the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第12章

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and　so　long　that　at　last　he　burst　an　artery　and　died　on　the　spot。

Pinocchio　freed　himself　from　his　awkward　position　and
once　more　began　to　run　in　order　to　reach　the　Fairy's
house　before　dark。　　As　he　went；　the　pangs　of　hunger　grew
so　strong　that；　unable　to　withstand　them；　he　jumped　into
a　field　to　pick　a　few　grapes　that　tempted　him。　　Woe　to　him！

No　sooner　had　he　reached　the　grapevine　thancrack！
went　his　legs。

The　poor　Marionette　was　caught　in　a　trap　set　there　by
a　Farmer　for　some　Weasels　which　came　every　night　to
steal　his　chickens。



CHAPTER　21

Pinocchio　is　caught　by　a　Farmer；
who　uses　him　as　a　watchdog　for　his　chicken　coop



Pinocchio；　as　you　may　well　imagine；　began　to　scream
and　weep　and　beg；　but　all　was　of　no　use；　for　no　houses
were　to　be　seen　and　not　a　soul　passed　by　on　the　road。

Night　came　on。

A　little　because　of　the　sharp　pain　in　his　legs；　a　little
because　of　fright　at　finding　himself　alone　in　the　darkness
of　the　field；　the　Marionette　was　about　to　faint；　when　he
saw　a　tiny　Glowworm　flickering　by。　　He　called　to　her
and　said：

〃Dear　little　Glowworm；　will　you　set　me　free？〃

〃Poor　little　fellow！〃　replied　the　Glowworm；　stopping
to　look　at　him　with　pity。　　〃How　came　you　to　be　caught
in　this　trap？〃

〃I　stepped　into　this　lonely　field　to　take　a　few　grapes　and〃

〃Are　the　grapes　yours？〃

〃No。〃

〃Who　has　taught　you　to　take　things　that　do　not　belong　to　you？〃

〃I　was　hungry。〃

〃Hunger；　my　boy；　is　no　reason　for　taking　something
which　belongs　to　another。〃

〃It's　true；　it's　true！〃　cried　Pinocchio　in　tears。　　〃I　won't
do　it　again。〃

Just　then；　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by
approaching　footsteps。　　It　was　the　owner　of　the　field；
who　was　coming　on　tiptoes　to　see　if；　by　chance；　he　had　caught
the　Weasels　which　had　been　eating　his　chickens。

Great　was　his　surprise　when；　on　holding　up　his　lantern；
he　saw　that；　instead　of　a　Weasel；　he　had　caught　a　boy！

〃Ah；　you　little　thief！〃　said　the　Farmer　in　an　angry
voice。　　〃So　you　are　the　one　who　steals　my　chickens！〃

〃Not　I！　　No；　no！〃　cried　Pinocchio；　sobbing　bitterly。
〃I　came　here　only　to　take　a　very　few　grapes。〃

〃He　who　steals　grapes　may　very　easily　steal　chickens　also。
Take　my　word　for　it；　I'll　give　you　a　lesson　that　you'll　remember
for　a　long　while。〃

He　opened　the　trap；　grabbed　the　Marionette　by　the
collar；　and　carried　him　to　the　house　as　if　he　were　a　puppy。
When　he　reached　the　yard　in　front　of　the　house；　he
flung　him　to　the　ground；　put　a　foot　on　his　neck；　and　said
to　him　roughly：　　〃It　is　late　now　and　it's　time　for　bed。
Tomorrow　we'll　settle　matters。　　In　the　meantime；　since　my
watchdog　died　today；　you　may　take　his　place　and　guard
my　henhouse。〃

No　sooner　said　than　done。　　He　slipped　a　dog　collar
around　Pinocchio's　neck　and　tightened　it　so　that　it　would
not　come　off。　　A　long　iron　chain　was　tied　to　the　collar。
The　other　end　of　the　chain　was　nailed　to　the　wall。

〃If　tonight　it　should　happen　to　rain；〃　said　the　Farmer；
〃you　can　sleep　in　that　little　doghouse　near…by；　where　you
will　find　plenty　of　straw　for　a　soft　bed。　　It　has　been
Melampo's　bed　for　three　years；　and　it　will　be　good　enough
for　you。　　And　if；　by　any　chance；　any　thieves　should　come；
be　sure　to　bark！〃

After　this　last　warning；　the　Farmer　went　into　the　house
and　closed　the　door　and　barred　it。

Poor　Pinocchio　huddled　close　to　the　doghouse　more
dead　than　alive　from　cold；　hunger；　and　fright。　　Now　and
again　he　pulled　and　tugged　at　the　collar　which　nearly
choked　him　and　cried　out　in　a　weak　voice：

〃I　deserve　it！　　Yes；　I　deserve　it！　　I　have　been　nothing
but　a　truant　and　a　vagabond。　　I　have　never　obeyed　anyone
and　I　have　always　done　as　I　pleased。　　If　I　were　only　like
so　many　others　and　had　studied　and　worked　and　stayed
with　my　poor　old　father；　I　should　not　find　myself　here　now；
in　this　field　and　in　the　darkness；　taking　the　place　of　a
farmer's　watchdog。　　Oh；　if　I　could　start　all　over　again！
But　what　is　done　can't　be　undone；　and　I　must　be　patient！〃

After　this　little　sermon　to　himself；　which　came　from　the　very
depths　of　his　heart；　Pinocchio　went　into　the　doghouse　and　fell　asleep。



