the adventures of pinocchio-第12章

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

〃I　stepped　into　this　lonely　field　to　take　a　few　grapes　and〃

〃Are　the　grapes　yours？〃

〃No。〃

〃Who　has　taught　you　to　take　things　that　do　not　belong　to　you？〃

〃I　was　hungry。〃

〃Hunger；　my　boy；　is　no　reason　for　taking　something　which　belongs　to　another。〃

〃It's　true；　it's　true！〃　cried　Pinocchio　in　tears。　　〃I　won't　do　it　again。〃

Just　then；　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　approaching　footsteps。　　It　was　the　owner　of　the　field；　who　was　coming　on　tiptoes　to　see　if；　by　chance；　he　had　caught　the　Weasels　which　had　been　eating　his　chickens。

Great　was　his　surprise　when；　on　holding　up　his　lantern；　he　saw　that；　instead　of　a　Weasel；　he　had　caught　a　boy！

〃Ah；　you　little　thief！〃　said　the　Farmer　in　an　angry　voice。　　〃So　you　are　the　one　who　steals　my　chickens！〃

〃Not　I！　　No；　no！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　sobbing　bitterly。　〃I　came　here　only　to　take　a　very　few　grapes。〃

〃He　who　steals　grapes　may　very　easily　steal　chickens　also。　Take　my　word　for　it；　I'll　give　you　a　lesson　that　you'll　remember　for　a　long　while。〃

He　opened　the　trap；　grabbed　the　Marionette　by　the　collar；　and　carried　him　to　the　house　as　if　he　were　a　puppy。　When　he　reached　the　yard　in　front　of　the　house；　he　flung　him　to　the　ground；　put　a　foot　on　his　neck；　and　said　to　him　roughly：　　〃It　is　late　now　and　it's　time　for　bed。　Tomorrow　we'll　settle　matters。　　In　the　meantime；　since　my　watchdog　died　today；　you　may　take　his　place　and　guard　my　henhouse。〃

No　sooner　said　than　done。　　He　slipped　a　dog　collar　around　Pinocchio's　neck　and　tightened　it　so　that　it　would　not　come　off。　　A　long　iron　chain　was　tied　to　the　collar。　The　other　end　of　the　chain　was　nailed　to　the　wall。

〃If　tonight　it　should　happen　to　rain；〃　said　the　Farmer；　〃you　can　sleep　in　that　little　doghouse　near…by；　where　you　will　find　plenty　of　straw　for　a　soft　bed。　　It　has　been　Melampo's　bed　for　three　years；　and　it　will　be　good　enough　for　you。　　And　if；　by　any　chance；　any　thieves　should　come；　be　sure　to　bark！〃

After　this　last　warning；　the　Farmer　went　into　the　house　and　closed　the　door　and　barred　it。

Poor　Pinocchio　huddled　close　to　the　doghouse　more　dead　than　alive　from　cold；　hunger；　and　fright。　　Now　and　again　he　pulled　and　tugged　at　the　collar　which　nearly　choked　him　and　cried　out　in　a　weak　voice：

〃I　deserve　it！　　Yes；　I　deserve　it！　　I　have　been　nothing　but　a　truant　and　a　vagabond。　　I　have　never　obeyed　anyone　and　I　have　always　done　as　I　pleased。　　If　I　were　only　like　so　many　others　and　had　studied　and　worked　and　stayed　with　my　poor　old　father；　I　should　not　find　myself　here　now；　in　this　field　and　in　the　darkness；　taking　the　place　of　a　farmer's　watchdog。　　Oh；　if　I　could　start　all　over　again！　But　what　is　done　can't　be　undone；　and　I　must　be　patient！〃

After　this　little　sermon　to　himself；　which　came　from　the　very　depths　of　his　heart；　Pinocchio　went　into　the　doghouse　and　fell　asleep。



CHAPTER　22

Pinocchio　discovers　the　thieves　and；　as　a　reward　for　faithfulness；　he　regains　his　liberty



Even　though　a　boy　may　be　very　unhappy；　he　very　seldom　loses　sleep　over　his　worries。　　The　Marionette；　being　no　exception　to　this　rule；　slept　on　peacefully　for　a　few　hours　till　well　along　toward　midnight；　when　he　was　awakened　by　strange　whisperings　and　stealthy　sounds　coming　from　the　yard。　　He　stuck　his　nose　out　of　the　doghouse　and　saw　four　slender；　hairy　animals。　　They　were　Weasels；　small　animals　very　fond　of　both　eggs　and　chickens。　　One　of　them　left　her　companions　and；　going　to　the　door　of　the　doghouse；　said　in　a　sweet　voice：

〃Good　evening；　Melampo。〃

〃My　name　is　not　Melampo；〃　answered　Pinocchio。

〃Who　are　you；　then？〃

〃I　am　Pinocchio。〃

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃I'm　the　watchdog。〃

〃But　where　is　Melampo？　　Where　is　the　old　dog　who　used　to　live　in　this　house？〃

〃He　died　this　morning。〃

〃Died？　　Poor　beast！　　He　was　so　good！　　Still；　judging　by　your　face；　I　think　you；　too；　are　a　good…natured　dog。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I　am　not　a　dog！〃

〃What　are　you；　then？〃

〃I　am　a　Marionette。〃

〃Are　you　taking　the　place　of　the　watchdog？〃

〃I'm　sorry　to　say　that　I　am。　　I'm　being　punished。〃

〃Well；　I　shall　make　the　same　terms　with　you　that　we　had　with　the　dead　Melampo。　　I　am　sure　you　will　be　glad　to　hear　them。〃

