the adventures of pinocchio-第15部分

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〃Oh；　I　understand；〃　said　the　Snail。　　〃Wait　for　me　there。　I'll　come　down　to　open　the　door　for　you。〃

〃Hurry；　I　beg　of　you；　for　I　am　dying　of　cold。〃

〃My　boy；　I　am　a　snail　and　snails　are　never　in　a　hurry。〃

An　hour　passed；　two　hours；　and　the　door　was　still　closed。　Pinocchio；　who　was　trembling　with　fear　and　shivering　from　the　cold　rain　on　his　back；　knocked　a　second　time；　this　time　louder　than　before。

At　that　second　knock；　a　window　on　the　third　floor　opened　and　the　same　Snail　looked　out。

〃Dear　little　Snail；〃　cried　Pinocchio　from　the　street。　〃I　have　been　waiting　two　hours　for　you！　　And　two　hours　on　a　dreadful　night　like　this　are　as　long　as　two　years。　Hurry；　please！〃

〃My　boy；〃　answered　the　Snail　in　a　calm；　peaceful　voice；　〃my　dear　boy；　I　am　a　snail　and　snails　are　never　in　a　hurry。〃　　And　the　window　closed。

A　few　minutes　later　midnight　struck；　then　one　o'clock　two　o'clock。　　And　the　door　still　remained　closed！

Then　Pinocchio；　losing　all　patience；　grabbed　the　knocker　with　both　hands；　fully　determined　to　awaken　the　whole　house　and　street　with　it。　　As　soon　as　he　touched　the　knocker；　however；　it　became　an　eel　and　wiggled　away　into　the　darkness。

〃Really？〃　cried　Pinocchio；　blind　with　rage。　　〃If　the　knocker　is　gone；　I　can　still　use　my　feet。〃

He　stepped　back　and　gave　the　door　a　most　solemn　kick。　He　kicked　so　hard　that　his　foot　went　straight　through　the　door　and　his　leg　followed　almost　to　the　knee。　　No　matter　how　he　pulled　and　tugged；　he　could　not　pull　it　out。　　There　he　stayed　as　if　nailed　to　the　door。

Poor　Pinocchio！　　The　rest　of　the　night　he　had　to　spend　with　one　foot　through　the　door　and　the　other　one　in　the　air。

As　dawn　was　breaking；　the　door　finally　opened。　　That　brave　little　animal；　the　Snail；　had　taken　exactly　nine　hours　to　go　from　the　fourth　floor　to　the　street。　　How　she　must　have　raced！

〃What　are　you　doing　with　your　foot　through　the　door？〃　she　asked　the　Marionette；　laughing。

〃It　was　a　misfortune。　　Won't　you　try；　pretty　little　Snail；　to　free　me　from　this　terrible　torture？〃

〃My　boy；　we　need　a　carpenter　here　and　I　have　never　been　one。〃

〃Ask　the　Fairy　to　help　me！〃

〃The　Fairy　is　asleep　and　does　not　want　to　be　disturbed。〃

〃But　what　do　you　want　me　to　do；　nailed　to　the　door　like　this？〃

〃Enjoy　yourself　counting　the　ants　which　are　passing　by。〃

〃Bring　me　something　to　eat；　at　least；　for　I　am　faint　with　hunger。〃

〃Immediately！〃

In　fact；　after　three　hours　and　a　half；　Pinocchio　saw　her　return　with　a　silver　tray　on　her　head。　　On　the　tray　there　was　bread；　roast　chicken；　fruit。

〃Here　is　the　breakfast　the　Fairy　sends　to　you；〃　said　the　Snail。

At　the　sight　of　all　these　good　things；　the　Marionette　felt　much　better。

What　was　his　disgust；　however；　when　on　tasting　the　food；　he　found　the　bread　to　be　made　of　chalk；　the　chicken　of　cardboard；　and　the　brilliant　fruit　of　colored　alabaster！

He　wanted　to　cry；　he　wanted　to　give　himself　up　to　despair；　he　wanted　to　throw　away　the　tray　and　all　that　was　on　it。　　Instead；　either　from　pain　or　weakness；　he　fell　to　the　floor　in　a　dead　faint。

When　he　regained　his　senses；　he　found　himself　stretched　out　on　a　sofa　and　the　Fairy　was　seated　near　him。

〃This　time　also　I　forgive　you；〃　said　the　Fairy　to　him。　〃But　be　careful　not　to　get　into　mischief　again。〃

Pinocchio　promised　to　study　and　to　behave　himself。　And　he　kept　his　word　for　the　remainder　of　the　year。　　At　the　end　of　it；　he　passed　first　in　all　his　examinations；　and　his　report　was　so　good　that　the　Fairy　said　to　him　happily：

