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The Master Key by L. Frank Baum, 1. Rob's Workshop

1. Rob's Workshop

Founded Upon The Mysteries Of Electricity

And The Optimism Of Its Devotees. It Was

Written For Boys, But Others May Read It

Who Knows?

These things are quite improbable, to be sure; but are they impossible?

Our big world rolls over as smoothly as it did centuries ago, without a squeak to show it needs oiling after all these years of revolution. But times change because men change, and because civilization, like John Brown's soul, goes ever marching on. The impossibilities of yesterday become the accepted facts of to-day.

Here is a fairy tale founded upon the wonders of electricity and written for children of this generation. Yet when my readers shall have become men and women my story may not seem to their children like a fairy tale at all.

Perhaps one, perhaps two—perhaps several of the Demon's devices will be, by that time, in popular use. Who knows?

1. Rob's Workshop When Rob became interested in electricity his clear-headed father considered the boy's fancy to be instructive as well as amusing; so he heartily encouraged his son, and Rob never lacked batteries, motors or supplies of any sort that his experiments might require. He fitted up little back room in the attic as his workshop, and from thence a net-work of wires soon ran throughout the house. Not only had every outside door its electric bell, but every window was fitted with a burglar alarm; moreover no one could cross the threshold of any interior room without registering the fact in Rob's workshop. The gas was lighted by an electric fob; a chime, connected with an erratic clock in the boy's room, woke the servants at all hours of the night and caused the cook to give warning; a bell rang whenever the postman dropped a letter into the box; there were bells, bells, bells everywhere, ringing at the right time, the wrong time and all the time. And there were telephones in the different rooms, too, through which Rob could call up the different members of the family just when they did not wish to be disturbed.

His mother and sisters soon came to vote the boy's scientific craze a nuisance; but his father was delighted with these evidences of Rob's skill as an electrician, and insisted that he be allowed perfect freedom in carrying out his ideas. "Electricity," said the old gentleman, sagely, "is destined to become the motive power of the world. The future advance of civilization will be along electrical lines. Our boy may become a great inventor and astonish the world with his wonderful creations." "And in the meantime," said the mother, despairingly, "we shall all be electrocuted, or the house burned down by crossed wires, or we shall be blown into eternity by an explosion of chemicals!" "Nonsense!" ejaculated the proud father. "Rob's storage batteries are not powerful enough to electrocute one or set the house on fire. Do give the boy a chance, Belinda." "And the pranks are so humiliating," continued the lady. "When the minister called yesterday and rang the bell a big card appeared on the front door on which was printed the words: 'Busy; Call Again.' Fortunately Helen saw him and let him in, but when I reproved Robert for the act he said he was just trying the sign to see if it would work." "Exactly! The boy is an inventor already. I shall have one of those cards attached to the door of my private office at once. I tell you, Belinda, our son will be a great man one of these days," said Mr. Joslyn, walking up and down with pompous strides and almost bursting with the pride he took in his young hopeful. Mrs. Joslyn sighed. She knew remonstrance was useless so long as her husband encouraged the boy, and that she would be wise to bear her cross with fortitude.

Rob also knew his mother's protests would be of no avail; so he continued to revel in electrical processes of all sorts, using the house as an experimental station to test the powers of his productions. It was in his own room, however,—his "workshop"—that he especially delighted. For not only was it the center of all his numerous "lines" throughout the house, but he had rigged up therein a wonderful array of devices for his own amusement. A trolley-car moved around a circular track and stopped regularly at all stations; an engine and train of cars moved jerkily up and down a steep grade and through a tunnel; a windmill was busily pumping water from the dishpan into the copper skillet; a sawmill was in full operation and a host of mechanical blacksmiths, scissors-grinders, carpenters, wood-choppers and millers were connected with a motor which kept them working away at their trades in awkward but persevering fashion.

The room was crossed and recrossed with wires. They crept up the walls, lined the floor, made a grille of the ceiling and would catch an unwary visitor under the chin or above the ankle just when he least expected it. Yet visitors were forbidden in so crowded a room, and even his father declined to go farther than the doorway. As for Rob, he thought he knew all about the wires, and what each one was for; but they puzzled even him, at times, and he was often perplexed to know how to utilize them all.

