登陆注册
5269100000045

第45章 Chapter Twenty Quox Quietly Quits(1)

When the chief nomes assembled before their new King they joyfully saluted him and promised to obey his commands. But, when Kaliko questioned them, none knew the way to the Metal Forest, although all had assisted in its making. So the King instructed them to search carefully for one of the passages and to bring him the news as soon as they had found it.

Meantime Quox had managed to back out of the rocky corridor and so regain the open air and his old station on the mountain-side, and there he lay upon the rocks, sound asleep, until the next day.

The others of the party were all given as good rooms as the caverns of the nomes afforded, for King Kaliko felt that he was indebted to them for his promotion and was anxious to be as hospitable as he could.

Much wonderment had been caused by the absolute disappearance of the sixteen officers of Oogaboo and their Queen. Not a nome had seen them, nor were they discovered during the search for the passages leading to the Metal Forest. Perhaps no one was unhappy over their loss, but all were curious to know what had become of them.

On the next day, when our friends went to visit the dragon, Quox said to them: "I must now bid you good-bye, for my mission here is finished and I must depart for the other side of the world, where I belong."

"Will you go through the Tube again?" asked Betsy.

"To be sure. But it will be a lonely trip this time, with no one to talk to, and I cannot invite any of you to go with me. Therefore, as soon as I slide into the hole I shall go to sleep, and when I pop out at the other end I will wake up at home."

They thanked the dragon for befriending them and wished him a pleasant journey. Also they sent their thanks to the great Jinjin, whose just condemnation of Ruggedo had served their interests so well. Then Quox yawned and stretched himself and ambled over to the Tube, into which he slid head-foremost and disappeared.

They really felt as if they had lost a friend, for the dragon had been both kind and sociable during their brief acquaintance with him; but they knew it was his duty to return to his own country.

So they went back to the caverns to renew the search for the hidden passages that led to the forest, but for three days all efforts to find them proved in vain.

It was Polychrome's custom to go every day to the mountain and watch for her father, the Rainbow, for she was growing tired with wandering upon the earth and longed to rejoin her sisters in their sky palaces. And on the third day, while she sat motionless upon a point of rock, whom should she see slyly creeping up the mountain but Ruggedo!

The former King looked very forlorn. His clothes were soiled and torn and he had no sandals upon his feet or hat upon his head. Having left his crown and sceptre behind when he fled, the old nome no longer seemed kingly, but more like a beggerman.

Several times had Ruggedo crept up to the mouth of the caverns, only to find the six eggs still on guard. He knew quite well that he must accept his fate and become a homeless wanderer, but his chief regret now was that he had neglected to fill his pockets with gold and jewels. He was aware that a wanderer with wealth at his command would fare much better than one who was a pauper, so he still loitered around the caverns wherein he knew so much treasure was stored, hoping for a chance to fill his pockets.

That was how he came to recollect the Metal Forest.

"Aha!" said he to himself, "I alone know the way to that Forest, and once there I can fill my pockets with the finest jewels in all the world."

He glanced at his pockets and was grieved to find them so small. Perhaps they might be enlarged, so that they would hold more. He knew of a poor woman who lived in a cottage at the foot of the mountain, so he went to her and begged her to sew pockets all over his robe, paying her with the gift of a diamond ring which he had worn upon his finger. The woman was delighted to possess so valuable a ring and she sewed as many pockets on Ruggedo's robe as she possibly could.

同类推荐
  • 深雪偶谈

    深雪偶谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • An Essay on Comedy

    An Essay on Comedy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Man

    The Man

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 放光般若经

    放光般若经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 濒湖炮炙法

    濒湖炮炙法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 明月万里照汉关

    明月万里照汉关

    回到明朝,小警察变成了富家纨绔。一场冲突,与未来天子结下不解之缘。改变历史,从改变皇帝开始。征战沙场,一统辽东大漠。宣扬海权,明月所照之处,尽是汉土。……大明天启三年,我来了!新建读者群名称:明月万里照汉关;群号:725700630
  • 小妾又逃了

    小妾又逃了

    对这种心如蛇蝎,好色如命,伤风败俗的女山贼,傲娇的小侯爷认为收服她的最好方法就是逼嫁为妾,留在身边狠狠调教。结果是胜者躺好,败者扑倒,节操全部沦陷。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 土星防卫军

    土星防卫军

    讲述了未来人类联盟和外星种族之间的战争,未来的武器,未来的科技·····
  • 废后重生:皇上滚远点

    废后重生:皇上滚远点

    她,身怀六甲却惨死冷宫。一朝重生,发誓要这天下易主,江山改姓;他,腹黑妖孽的倾世帝王,背负惊天秘密,陪卿覆手乾坤。“宋睿,你前世伤我、弃我、辱我。这辈子给本姑娘滚远点!”“苏晚,想要天下易主,乾坤颠覆,你,非朕不嫁!”情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 军士小姐的故事

    军士小姐的故事

    一个从战场上下来的少女一个对这个世界一无所知的灵魂一具没有感情只为杀戮而存在的身体。在失去所有归宿之后,在这战争纷乱的年代里,一步一步的找回那被称作情感,作为人所应该拥有的东西,以及自己活下去的意义。
  • 岚染繁华之重生攻略

