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

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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　Pinocchio！　　And　if　the　Fairy　scolds　you？〃

〃Oh；　I'll　let　her　scold。　　After　she　gets　tired；　she　will　stop。〃

In　the　meantime；　the　night　became　darker　and　darker。
All　at　once　in　the　distance　a　small　light　flickered。　　A
queer　sound　could　be　heard；　soft　as　a　little　bell；　and　faint
and　muffled　like　the　buzz　of　a　far…away　mosquito。

〃There　it　is！〃　cried　Lamp…Wick；　jumping　to　his　feet。

〃What？〃　whispered　Pinocchio。

〃The　wagon　which　is　coming　to　get　me。　　For　the　last
time；　are　you　coming　or　not？〃

〃But　is　it　really　true　that　in　that　country　boys　never
have　to　study？〃

〃Never；　never；　never！〃

〃What　a　wonderful；　beautiful；　marvelous　country！　　Ohhh！！〃



CHAPTER　31

After　five　months　of　play；　Pinocchio　wakes　up　one　fine　morning
and　finds　a　great　surprise　awaiting　him



Finally　the　wagon　arrived。　　It　made　no　noise；　for　its
wheels　were　bound　with　straw　and　rags。

It　was　drawn　by　twelve　pair　of　donkeys；　all　of　the　same
size；　but　all　of　different　color。　　Some　were　gray；　others
white；　and　still　others　a　mixture　of　brown　and　black。
Here　and　there　were　a　few　with　large　yellow　and　blue　stripes。

The　strangest　thing　of　all　was　that　those　twenty…four
donkeys；　instead　of　being　iron…shod　like　any　other　beast
of　burden；　had　on　their　feet　laced　shoes　made　of　leather；
just　like　the　ones　boys　wear。

And　the　driver　of　the　wagon？

Imagine　to　yourselves　a　little；　fat　man；　much　wider
than　he　was　long；　round　and　shiny　as　a　ball　of　butter；　with
a　face　beaming　like　an　apple；　a　little　mouth　that　always
smiled；　and　a　voice　small　and　wheedling　like　that　of　a　cat
begging　for　food。

No　sooner　did　any　boy　see　him　than　he　fell　in　love　with
him；　and　nothing　satisfied　him　but　to　be　allowed　to　ride
in　his　wagon　to　that　lovely　place　called　the　Land　of　Toys。

In　fact　the　wagon　was　so　closely　packed　with　boys　of
all　ages　that　it　looked　like　a　box　of　sardines。　　They　were
uncomfortable；　they　were　piled　one　on　top　of　the　other；
they　could　hardly　breathe；　yet　not　one　word　of　complaint
was　heard。　　The　thought　that　in　a　few　hours　they　would
reach　a　country　where　there　were　no　schools；　no　books；
no　teachers；　made　these　boys　so　happy　that　they　felt
neither　hunger；　nor　thirst；　nor　sleep；　nor　discomfor