One day when he had locked himself in to avoid interruption while he planned the electrical illumination of a gorgeous pasteboard palace, he really became confused over the network of wires. He had a "switchboard," to be sure, where he could make and break connections as he chose; but the wires had somehow become mixed, and he could not tell what combinations to use to throw the power on to his miniature electric lights. So he experimented in a rather haphazard fashion, connecting this and that wire blindly and by guesswork, in the hope that he would strike the right combination. Then he thought the combination might be right and there was a lack of power; so he added other lines of wire to his connections, and still others, until he had employed almost every wire in the room.

Yet it would not work; and after pausing a moment to try to think what was wrong he went at it again, putting this and that line into connection, adding another here and another there, until suddenly, as he made a last change, a quick flash of light almost blinded him, and the switch-board crackled ominously, as if struggling to carry a powerful current.

Rob covered his face at the flash, but finding himself unhurt he took away his hands and with blinking eyes attempted to look at a wonderful radiance which seemed to fill the room, making it many times brighter than the brightest day.

Although at first completely dazzled, he peered before him until he discovered that the light was concentrated near one spot, from which all the glorious rays seemed to scintillate.

He closed his eyes a moment to rest them; then re-opening them and shading them somewhat with his hands, he made out the form of a curious Being standing with majesty and composure in the center of the magnificent radiance and looking down upon him!


1. Rob's Workshop 1. ورشة روب 1. Robs Werkstatt 1. Rob's Workshop 1. Taller de Rob 1. L'atelier de Rob 1.ロブのワークショップ 1. Oficina do Rob 1. Мастерская Роба 1. Rob'un Atölyesi 1. Майстерня Роба 1. 罗布的工作室

Founded Upon The Mysteries Of Electricity تأسست على أسرار الكهرباء Fundado sobre os mistérios da eletricidade Elektriğin Gizemleri Üzerine Kuruldu 建立在电力的奥秘之上

And The Optimism Of Its Devotees. وتفاؤل أتباعها. E o otimismo dos seus devotos. Ve Adanmışlarının İyimserliği. It Was كان

Written For Boys, But Others May Read It مكتوب للأولاد ، لكن قد يقرأه الآخرون Erkekler İçin Yazıldı, Ama Başkaları Okuyabilir

Who Knows? من تعرف؟ 知るか? Quem sabe? Kim bilir?

These things are quite improbable, to be sure; but are they impossible? هذه الأشياء بعيدة الاحتمال بالتأكيد. لكن هل هم مستحيلون؟ 確かに、これらのことはほとんどあり得ません。しかし、それらは不可能ですか? Estas coisas são muito improváveis, é certo; mas serão impossíveis? Bu şeyler pek olası değil, kuşkusuz; ama imkansızlar mı? 可以肯定的是,这些事情是不太可能发生的。但它们不可能吗?

Our big world rolls over as smoothly as it did centuries ago, without a squeak to show it needs oiling after all these years of revolution. يتدحرج عالمنا الكبير بسلاسة كما كان يفعل منذ قرون ، دون صرير لإظهار أنه يحتاج إلى التزييت بعد كل هذه السنوات من الثورة. Unsere große Welt rollt so reibungslos wie vor Jahrhunderten, ohne ein Quietschen, das zeigt, dass sie nach all den Jahren der Revolution geölt werden muss. 私たちの大きな世界は、何世紀も前と同じようにスムーズに転がり、何年にもわたる革命の後に油を注ぐ必要があることを示すきしみ音はありません。 O nosso grande mundo rola tão suavemente como há séculos atrás, sem um rangido que mostre que precisa de ser oleado após todos estes anos de revolução. Büyük dünyamız, bunca yıllık devrimden sonra petrole ihtiyacı olduğunu gösterecek bir gıcırtı olmadan, yüzyıllar önce olduğu gibi sorunsuz bir şekilde dönüyor. But times change because men change, and because civilization, like John Brown's soul, goes ever marching on. لكن الزمن يتغير لأن الرجال يتغيرون ، ولأن الحضارة ، مثل روح جون براون ، تستمر في السير على الدوام. しかし、男性が変化し、ジョン・ブラウンの魂のように文明が前進し続けるため、時代は変化します。 Mas os tempos mudam porque os homens mudam, e porque a civilização, tal como a alma de John Brown, continua a marchar. Ama zaman değişiyor çünkü insanlar değişiyor ve medeniyet, tıpkı John Brown'ın ruhu gibi, hiç durmadan ilerliyor. The impossibilities of yesterday become the accepted facts of to-day. أصبحت مستحيلات الأمس الحقائق المقبولة اليوم. 昨日の不可能性は、今日の受け入れられた事実になります。 As impossibilidades de ontem tornam-se os factos aceites de hoje. Dünün imkansızlıkları, bugünün kabul edilmiş gerçekleri haline geliyor.

