the adventures of pinocchio-第11章

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〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃　Pinocchio　asked　peevishly。

〃I　am　laughing　because；　in　preening　my　feathers；　I　tickled　myself　under　the　wings。〃

The　Marionette　did　not　answer。　　He　walked　to　the　brook；　filled　his　shoe　with　water；　and　once　more　sprinkled　the　ground　which　covered　the　gold　pieces。

Another　burst　of　laughter；　even　more　impertinent　than　the　first；　was　heard　in　the　quiet　field。

〃Well；〃　cried　the　Marionette；　angrily　this　time；　〃may　I　know；　Mr。　Parrot；　what　amuses　you　so？〃

〃I　am　laughing　at　those　simpletons　who　believe　everything　they　hear　and　who　allow　themselves　to　be　caught　so　easily　in　the　traps　set　for　them。〃

〃Do　you；　perhaps；　mean　me？〃

〃I　certainly　do　mean　you；　poor　Pinocchioyou　who　are　such　a　little　silly　as　to　believe　that　gold　can　be　sown　in　a　field　just　like　beans　or　squash。　　I；　too；　believed　that　once　and　today　I　am　very　sorry　for　it。　　Today　（but　too　late！）　I　have　reached　the　conclusion　that；　in　order　to　come　by　money　honestly；　one　must　work　and　know　how　to　earn　it　with　hand　or　brain。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　said　the　Marionette；　who　was　beginning　to　tremble　with　fear。

〃Too　bad！　　I'll　explain　myself　better；〃　said　the　Parrot。　〃While　you　were　away　in　the　city　the　Fox　and　the　Cat　returned　here　in　a　great　hurry。　　They　took　the　four　gold　pieces　which　you　have　buried　and　ran　away　as　fast　as　the　wind。　If　you　can　catch　them；　you're　a　brave　one！〃

Pinocchio's　mouth　opened　wide。　　He　would　not　believe　the　Parrot's　words　and　began　to　dig　away　furiously　at　the　earth。　　He　dug　and　he　dug　till　the　hole　was　as　big　as　himself；　but　no　money　was　there。　　Every　penny　was　gone。

In　desperation；　he　ran　to　the　city　and　went　straight　to　the　courthouse　to　report　the　robbery　to　the　magistrate。　The　Judge　was　a　Monkey；　a　large　Gorilla　venerable　with　age。　　A　flowing　white　beard　covered　his　chest　and　he　wore　gold…rimmed　spectacles　from　which　the　glasses　had　dropped　out。　　The　reason　for　wearing　these；　he　said；　was　that　his　eyes　had　been　weakened　by　the　work　of　many　years。

Pinocchio；　standing　before　him；　told　his　pitiful　tale；　word　by　word。　　He　gave　the　names　and　the　descriptions　of　the　robbers　and　begged　for　justice。

The　Judge　listened　to　him　with　great　patience。　　A　kind　look　shone　in　his　eyes。　　He　became　very　much　interested　in　the　story；　he　felt　moved；　he　almost　wept。　　When　the　Marionette　had　no　more　to　say；　the　Judge　put　out　his　hand　and　rang　a　bell。

At　the　sound；　two　large　Mastiffs　appeared；　dressed　in　Carabineers'　uniforms。

Then　the　magistrate；　pointing　to　Pinocchio；　said　in　a　very　solemn　voice：

〃This　poor　simpleton　has　been　robbed　of　four　gold　pieces。　Take　him；　therefore；　and　throw　him　into　prison。〃　The　Marionette；　on　hearing　this　sentence　passed　upon　him；　was　thoroughly　stunned。　　He　tried　to　protest；　but　the　two　officers　clapped　their　paws　on　his　mouth　and　hustled　him　away　to　jail。

There　he　had　to　remain　for　four　long；　weary　months。　And　if　it　had　not　been　for　a　very　lucky　chance；　he　probably　would　have　had　to　stay　there　longer。　　For；　my　dear　children；　you　must　know　that　it　happened　just　then　that　the　young　emperor　who　ruled　over　the　City　of　Simple　Simons　had　gained　a　great　victory　over　his　enemy；　and　in　celebration　thereof；　he　had　ordered　illuminations；　fireworks；　shows　of　all　kinds；　and；　best　of　all；　the　opening　of　all　prison　doors。

〃If　the　others　go；　I　go；　too；〃　said　Pinocchio　to　the　Jailer。

〃Not　you；〃　answered　the　Jailer。　　〃You　are　one　of　those〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　interrupted　Pinocchio；　〃I；　too；　am　a　thief。〃

〃In　that　case　you　also　are　free；〃　said　the　Jailer。　　Taking　off　his　cap；　he　bowed　low　and　opened　the　door　of　the　prison；　and　Pinocchio　ran　out　and　away；　with　never　a　look　backward。


CHAPTER　20

Freed　from　prison；　Pinocchio　sets　out　to　return　to　the　Fairy；　but　on　the　way　he　meets　a　Serpent　and　later　is　caught　in　a　trap



Fancy　the　happiness　of　Pinocchio　on　finding　himself　free！　Without　saying　yes　or　no；　he　fled　from　the　city　and　set　out　on　the　road　that　was　to　take　him　back　to　the　house　of　the　lovely　Fairy。

It　had　rained　for　many　days；　and　the　road　was　so　muddy　that；　at　times；　Pinocchio　sank　down　almost　to　his　knees。

