the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第4部分

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He　was　right。　　An　old　man　in　a　nightcap　opened　the
window　and　looked　out。　　He　called　down　angrily：

〃What　do　you　want　at　this　hour　of　night？〃

〃Will　you　be　good　enough　to　give　me　a　bit　of　bread？
I　am　hungry。〃

〃Wait　a　minute　and　I'll　come　right　back；〃　answered　the
old　fellow；　thinking　he　had　to　deal　with　one　of　those　boys
who　love　to　roam　around　at　night　ringing　people's　bells
while　they　are　peacefully　asleep。

After　a　minute　or　two；　the　same　voice　cried：

〃Get　under　the　window　and　hold　out　your　hat！〃

Pinocchio　had　no　hat；　but　he　managed　to　get　under　the
window　just　in　time　to　feel　a　shower　of　ice…cold　water
pour　down　on　his　poor　wooden　head；　his　shoulders；　and
over　his　whole　body。

He　returned　home　as　wet　as　a　rag；　and　tired　out　from
weariness　and　hunger。

As　he　no　longer　had　any　strength　left　with　which　to
stand；　he　sat　down　on　a　little　stool　and　put　his　two　feet　on
the　stove　to　dry　them。

There　he　fell　asleep；　and　while　he　slept；　his　wooden
feet　began　to　burn。　　Slowly；　very　slowly；　they　blackened
and　turned　to　ashes。

Pinocchio　snored　away　happily　as　if　his　feet　were　not
his　own。　　At　dawn　he　opened　his　eyes　just　as　a　loud　knocking
sounded　at　the　door。

〃Who　is　it？〃　he　called；　yawning　and　rubbing　his　eyes。

〃It　is　I；〃　answered　a　voice。

It　was　the　voice　of　Geppetto。



CHAPTER　7

Geppetto　returns　home　and　gives
his　own　breakfast　to　the　Marionette



The　poor　Marionette；　who　was　still　half　asleep；　had　not
yet　found　out　that　his　two　feet　were　burned　and　gone。　　As
soon　as　he　heard　his　Father's　voice；　he　jumped　up　from　his
seat　to　open　the　door；　but；　as　he　did　so；　he　staggered　and
fell　headlong　to　the　floor。

In　falling；　he　made　as　much　noise　as　a　sack　of　wood
falling　from　the　fifth　story　of　a　house。

〃Open　the　door　for　me！〃　Geppetto　shouted　from　the　street。

〃Father；　dear　Father；　I　can't；〃　answered　the　Marionette
in　despair；　crying　and　rolling　on　the　floor。

〃Why　can't　you？〃

〃Because　someone　has　eaten　my　feet。〃

〃And　who　has　eaten　them？〃

〃The　cat；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　seeing　that　little　animal
busily　playing　with　some　shavings　in　the　corner　of　the　room。

〃Open！　　I　say；〃　repeated　Geppetto；　〃or　I'll　give　you　a
sound　whipping　when　I　get　in。〃

〃Father；　believe　me；　I　can't　stand　up。　　Oh；　dear！
Oh；　dear！　　I　shall　have　to　walk　on　my　knees　all　my　life。〃

Geppetto；　thinking　that　all　these　tears　and　cries　were
only　other　pranks　of　the　Marionette；　climbed　up　the　side
of　the　house　and　went　in　through　the　window。

At　first　he　was　very　angry；　but　on　seeing　Pinocchio
stretched　out　on　the　floor　and　really　without　feet；　he　felt
very　sad　and　sorrowful。　　Picking　him　up　from　the　floor；　he
fondled　and　caressed　him；　talking　to　him　while　the　tears
ran　down　his　cheeks：

〃My　little　Pinocchio；　my　dear　little　Pinocchio！
How　did　you　burn　your　feet？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Father；　but　believe　me；　the　night　has
been　a　terrible　one　and　I　shall　remember　it　as　long　as　I　live。
The　thunder　was　so　noisy　and　the　lightning　so　bright
and　I　was　hungry。　　And　then　the　Talking　Cricket　said　to
me；　‘You　deserve　it；　you　were　bad；'　and　I　said　to　him；
‘Careful；　Cricket；'　and　he　said　to　me；　‘You　are　a　Marionette
and　you　have　a　wooden　head；'　and　I　threw　the　hammer　at
him　and　killed　him。　　It　was　his　own　fault；　for　I　didn't　want
to　kill　him。　　And　I　put　the　pan　on　the　coals；　but　the　Chick
flew　away　and　said；　‘I'll　see　you　again！　　Remember　me　to
the　family。'　And　my　hunger　grew；　and　I　went　out；　and　the
old　man　with　a　nightcap　looked　out　of　the　window　and
threw　water　on　me；　and　I　came　home　and　put　my　feet　on
the　stove　to　dry　them　because　I　was　still　hungry；　and　I　fell
asleep　and　now　my　feet　are　gone　but　my　hunger　isn't！
Oh！Oh！Oh！〃　And　poor　Pinocchio　began　to　scream
and　cry　so　loudly　that　he　could　be　heard　for　miles　around。