Here is a fairy tale founded upon the wonders of electricity and written for children of this generation. إليكم قصة خيالية تأسست على عجائب الكهرباء وكتبت لأطفال هذا الجيل. Este é um conto de fadas baseado nas maravilhas da eletricidade e escrito para as crianças desta geração. İşte elektriğin harikaları üzerine kurulmuş ve bu neslin çocukları için yazılmış bir peri masalı. Yet when my readers shall have become men and women my story may not seem to their children like a fairy tale at all. ومع ذلك ، عندما يصبح قرائي رجالًا ونساء ، قد لا تبدو قصتي لأطفالهم مثل قصة خيالية على الإطلاق. しかし、私の読者が男性と女性になったとき、私の話は子供たちにはおとぎ話のようには見えないかもしれません。 No entanto, quando os meus leitores se tornarem homens e mulheres, a minha história poderá não parecer, de todo, um conto de fadas aos seus filhos. Yine de okuyucularım erkek ve kadın olduklarında, hikayem çocuklarına bir peri masalı gibi görünmeyebilir.

Perhaps one, perhaps two—perhaps several of the Demon's devices will be, by that time, in popular use. ربما واحد ، ربما اثنان - ربما العديد من أجهزة الشيطان ، بحلول ذلك الوقت ، ستكون شائعة الاستخدام. おそらく1つ、おそらく2つ、おそらくいくつかのデーモンのデバイスは、その時点で一般的に使用されているでしょう。 Talvez um, talvez dois - talvez vários dos dispositivos do Demónio estejam, nessa altura, em uso popular. Who knows? من تعرف؟ Wer weiß?

1\\\\\\\\. Rob's Workshop Oficina do Rob When Rob became interested in electricity his clear-headed father considered the boy's fancy to be instructive as well as amusing; so he heartily encouraged his son, and Rob never lacked batteries, motors or supplies of any sort that his experiments might require. عندما أصبح روب مهتمًا بالكهرباء ، اعتبر والده ذو الرأس الواضح أن خيال الصبي مفيد وممتع أيضًا. لذلك شجع ابنه بحرارة ، ولم يفتقر روب أبدًا إلى البطاريات أو المحركات أو الإمدادات من أي نوع قد تتطلبه تجاربه. ロブが電気に興味を持ったとき、彼の頭の悪い父親は、少年の空想は有益であると同時に面白いと考えました。それで彼は息子を心から励ましました、そしてロブは彼の実験が必要とするかもしれないどんな種類のバッテリー、モーターまたは供給も決して欠かしませんでした。 Quando Rob se interessou pela eletricidade, o seu pai, muito lúcido, considerou que a fantasia do rapaz era instrutiva e divertida; por isso, encorajou vivamente o filho e nunca lhe faltaram pilhas, motores ou qualquer outro tipo de material que as suas experiências pudessem exigir. He fitted up little back room in the attic as his workshop, and from thence a net-work of wires soon ran throughout the house. 彼は彼のワークショップとして屋根裏部屋に小さな奥の部屋を設置し、それからすぐにワイヤーのネットワークが家中を走りました。 Instalou um pequeno quarto nas traseiras do sótão como oficina e, a partir daí, uma rede de fios percorreu rapidamente toda a casa. Not only had every outside door its electric bell, but every window was fitted with a burglar alarm; moreover no one could cross the threshold of any interior room without registering the fact in Rob's workshop. すべての外のドアに電気ベルが付いていただけでなく、すべての窓に防犯装置が取り付けられていました。さらに、ロブのワークショップに事実を登録せずに、誰も室内の敷居を越えることはできませんでした。 Não só cada porta exterior tinha a sua campainha eléctrica, como cada janela estava equipada com um alarme antirroubo; além disso, ninguém podia atravessar a soleira de qualquer divisão interior sem registar o facto na oficina de Rob. The gas was lighted by an electric fob; a chime, connected with an erratic clock in the boy's room, woke the servants at all hours of the night and caused the cook to give warning; a bell rang whenever the postman dropped a letter into the box; there were bells, bells, bells everywhere, ringing at the right time, the wrong time and all the time. O gás era aceso por um botão elétrico; um carrilhão, ligado a um relógio irregular no quarto do rapaz, acordava os criados a todas as horas da noite e fazia com que o cozinheiro desse o aviso; uma campainha tocava sempre que o carteiro deixava cair uma carta na caixa; havia campainhas, campainhas, campainhas por todo o lado, tocando à hora certa, à hora errada e a toda a hora. And there were telephones in the different rooms, too, through which Rob could call up the different members of the family just when they did not wish to be disturbed. また、別の部屋にも電話があり、ロブは邪魔されたくないときに家族のさまざまなメンバーに電話をかけることができました。 E havia também telefones nos diferentes quartos, através dos quais Rob podia chamar os diferentes membros da família quando estes não queriam ser incomodados.

