the adventures of pinocchio(木偶奇遇记)-第25章

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which　glowed　in　the　distance。

As　he　walked　his　feet　splashed　in　a　pool　of　greasy　and
slippery　water；　which　had　such　a　heavy　smell　of　fish　fried
in　oil　that　Pinocchio　thought　it　was　Lent。

The　farther　on　he　went；　the　brighter　and　clearer　grew
the　tiny　light。　　On　and　on　he　walked　till　finally　he　found
I　give　you　a　thousand　guesses；　my　dear　children！　　He
found　a　little　table　set　for　dinner　and　lighted　by　a　candle
stuck　in　a　glass　bottle；　and　near　the　table　sat　a　little　old
man；　white　as　the　snow；　eating　live　fish。　　They　wriggled
so　that；　now　and　again；　one　of　them　slipped　out　of　the　old
man's　mouth　and　escaped　into　the　darkness　under　the　table。

At　this　sight；　the　poor　Marionette　was　filled　with　such
great　and　sudden　happiness　that　he　almost　dropped　in　a
faint。　　He　wanted　to　laugh；　he　wanted　to　cry；　he　wanted
to　say　a　thousand　and　one　things；　but　all　he　could　do　was
to　stand　still；　stuttering　and　stammering　brokenly。　　At
last；　with　a　great　effort；　he　was　able　to　let　out　a　scream　of
joy　and；　opening　wide　his　arms　he　threw　them　around　the
old　man's　neck。

〃Oh；　Father；　dear　Father！　　Have　I　found　you　at　last？
Now　I　shall　never；　never　leave　you　again！〃

〃Are　my　eyes　really　telling　me　the　truth？〃　answered
the　old　man；　rubbing　his　eyes。　　〃Are　you　really　my　own
dear　Pinocchio？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　yes！　　It　is　I！　　Look　at　me！　　And　you　have
forgiven　me；　haven't　you？　　Oh；　my　dear　Father；　how
good　you　are！　　And　to　think　that　IOh；　but　if　you
only　knew　how　many　misfortunes　have　fallen　on　my　head
and　how　many　troubles　I　have　had！　　Just　think　that　on
the　day　you　sold　your　old　coat　to　buy　me　my　A…B…C
book　so　that　I　could　go　to　school；　I　ran　away　to　the
Marionette　Theater　and　the　proprietor　caught　me　and
wanted　to　burn　me　to　cook　his　roast　lamb！　　He　was　the
one　who　gave　me　the　five　gold　pieces　for　you；　but　I　met
the　Fox　and　the　Cat；　who　took　me　to　the　Inn　of　the　Red
Lobster。　　There　they　ate　like　wolves　and　I　left　the　Inn
alone　and　I　met　the　Assassins　in　the　wood。　　I　ran　and　they
ran　after　me；　always　after　me；　till　they　hanged　me　to　the
branch　of　a　giant　oak　tree。　　Then　the　Fairy　of　the　Azure
Hair　sent　the　coach　to　rescue　me　and　the　doctors；　after
looking　at　me；　said；　‘If　he　is　not　dead；　then　he　is　surely
alive；'　and　then　I　told　a　lie　and　my　nose　began　to　grow。
It　grew　and　it　grew；　till　I　couldn't　get　it　through　the
door　of　the　room。　　And　then　I　went　with　the　Fox　and　the
Cat　to　the　Field　of　Wonders　to　bury　the　gold　pieces。　　The
Parrot　laughed　at　me　and；　instead　of　two　thousand　gold
pieces；　I　found　none。　　When　the　Judge　heard　I　had　been
robbed；　he　sent　me　to　jail　to　make　the　thieves　happy；　and
when　I　came　away　I　saw　a　fine　bunch　of　grapes　hanging　on
a　vine。　　The　trap　caught　me　and　the　Farmer　put　a　collar　on
me　and　made　me　a　watchdog。　　He　found　out　I　was　innocent
when　I　caught　the　Weasels　and　he　let　me　go。　　The　Serpent
with　the　tail　that　smoked　started　to　laugh　and　a　vein　in　his
chest　broke　and　so　I　went　back　to　the　Fairy's　house。　　She
was　dead；　and　the　Pigeon；　seeing　me　crying；　said　to　me；　‘I
have　seen　your　father　building　a　boat　to　look　for　you　in
America；'　and　I　said　to　him；　‘Oh；　if　I　only　had　wings！'　and
he　said　to　me；　‘Do　you　want　to　go　to　your　father？'　and　I
said；　‘Perhaps；　but　how？'　and　he　said；　‘Get　on　my　back。　　I'll
take　you　there。'　We　flew　all　night　long；　and　next　morning
the　fishermen　were　looking　toward　the　sea；　crying；　‘There
is　a　poor　little　man　drowning；'　and　I　knew　it　was　you；
because　my　heart　told　me　so　and　I　waved　to　you　from　the　shore〃

