," riplFd H /skErkrO, frANklI. "if wI war At H /emarald /sitI wI kUd Hn mMv darektlI sQTward, n sO rIc Qr destinESn. bat wI dEr not gO t H /emarald /sitI, n h /gamp z probablI kErIiN as farHar in H roN darekSn wiT evrI flop v its wiNz."
"Hn H /wogal-/bag mast swYlO anaHar pil," sed /tip, disFdedlI, "n wiS as hedd in H rFt darekSn."
"vErI wel," ritarnd H /hFlI /mAgnifFd wan; "F'm wilN."
bat wen H /skErkrO sarcd in hiz pokit f H pepar-boks kntEnN H tM silvar /wiSN /pilz, i waz not t b fQnd. fild wiT ANzFitI, H vqaJarz hantd TrMQt evrI inc v H TiN f H preSas boks; bat i hAd disapIrd entFrlI.
n stil H /gamp flM onward, kErIiN Hem HE nM not wEr.
"F mast kAv left H pepar-boks in H /JAkdYz' nest," sed H /skErkrO, At leNgT.
"i z a grEt misfYrcan," H /tin /wUdmAn diklErd, "bat wI r nO wars of hn bifYr wI diskavard H /wiSN /pilz."
"wI r betar of," riplFd /tip, "f H wan pil wI jMzd hAz enEbald as t eskEp fram Ht hYribal nest."
"jet H los v H aHar tM z sIrIas, n F dizarv a gUd skOldN f mF kErlisnis," H /skErkrO riJqnd, penitentlI. "f in sac an anjMZMal pyrtI Az Hs Aksidants r lFabal t hApan enI mOmant, n Ivan nQ wI mE b aprOcN a nM dEnJar."
nO wan dErd koncradikt Hs, n a dizmal sFlans ensMd.
H /gamp flM stedilI on.
sadanlI /tip atard an eksklamESn v sarprFz. "wI mast hAv rIcd H /sQT /kancrI," hI krFd, "f bilO as evrITiN z red!"
imIdIatlI HE Yl lInd Ovar H bAks v H sOfaz t lUk -- Yl eksept /JAk, hM waz tM kErfal v hiz pampkin hed t risk its slipN of hiz nek. Sar Inaf; H red hQzz n fensz n crIz indikEtd HE war wiHin H dOmEn v /glinda H /gUd; n prezantlI, Az HE glFdd rApidlI on, H /tin /wUdmAn rekagnFzd H rOdz n bildNz HE pAsd, n Yltard slFtlI H flFt v H /gamp sO Ht HE mFt rIc H pAlis v H selabrEtd /sYrsaris.
"gUd!" krFd H /skErkrO, dilFtedlI. "wI d not nId H lost /wiSN /pilz nQ, f wI hAv arFvd At Qr destinESn."
grAdjMalI H /TiN sANk lOar n nIrar t H grQnd antil At leNkT i kEm t rest wiHin H bjMtifal gyrdanz v /glinda, setalN apon a velvetI grIn lYn klOs bF a fQntan wic sent sprEz v flASN Jemz, insted v wotar, hF intM H Er, wens HE fel wiT a soft, tiNklN sQnd intM H kyrvd myrbal bEsin plEsd t risIv Hem.
evrITiN waz vErI gYrJas in /glinda'z gyrdanz, n wFl Qr vqaJarz gEzd abQt wiT AdmFrN Fz a kampanI v sOlJarz sFlantlI apIrd n sarQndd Hem. bat HIz sOlJarz v H grEt /sYrsares war entFrlI difarant fram HOz v /JinJar'z /yrmI v /rivOlt, YlHO HE war lFkwFz garlz. f /glinda'z sOlJarz wYr nIt jMifYrmz n bYr sYrdz n spIrz; n HE myrcd wiT a skil n prisiZn Ht prMvd Hem wel-crEnd in H yrts v wYr.
H /kAptan kmAndN Hs crMp -- wic waz /glinda'z prFvat /bodI /gyrd -- rekognFzd H /skErkrO n H /tin /wUdmAn At wans, n grItd Hem wiT rispektfal sAljMtESnz.
"gUd dE!" sed H /skErkrO, gAlantlI rimMvN hz hAt, wFl H /wUdmAn gEv a sOlJarlI salMt; "wI hAv kam t rikwest an YdIans wiT jYr fEr /rMlar."
"/glinda z nQ wiHin har pAlis, awEtN jM," ritarnd H /kAptan; "f SI sY jM kamN loN bifYr jM arFvd."
"Ht z scrEnJ!" sed /tip, wandarN.
"not At Yl," Ansard H /skErkrO, "f /glinda H /gUd z a mFtI /sYrsaris, n naTiN Ht gOz on in H /lAnd v /oz eskEpz har nOtis. F sapOz SI nOz wF wI kEm Az wel Az wI d Qrselvz."
"Hn wat waz H jMs v Qr kamiN?" Askd /JAk, stMpidlI.
