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the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第9部分

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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 began to sputter and burn like a candle blown by
the wind。  Pinocchio saw the flames climb higher and
higher。  Not wishing to end his days as a roasted 
Marionette; he jumped quickly to the ground and off he went;
the Assassins close to him; as before。

Dawn was breaking when; without any warning whatsoever;
Pinocchio found his path barred by a deep pool full
of water the color of muddy coffee。

What was there to do?  With a 〃One; two; three!〃
he jumped clear across it。  The Assassins jumped also;
but not having measured their distance wellsplash!!!
they fell right into the middle of the pool。  Pinocchio
who heard the splash and felt it; too; cried out; laughing;
but never stopping in his race:

〃A pleasant bath to you; signori!〃

He thought they must surely be drowned and turned
his head to see。  But there were the two somber figures
still following him; though their black sacks were drenched
and dripping with water。



CHAPTER 15

The Assassins chase Pinocchio; catch him;
and hang him to the branch of a giant oak tree



As he ran; the Marionette felt more and more certain that
he would have to give himself up into the hands of his
pursuers。  Suddenly he saw a little cottage gleaming white
as the snow among the trees of the forest。

〃If I have enough breath left with which to reach that
little house; I may be saved;〃 he said to himself。

Not waiting another moment; he darted swiftly through
the woods; the Assassins still after him。

After a hard race of almost an hour; tired and out of
breath; Pinocchio finally reached the door of the cottage
and knocked。  No one answered。

He knocked again; harder than before; for behind him
he heard the steps and the labored breathing of his
persecutors。  The same silence followed。

As knocking was of no use; Pinocchio; in despair;
began to kick and bang against the door; as if he wanted
to break it。  At the noise; a window opened and a lovely
maiden looked out。  She had azure hair and a face white
as wax。  Her eyes were closed and her hands crossed on
her breast。  With a voice so weak that it hardly could be
heard; she whispered:

〃No one lives in this house。  Everyone is dead。〃

〃Won't you; at least; open the door for me?〃
cried Pinocchio in a beseeching voice。

〃I also am dead。〃

〃Dead?  What are you doing at the window; then?〃

〃I am waiting for the coffin to take me away。〃

After these words; the little girl disappeared and the
window closed without a sound。

〃Oh; Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair;〃 cried
Pinocchio; 〃open; I beg of you。  Take pity on a poor boy who
is being chased by two Assass〃

He did not finish; for two powerful hands grasped him
by the neck and the same two horrible voices growled
threateningly: 〃Now we have you!〃

The Marionette; seeing death dancing before him;
trembled so hard that the joints of his legs rattled and
the coins tinkled under his tongue。

〃Well;〃 the Assassins asked; 〃will you open your
mouth now or not?  Ah!  You do not answer?  Very well;
this time you shall open it。〃

Taking out two long; sharp knives; they struck two
heavy blows on the Marionette's back。

Happily for him; Pinocchio was made of very hard
wood and the knives broke into a thousand pieces。  The
Assassins looked at each other in dismay; holding the
handles of the knives in their hands。

〃I understand;〃 said one of them to the other; 〃there
is nothing left to do now but to hang him。〃

〃To hang him;〃 repeated the other。

They tied Pinocchio's hands behind his shoulders and
slipped the noose around his neck。  Throwing the rope
over the high limb of a giant oak tree; they pulled till
the poor Marionette hung far up in space。

Satisfied with their work; they sat on the grass waiting
for Pinocchio to give his last gasp。  But after three hours
the Marionette's eyes were still open; his mouth still shut
and his legs kicked harder than ever。

Tired of waiting; the Assassins called to him mockingly:
〃Good…by till tomorrow。  When we return in the morning;
we hope you'll be polite enough to let us find you
dead and gone and with your mouth wide open。〃
With these words they went。

A few minutes went by and then a wild wind started
to blow。  As it shrieked and moaned; the poor little
sufferer was blown to and fro like the hammer of a bell。
The rocking made him seasick and the noose; becoming
tighter and tighter; choked him。  Little by little a film
covered his eyes。

Death was creeping nearer and nearer; and the Marionette
still hoped for some good soul to come to his rescue;
but no one appeared。  As he was about to die; he thought
of his poor old father; and hardly conscious of what he
was saying; murmured to himself:

〃Oh; Father; dear Father!  If you were only here!〃

These were his last words。  He closed his eyes; opened
his mouth; stretched out his legs; and hung there; as if
he were dead。



CHAPTER 16

The Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair sends for the poor Marionette;
puts him to bed; and calls three Doctors to tell her if Pinocchio
is dead or alive



If the poor Marionette had dangled there much longer;
all hope would have been lost。  Luckily for him; the
Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair once again looked out of
her window。  Filled with pity at the sight of the poor little
fellow being knocked helplessly about by the wind; she
clapped her hands sharply together three times。

At the signal; a loud whirr of wings in quick flight was
heard and a large Falcon came and settled itself on the
window ledge。

〃What do you command; my charming Fairy?〃 asked the Falcon;
bending his beak in deep reverence (for it must
be known that; after all; the Lovely Maiden with Azure
Hair was none other than a very kind Fairy who had lived;
for more than a thousand years; in the vicinity of the forest)。

〃Do you see that Marionette hanging from the limb
of that giant oak tree?〃

〃I see him。〃

〃Very well。  Fly immediately to him。  With your
strong beak; break the knot which holds him tied;
take him down; and lay him softly on the grass
at the foot of the oak。〃

The Falcon flew away and after two minutes returned;
saying; 〃I have done what you have commanded。〃

〃How did you find him?  Alive or dead?〃

〃At first glance; I thought he was dead。  But I found
I was wrong; for as soon as I loosened the knot around
his neck; he gave a long sigh and mumbled with a faint
voice; ‘Now I feel better!'〃

The Fairy clapped her hands twice。  A magnificent
Poodle appeared; walking on his hind legs just like a
man。  He was dressed in court livery。  A tricorn trimmed
with gold lace was set at a rakish angle over a wig of white
curls that dropped down to his waist。  He wore a jaunty
coat of chocolate…colored velvet; with diamond buttons;
and with two huge pockets which were always filled with
bones; dropped there at dinner by his loving mistress。
Breeches of crimson velvet; silk stockings; and low;
silver…buckled slippers completed his costume。  His tail
was encased in a blue silk covering; which was to protect
it from the rain。

〃Come
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