His mother and sisters soon came to vote the boy's scientific craze a nuisance; but his father was delighted with these evidences of Rob's skill as an electrician, and insisted that he be allowed perfect freedom in carrying out his ideas. 彼の母親と姉妹はすぐに少年の科学的流行を妨害するように投票するようになりました。しかし、彼の父親は、電気技師としてのロブのスキルのこれらの証拠に喜んでおり、彼が彼のアイデアを実行する際に完全な自由を許されると主張しました。 A mãe e as irmãs não tardaram a considerar a mania científica do rapaz um incómodo; mas o pai ficou encantado com estas provas da habilidade de Rob como eletricista e insistiu para que lhe fosse dada total liberdade na execução das suas ideias. "Electricity," said the old gentleman, sagely, "is destined to become the motive power of the world. 「電気」と老紳士は賢明に言った、「世界の原動力になる運命にある。 The future advance of civilization will be along electrical lines. 文明の将来の進歩は電線に沿ったものになるでしょう。 O futuro avanço da civilização será ao longo das linhas eléctricas. Our boy may become a great inventor and astonish the world with his wonderful creations." 私たちの少年は偉大な発明家になり、彼の素晴らしい作品で世界を驚かせるかもしれません。」 "And in the meantime," said the mother, despairingly, "we shall all be electrocuted, or the house burned down by crossed wires, or we shall be blown into eternity by an explosion of chemicals!" 「そしてその間に、私たちは皆感電死するか、家が交差したワイヤーで焼失するか、化学物質の爆発によって永遠に吹き飛ばされるでしょう!」と母親は絶望的に言いました。 "E entretanto", disse a mãe, desesperada, "seremos todos electrocutados, ou a casa arderá devido a fios cruzados, ou seremos levados para a eternidade por uma explosão de químicos!" "Nonsense!" ejaculated the proud father. ejaculou o orgulhoso pai. "Rob's storage batteries are not powerful enough to electrocute one or set the house on fire. "As baterias de armazenamento do Rob não são suficientemente potentes para eletrocutar alguém ou incendiar a casa. Do give the boy a chance, Belinda." Dá uma oportunidade ao rapaz, Belinda". "And the pranks are so humiliating," continued the lady. 「そしていたずらはとても屈辱的です」と女性は続けました。 "E as partidas são tão humilhantes", continuou a senhora. "When the minister called yesterday and rang the bell a big card appeared on the front door on which was printed the words: 'Busy; Call Again.' "Quando o ministro telefonou ontem e tocou à campainha, apareceu um grande cartão na porta da frente, no qual estavam impressas as palavras: 'Ocupado; Ligue de novo'. Fortunately Helen saw him and let him in, but when I reproved Robert for the act he said he was just trying the sign to see if it would work." 幸いなことに、ヘレンは彼を見て彼を入れましたが、私がロバートをその行為で非難したとき、彼はそれがうまくいくかどうかを確かめるためにサインを試しているだけだと言いました。」 Felizmente, Helen viu-o e deixou-o entrar, mas quando repreendi Robert pelo ato, ele disse que estava apenas a experimentar o sinal para ver se funcionava". "Exactly! "丁度! The boy is an inventor already. O rapaz já é um inventor. I shall have one of those cards attached to the door of my private office at once. 私はそれらのカードの1つを私のプライベートオフィスのドアにすぐに取り付けます。 Vou mandar afixar imediatamente um desses cartões na porta do meu gabinete privado. I tell you, Belinda, our son will be a great man one of these days," said Mr. Joslyn, walking up and down with pompous strides and almost bursting with the pride he took in his young hopeful. ベリンダ、私たちの息子は最近の偉大な男になるでしょう」とジョスリン氏は言いました。 Digo-lhe, Belinda, que o nosso filho será um grande homem um dia destes", disse o Sr. Joslyn, andando para cima e para baixo com passos pomposos e quase a rebentar com o orgulho que tinha na sua jovem esperança. Mrs. Joslyn sighed. A Sra. Joslyn suspirou. She knew remonstrance was useless so long as her husband encouraged the boy, and that she would be wise to bear her cross with fortitude. Ela sabia que era inútil insistir enquanto o marido encorajasse o rapaz, e que seria sensato carregar a sua cruz com coragem.

