“I make but one condition,” added the Nome King, his eyes twinkling.

“What is it?” she enquired.

“If none of the eleven objects you touch proves to be the transformation of any of the royal family of Ev, then, instead of freeing them, you will yourself become enchanted, and transformed into an article of bric-a-brac or an ornament.  This is only fair and just, and is the risk you declared you were willing to take.”

12.  The Eleven Guesses

Hearing this condition imposed by the Nome King, Ozma became silent and thoughtful, and all her friends looked at her uneasily.

“Don’t you do it!” exclaimed Dorothy.  “If you guess wrong, you will be enslaved yourself.”

“But I shall have eleven guesses,” answered Ozma.  “Surely I ought to guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if I do, I shall rescue one of the royal family and be safe myself.  Then the rest of you may attempt it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved.”

“What if we fail?” enquired the Scarecrow.  “I’d look nice as a piece of bric-a-brac, wouldn’t I?”

“We must not fail!” cried Ozma, courageously.  “Having come all this distance to free these poor people, it would be weak and cowardly in us to abandon the adventure.  Therefore I will accept the Nome King’s offer, and go at once into the royal palace.”

“Come along, then, my dear,” said the King, climbing down from his throne with some difficulty, because he was so fat; “I’ll show you the way.”

He approached a wall of the cave and waved his hand.  Instantly an opening appeared, through which Ozma, after a smiling farewell to her friends, boldly passed.

She found herself in a splendid hall that was more beautiful and grand than anything she had ever beheld.  The ceilings were composed of great arches that rose far above her head, and all the walls and floors were of polished marble exquisitely tinted in many colors.  Thick velvet carpets were on the floor and heavy silken draperies covered the arches leading to the various rooms of the palace.  The furniture was made of rare old woods richly carved and covered with delicate satins, and the entire palace was lighted by a mysterious rosy glow that seemed to come from no particular place but flooded each apartment with its soft and pleasing radiance.

Ozma passed from one room to another, greatly delighted by all she saw.  The lovely palace had no other occupant, for the Nome King had left her at the entrance, which closed behind her, and in all the magnificent rooms there appeared to be no other person.

Upon the mantels, and on many shelves and brackets and tables, were clustered ornaments of every description, seemingly made out of all sorts of metals, glass, china, stones and marbles.  There were vases, and figures of men and animals, and graven platters and bowls, and mosaics of precious gems, and many other things.  Pictures, too, were on the walls, and the underground palace was quite a museum of rare and curious and costly objects.