CHAPTER　22

Pinocchio　discovers　the　thieves　and；
as　a　reward　for　faithfulness；　he　regains　his　liberty



Even　though　a　boy　may　be　very　unhappy；　he　very　seldom
loses　sleep　over　his　worries。　　The　Marionette；　being　no
exception　to　this　rule；　slept　on　peacefully　for　a　few　hours
till　well　along　toward　midnight；　when　he　was　awakened
by　strange　whisperings　and　stealthy　sounds　coming　from
the　yard。　　He　stuck　his　nose　out　of　the　doghouse　and　saw
four　slender；　hairy　animals。　　They　were　Weasels；　small
animals　very　fond　of　both　eggs　and　chickens。　　One　of
them　left　her　companions　and；　going　to　the　door　of　the
doghouse；　said　in　a　sweet　voice：

〃Good　evening；　Melampo。〃

〃My　name　is　not　Melampo；〃　answered　Pinocchio。

〃Who　are　you；　then？〃

〃I　am　Pinocchio。〃

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃I'm　the　watchdog。〃

〃But　where　is　Melampo？　　Where　is　the　old　dog
who　used　to　live　in　this　house？〃

〃He　died　this　morning。〃

〃Died？　　Poor　beast！　　He　was　so　good！　　Still；　judging
by　your　face；　I　think　you；　too；　are　a　good…natured　dog。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I　am　not　a　dog！〃

〃What　are　you；　then？〃

〃I　am　a　Marionette。〃

〃Are　you　taking　the　place　of　the　watchdog？〃

〃I'm　sorry　to　say　that　I　am。　　I'm　being　punished。〃

〃Well；　I　shall　make　the　same　terms　with　you　that　we　had　with
the　dead　Melampo。　　I　am　sure　you　will　be　glad　to　hear　them。〃

〃And　what　are　the　terms？〃

〃This　is　our　plan：　　We'll　come　once　in　a　while；　as　in
the　past；　to　pay　a　visit　to　this　henhouse；　and　we'll　take
away　eight　chickens。　　Of　these；　seven　are　for　us；　and　one
for　you；　provided；　of　course；　that　you　will　make　believe
you　are　sleeping　and　will　not　bark　for　the　Farmer。〃

〃Did　Melampo　really　do　that？〃　asked　Pinocchio。

〃Indeed　he　did；　and　because　of　that　we　were　the　best　of
friends。　　Sleep　away　peacefully；　and　remember　that　before
we　go　we　shall　leave　you　a　nice　fat　chicken　all　ready
for　your　breakfast　in　the　morning。　　Is　that　understood？〃

〃Even　too　well；〃　answered　Pinocchio。　　And　shaking
his　head　in　a　threatening　manner；　he　seemed　to　say；　〃We'll
talk　this　over　in　a　few　minutes；　my　friends。〃

As　soon　as　the　four　Weasels　had　talked　things　over；
they　went　straight　to　the　chicken　coop　which　stood　close
to　the　doghouse。　　Digging　busily　with　teeth　and　claws；
they　opened　the　little　door　and　slipped　in。　　But　they　were
no　sooner　in　than　they　heard　the　door　close　with　a　sharp　bang。

The　one　who　had　done　the　trick　was　Pinocchio；　who；
not　satisfied　with　that；　dragged　a　heavy　stone　in　front
of　it。　　That　done；　he　started　to　bark。　　And　he　barked　as
if　he　were　a　real　watchdog：　　〃Bow；　wow；　wow！　　Bow；　wow！〃

The　Farmer　heard　the　loud　barks　and　jumped　out　of　bed。
Taking　his　gun；　he　leaped　to　the　window　and　shouted：
〃What's　the　matter？〃

〃The　thieves　are　here；〃　answered　Pinocchio。

〃Where　are　they？〃

〃In　the　chicken　coop。〃

〃I'll　come　down　in　a　second。〃

And；　in　fact；　he　was　down　in　the　yard　in　a　twinkling
and　running　toward　the　chicken　coop。

He　opened　the　door；　pulled　out　the　Weasels　one　by　one；　and；
after　tying　them　in　a　bag；　said　to　them　in　a　happy　voice：
〃You're　in　my　hands　at　last！　　I　could　punish　you　now；
but　I'll　wait！　　In　the　morning　you　may　come　with　me
to　the　inn　and　there　you'll　make　a　fine　dinner　for　some
hungry　mortal。　　It　is　really　too　great　an　honor　for　you；
one　you　do　not　deserve；　but；　as　you　see；　I　am　really　a
very　kind　and　generous　man　and　I　am　going　to　do　this
for　you！〃

Then　he　went　up　to　Pinocchio　and　began　to　pet　and　caress　him。

〃How　did　you　ever　find　them　out　so　quickly？　　And　to　think
that　Melampo；　my　faithful　Melampo；　never　saw　them
in　all　these　years！〃

The　Marionette　could　have　told；　then　and　there；　all　he
knew　about　the　shameful　contract　between　the　dog　and
the　Weasels；　but　thinking　of　the　dead　dog；　he　said　to
himself：　　〃Melampo　is　dead。　　What　is　the　use　of　accusing　him？
The　dead　are　gone　and　they　cannot　defend　themselves。
The　best　thing　to　do　is　to　leave　them　in　peace！〃

〃Were　you　awake　or　asleep　when　they　came？〃　continued　the　Farmer。

〃I　was　asleep；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　〃but　they
awakened　me　with　t