"t prMv jM r a /pampkinhed!" ritYrtd H /skErkrO. "bat, if H /sYrsaris ekspekts as, wI mast not kIp har wEtN."
sO HE Yl klAmbard Qt v H sOfaz n folOd H /kAptan tYrd H pAlis -- Ivan H /sY-/hYrs tEkN hiz plEs in H kwIr praseSn.
apon har TrOn v fFnlI rYt gOld sAt /glinda, n SI kUd skErslI ripres a smFl Az har pekjMljar vizitarz entard n bQd bifYr har. bOT H /skErkrO n H /tin /wUdmAn SI nM n lFkd; bat H Ykward /pampkinhed n /hFlI /mAgnifFd /wogal-/bag war krEcarz SI hAd nevar sIn bifYr, n HE sImd Ivan mYr kjarIas Hn H aHarz. Az f H /sY-/hYrs, hI lUkd t b naTN mYr Hn an AnimEtd caNk v wUd; n hI bQd sO stiflI Ht hiz hed bampd agenst H flYr, kYzN a ripal v lAftar amaN H sOlJarz, in wic /glinda frANklI Jqnd.
"F beg t anQns t jYr glYrIas hFnis," bigAn H /skErkrO, in a sOlam vqs, "Ht mF /emarald /sitI hAz bin Ovarran bF a krQd v impjMdnt garlz wiT nitN-nIdalz, hM hAv enslEvd Yl H men, robd H scrIts n pablik bildNz v Yl HEr emarald JMalz, n jMsarpd mF TrOn."
"F nO i," sed /glinda.
"HE YlsO Tretand t descrq mI, Az wel Az Yl H gUd frendz n AlFz jM sI bifYr jM," kntinjMd H /skErkrO, "n hAd wI not mAniJd t eskEp HEr klacz Qr dEz wUd loN sins hAv endd."
"F nO i," ripItd /glinda.
"HErfYr F hAv kam t beg jYr asistans," rizamd H /skErkrO, "f F bilIv jM r YlwEz glAd t Ed H anfYrcanat n apresd."
"Ht z crM," riplFd H /sYrsares, slOlI. "bat H /emarald /sitI z nQ rMld bF /Jenaral /JinJar, hM hAz kYzd harself t b prOklEmd /kwIn. wat rFt hAv F t apOz har?"
"wF, SI stOl H TrOn fram mI," sed H /skErkrO.
"n hQ kEm jM t pazes H TrOn?" Askd /glinda.
"F got i fram H /wizard v /oz, n bF H cqs v h pIpal," ritarnd H /skErkrO, anIzI At sac kwescanN.
"n wEr did H /wizard get i?" SI kntinjMd grEvlI.
"F Am tOld hI tUk i fram /pAstYrIa, H fYrmar /kiN," sed H /skErkrO, bikamN knfjMzd andar H intent lUk v H /sYrsares.
"Hn," diklErd /glinda, "H TrOn v H /emarald /sitI biloNz nIHar t jM nYr t /JinJar, bat t Hs /pAstYrIa fram hMm H /wizard jMsarpd i."
"Ht z crM," AknoliJd H /skErkrO, hamblI; "bat /pAstYrIa z nQ ded n gon, n sam wan mast rMl in hiz plEs."
"/pAstYrIa hAd a dYtar, hM z H rFtfal Er t H TrOn v H /emarald /sitI. did jM nO Ht?" kwescand H /sYraris.
"nO," riplFd H /skErkrO, "bat if H garl stil livz F wil not stAnd in har wE. i wil sAtisfF mI Az wel t hAv /JinJar tarnd Qt, Az an impostar, Az t rigEn H TrOn mFself. in fAkt, i izn't mac fan t b /kiN, espeSalI if wan hAz gUd brEnz. F hAv nOn f sam tFm Ht F Am fitd t okjMpF a fyr mYr egzYltd paziSn. bat wEr z H garl hM Onz H TrOn, n wat z har nEm?"
"har nEm z /ozmo," Ansard /glinda. "bat wEr SI z F hAv crFd in vEn t diskavar. f H /wizard v /oz, wen hI stOl H TrOn fram /ozmo'z foHar, hI hid H garl in sam sIkrit plEs; n bF mInz v a mAJikal crik wiT wic F Am not familjar hI YlsO mAniJd t privent har bIiN diskavard -- Ivan bF sO ekspIrIansd a /sYrsares Az mFself."
"Ht z scrEnJ," intaraptd H /wogal-/bag, pompaslI. "F hAv bin infYrrmd Ht H /wandarfal /wizard v /oz waz naTiN mYr Hn a hambag!"
"nonsens!" eksklEmd H /skErkrO, mac pravOkd bF Hs spIc. "didn't hI giv mI a wandarfal set v brEnz?"
"HEr'z nO hambag abQt mF hyrt," anQnsd H /tin /wUdmAn, glErN indignantlI At H /wogal-/bag.
"parhAps F waz misinfYrmd," stAmard H /insekt, SriNkN bAk; "F nevar nM H /wizard parsanalI."
"wel, wI did," ritYrtd H /skErkrO, "n hI waz a vErI grEt /wizard, F aSar jM. i z crM hI waz giltI v sam slFt imposcarz, bat anles hI waz a grEt /wizard hQ -- let mI Ask -- kUd hI hAv hidan Hs garl /ozmo sO sekjarlI Ht nO wan kn fFnd har?"
"F -- F giv i ap!" riplFd H /wogal-/bag, mIklI.
"Ht z H mOst sensibal spIc jM'v mEd," sed h /tin /wUdmAn.