the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第17部分

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she　asked；　laughing。

〃My　love　for　you　told　me　who　you　were。〃

〃Do　you　remember？　　You　left　me　when　I　was　a　little　girl
and　now　you　find　me　a　grown　woman。　　I　am　so　old；　I　could
almost　be　your　mother！〃

〃I　am　very　glad　of　that；　for　then　I　can　call　you　mother
instead　of　sister。　　For　a　long　time　I　have　wanted　a　mother；
just　like　other　boys。　　But　how　did　you　grow　so　quickly？〃

〃That's　a　secret！〃

〃Tell　it　to　me。　　I　also　want　to　grow　a　little。　　Look　at　me！
I　have　never　grown　higher　than　a　penny's　worth　of　cheese。〃

〃But　you　can't　grow；〃　answered　the　Fairy。

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　Marionettes　never　grow。　　They　are　born　Marionettes；
they　live　Marionettes；　and　they　die　Marionettes。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　tired　of　always　being　a　Marionette！〃　cried　Pinocchio　disgustedly。
〃It's　about　time　for　me　to　grow　into　a　man　as　everyone　else　does。〃

〃And　you　will　if　you　deserve　it〃

〃Really？　　What　can　I　do　to　deserve　it？〃

〃It's　a　very　simple　matter。　　Try　to　act　like　a　well…behaved　child。〃

〃Don't　you　think　I　do？〃

〃Far　from　it！　　Good　boys　are　obedient；　and　you；　on　the　contrary〃

〃And　I　never　obey。〃

〃Good　boys　love　study　and　work；　but　you〃

〃And　I；　on　the　contrary；　am　a　lazy　fellow　and　a　tramp　all　year　round。〃

〃Good　boys　always　tell　the　truth。〃

〃And　I　always　tell　lies。〃

〃Good　boys　go　gladly　to　school。〃

〃And　I　get　sick　if　I　go　to　school。　　From　now　on　I'll　be　different。〃

〃Do　you　promise？〃

〃I　promise。　　I　want　to　become　a　good　boy　and　be　a　comfort　to　my　father。
Where　is　my　poor　father　now？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

〃Will　I　ever　be　lucky　enough　to　find　him　and　embrace　him　once　more？〃

〃I　think　so。　　Indeed；　I　am　sure　of　it。〃

At　this　answer；　Pinocchio's　happiness　was　very　great。
He　grasped　the　Fairy's　hands　and　kissed　them　so　hard　that
it　looked　as　if　he　had　lost　his　head。　　Then　lifting　his　face；
he　looked　at　her　lovingly　and　asked：　　〃Tell　me；　little　Mother；
it　isn't　true　that　you　are　dead；　is　it？〃

〃It　doesn't　seem　so；〃　answered　the　Fairy；　smiling。

〃If　you　only　knew　how　I　suffered　and　how　I　wept　when　I　read　‘Here　lies'〃

〃I　know　it；　and　for　that　I　have　forgiven　you。　　The　depth
of　your　sorrow　made　me　see　that　you　have　a　kind　heart。
There　is　always　hope　for　boys　with　hearts　such　as　yours；
though　they　may　often　be　very　mischievous。　　This　is　the
reason　why　I　have　come　so　far　to　look　for　you。　　From　now
on；　I'll　be　your　own　little　mother。〃

〃Oh！　　How　lovely！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　jumping　with　joy。

〃You　will　obey　me　always　and　do　as　I　wish？〃

〃Gladly；　very　gladly；　more　than　gladly！〃

〃Beginning　tomorrow；〃　said　the　Fairy；　〃you'll　go　to　school　every　day。〃

Pinocchio's　face　fell　a　little。

〃Then　you　will　choose　the　trade　you　like　best。〃

Pinocchio　became　more　serious。

〃What　are　you　mumbling　to　yourself？〃　asked　the　Fairy。

〃I　was　just　saying；〃　whined　the　Marionette　in　a　whisper；
〃that　it　seems　too　late　for　me　to　go　to　school　now。〃

〃No；　indeed。　　Remember　it　is　never　too　late　to　learn。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　either　trade　or　profession。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　work　wearies　me！〃

〃My　dear　boy；〃　said　the　Fairy；　〃people　who　speak　as
you　do　usually　end　their　days　either　in　a　prison　or　in　a
hospital。　　A　man；　remember；　whether　rich　or　poor；　should
do　something　in　this　world。　　No　one　can　find　happiness
without　work。　　Woe　betide　the　lazy　fellow！　　Laziness　is　a
serious　illness　and　one　must　cure　it　immediately；　yes；　even
from　early　childhood。　　If　not；　it　will　kill　you　in　the　end。〃

