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第22节

the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第22节

小说: the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记) 字数: 每页4000字

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the Marionette found himself in between the rows of
gleaming white teeth。  Only for a moment; however;
for the Shark took a deep breath and; as he breathed;
he drank in the Marionette as easily as he would have
sucked an egg。  Then he swallowed him so fast that Pinocchio;
falling down into the body of the fish; lay stunned for a half hour。

When he recovered his senses the Marionette could not
remember where he was。  Around him all was darkness;
a darkness so deep and so black that for a moment he
thought he had put his head into an inkwell。  He listened
for a few moments and heard nothing。  Once in a while a
cold wind blew on his face。  At first he could not understand
where that wind was coming from; but after a while
he understood that it came from the lungs of the monster。
I forgot to tell you that the Shark was suffering from asthma;
so that whenever he breathed a storm seemed to blow。

Pinocchio at first tried to be brave; but as soon as he
became convinced that he was really and truly in the
Shark's stomach; he burst into sobs and tears。  〃Help!
Help!〃 he cried。  〃Oh; poor me!  Won't someone come
to save me?〃

〃Who is there to help you; unhappy boy?〃 said a rough
voice; like a guitar out of tune。

〃Who is talking?〃 asked Pinocchio; frozen with terror。

〃It is I; a poor Tunny swallowed by the Shark at the
same time as you。  And what kind of a fish are you?〃

〃I have nothing to do with fishes。  I am a Marionette。〃

〃If you are not a fish; why did you let this monster swallow you?〃

〃I didn't let him。  He chased me and swallowed me
without even a ‘by your leave'!  And now what are we
to do here in the dark?〃

〃Wait until the Shark has digested us both; I suppose。〃

〃But I don't want to be digested;〃 shouted Pinocchio;
starting to sob。

〃Neither do I;〃 said the Tunny; 〃but I am wise enough
to think that if one is born a fish; it is more dignified to die
under the water than in the frying pan。〃

〃What nonsense!〃 cried Pinocchio。

〃Mine is an opinion;〃 replied the Tunny; 〃and opinions
should be respected。〃

〃But I want to get out of this place。  I want to escape。〃

〃Go; if you can!〃

〃Is this Shark that has swallowed us very long?〃 asked
the Marionette。

〃His body; not counting the tail; is almost a mile long。〃

While talking in the darkness; Pinocchio thought he
saw a faint light in the distance。

〃What can that be?〃 he said to the Tunny。

〃Some other poor fish; waiting as patiently as we to
be digested by the Shark。〃

〃I want to see him。  He may be an old fish and may
know some way of escape。〃

〃I wish you all good luck; dear Marionette。〃

〃Good…by; Tunny。〃

〃Good…by; Marionette; and good luck。〃

〃When shall I see you again?〃

〃Who knows?  It is better not to think about it。〃



CHAPTER 35

In the Shark's body Pinocchio finds whom?
Read this chapter; my children; and you will know



Pinocchio; as soon as he had said good…by to his good
friend; the Tunny; tottered away in the darkness and
began to walk as well as he could toward the faint light
which glowed in the distance。

As he walked his feet splashed in a pool of greasy and
slippery water; which had such a heavy smell of fish fried
in oil that Pinocchio thought it was Lent。

The farther on he went; the brighter and clearer grew
the tiny light。  On and on he walked till finally he found
I give you a thousand guesses; my dear children!  He
found a little table set for dinner and lighted by a candle
stuck in a glass bottle; and near the table sat a little old
man; white as the snow; eating live fish。  They wriggled
so that; now and again; one of them slipped out of the old
man's mouth and escaped into the darkness under the table。

At this sight; the poor Marionette was filled with such
great and sudden happiness that he almost dropped in a
faint。  He wanted to laugh; he wanted to cry; he wanted
to say a thousand and one things; but all he could do was
to stand still; stuttering and stammering brokenly。  At
last; with a great effort; he was able to let out a scream of
joy and; opening wide his arms he threw them around the
old man's neck。

〃Oh; Father; dear Father!  Have I found you at last?
Now I shall never; never leave you again!〃

〃Are my eyes really telling me the truth?〃 answered
the old man; rubbing his eyes。  〃Are you really my own
dear Pinocchio?〃

