the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第9节
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so long that he could not even turn around。 If he turned
to the right; he knocked it against the bed or into the
windowpanes; if he turned to the left; he struck the walls
or the door; if he raised it a bit; he almost put the Fairy's
eyes out。
The Fairy sat looking at him and laughing。
〃Why do you laugh?〃 the Marionette asked her;
worried now at the sight of his growing nose。
〃I am laughing at your lies。〃
〃How do you know I am lying?〃
〃Lies; my boy; are known in a moment。 There are two
kinds of lies; lies with short legs and lies with long noses。
Yours; just now; happen to have long noses。〃
Pinocchio; not knowing where to hide his shame; tried
to escape from the room; but his nose had become so long
that he could not get it out of the door。
CHAPTER 18
Pinocchio finds the Fox and the Cat again; and goes with them
to sow the gold pieces in the Field of Wonders
Crying as if his heart would break; the Marionette
mourned for hours over the length of his nose。 No matter
how he tried; it would not go through the door。 The
Fairy showed no pity toward him; as she was trying to
teach him a good lesson; so that he would stop telling lies;
the worst habit any boy may acquire。 But when she saw
him; pale with fright and with his eyes half out of his
head from terror; she began to feel sorry for him and
clapped her hands together。 A thousand woodpeckers
flew in through the window and settled themselves on
Pinocchio's nose。 They pecked and pecked so hard at
that enormous nose that in a few moments; it was the
same size as before。
〃How good you are; my Fairy;〃 said Pinocchio; drying
his eyes; 〃and how much I love you!〃
〃I love you; too;〃 answered the Fairy; 〃and if you wish
to stay with me; you may be my little brother and I'll be
your good little sister。〃
〃I should like to staybut what about my poor father?〃
〃I have thought of everything。 Your father has been
sent for and before night he will be here。〃
〃Really?〃 cried Pinocchio joyfully。 〃Then; my good
Fairy; if you are willing; I should like to go to meet him。
I cannot wait to kiss that dear old man; who has suffered
so much for my sake。〃
〃Surely; go ahead; but be careful not to lose your way。
Take the wood path and you'll surely meet him。〃
Pinocchio set out; and as soon as he found himself in the
wood; he ran like a hare。 When he reached the giant oak
tree he stopped; for he thought he heard a rustle in the
brush。 He was right。 There stood the Fox and the Cat;
the two traveling companions with whom he had eaten at
the Inn of the Red Lobster。
〃Here comes our dear Pinocchio!〃 cried the Fox;
hugging and kissing him。 〃How did you happen here?〃
〃How did you happen here?〃 repeated the Cat。
〃It is a long story;〃 said the Marionette。 〃Let me tell
it to you。 The other night; when you left me alone at the
Inn; I met the Assassins on the road〃
〃The Assassins? Oh; my poor friend! And what did they want?〃
〃They wanted my gold pieces。〃
〃Rascals!〃 said the Fox。
〃The worst sort of rascals!〃 added the Cat。
〃But I began to run;〃 continued the Marionette; 〃and
they after me; until they overtook me and hanged me to
the limb of that oak。〃
Pinocchio pointed to the giant oak near by。
〃Could anything be worse?〃 said the Fox。
〃What an awful world to live in! Where shall we
find a safe place for gentlemen like ourselves?〃
As the Fox talked thus; Pinocchio noticed that the Cat
carried his right paw in a sling。
〃What happened to your paw?〃 he asked。
The Cat tried to answer; but he became so terribly
twisted in his speech that the Fox had to help him out。
〃My friend is too modest to answer。 I'll answer for
him。 About an hour ago; we met an old wolf on the road。
He was half starved and begged for help。 Having nothing
to give him; what do you think my friend did out of the
kindness of his heart? With his teeth; he bit off the paw
of his front foot and threw it at that poor beast; so that
he might have something to eat。〃
As he spoke; the Fox wiped off a tear。
Pinocchio; almost in tears himself; whispered in the Cat's ear:
〃If all the cats were like you; how lucky the mice would be!〃
〃And what are you doing here?〃 the Fox asked the Marionette。
〃I am waiting for my father; who will be here at any moment now。〃
〃And your gold pieces?〃
〃I still have them in my pocket; except one which I
spent at the Inn of the Red Lobster。〃
〃To think that those four gold pieces might become
two thousand tomorrow。 Why don't you listen to me?