Geppetto；　who　had　understood　nothing　of　all　that
jumbled　talk；　except　that　the　Marionette　was　hungry；　felt　sorry
for　him；　and　pulling　three　pears　out　of　his　pocket；　offered
them　to　him；　saying：

〃These　three　pears　were　for　my　breakfast；　but　I　give
them　to　you　gladly。　　Eat　them　and　stop　weeping。〃

〃If　you　want　me　to　eat　them；　please　peel　them　for　me。〃

〃Peel　them？〃　asked　Geppetto；　very　much　surprised。　　〃I
should　never　have　thought；　dear　boy　of　mine；　that　you
were　so　dainty　and　fussy　about　your　food。　　Bad；　very　bad！
In　this　world；　even　as　children；　we　must　accustom　ourselves
to　eat　of　everything；　for　we　never　know　what　life　may
hold　in　store　for　us！〃

〃You　may　be　right；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　〃but　I　will　not
eat　the　pears　if　they　are　not　peeled。　　I　don't　like　them。〃

And　good　old　Geppetto　took　out　a　knife；　peeled　the
three　pears；　and　put　the　skins　in　a　row　on　the　table。

Pinocchio　ate　one　pear　in　a　twinkling　and　started　to
throw　the　core　away；　but　Geppetto　held　his　arm。

〃Oh；　no；　don't　throw　it　away！　　Everything　in　this　world
may　be　of　some　use！〃

〃But　the　core　I　will　not　eat！〃　cried　Pinocchio　in　an　angry　tone。

〃Who　knows？〃　repeated　Geppetto　calmly。

And　later　the　three　cores　were　placed　on　the　table　next
to　the　skins。

Pinocchio　had　eaten　the　three　pears；　or　rather　devoured　them。
Then　he　yawned　deeply；　and　wailed：

〃I'm　still　hungry。〃

〃But　I　have　no　more　to　give　you。〃

〃Really；　nothingnothing？〃

〃I　have　only　these　three　cores　and　these　skins。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Pinocchio；　〃if　there　is　nothing
else　I'll　eat　them。〃

At　first　he　made　a　wry　face；　but；　one　after　another；　the
skins　and　the　cores　disappeared。

〃Ah！　　Now　I　feel　fine！〃　he　said　after　eating　the　last　one。

〃You　see；〃　observed　Geppetto；　〃that　I　was　right　when
I　told　you　that　one　must　not　be　too　fussy　and　too　dainty
about　food。　　My　dear；　we　never　know　what　life　may　have
in　store　for　us！〃



CHAPTER　8

Geppetto　makes　Pinocchio　a　new　pair　of　feet；
and　sells　his　coat　to　buy　him　an　A…B…C　book



The　Marionette；　as　soon　as　his　hunger　was　appeased；
started　to　grumble　and　cry　that　he　wanted　a　new　pair　of　feet。

But　Mastro　Geppetto；　in　order　to　punish　him　for　his
mischief；　let　him　alone　the　whole　morning。　　After　dinner
he　said　to　him：

〃Why　should　I　make　your　feet　over　again？　　To　see　you
run　away　from　home　once　more？〃

〃I　promise　you；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　sobbing；
〃that　from　now　on　I'll　be　good〃

〃Boys　always　promise　that　when　they　want　something；〃
said　Geppetto。

〃I　promise　to　go　to　school　every　day；　to　study；　and　to　succeed〃

〃Boys　always　sing　that　song　when　they　want　their　own　will。〃

〃But　I　am　not　like　other　boys！　　I　am　better　than　all　of
them　and　I　always　tell　the　truth。　　I　promise　you；　Father；
that　I'll　learn　a　trade；　and　I'll　be　the　comfort　and　staff　of
your　old　age。〃

Geppetto；　though　trying　to　look　very　stern；　felt　his　eyes
fill　with　tears　and　his　heart　soften　when　he　saw　Pinocchio
so　unhappy。　　He　said　no　more；　but　taking　his　tools　and　two
pieces　of　wood；　he　set　to　work　diligently。

In　less　than　an　hour　the　feet　were　finished；　two　slender；
nimble　little　feet；　strong　and　quick；　modeled　as　if　by　an
artist's　hands。

〃Close　your　eyes　and　sleep！〃　Geppetto　then　said　to　the　Marionette。

Pinocchio　closed　his　eyes　and　pretended　to　be　asleep；
while　Geppetto　stuck　on　the　two　feet　with　a　bit　of　glue