These　words　touched　Pinocchio's　heart。　　He　lifted
his　eyes　to　his　Fairy　and　said　seriously：
〃I'll　work；　I'll　study；　I'll　do　all　you　tell　me。
After　all；　the　life　of　a　Marionette　has　grown　very　tiresome
to　me　and　I　want　to　become　a　boy；　no　matter　how　hard　it　is。
You　promise　that；　do　you　not？〃

〃Yes；　I　promise；　and　now　it　is　up　to　you。〃



CHAPTER　26

Pinocchio　goes　to　the　seashore　with　his　friends
to　see　the　Terrible　Shark



In　the　morning；　bright　and　early；　Pinocchio　started　for　school。

Imagine　what　the　boys　said　when　they　saw　a　Marionette
enter　the　classroom！　　They　laughed　until　they　cried。　　Everyone
played　tricks　on　him。　　One　pulled　his　hat　off；　another
tugged　at　his　coat；　a　third　tried　to　paint　a　mustache　under
his　nose。　　One　even　attempted　to　tie　strings　to　his　feet　and
his　hands　to　make　him　dance。

For　a　while　Pinocchio　was　very　calm　and　quiet。　　Finally；
however；　he　lost　all　patience　and　turning　to　his　tormentors；
he　said　to　them　threateningly：

〃Careful；　boys；　I　haven't　come　here　to　be　made　fun　of。
I'll　respect　you　and　I　want　you　to　respect　me。〃

〃Hurrah　for　Dr。　Know…all！　　You　have　spoken　like　a
printed　book！〃　howled　the　boys；　bursting　with　laughter。
One　of　them；　more　impudent　than　the　rest；　put　out　his
hand　to　pull　the　Marionette's　nose。

But　he　was　not　quick　enough；　for　Pinocchio　stretched
his　leg　under　the　table　and　kicked　him　hard　on　the　shin。

〃Oh；　what　hard　feet！〃　cried　the　boy；　rubbing　the　spot
where　the　Marionette　had　kicked　him。

〃And　what　elbows！　　They　are　even　harder　than　the　feet！〃
shouted　another　one；　who；　because　of　some　other　trick；
had　received　a　blow　in　the　stomach。

With　that　kick　and　that　blow　Pinocchio　gained　everybody's　favor。
Everyone　admired　him；　danced　attendance　upon　him；　petted　and　caressed　him。

As　the　days　passed　into　weeks；　even　the　teacher　praised　him；
for　he　saw　him　attentive；　hard　working；　and　wide　awake；
always　the　first　to　come　in　the　morning；　and　the　last
to　leave　when　school　was　over。

Pinocchio's　only　fault　was　that　he　had　too　many　friends。
Among　these　were　many　well…known　rascals；　who　cared
not　a　jot　for　study　or　for　success。

The　teacher　warned　him　each　day；　and　even　the　good
Fairy　repeated　to　him　many　times：

〃Take　care；　Pinocchio！　　Those　bad　companions　will
sooner　or　later　make　you　lose　your　love　for　study。
Some　day　they　will　lead　you　astray。〃

〃There's　no　such　danger；〃　answered　the　Marionette；
shrugging　his　shoulders　and　pointing　to　his　forehead　as　if
to　say；　〃I'm　too　wise。〃

So　it　happened　that　one　day；　as　he　was　walking　to　school；
he　met　some　boys　who　ran　up　to　him　and　said：

〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃

〃No！〃

〃A　Shark　as　big　as　a　mountain　has　been　seen　near　the　shore。〃

〃Really？　　I　wonder　if　it　could　be　the　same　one　I　heard
of　when　my　father　was　drowned？〃

〃We　are　going　to　see　it。　　Are　you　coming？〃

〃No；　not　I。　　I　must　go　to　school。〃

〃What　do　you　care　about　school？　　You　can　go　there　tomorrow。
With　a　lesson　more　or　less；　we　are　always　the　same　donkeys。〃

〃And　what　will　the　teacher　say？〃

〃Let　him　talk。　　He　is　paid　to　grumble　all　day　long。〃

〃And　my　mother？〃

〃Mothers　don't　know　anything；〃　answered　those　scamps。

〃Do　you　know　what　I'll　do？〃　said　Pinocchio。
〃For　certain　reasons　of　mine；　I；　too；　want　to　see　that　Shark；
but　I'll　go　after　school。　　I　can　see　him　then　as　well　as　now。〃

〃Poor　simpleton！〃　cried　one　of　the　boys。　　〃Do　you　think
that　a　fish　of　that　size　will　stand　there　waiting　for　you？
He　turns　and　off　he　goes；　and　no　one　will　ever　be　the　wiser。〃

〃How　long　does　it　take　from　here　to　the　shore？〃　asked　the　Marionette。
〃One　hour　there　and　back。〃


〃Very　well；　then。　　Let's　see　who　gets　there　first！〃　cried　Pinocchio。

At　the　signal；　the　little　troop；