Why don't you sow them in the Field of Wonders?〃
〃Today it is impossible。 I'll go with you some other time。〃
〃Another day will be too late;〃 said the Fox。
〃Why?〃
〃Because that field has been bought by a very rich man;
and today is the last day that it will be open to the public。〃
〃How far is this Field of Wonders?〃
〃Only two miles away。 Will you come with us? We'll
be there in half an hour。 You can sow the money; and;
after a few minutes; you will gather your two thousand
coins and return home rich。 Are you coming?〃
Pinocchio hesitated a moment before answering; for he
remembered the good Fairy; old Geppetto; and the advice
of the Talking Cricket。 Then he ended by doing what
all boys do; when they have no heart and little brain。
He shrugged his shoulders and said to the Fox and the Cat:
〃Let us go! I am with you。〃
And they went。
They walked and walked for a half a day at least and
at last they came to the town called the City of Simple
Simons。 As soon as they entered the town; Pinocchio
noticed that all the streets were filled with hairless dogs;
yawning from hunger; with sheared sheep; trembling with
cold; with combless chickens; begging for a grain of
wheat; with large butterflies; unable to use their wings
because they had sold all their lovely colors; with tailless
peacocks; ashamed to show themselves; and with bedraggled
pheasants; scuttling away hurriedly; grieving for their
bright feathers of gold and silver; lost to them forever。
Through this crowd of paupers and beggars; a beautiful
coach passed now and again。 Within it sat either a Fox;
a Hawk; or a Vulture。
〃Where is the Field of Wonders?〃 asked Pinocchio;
growing tired of waiting。
〃Be patient。 It is only a few more steps away。〃
They passed through the city and; just outside the walls;
they stepped into a lonely field; which looked more
or less like any other field。
〃Here we are;〃 said the Fox to the Marionette。
〃Dig a hole here and put the gold pieces into it。〃
The Marionette obeyed。 He dug the hole; put the
four gold pieces into it; and covered them up very carefully。
〃Now;〃 said the Fox; 〃go to that near…by brook; bring
back a pail full of water; and sprinkle it over the spot。〃
Pinocchio followed the directions closely; but; as he
had no pail; he pulled off his shoe; filled it with water;
and sprinkled the earth which covered the gold。 Then
he asked:
〃Anything else?〃
〃Nothing else;〃 answered the Fox。 〃Now we can go。
Return here within twenty minutes and you will find the
vine grown and the branches filled with gold pieces。〃
Pinocchio; beside himself with joy; thanked the Fox
and the Cat many times and promised them each a beautiful gift。
〃We don't want any of your gifts;〃 answered the two
rogues。 〃It is enough for us that we have helped you to
become rich with little or no trouble。 For this we are
as happy as kings。〃
They said good…by to Pinocchio and; wishing him good
luck; went on their way。
CHAPTER 19
Pinocchio is robbed of his gold pieces and;
in punishment; is sentenced to four months in prison
If the Marionette had been told to wait a day instead of
twenty minutes; the time could not have seemed longer
to him。 He walked impatiently to and fro and finally
turned his nose toward the Field of Wonders。
And as he walked with hurried steps; his heart beat
with an excited tic; tac; tic; tac; just as if it were a wall
clock; and his busy brain kept thinking:
〃What if; instead of a thousand; I should find two
thousand? Or if; instead of two thousand; I should find five
thousandor one hundred thousand? I'll build myself a
beautiful palace; with a thousand stables filled with a
thousand wooden horses to play with; a cellar overflowing
with lemonade and ice cream soda; and a library of candies
and fruits; cakes and cookies。〃
Thus amusing himself with fancies; he came to the field。
There he stopped to see if; by any chance; a vine filled
with gold coins was in sight。 But he saw nothing! He
took a few steps forward; and still nothing! He stepped
into the field。 He went up to the place where he had
dug the hole and buried the gold pieces。 Again nothing!
Pinocchio became very thoughtful and; forgetting his good
manners altogether; he pulled a hand out of his pocket and
gave his head a thorough scratching。
As he did so; he heard a hearty burst of laughter close
to his head。 He turned sharply; and there; just above him
on the branch of a tree; sat a large Parrot; busily preening
his feathers。
〃What are you laughing at?〃 Pinocchio asked peevishly。
〃I am laughing because; in preening my feat