〃Tomorrow　your　wish　will　come　true。〃

〃And　what　is　it？〃

〃Tomorrow　you　will　cease　to　be　a　Marionette　and　will　become　a　real　boy。〃

Pinocchio　was　beside　himself　with　joy。　　All　his　friends　and　schoolmates　must　be　invited　to　celebrate　the　great　event！　　The　Fairy　promised　to　prepare　two　hundred　cups　of　coffee…and…milk　and　four　hundred　slices　of　toast　buttered　on　both　sides。

The　day　promised　to　be　a　very　gay　and　happy　one；　but

Unluckily；　in　a　Marionette's　life　there's　always　a　BUT　which　is　apt　to　spoil　everything。




CHAPTER　30

Pinocchio；　instead　of　becoming　a　boy；　runs　away　to　the　Land　of　Toys　with　his　friend；　Lamp…Wick



Coming　at　last　out　of　the　surprise　into　which　the　Fairy's　words　had　thrown　him；　Pinocchio　asked　for　permission　to　give　out　the　invitations。

〃Indeed；　you　may　invite　your　friends　to　tomorrow's　party。　Only　remember　to　return　home　before　dark。　　Do　you　understand？〃

〃I'll　be　back　in　one　hour　without　fail；〃　answered　the　Marionette。

〃Take　care；　Pinocchio！　　Boys　give　promises　very　easily；　but　they　as　easily　forget　them。〃

〃But　I　am　not　like　those　others。　　When　I　give　my　word　I　keep　it。〃

〃We　shall　see。　　In　case　you　do　disobey；　you　will　be　the　one　to　suffer；　not　anyone　else。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　boys　who　do　not　listen　to　their　elders　always　come　to　grief。〃

〃I　certainly　have；〃　said　Pinocchio；　〃but　from　now　on；　I　obey。〃

〃We　shall　see　if　you　are　telling　the　truth。〃

Without　adding　another　word；　the　Marionette　bade　the　good　Fairy　good…by；　and　singing　and　dancing；　he　left　the　house。

In　a　little　more　than　an　hour；　all　his　friends　were　invited。　　Some　accepted　quickly　and　gladly。　　Others　had　to　be　coaxed；　but　when　they　heard　that　the　toast　was　to　be　buttered　on　both　sides；　they　all　ended　by　accepting　the　invitation　with　the　words；　〃We'll　come　to　please　you。〃

Now　it　must　be　known　that；　among　all　his　friends；　Pinocchio　had　one　whom　he　loved　most　of　all。　The　boy's　real　name　was　Romeo；　but　everyone　called　him　Lamp…Wick；　for　he　was　long　and　thin　and　had　a　woebegone　look　about　him。

Lamp…Wick　was　the　laziest　boy　in　the　school　and　the　biggest　mischief…maker；　but　Pinocchio　loved　him　dearly。

That　day；　he　went　straight　to　his　friend's　house　to　invite　him　to　the　party；　but　Lamp…Wick　was　not　at　home。　　He　went　a　second　time；　and　again　a　third；　but　still　without　success。

Where　could　he　be？　　Pinocchio　searched　here　and　there　and　everywhere；　and　finally　discovered　him　hiding　near　a　farmer's　wagon。

〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃　asked　Pinocchio；　running　up　to　him。

〃I　am　waiting　for　midnight　to　strike　to　go〃

〃Where？〃

〃Far；　far　away！〃

〃And　I　have　gone　to　your　house　three　times　to　look　for　you！〃

〃What　did　you　want　from　me？〃

〃Haven't　you　heard　the　news？　　Don't　you　know　what　good　luck　is　mine？〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃Tomorrow　I　end　my　days　as　a　Marionette　and　become　a　boy；　like　you　and　all　my　other　friends。〃

〃May　it　bring　you　luck！〃

〃Shall　I　see　you　at　my　party　tomorrow？〃

〃But　I'm　telling　you　that　I　go　tonight。〃

〃At　what　time？〃

〃At　midnight。〃

〃And　where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　a　real　countrythe　best　in　the　worlda　wonderful　place！〃

〃What　is　it　called？〃

〃It　is　called　the　Land　of　Toys。　　Why　don't　you　come；　too？〃

〃I？　　Oh；　no！〃

〃You　are　making　a　big　mistake；　Pinocchio。　　Believe　me；　if　you　don't　come；　you'll　be　sorry。　　Where　can　you　find　a　place　that　will　agree　better　with　you　and　me？　　No　schools；　no　teachers；　no　books！　　In　that　blessed　place　there　is　no　such　thing　as　study。　　Here；　it　is　only　on　Saturdays　that　we　have　no　school。　　In　the　Land　of　Toys；　every　day；　except　Sunday；　is　a　Saturday。　　Vacation　begins　on　the　first　of　January　and　ends　on　the　last　day　of　December。　　That　is　the　place　for　me！　　All　countries　should　be　like　it！　How　happy　we　should　all　be！〃