〃Yes; yes; yes!  It is I!  Look at me!  And you have
forgiven me; haven't you?  Oh; my dear Father; how
good you are!  And to think that IOh; but if you
only knew how many misfortunes have fallen on my head
and how many troubles I have had!  Just think that on
the day you sold your old coat to buy me my A…B…C
book so that I could go to school; I ran away to the
Marionette Theater and the proprietor caught me and
wanted to burn me to cook his roast lamb!  He was the
one who gave me the five gold pieces for you; but I met
the Fox and the Cat; who took me to the Inn of the Red
Lobster。  There they ate like wolves and I left the Inn
alone and I met the Assassins in the wood。  I ran and they
ran after me; always after me; till they hanged me to the
branch of a giant oak tree。  Then the Fairy of the Azure
Hair sent the coach to rescue me and the doctors; after
looking at me; said; ‘If he is not dead; then he is surely
alive;' and then I told a lie and my nose began to grow。
It grew and it grew; till I couldn't get it through the
door of the room。  And then I went with the Fox and the
Cat to the Field of Wonders to bury the gold pieces。  The
Parrot laughed at me and; instead of two thousand gold
pieces; I found none。  When the Judge heard I had been
robbed; he sent me to jail to make the thieves happy; and
when I came away I saw a fine bunch of grapes hanging on
a vine。  The trap caught me and the Farmer put a collar on
me and made me a watchdog。  He found out I was innocent
when I caught the Weasels and he let me go。  The Serpent
with the tail that smoked started to laugh and a vein in his
chest broke and so I went back to the Fairy's house。  She
was dead; and the Pigeon; seeing me crying; said to me; ‘I
have seen your father building a boat to look for you in
America;' and I said to him; ‘Oh; if I only had wings!' and
he said to me; ‘Do you want to go to your father?' and I
said; ‘Perhaps; but how?' and he said; ‘Get on my back。  I'll
take you there。' We flew all night long; and next morning
the fishermen were looking toward the sea; crying; ‘There
is a poor little man drowning;' and I knew it was you;
because my heart told me so and I waved to you from the shore〃

〃I knew you also;〃 put in Geppetto; 〃and I wanted to
go to you; but how could I?  The sea was rough and the
whitecaps overturned the boat。  Then a Terrible Shark
came up out of the sea and; as soon as he saw me in the
water; swam quickly toward me; put out his tongue; and
swallowed me as easily as if I had been a chocolate peppermint。〃

〃And how long have you been shut away in here?〃

〃From that day to this; two long weary yearstwo
years; my Pinocchio; which have been like two centuries。〃

〃And how have you lived?  Where did you find the
candle?  And the matches with which to light itwhere
did you get them?〃

〃You must know that; in the storm which swamped my
boat; a large ship also suffered the same fate。  The sailors
were all saved; but the ship went right to the bottom of
the sea; and the same Terrible Shark that swallowed me;
swallowed most of it。〃

〃What!  Swallowed a ship?〃 asked Pinocchio in astonishment。

〃At one gulp。  The only thing he spat out was the main…
mast; for it stuck in his teeth。  To my own good luck; that
ship was loaded with meat; preserved foods; crackers;
bread; bottles of wine; raisins; cheese; coffee; sugar; wax
candles; and boxes of matches。  With all these blessings; I
have been able to live happily on for two whole years; but
now I am at the very last crumbs。  Today there is nothing
left in the cupboard; and this candle you see here is the
last one I have。〃

〃And then?〃

〃And then; my dear; we'll find ourselves in darkness。〃

〃Then; my dear Father;〃 said Pinocchio; 〃there is no
time to lose。  We must try to escape。〃

〃Escape!  How?〃

〃We can run out of the Shark's mouth and dive into the sea。〃

〃You speak well; but I cannot swim; my dear Pinocchio。〃

〃Why should that matter?  You can climb on my shoulders
and I; who am a fine swimmer; will carry you safely
to the shore。〃

〃Dreams; my boy!〃 answered Geppetto; shaking his
head and smiling sadly。  〃Do you think it possible for a
Marionette; a yard high; to have the strength to carry me
on his shoulders and swim?〃

〃Try it and see!  And in any case; if it is written that we
must die; we shall at least die together。〃

Not adding another word; Pinocchio took the candle in his hand
and going ahead to light the way; he said to his father:

〃Follow me and have no fear。〃

They walked a long distance through the stomach and
the whole body of the Shark。  When they reached the
throat of the monster; they stopped for a while to wait for
the right moment in which to make their escape。

I want you to know that the Shark; being very old and
suffering from asthma and heart trouble

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