the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)- 第6部分

〃How　could　they　do　such　a　thing？　　Being　people　of
great　refinement；　they　did　not　want　to　offend　you　so
deeply　as　not　to　allow　you　the　honor　of　paying　the　bill。〃

〃Too　bad！　　That　offense　would　have　been　more　than
pleasing　to　me；〃　said　Pinocchio；　scratching　his　head。

〃Where　did　my　good　friends　say　they　would　wait　for　me？〃　he　added。

〃At　the　Field　of　Wonders；　at　sunrise　tomorrow　morning。〃

Pinocchio　paid　a　gold　piece　for　the　three　suppers　and
started　on　his　way　toward　the　field　that　was　to　make
him　a　rich　man。

He　walked　on；　not　knowing　where　he　was　going；　for
it　was　dark；　so　dark　that　not　a　thing　was　visible。　　Round
about　him；　not　a　leaf　stirred。　　A　few　bats　skimmed　his
nose　now　and　again　and　scared　him　half　to　death。　　Once
or　twice　he　shouted；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　and　the　far…away
hills　echoed　back　to　him；　〃Who　goes　there？　　Who　goes
there？　　Who　goes。　。　。　？〃

As　he　walked；　Pinocchio　noticed　a　tiny　insect
glimmering　on　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　a　small　being　that　glowed
with　a　pale；　soft　light。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I　am　the　ghost　of　the　Talking　Cricket；〃　answered　the
little　being　in　a　faint　voice　that　sounded　as　if　it　came　from
a　far…away　world。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　Marionette。

〃I　want　to　give　you　a　few　words　of　good　advice。
Return　home　and　give　the　four　gold　pieces　you　have
left　to　your　poor　old　father　who　is　weeping　because　he
has　not　seen　you　for　many　a　day。〃

〃Tomorrow　my　father　will　be　a　rich　man；　for　these
four　gold　pieces　will　become　two　thousand。〃

〃Don't　listen　to　those　who　promise　you　wealth　overnight；
my　boy。　　As　a　rule　they　are　either　fools　or　swindlers！
Listen　to　me　and　go　home。〃

〃But　I　want　to　go　on！〃

〃The　hour　is　late！〃

〃I　want　to　go　on。〃

〃The　night　is　very　dark。〃

〃I　want　to　go　on。〃

〃The　road　is　dangerous。〃

〃I　want　to　go　on。〃

〃Remember　that　boys　who　insist　on　having　their　own　way；
sooner　or　later　come　to　grief。〃

〃The　same　nonsense。　　Good…by；　Cricket。〃

〃Good　night；　Pinocchio；　and　may　Heaven　preserve　you
from　the　Assassins。〃

There　was　silence　for　a　minute　and　the　light　of　the
Talking　Cricket　disappeared　suddenly；　just　as　if　someone
had　snuffed　it　out。　　Once　again　the　road　was　plunged
in　darkness。



CHAPTER　14

Pinocchio；　not　having　listened　to　the　good　advice
of　the　Talking　Cricket；　falls　into　the　hands　of　the　Assassins



〃Dear；　oh；　dear！　　When　I　come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　the
Marionette　to　himself；　as　he　once　more　set　out　on　his
journey；　〃we　boys　are　really　very　unlucky。　　Everybody
scolds　us；　everybody　gives　us　advice；　everybody　warns　us。
If　we　were　to　allow　it；　everyone　would　try　to　be　father
and　mother　to　us；　everyone；　even　the　Talking　Cricket。
Take　me；　for　example。　　Just　because　I　would　not　listen　to
that　bothersome　Cricket；　who　knows　how　many　misfortunes
may　be　awaiting　me！　　Assassins　indeed！　　At　least
I　have　never　believed　in　them；　nor　ever　will。　　To　speak
sensibly；　I　think　assassins　have　been　invented　by　fathers
and　mothers　to　frighten　children　who　want　to　run　away
at　night。　　And　then；　even　if　I　were　to　meet　them　on
the　road；　what　matter？　　I'll　just　run　up　to　them；　and　say；
‘Well；　signori；　what　do　you　want？　　Remember　that　you
can't　fool　with　me！　　Run　along　and　mind　your　business。'
At　such　a　speech；　I　can　almost　see　those　poor　fellows
running　like　the　wind。　　But　in　case　they　don't　run　away；
I　can　always　run　myself。　。　。〃

Pinocchio　was　not　given　time　to　argue　any　longer；　for　he　thought
he　heard　a　slight　rustle　among　the　leaves　behind　him。

