the adventures of pinocchio-第9节

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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　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　beginn