the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第16章

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said　another；　laughing　also。

From　the　answers　and　the　laughter　which　followed　them；
Pinocchio　understood　that　the　boys　had　played　a　trick　on　him。

〃What　now？〃　he　said　angrily　to　them。　　〃What's　the　joke？〃

〃Oh；　the　joke's　on　you！〃　cried　his　tormentors；　laughing
more　heartily　than　ever；　and　dancing　gayly　around　the　Marionette。

〃And　that　is？〃

〃That　we　have　made　you　stay　out　of　school　to　come
with　us。　　Aren't　you　ashamed　of　being　such　a　goody…goody；
and　of　studying　so　hard？　　You　never　have　a　bit　of　enjoyment。〃

〃And　what　is　it　to　you；　if　I　do　study？〃

〃What　does　the　teacher　think　of　us；　you　mean？〃

〃Why？〃

〃Don't　you　see？　　If　you　study　and　we　don't；　we　pay　for
it。　　After　all；　it's　only　fair　to　look　out　for　ourselves。〃

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃

〃Hate　school　and　books　and　teachers；　as　we　all　do。　　They
are　your　worst　enemies；　you　know；　and　they　like　to　make
you　as　unhappy　as　they　can。〃

〃And　if　I　go　on　studying；　what　will　you　do　to　me？〃

〃You'll　pay　for　it！〃

〃Really；　you　amuse　me；〃　answered　the　Marionette；　nodding　his　head。

〃Hey；　Pinocchio；〃　cried　the　tallest　of　them　all；　〃that　will　do。
We　are　tired　of　hearing　you　bragging　about　yourself；
you　little　turkey　cock！　　You　may　not　be　afraid　of　us；
but　remember　we　are　not　afraid　of　you；　either！
You　are　alone；　you　know；　and　we　are　seven。〃

〃Like　the　seven　sins；〃　said　Pinocchio；　still　laughing。

〃Did　you　hear　that？　　He　has　insulted　us　all。　　He　has　called　us　sins。〃

〃Pinocchio；　apologize　for　that；　or　look　out！〃

〃Cuckoo！〃　said　the　Marionette；　mocking　them　with　his　thumb　to　his　nose。

〃You'll　be　sorry！〃

〃Cuckoo！〃

〃We'll　whip　you　soundly！〃

〃Cuckoo！〃

〃You'll　go　home　with　a　broken　nose！〃

〃Cuckoo！〃

〃Very　well；　then！　　Take　that；　and　keep　it　for　your　supper；〃
called　out　the　boldest　of　his　tormentors。

And　with　the　words；　he　gave　Pinocchio　a　terrible　blow　on　the　head。

Pinocchio　answered　with　another　blow；　and　that　was
the　signal　for　the　beginning　of　the　fray。　　In　a　few　moments；
the　fight　raged　hot　and　heavy　on　both　sides。

Pinocchio；　although　alone；　defended　himself　bravely。
With　those　two　wooden　feet　of　his；　he　worked　so　fast
that　his　opponents　kept　at　a　respectful　distance。
Wherever　they　landed；　they　left　their　painful　mark
and　the　boys　could　only　run　away　and　howl。

Enraged　at　not　being　able　to　fight　the　Marionette　at　close
quarters；　they　started　to　throw　all　kinds　of　books　at　him。
Readers；　geographies；　histories；　grammars　flew　in　all　directions。
But　Pinocchio　was　keen　of　eye　and　swift　of　movement；　and　the　books
only　passed　over　his　head；　landed　in　the　sea；　and　disappeared。

The　fish；　thinking　they　might　be　good　to　eat；　came　to
the　top　of　the　water　in　great　numbers。　　Some　took　a　nibble；
some　took　a　bite；　but　no　sooner　had　they　tasted　a　page　or　two；
than　they　spat　them　out　with　a　wry　face；　as　if　to　say：

〃What　a　horrid　taste！　　Our　own　food　is　so　much　better！〃

Meanwhile；　the　battle　waxed　more　and　more　furious。
At　the　noise；　a　large　Crab　crawled　slowly　out　of　the　water
and；　with　a　voice　that　sounded　like　a　trombone　suffering
from　a　cold；　he　cried　out：

〃Stop　fighting；　you　rascals！　　These　battles　between　boys
rarely　end　well。　　Trouble　is　sure　to　come　to　you！〃

Poor　Crab！　　He　might　as　well　have　spoken　to　the　wind。
Instead　of　listening　to　his　good　advice；　Pinocchio　turned
to　him　and　said　as　roughly　as　he　knew　how：

〃Keep　quiet；　ugly　Gab！　　It　would　be　better　for　you　to
chew　a　few　cough　drops　to　get　rid　of　that　cold　you　have。
Go　to　bed　and　sleep！　　You　will　feel　better　in　the　morning。〃

In　the　meantime；　the　boys；　having　used　all　their　books；
looked　around　for　new　ammunition。　　Seeing　Pinocchio's
bundle　lying　idle　near…by；　they　somehow　managed　to　get
hold　of　it。

One　of　the　books　was　a　very　large　volume；　an　arithmetic　text；
heavily　bound　in　leather。　　It　was　Pinocchio's　pride。
Among　all　his　books；　he　liked　that　one　the　best。

Thinking　it　would　make　a　fine　missile；　one　of　the　boys　took
hold　of　it　and　threw　it　with　all　his　strength　at　Pinocchio's　head。
But　instead　of　hitting　the　Marionette；　the　book　struck　one　of　the
other　boys；　who；　as　pale　as　a　ghost；　cried　out　faintly：
〃Oh；　Mother；　help！　　I'm　dying！〃　and　fell　senseless　to　the　ground。

