L.Frank Baum. The marvelous land of Oz -

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a handsome center-table stood a large silver oil-can, richly engraved with
scenes from the past adventures of the Tin Woodman, Dorothy, the  Cowardly
Lion and the Scarecrow: the lines of the engraving being traced  upon  the
silver in yellow gold. On the walls hung several portraits,  that  of  the
Scarecrow seeming to be the most prominent and carefully executed, while a
the large painting of the famous Wizard of Oz, in act  of  presenting  the
Tin Woodman with a heart, covered almost one entire end of the room.
     While the visitors gazed at these things in  silent  admiration  they
suddenly heard a loud voice in the next room exclaim:
     "Well! well! well! What a great surprise!"
     And then the door burst open and Nick Chopper rushed into their midst
and caught the Scarecrow in a close and loving embrace  that  creased  him
into many folds and wrinkles.
     "My dear old friend!  My  noble  comrade!"  cried  the  Tin  Woodman,
joyfully. "how delighted!," I am to meet you once again.
     And then he released the Scarecrow and held him at arms' length while
he surveyed the beloved, painted features.
     But, alas! the face of the Scarecrow and many portions  of  his  body
bore great blotches of putz-pomade; for the Tin Woodman, in his  eagerness
to welcome his friend, had quite forgotten the condition of his toilet and
had rubbed the thick coating of paste from his own body  to  that  of  his
comrade.
     "Dear me!" said the Scarecrow dolefully. "What a mess I'm in!"
     "Never mind, my friend," returned the Tin Woodman," I'll send you  to
my Imperial Laundry, and you'll come out as good as new."
     "Won't I be mangled?" asked the Scarecrow.
     "No, indeed!" was the reply. "But tell  me,  how  came  your  Majesty
here? and who are your companions?"
     The  Scarecrow,  with  great  politeness,  introduced  Tip  and  Jack

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Волшебство живет в книгах талантливых авторов и в их героях. Иногда оно проявляется в узнаваемых сказках и героях из страны Оз, как у Лаймена Фрэнка Баума. Порой оно совсем не похоже на волшебство, а это скорее философский боевик с элементами шпионского романа, как у Анатолия Азольского.
В любом случае, беря в руки книгу или открывая по ссылке ее электронный вариант, мы окунаемся в выдуманный реальный мир, где все может быть.
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