    岚染繁华之重生攻略

    雷劈魂穿成女主,溺水不死遇男主但被鸭脖子哽死这是人干的事吗?穿越到闺蜜成名作品中的我还成了书中十恶不赦,心狠手辣的大反派,弄死了男主心爱的女主,逼得男主亲手弑杀的反派师尊莫筱岚。闺蜜,你看我还有机会能让你改下剧情吗?好在天无绝人之路,我发现一切悲剧的事情还没发生,于是手握的我剧本抱紧了年幼墨洛凡的金大腿:“徒弟,想要什么随便说!”完美!于是我对他像对亲儿子一样,事事让着,时时宠着,做师尊做成我这样也是个悲剧啊。我尽力想引导他成为正派人物,可是最后还是不得已将他送上魔尊之位,五年后男主霸气而归,我本以为是回来了一个冷血无情的原著男主,却回来了一个外表大狼狗,内心小奶狗的狗,呸,人。我后悔了,想回家还来得及吗“莫筱岚,本尊再说一次,我是你的夫君,我所到之处就是你的家。”“胆肥了敢这么跟我说话,再大声点试试”“对不起,师尊我错了”于是我在原著的道路上越走越远,完全脱离原著路线的既视感是怎么回事,是我的到来改变了原本人物的命运,还是这一切其实都是有人精心安排那目的是什么?是野心,是逃避,还是……愧疚。
  • 八荒

    八荒

    一个人失去另一个人的过程,是极缓慢的,但往往却被我们误以为是电光石火的事。将万事都放下了,转一个身就走了。苏有信说,白色足可承当一切,因它自身没有悲喜,事实上,女子间的相互慰藉,与男女之间的,一样少,总是不够多。她要穿着极治艳的裙,逡巡这白的城白的国。像途经所罗门王百合山谷的茨冈人。大凡不见得有好理由跟好代价,但只觉必须要去做的,不那么严格来讲,便已经是爱情,时光当前,一切厮守都没有用处。爱在文字中不寂,不灭,不穷匮,居心险恶地,泛滥成洪荒之灾,简直要息壤才能将它克制得住。
  • 《爱的追踪》原著小说:赎罪无门

    《爱的追踪》原著小说:赎罪无门

    张国立、闫妮主演电视剧《赎罪门》原著小说!主人公警察老马,在年轻时吊儿郎当,是警察中的边缘人物,直到被癌症判处死刑的时侯,才开始反思自己一生作为警察的价值。为了赎罪,他不畏强暴、挑战强权,在生命的最后阶段,与城市大鳄绝命搏斗。这是个浑身充满了“京味儿”的老警察,时而混不吝,却充满了执拗的正义感。他的生活黑白分明,化疗、剧痛,身体每况愈下、跌入黑暗,无法预计的昏迷与疼痛,不可预料的未来和毁灭。但所有这些,却是他用来击碎这个城市大鳄的唯一武器,他无惧死亡,哀兵必胜。
  • 风鸣天下

    风鸣天下

    风铭辰,现代豪门世家的掌舵人,夺得权势,却不愿背负责任。叱咤一生,却无奈英年早逝风鸣辰,穿越时空夹缝,成为古朝年幼公主。朝堂争斗,宫廷倾轧,江湖风云,强势恣意的她,便向这男尊女卑的时代发出挑战。决定这世也要登上权利高峰。苦心经营十几载,夺取军政大权,开疆拓土,培养符合心意的继承人,到达权力巅峰后,不愿背负责任的她,又将如何选择?前世冷清理性的人,这一世是否会收获感情?一切判断都还为时过早,且看她这恣意的新生吧!从宫廷到江湖,从江湖到战场,从战场到朝堂,从朝堂到天下,场景在变化,人物在变化,情感也在变化,但那个目标——始终就在前方也许不及言情浪漫,不及玄幻炫目,但绝对是一段传奇,一个女强人在古代的传奇。有起落,有成败,有理性,有失控,有朋友之情,兄弟之义,知己之助,也有说不清道不明的感情,女主一路走来,不断适应,不断成长,不断改变,用她的一生书写着这段传奇。############################################后宫里的疑隙争斗,她冷眼旁观,甘当棋子,究竟存何目的?金蝉脱壳,踏入江湖,一场十年的惊天阴谋悄然袭来,正非正,邪亦非正,游走于正邪之间,谁才是最大赢家?战场之上,指点江山,快意恩仇,建立军功,震惊四野,遗世留名!朝堂之中,皇储之争风云再起,皇帝亲征,命在旦夕,摄政公主,应运而生。一切似乎圆满,又是什么横亘命运之中,背叛袭来,友人垂危,风雨满楼考验年轻政权,是命定天成,还是人可胜天……一部历史正剧即将拉开序幕敬请关注杳的新书《风鸣天下》********************************************************PS:某杳率剧中主创人员立于书页,雁过拔毛,人过留票,啥?米票,那就留下评论懒得写?那就收藏吧!虾米?放不下啦,多点两下总可以吧。不然,嘿嘿,辰辰,功夫练得怎么样了,给大家施展施展,不用收敛,放开手脚大胆的干,人在江湖飘啊~~哪能不挨刀啊~~哼哼~~############################################在作者专栏留言的亲们,不是杳不理大家,而是无法回复,希望亲们谅解,不是杳偷懒哈!在书评区的留言,杳一定会回的!推荐杳的新坑《赫连云凉》重生异世江湖,深陷门派之争,生死身世之谜,再看风云朝廷。
  • 六道红颜之绝世女帝

    六道红颜之绝世女帝

    一个小千世界的富家女,以无上天资,手持一把魔刀打出了小世界。她成就绝世女帝风采,一把噬魂魔刀,镇压万古天骄低下了高傲的头颅。