the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第8部分

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sharp；　for　we　must　continue　on　our　journey。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　Innkeeper；　winking　in　a　knowing　way
at　the　Fox　and　the　Cat；　as　if　to　say；　〃I　understand。〃

As　soon　as　Pinocchio　was　in　bed；　he　fell　fast　asleep
and　began　to　dream。　　He　dreamed　he　was　in　the　middle
of　a　field。　　The　field　was　full　of　vines　heavy　with　grapes。
The　grapes　were　no　other　than　gold　coins　which　tinkled
merrily　as　they　swayed　in　the　wind。　　They　seemed　to
say；　〃Let　him　who　wants　us　take　us！〃

Just　as　Pinocchio　stretched　out　his　hand　to　take　a
handful　of　them；　he　was　awakened　by　three　loud　knocks　at
the　door。　　It　was　the　Innkeeper　who　had　come　to　tell　him
that　midnight　had　struck。

〃Are　my　friends　ready？〃　the　Marionette　asked　him。

〃Indeed；　yes！　　They　went　two　hours　ago。〃

〃Why　in　such　a　hurry？〃

〃Unfortunately　the　Cat　received　a　telegram　which
said　that　his　first…born　was　suffering　from　chilblains
and　was　on　the　point　of　death。　　He　could　not　even　wait
to　say　good…by　to　you。〃

〃Did　they　pay　for　the　supper？〃

〃How　could　they　do　such　a　thing？　　Being　people　of
great　refinement；　they　did　not　want　to　offend　you　so
deeply　as　not　to　allow　you　the　honor　of　paying　the　bill。〃

〃Too　bad！　　That　offense　would　have　been　more　than
pleasing　to　me；〃　said　Pinocchio；　scratching　his　head。

〃Where　did　my　good　friends　say　they　would　wait　for　me？〃　he　added。

〃At　the　Field　of　Wonders；　at　sunrise　tomorrow　morning。〃

Pinocchio　paid　a　gold　piece　for　the　three　suppers　and
started　on　his　way　toward　the　field　that　was　to　make
him　a　rich　man。

He　walked　on；　not　knowing　where　he　was　going；　for
it　was　dark；　so　dark　that　not　a　thing　was　visible。　　Round
about　him；　not　a　leaf　stirred。　　A　few　bats　skimmed　his
nose　now　and　again　and　scared　him　half　to　death。　　Once
or　twice　he　shouted；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　and　the　far…away
hills　echoed　back　to　him；　〃Who　goes　there？　　Who　goes
there？　　Who　goes。　。　。　？〃

As　he　walked；　Pinocchio　noticed　a　tiny　insect
glimmering　on　the　trunk　of　a　tree；　a　small　being　that　glowed
with　a　pale；　soft　light。

〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I　am　the　ghost　of　the　Talking　Cricket；〃　answered　the
little　being　in　a　faint　voice　that　sounded　as　if　it　came　from
a　far…away　world。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　asked　the　Marionette。

〃I　want　to　give　you　a　few　words　of　good　advice。
Return　home　and　give　the　four　gold　pieces　you　have
left　to　your　poor　old　father　who　is　weeping　because　he
has　not　seen　you　for　many　a　day。〃

〃Tomorrow　my　father　will　be　a　rich　man；　for　these
four　gold　pieces　will　become　two　thousand。〃

〃Don't　listen　to　those　who　promise　you　wealth　overnight；
my　boy。　　As　a　rule　they　are　either　fools　or　swindlers！
Listen　to　me　and　go　home。〃

〃But　I　want　to　go　on！〃

〃The　hour　is　late！〃

〃I　want　to　go　on。〃

〃The　night　is　very　dark。〃

〃I　want　to　go　on。〃

〃The　road　is　dangerous。〃

〃I　want　to　go　on。〃

〃Remember　that　boys　who　insist　on　having　their　own　way；
sooner　or　later　come　to　grief。〃

〃The　same　nonsense。　　Good…by；　Cricket。〃

〃Good　night；　Pinocchio；　and　may　Heaven　preserve　you
from　the　Assassins。〃

There　was　silence　for　a　minute　and　the　light　of　the
Talking　Cricket　disappeared　suddenly；　just　as　if　someone
had　snuffed　it　out。　　Once　again　the　road　was　plunged
in　darkness。



CHAPTER　14

Pinocchio；　not　having　listened　to　the　good　advice
of　the　Talking　Cricket；　falls　into　the　hands　of　the　Assassins