He　turned　to　look　and　behold；　there　in　the　darkness
stood　two　big　black　shadows；　wrapped　from　head　to　foot
in　black　sacks。　　The　two　figures　leaped　toward　him　as
softly　as　if　they　were　ghosts。

〃Here　they　come！〃　Pinocchio　said　to　himself；　and；
not　knowing　where　to　hide　the　gold　pieces；　he　stuck　all
four　of　them　under　his　tongue。

He　tried　to　run　away；　but　hardly　had　he　taken　a　step；
when　he　felt　his　arms　grasped　and　heard　two　horrible；
deep　voices　say　to　him：　　〃Your　money　or　your　life！〃

On　account　of　the　gold　pieces　in　his　mouth；　Pinocchio
could　not　say　a　word；　so　he　tried　with　head　and　hands
and　body　to　show；　as　best　he　could；　that　he　was　only　a
poor　Marionette　without　a　penny　in　his　pocket。

〃Come；　come；　less　nonsense；　and　out　with　your　money！〃
cried　the　two　thieves　in　threatening　voices。

Once　more；　Pinocchio's　head　and　hands　said；　〃I　haven't
a　penny。〃

〃Out　with　that　money　or　you're　a　dead　man；〃　said　the
taller　of　the　two　Assassins。

〃Dead　man；〃　repeated　the　other。

〃And　after　having　killed　you；　we　will　kill　your　father　also。〃

〃Your　father　also！〃

〃No；　no；　no；　not　my　Father！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　wild　with　terror；
but　as　he　screamed；　the　gold　pieces　tinkled　together　in　his　mouth。

〃Ah；　you　rascal！　　So　that's　the　game！　　You　have　the
money　hidden　under　your　tongue。　　Out　with　it！〃

But　Pinocchio　was　as　stubborn　as　ever。

〃Are　you　deaf？　　Wait；　young　man；　we'll　get　it　from
you　in　a　twinkling！〃

One　of　them　grabbed　the　Marionette　by　the　nose　and
the　other　by　the　chin；　and　they　pulled　him　unmercifully
from　side　to　side　in　order　to　make　him　open　his　mouth。

All　was　of　no　use。　　The　Marionette's　lips　might　have
been　nailed　together。　　They　would　not　open。

In　desperation　the　smaller　of　the　two　Assassins　pulled
out　a　long　knife　from　his　pocket；　and　tried　to　pry　Pinocchio's
mouth　open　with　it。

Quick　as　a　flash；　the　Marionette　sank　his　teeth　deep
into　the　Assassin's　hand；　bit　it　off　and　spat　it　out。　　Fancy
his　surprise　when　he　saw　that　it　was　not　a　hand；　but　a
cat's　paw。

Encouraged　by　this　first　victory；　he　freed　himself　from
the　claws　of　his　assailers　and；　leaping　over　the　bushes
along　the　road；　ran　swiftly　across　the　fields。　　His　pursuers
were　after　him　at　once；　like　two　dogs　chasing　a　hare。

After　running　seven　miles　or　so；　Pinocchio　was　well…
nigh　exhausted。　　Seeing　himself　lost；　he　climbed　up　a
giant　pine　tree　and　sat　there　to　see　what　he　could　see。
The　Assassins　tried　to　climb　also；　but　they　slipped　and　fell。

Far　from　giving　up　the　chase；　this　only　spurred　them　on。
They　gathered　a　bundle　of　wood；　piled　it　up　at　the
foot　of　the　pine；　and　set　fire　to　it。　　In　a　twinkling　the
tree　began　to　sputter　and　burn　like　a　candle　blown　by
the　wind。　　Pinocchio　saw　the　flames　climb　higher　and
higher。　　Not　wishing　to　end　his　days　as　a　roasted　
Marionette；　he　jumped　quickly　to　the　ground　and　off　he　went；
the　Assassins　close　to　him；　as　before。

Dawn　was　breaking　when；　without　any　warning　whatsoever；
Pinocchio　found　his　path　barred　by　a　deep　pool　full
of　water　the　color　of　muddy　coffee。

What　was　there　to　do？　　With　a　〃One；　two；　three！〃
he　jumped　clear　across　it。　　The　Assassins　jumped　also；
but　not　having　measured　their　distance　wellsplash！！！
they　fell　right　into　the　middle　of　the　pool。　　Pinocchio
who　heard　the　splash　and　felt　it；　too；　cried　out；　laughing；
but　never　stopping　in　his　race：