〃And　what　are　the　terms？〃

〃This　is　our　plan：　　We'll　come　once　in　a　while；　as　in　the　past；　to　pay　a　visit　to　this　henhouse；　and　we'll　take　away　eight　chickens。　　Of　these；　seven　are　for　us；　and　one　for　you；　provided；　of　course；　that　you　will　make　believe　you　are　sleeping　and　will　not　bark　for　the　Farmer。〃

〃Did　Melampo　really　do　that？〃　asked　Pinocchio。

〃Indeed　he　did；　and　because　of　that　we　were　the　best　of　friends。　　Sleep　away　peacefully；　and　remember　that　before　we　go　we　shall　leave　you　a　nice　fat　chicken　all　ready　for　your　breakfast　in　the　morning。　　Is　that　understood？〃

〃Even　too　well；〃　answered　Pinocchio。　　And　shaking　his　head　in　a　threatening　manner；　he　seemed　to　say；　〃We'll　talk　this　over　in　a　few　minutes；　my　friends。〃

As　soon　as　the　four　Weasels　had　talked　things　over；　they　went　straight　to　the　chicken　coop　which　stood　close　to　the　doghouse。　　Digging　busily　with　teeth　and　claws；　they　opened　the　little　door　and　slipped　in。　　But　they　were　no　sooner　in　than　they　heard　the　door　close　with　a　sharp　bang。

The　one　who　had　done　the　trick　was　Pinocchio；　who；　not　satisfied　with　that；　dragged　a　heavy　stone　in　front　of　it。　　That　done；　he　started　to　bark。　　And　he　barked　as　if　he　were　a　real　watchdog：　　〃Bow；　wow；　wow！　　Bow；　wow！〃

The　Farmer　heard　the　loud　barks　and　jumped　out　of　bed。　Taking　his　gun；　he　leaped　to　the　window　and　shouted：　〃What's　the　matter？〃

〃The　thieves　are　here；〃　answered　Pinocchio。

〃Where　are　they？〃

〃In　the　chicken　coop。〃

〃I'll　come　down　in　a　second。〃

And；　in　fact；　he　was　down　in　the　yard　in　a　twinkling　and　running　toward　the　chicken　coop。

He　opened　the　door；　pulled　out　the　Weasels　one　by　one；　and；　after　tying　them　in　a　bag；　said　to　them　in　a　happy　voice：　〃You're　in　my　hands　at　last！　　I　could　punish　you　now；　but　I'll　wait！　　In　the　morning　you　may　come　with　me　to　the　inn　and　there　you'll　make　a　fine　dinner　for　some　hungry　mortal。　　It　is　really　too　great　an　honor　for　you；　one　you　do　not　deserve；　but；　as　you　see；　I　am　really　a　very　kind　and　generous　man　and　I　am　going　to　do　this　for　you！〃

Then　he　went　up　to　Pinocchio　and　began　to　pet　and　caress　him。

〃How　did　you　ever　find　them　out　so　quickly？　　And　to　think　that　Melampo；　my　faithful　Melampo；　never　saw　them　in　all　these　years！〃

The　Marionette　could　have　told；　then　and　there；　all　he　knew　about　the　shameful　contract　between　the　dog　and　the　Weasels；　but　thinking　of　the　dead　dog；　he　said　to　himself：　　〃Melampo　is　dead。　　What　is　the　use　of　accusing　him？　The　dead　are　gone　and　they　cannot　defend　themselves。　The　best　thing　to　do　is　to　leave　them　in　peace！〃

〃Were　you　awake　or　asleep　when　they　came？〃　continued　the　Farmer。

〃I　was　asleep；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　〃but　they　awakened　me　with　their　whisperings。　　One　of　them　even　came　to　the　door　of　the　doghouse　and　said　to　me；　‘If　you　promise　not　to　bark；　we　will　make　you　a　present　of　one　of　the　chickens　for　your　breakfast。'　Did　you　hear　that？　　They　had　the　audacity　to　make　such　a　proposition　as　that　to　me！　For　you　must　know　that；　though　I　am　a　very　wicked　Marionette　full　of　faults；　still　I　never　have　been；　nor　ever　shall　be；　bribed。〃

〃Fine　boy！〃　cried　the　Farmer；　slapping　him　on　the　shoulder　in　a　friendly　way。　　〃You　ought　to　be　proud　of　yourself。　　And　to　show　you　what　I　think　of　you；　you　are　free　from　this　instant！〃

And　he　slipped　the　dog　collar　from　his　neck。



CHAPTER　23

Pinocchio　weeps　upon　learning　that　the　Lovely　Maiden　with　Azure　Hair　is　dead。　　He　meets　a　Pigeon；　who　carries　him　to　the　seashore。　　He　throws　himself　into　the　sea　to　go　to　the　aid　of　his　father



As　soon　as　Pinocchio　no　longer　felt　the　shameful　weight　of　the　dog　collar　around　his　neck；　he　started　to　run　across　the　fields　and　meadows；　and　never　stopped　till　he　came　to　the　main　road　that　was　to　take　him　to　the　Fairy's　house。

When　he　reached　it；　he　looked　into　the　valley　far　below　him　and　there　he　saw　the　wood　where　unluckily　he　had　met　the　Fox　and　the　Cat；