But　he　kept　on　bravely。

Tormented　by　the　wish　to　see　his　father　and　his　fairy　sister　with　azure　hair；　he　raced　like　a　greyhound。　　As　he　ran；　he　was　splashed　with　mud　even　up　to　his　cap。

〃How　unhappy　I　have　been；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃And　yet　I　deserve　everything；　for　I　am　certainly　very　stubborn　and　stupid！　　I　will　always　have　my　own　way。　　I　won't　listen　to　those　who　love　me　and　who　have　more　brains　than　I。　　But　from　now　on；　I'll　be　different　and　I'll　try　to　become　a　most　obedient　boy。　　I　have　found　out；　beyond　any　doubt　whatever；　that　disobedient　boys　are　certainly　far　from　happy；　and　that；　in　the　long　run；　they　always　lose　out。　　I　wonder　if　Father　is　waiting　for　me。　　Will　I　find　him　at　the　Fairy's　house？　　It　is　so　long；　poor　man；　since　I　have　seen　him；　and　I　do　so　want　his　love　and　his　kisses。　　And　will　the　Fairy　ever　forgive　me　for　all　I　have　done？　　She　who　has　been　so　good　to　me　and　to　whom　I　owe　my　life！　　Can　there　be　a　worse　or　more　heartless　boy　than　I　am　anywhere？〃

As　he　spoke；　he　stopped　suddenly；　frozen　with　terror。

What　was　the　matter？　　An　immense　Serpent　lay　stretched　across　the　roada　Serpent　with　a　bright　green　skin；　fiery　eyes　which　glowed　and　burned；　and　a　pointed　tail　that　smoked　like　a　chimney。

How　frightened　was　poor　Pinocchio！　　He　ran　back　wildly　for　half　a　mile；　and　at　last　settled　himself　atop　a　heap　of　stones　to　wait　for　the　Serpent　to　go　on　his　way　and　leave　the　road　clear　for　him。

He　waited　an　hour；　two　hours；　three　hours；　but　the　Serpent　was　always　there；　and　even　from　afar　one　could　see　the　flash　of　his　red　eyes　and　the　column　of　smoke　which　rose　from　his　long；　pointed　tail。

Pinocchio；　trying　to　feel　very　brave；　walked　straight　up　to　him　and　said　in　a　sweet；　soothing　voice：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Serpent；　would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　step　aside　to　let　me　pass？〃

He　might　as　well　have　talked　to　a　wall。　　The　Serpent　never　moved。

Once　more；　in　the　same　sweet　voice；　he　spoke：

〃You　must　know；　Mr。　Serpent；　that　I　am　going　home　where　my　father　is　waiting　for　me。　　It　is　so　long　since　I　have　seen　him！　　Would　you　mind　very　much　if　I　passed？〃

He　waited　for　some　sign　of　an　answer　to　his　questions；　but　the　answer　did　not　come。　　On　the　contrary；　the　green　Serpent；　who　had　seemed；　until　then；　wide　awake　and　full　of　life；　became　suddenly　very　quiet　and　still。　　His　eyes　closed　and　his　tail　stopped　smoking。

〃Is　he　dead；　I　wonder？〃　said　Pinocchio；　rubbing　his　hands　together　happily。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation；　he　started　to　step　over　him；　but　he　had　just　raised　one　leg　when　the　Serpent　shot　up　like　a　spring　and　the　Marionette　fell　head　over　heels　backward。　　He　fell　so　awkwardly　that　his　head　stuck　in　the　mud；　and　there　he　stood　with　his　legs　straight　up　in　the　air。

At　the　sight　of　the　Marionette　kicking　and　squirming　like　a　young　whirlwind；　the　Serpent　laughed　so　heartily　and　so　long　that　at　last　he　burst　an　artery　and　died　on　the　spot。

Pinocchio　freed　himself　from　his　awkward　position　and　once　more　began　to　run　in　order　to　reach　the　Fairy's　house　before　dark。　　As　he　went；　the　pangs　of　hunger　grew　so　strong　that；　unable　to　withstand　them；　he　jumped　into　a　field　to　pick　a　few　grapes　that　tempted　him。　　Woe　to　him！

No　sooner　had　he　reached　the　grapevine　thancrack！　went　his　legs。

The　poor　Marionette　was　caught　in　a　trap　set　there　by　a　Farmer　for　some　Weasels　which　came　every　night　to　steal　his　chickens。



CHAPTER　21

Pinocchio　is　caught　by　a　Farmer；　who　uses　him　as　a　watchdog　for　his　chicken　coop



Pinocchio；　as　you　may　well　imagine；　began　to　scream　and　weep　and　beg；　but　all　was　of　no　use；　for　no　houses　were　to　be　seen　and　not　a　soul　passed　by　on　the　road。

Night　came　on。

A　little　because　of　the　sharp　pain　in　his　legs；　a　little　because　of　fright　at　finding　himself　alone　in　the　darkness　of　the　field；　the　Marionette　was　about　to　faint；　when　he　saw　a　tiny　Glowworm　flickering　by。　　He　called　to　her　and　said：

〃Dear　little　Glowworm；　will　you　set　me　free？〃

〃Poor　little　fellow！〃　replied　the　Glowworm；　stopping　to　look　at　him　with　pity。　　〃How　came　you　to　be　caught