〃A　pleasant　bath　to　you；　signori！〃

He　thought　they　must　surely　be　drowned　and　turned
his　head　to　see。　　But　there　were　the　two　somber　figures
still　following　him；　though　their　black　sacks　were　drenched
and　dripping　with　water。



CHAPTER　15

The　Assassins　chase　Pinocchio；　catch　him；
and　hang　him　to　the　branch　of　a　giant　oak　tree



As　he　ran；　the　Marionette　felt　more　and　more　certain　that
he　would　have　to　give　himself　up　into　the　hands　of　his
pursuers。　　Suddenly　he　saw　a　little　cottage　gleaming　white
as　the　snow　among　the　trees　of　the　forest。

〃If　I　have　enough　breath　left　with　which　to　reach　that
little　house；　I　may　be　saved；〃　he　said　to　himself。

Not　waiting　another　moment；　he　darted　swiftly　through
the　woods；　the　Assassins　still　after　him。

After　a　hard　race　of　almost　an　hour；　tired　and　out　of
breath；　Pinocchio　finally　reached　the　door　of　the　cottage
and　knocked。　　No　one　answered。

He　knocked　again；　harder　than　before；　for　behind　him
he　heard　the　steps　and　the　labored　breathing　of　his
persecutors。　　The　same　silence　followed。

As　knocking　was　of　no　use；　Pinocchio；　in　despair；
began　to　kick　and　bang　against　the　door；　as　if　he　wanted
to　break　it。　　At　the　noise；　a　window　opened　and　a　lovely
maiden　looked　out。　　She　had　azure　hair　and　a　face　white
as　wax。　　Her　eyes　were　closed　and　her　hands　crossed　on
her　breast。　　With　a　voice　so　weak　that　it　hardly　could　be
heard；　she　whispered：

〃No　one　lives　in　this　house。　　Everyone　is　dead。〃

〃Won't　you；　at　least；　open　the　door　for　me？〃
cried　Pinocchio　in　a　beseeching　voice。

〃I　also　am　dead。〃

〃Dead？　　What　are　you　doing　at　the　window；　then？〃

〃I　am　waiting　for　the　coffin　to　take　me　away。〃

After　these　words；　the　little　girl　disappeared　and　the
window　closed　without　a　sound。

〃Oh；　Lovely　Maiden　with　Azure　Hair；〃　cried
Pinocchio；　〃open；　I　beg　of　you。　　Take　pity　on　a　poor　boy　who
is　being　chased　by　two　Assass〃

He　did　not　finish；　for　two　powerful　hands　grasped　him
by　the　neck　and　the　same　two　horrible　voices　growled
threateningly：　〃Now　we　have　you！〃

The　Marionette；　seeing　death　dancing　before　him；
trembled　so　hard　that　the　joints　of　his　legs　rattled　and
the　coins　tinkled　under　his　tongue。

〃Well；〃　the　Assassins　asked；　〃will　you　open　your
mouth　now　or　not？　　Ah！　　You　do　not　answer？　　Very　well；
this　time　you　shall　open　it。〃

Taking　out　two　long；　sharp　knives；　they　struck　two
heavy　blows　on　the　Marionette's　back。

Happily　for　him；　Pinocchio　was　made　of　very　hard
wood　and　the　knives　broke　into　a　thousand　pieces。　　The
Assassins　looked　at　each　other　in　dismay；　holding　the
handles　of　the　knives　in　their　hands。

〃I　understand；〃　said　one　of　them　to　the　other；　〃there
is　nothing　left　to　do　now　but　to　hang　him。〃

〃To　hang　him；〃　repeated　the　other。

They　tied　Pinocchio's　hands　behind　his　shoulders　and
slipped　the　noose　around　his　neck。　　Throwing　the　rope
over　the　high　limb　of　a　giant　oak　tree；　they　pulled　till
the　poor　Marionette　hung　far　up　in　space。

Satisfied　with　their　work；　they　sat　on　the　grass　waiting
for　Pinocchio　to　give　his　last　gasp。　　But　after　three　hours
the　Marionette's　eyes　were　still　open；　his　mouth　still　shut
and　his　legs　kicked　harder　than　ever。

Tired　of　waiting；　the　Assassins　called　to　him　mockingly：
〃Good…by　till　tomorrow。　　When　we　return　in　the　morning；
we　hope　you'll　be　polite