At　the　sight　of　that　pale　little　corpse；　the　boys　were　so
frightened　that　they　turned　tail　and　ran。　　In　a　few　moments；
all　had　disappeared。

All　except　Pinocchio。　　Although　scared　to　death　by　the
horror　of　what　had　been　done；　he　ran　to　the　sea　and　soaked
his　handkerchief　in　the　cool　water　and　with　it　bathed　the
head　of　his　poor　little　schoolmate。　　Sobbing　bitterly；　he
called　to　him；　saying：

〃Eugene！　　My　poor　Eugene！　　Open　your　eyes　and　look　at　me！
Why　don't　you　answer？　　I　was　not　the　one　who　hit　you；
you　know。　　Believe　me；　I　didn't　do　it。　　Open　your　eyes；
Eugene？　　If　you　keep　them　shut；　I'll　die；　too。　　Oh；　dear　me；
how　shall　I　ever　go　home　now？　　How　shall　I　ever　look　at
my　little　mother　again？　　What　will　happen　to　me？　　Where
shall　I　go？　　Where　shall　I　hide？　　Oh；　how　much　better　it
would　have　been；　a　thousand　times　better；　if　only　I　had
gone　to　school！　　Why　did　I　listen　to　those　boys？　　They
always　were　a　bad　influence！　　And　to　think　that　the　teacher
had　told　meand　my　mother；　too！‘Beware　of　bad
company！'　That's　what　she　said。　　But　I'm　stubborn　and
proud。　　I　listen；　but　always　I　do　as　I　wish。　　And　then　I　pay。
I've　never　had　a　moment's　peace　since　I've　been　born！　Oh；
dear！　What　will　become　of　me？　　What　will　become　of　me？〃

Pinocchio　went　on　crying　and　moaning　and　beating　his
head。　　Again　and　again　he　called　to　his　little　friend；　when
suddenly　he　heard　heavy　steps　approaching。

He　looked　up　and　saw　two　tall　Carabineers　near　him。

〃What　are　you　doing　stretched　out　on　the　ground？〃
they　asked　Pinocchio。

〃I'm　helping　this　schoolfellow　of　mine。〃

〃Has　he　fainted？〃

〃I　should　say　so；〃　said　one　of　the　Carabineers；　bending
to　look　at　Eugene。　　〃This　boy　has　been　wounded　on　the
temple。　　Who　has　hurt　him？〃

〃Not　I；〃　stammered　the　Marionette；　who　had　hardly
a　breath　left　in　his　whole　body。

〃If　it　wasn't　you；　who　was　it；　then？〃

〃Not　I；〃　repeated　Pinocchio。

〃And　with　what　was　he　wounded？〃

〃With　this　book；〃　and　the　Marionette　picked　up　the
arithmetic　text　to　show　it　to　the　officer。

〃And　whose　book　is　this？〃

〃Mine。〃

〃Enough。〃

〃Not　another　word！　　Get　up　as　quickly　as　you　can　and　come　along　with　us。〃

〃But　I〃

〃Come　with　us！〃

〃But　I　am　innocent。〃

〃Come　with　us！〃

Before　starting　out；　the　officers　called　out　to　several
fishermen　passing　by　in　a　boat　and　said　to　them：

〃Take　care　of　this　little　fellow　who　has　been　hurt。
Take　him　home　and　bind　his　wounds。　　Tomorrow　we'll　come　after　him。〃

They　then　took　hold　of　Pinocchio　and；　putting　him
between　them；　said　to　him　in　a　rough　voice：　　〃March！
And　go　quickly；　or　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you！〃

They　did　not　have　to　repeat　their　words。　　The　Marionette
walked　swiftly　along　the　road　to　the　village。　　But　the
poor　fellow　hardly　knew　what　he　was　about。　　He　thought
he　had　a　nightmare。　　He　felt　ill。　　His　eyes　saw　everything
double；　his　legs　trembled；　his　tongue　was　dry；　and；　try　as
he　might；　he　could　not　utter　a　single　word。　　Yet；　in　spite
of　this　numbness　of　feeling；　he　suffered　keenly　at　the
thought　of　passing　under　the　windows　of　his　good　little
Fairy's　house。　　What　would　she　say　on　seeing　him　between
two　Carabineers？

They　had　just　reached　the　village；　when　a　sudden　gust
of　wind　blew　off　Pinocchio's　cap　and　made　it　go　sailing　far
down　the　street。

〃Would　you　allow　me；〃　the　Marionette　asked　the
Carabineers；　〃to　run　after　my　cap？〃

〃Very　well；　go；　but　hurry。〃

The　Marionette　went；　picked　up　his　capbut　instead
of　putting　it　on　his　head；　he　stuck　it　between　his　teeth
and　then　raced　toward　the　sea。

He　went　like　a　bullet　out　of　a　gun。

The　Carabineers；　judging　that　it　would　be　very　difficult
to　catch　him；　sent　a　large　Mastiff　after　him；　one　that　had
won　first　prize　in　all　the　dog　races。　　Pinocchio　ran　fast　and
the　Dog　ran　faster。　　At　so　much　noise；　the　people　hung　out
of　the　windows　or　gathered　in　the　street；　anxious　to　see
the　end　of　the　contest。　　But　they　were　disappointed；
for　the　Dog　and　Pinocchio　raised　so　much