Rob also knew his mother's protests would be of no avail; so he continued to revel in electrical processes of all sorts, using the house as an experimental station to test the powers of his productions. Rob também sabia que os protestos da mãe não serviriam de nada; por isso, continuou a divertir-se com processos eléctricos de todos os tipos, usando a casa como uma estação experimental para testar os poderes das suas produções. It was in his own room, however,—his "workshop"—that he especially delighted. No entanto, era no seu próprio quarto - a sua "oficina" - que ele se deleitava especialmente. For not only was it the center of all his numerous "lines" throughout the house, but he had rigged up therein a wonderful array of devices for his own amusement. Porque não só era o centro de todas as suas numerosas "linhas" por toda a casa, como também tinha montado ali um maravilhoso conjunto de dispositivos para seu próprio divertimento. A trolley-car moved around a circular track and stopped regularly at all stations; an engine and train of cars moved jerkily up and down a steep grade and through a tunnel; a windmill was busily pumping water from the dishpan into the copper skillet; a sawmill was in full operation and a host of mechanical blacksmiths, scissors-grinders, carpenters, wood-choppers and millers were connected with a motor which kept them working away at their trades in awkward but persevering fashion.

The room was crossed and recrossed with wires. They crept up the walls, lined the floor, made a grille of the ceiling and would catch an unwary visitor under the chin or above the ankle just when he least expected it. Yet visitors were forbidden in so crowded a room, and even his father declined to go farther than the doorway. As for Rob, he thought he knew all about the wires, and what each one was for; but they puzzled even him, at times, and he was often perplexed to know how to utilize them all.

One day when he had locked himself in to avoid interruption while he planned the electrical illumination of a gorgeous pasteboard palace, he really became confused over the network of wires. He had a "switchboard," to be sure, where he could make and break connections as he chose; but the wires had somehow become mixed, and he could not tell what combinations to use to throw the power on to his miniature electric lights. So he experimented in a rather haphazard fashion, connecting this and that wire blindly and by guesswork, in the hope that he would strike the right combination. Then he thought the combination might be right and there was a lack of power; so he added other lines of wire to his connections, and still others, until he had employed almost every wire in the room.

Yet it would not work; and after pausing a moment to try to think what was wrong he went at it again, putting this and that line into connection, adding another here and another there, until suddenly, as he made a last change, a quick flash of light almost blinded him, and the switch-board crackled ominously, as if struggling to carry a powerful current.

Rob covered his face at the flash, but finding himself unhurt he took away his hands and with blinking eyes attempted to look at a wonderful radiance which seemed to fill the room, making it many times brighter than the brightest day.

Although at first completely dazzled, he peered before him until he discovered that the light was concentrated near one spot, from which all the glorious rays seemed to scintillate.

He closed his eyes a moment to rest them; then re-opening them and shading them somewhat with his hands, he made out the form of a curious Being standing with majesty and composure in the center of the magnificent radiance and looking down upon him!