〃But　how　does　one　spend　the　day　in　the　Land　of　Toys？〃

〃Days　are　spent　in　play　and　enjoyment　from　morn　till　night。　　At　night　one　goes　to　bed；　and　next　morning；　the　good　times　begin　all　over　again。　　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃H'm！〃　said　Pinocchio；　nodding　his　wooden　head；　as　if　to　say；　〃It's　the　kind　of　life　which　would　agree　with　me　perfectly。〃

〃Do　you　want　to　go　with　me；　then？　　Yes　or　no？　　You　must　make　up　your　mind。〃

〃No；　no；　and　again　no！　　I　have　promised　my　kind　Fairy　to　become　a　good　boy；　and　I　want　to　keep　my　word。　　Just　see：　　The　sun　is　setting　and　I　must　leave　you　and　run。　Good…by　and　good　luck　to　you！〃

〃Where　are　you　going　in　such　a　hurry？〃

〃Home。　　My　good　Fairy　wants　me　to　return　home　before　night。〃

〃Wait　two　minutes　more。〃

〃It's　too　late！〃

〃Only　two　minutes。〃

〃And　if　the　Fairy　scolds　me？〃

〃Let　her　scold。　　After　she　gets　tired；　she　will　stop；〃　said　Lamp…Wick。

〃Are　you　going　alone　or　with　others？〃

〃Alone？　　There　will　be　more　than　a　hundred　of　us！〃

〃Will　you　walk？〃

〃At　midnight　the　wagon　passes　here　that　is　to　take　us　within　the　boundaries　of　that　marvelous　country。〃

〃How　I　wish　midnight　would　strike！〃

〃Why？〃

〃To　see　you　all　set　out　together。〃

〃Stay　here　a　while　longer　and　you　will　see　us！〃

〃No；　no。　　I　want　to　return　home。〃

〃Wait　two　more　minutes。〃

〃I　have　waited　too　long　as　it　is。　　The　Fairy　will　be　worried。〃

〃Poor　Fairy！　　Is　she　afraid　the　bats　will　eat　you　up？〃

〃Listen；　Lamp…Wick；〃　said　the　Marionette；　〃are　you　really　sure　that　there　are　no　schools　in　the　Land　of　Toys？〃　〃Not　even　the　shadow　of　one。〃

〃Not　even　one　teacher？〃

〃Not　one。〃

〃And　one　does　not　have　to　study？〃

〃Never；　never；　never！〃

〃What　a　great　land！〃　said　Pinocchio；　feeling　his　mouth　water。　〃What　a　beautiful　land！　　I　have　never　been　there；　but　I　can　well　imagine　it。〃

〃Why　don't　you　come；　too？〃

〃It　is　useless　for　you　to　tempt　me！　　I　told　you　I　promised　my　good　Fairy　to　behave　myself；　and　I　am　going　to　keep　my　word。〃

〃Good…by；　then；　and　remember　me　to　the　grammar　schools；　to　the　high　schools；　and　even　to　the　colleges　if　you　meet　them　on　the　way。〃

〃Good…by；　Lamp…Wick。　　Have　a　pleasant　trip；　enjoy　yourself；　and　remember　your　friends　once　in　a　while。〃

With　these　words；　the　Marionette　started　on　his　way　home。　　Turning　once　more　to　his　friend；　he　asked　him：

〃But　are　you　sure　that；　in　that　country；　each　week　is　composed　of　six　Saturdays　and　one　Sunday？〃

〃Very　sure！〃

〃And　that　vacation　begins　on　the　first　of　January　and　ends　on　the　thirty…first　of　December？〃

〃Very；　very　sure！〃

〃What　a　great　country！〃　repeated　Pinocchio；　puzzled　as　to　what　to　do。

Then；　in　sudden　determination；　he　said　hurriedly：

〃Good…by　for　the　last　time；　and　good　luck。〃

〃Good…by。〃

〃How　soon　will　you　go？〃

〃Within　two　hours。〃

〃What　a　pity！　If　it　were　only　one　hour；　I　might　wait　for　you。〃

〃And　the　Fairy？〃

〃By　this　time　I'm　late；　and　one　hour　more　or　less　makes　very　little　difference。〃

〃Poor　Pinocc