〃Dear；　oh；　dear！　　When　I　come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　the
Marionette　to　himself；　as　he　once　more　set　out　on　his
journey；　〃we　boys　are　really　very　unlucky。　　Everybody
scolds　us；　everybody　gives　us　advice；　everybody　warns　us。
If　we　were　to　allow　it；　everyone　would　try　to　be　father
and　mother　to　us；　everyone；　even　the　Talking　Cricket。
Take　me；　for　example。　　Just　because　I　would　not　listen　to
that　bothersome　Cricket；　who　knows　how　many　misfortunes
may　be　awaiting　me！　　Assassins　indeed！　　At　least
I　have　never　believed　in　them；　nor　ever　will。　　To　speak
sensibly；　I　think　assassins　have　been　invented　by　fathers
and　mothers　to　frighten　children　who　want　to　run　away
at　night。　　And　then；　even　if　I　were　to　meet　them　on
the　road；　what　matter？　　I'll　just　run　up　to　them；　and　say；
‘Well；　signori；　what　do　you　want？　　Remember　that　you
can't　fool　with　me！　　Run　along　and　mind　your　business。'
At　such　a　speech；　I　can　almost　see　those　poor　fellows
running　like　the　wind。　　But　in　case　they　don't　run　away；
I　can　always　run　myself。　。　。〃

Pinocchio　was　not　given　time　to　argue　any　longer；　for　he　thought
he　heard　a　slight　rustle　among　the　leaves　behind　him。

He　turned　to　look　and　behold；　there　in　the　darkness
stood　two　big　black　shadows；　wrapped　from　head　to　foot
in　black　sacks。　　The　two　figures　leaped　toward　him　as
softly　as　if　they　were　ghosts。

〃Here　they　come！〃　Pinocchio　said　to　himself；　and；
not　knowing　where　to　hide　the　gold　pieces；　he　stuck　all
four　of　them　under　his　tongue。

He　tried　to　run　away；　but　hardly　had　he　taken　a　step；
when　he　felt　his　arms　grasped　and　heard　two　horrible；
deep　voices　say　to　him：　　〃Your　money　or　your　life！〃

On　account　of　the　gold　pieces　in　his　mouth；　Pinocchio
could　not　say　a　word；　so　he　tried　with　head　and　hands
and　body　to　show；　as　best　he　could；　that　he　was　only　a
poor　Marionette　without　a　penny　in　his　pocket。

〃Come；　come；　less　nonsense；　and　out　with　your　money！〃
cried　the　two　thieves　in　threatening　voices。

Once　more；　Pinocchio's　head　and　hands　said；　〃I　haven't
a　penny。〃

〃Out　with　that　money　or　you're　a　dead　man；〃　said　the
taller　of　the　two　Assassins。

〃Dead　man；〃　repeated　the　other。

〃And　after　having　killed　you；　we　will　kill　your　father　also。〃

〃Your　father　also！〃

〃No；　no；　no；　not　my　Father！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　wild　with　terror；
but　as　he　screamed；　the　gold　pieces　tinkled　together　in　his　mouth。

〃Ah；　you　rascal！　　So　that's　the　game！　　You　have　the
money　hidden　under　your　tongue。　　Out　with　it！〃

But　Pinocchio　was　as　stubborn　as　ever。

〃Are　you　deaf？　　Wait；　young　man；　we'll　get　it　from
you　in　a　twinkling！〃

One　of　them　grabbed　the　Marionette　by　the　nose　and
the　other　by　the　chin；　and　they　pulled　him　unmercifully
from　side　to　side　in　order　to　make　him　open　his　mouth。

All　was　of　no　use。　　The　Marionette's　lips　might　have
been　nailed　together。　　They　would　not　open。

In　desperation　the　smaller　of　the　two　Assassins　pulled
out　a　long　knife　from　his　pocket；　and　tried　to　pry　Pinocchio's
mouth　open　with　it。

Quick　as　a　flash；　the　Marionette　sank　his　teeth　deep
into　the　Assassin's　hand；　bit　it　off　and　spat　it　out。　　Fancy
his　surprise　when　he　saw　that　it　was　not　a　hand；　but　a
cat's　paw。

Encouraged　by　this　first　victory；　he　freed　himself　from
the　claws　of　his　assailers　and；　leaping　over　the　bushes
along　the　road；　ran　swiftly　across　the　fields。　　His　pursuers
were　after　him　at　once；　like　two　dogs　chasing　a　hare。

After　running　seven　miles　or　so；　Pinocchio　was　well…
nigh　exhausted。　　Seeing　himself　lost；　he　climbed　up　a
giant　pine　tree　and　sat　there　to　see　what　he　could　see。
The　Assassins　tried　to　climb　also；　but　they　slipped　and　fell。

Far　from　giving　up　the　chase；　this　only　spurred　them　on。
They　gathered　a　bundle　of　wood；　piled　it　up　at　the
foot　of　the　pine；　and　set　fire　to　it。　　In　a　twinkling　the
tree