〃I　knew　you　also；〃　put　in　Geppetto；　〃and　I　wanted　to
go　to　you；　but　how　could　I？　　The　sea　was　rough　and　the
whitecaps　overturned　the　boat。　　Then　a　Terrible　Shark
came　up　out　of　the　sea　and；　as　soon　as　he　saw　me　in　the
water；　swam　quickly　toward　me；　put　out　his　tongue；　and
swallowed　me　as　easily　as　if　I　had　been　a　chocolate　peppermint。〃

〃And　how　long　have　you　been　shut　away　in　here？〃

〃From　that　day　to　this；　two　long　weary　yearstwo
years；　my　Pinocchio；　which　have　been　like　two　centuries。〃

〃And　how　have　you　lived？　　Where　did　you　find　the
candle？　　And　the　matches　with　which　to　light　itwhere
did　you　get　them？〃

〃You　must　know　that；　in　the　storm　which　swamped　my
boat；　a　large　ship　also　suffered　the　same　fate。　　The　sailors
were　all　saved；　but　the　ship　went　right　to　the　bottom　of
the　sea；　and　the　same　Terrible　Shark　that　swallowed　me；
swallowed　most　of　it。〃

〃What！　　Swallowed　a　ship？〃　asked　Pinocchio　in　astonishment。

〃At　one　gulp。　　The　only　thing　he　spat　out　was　the　main…
mast；　for　it　stuck　in　his　teeth。　　To　my　own　good　luck；　that
ship　was　loaded　with　meat；　preserved　foods；　crackers；
bread；　bottles　of　wine；　raisins；　cheese；　coffee；　sugar；　wax
candles；　and　boxes　of　matches。　　With　all　these　blessings；　I
have　been　able　to　live　happily　on　for　two　whole　years；　but
now　I　am　at　the　very　last　crumbs。　　Today　there　is　nothing
left　in　the　cupboard；　and　this　candle　you　see　here　is　the
last　one　I　have。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃And　then；　my　dear；　we'll　find　ourselves　in　darkness。〃

〃Then；　my　dear　Father；〃　said　Pinocchio；　〃there　is　no
time　to　lose。　　We　must　try　to　escape。〃

〃Escape！　　How？〃

〃We　can　run　out　of　the　Shark's　mouth　and　dive　into　the　sea。〃

〃You　speak　well；　but　I　cannot　swim；　my　dear　Pinocchio。〃

〃Why　should　that　matter？　　You　can　climb　on　my　shoulders
and　I；　who　am　a　fine　swimmer；　will　carry　you　safely
to　the　shore。〃

〃Dreams；　my　boy！〃　answered　Geppetto；　shaking　his
head　and　smiling　sadly。　　〃Do　you　think　it　possible　for　a
Marionette；　a　yard　high；　to　have　the　strength　to　carry　me
on　his　shoulders　and　swim？〃

〃Try　it　and　see！　　And　in　any　case；　if　it　is　written　that　we
must　die；　we　shall　at　least　die　together。〃

Not　adding　another　word；　Pinocchio　took　the　candle　in　his　hand
and　going　ahead　to　light　the　way；　he　said　to　his　father：

〃Follow　me　and　have　no　fear。〃

They　walked　a　long　distance　through　the　stomach　and
the　whole　body　of　the　Shark。　　When　they　reached　the
throat　of　the　monster；　they　stopped　for　a　while　to　wait　for
the　right　moment　in　which　to　make　their　escape。

I　want　you　to　know　that　the　Shark；　being　very　old　and
suffering　from　asthma　and　heart　trouble；　was　obliged　to
sleep　with　his　mouth　open。　　Because　of　this；　Pinocchio　was
able　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　sky　filled　with　stars；　as　he
looked　up　through　the　open　jaws　of　his　new　home。

〃The　time　has　come　for　us　to　escape；〃　he　whispered；
turning　to　his　father。　　〃The　Shark　is　fast　asleep。　　The　sea
is　calm　and　the　night　is　as　bright　as　day。　　Follow　me　closely；
dear　Father；　and　we　shall　soon　be　saved。〃

No　sooner　said　than　done。　　They　climbed　up　the　throat
of　the　monster　till　they　came　to　that　immense　open　mouth。
There　they　had　to　walk　on　tiptoes；　for　if　they　tickled　the
Shark's　long　tongue　he　might　awakenand　where　would
they　be　then？　　The　tongue　was　so　wide　and　so　long　that
it　looked　like　a　country　road。　　The　two　fugitives　were　just
about　to　dive　into　the　sea　when　the　Shark　sneezed　very
suddenly　and；　as　he　sneezed；　he　gave　Pinocchio　and
Geppetto　such　a　jolt　that　they　found　themselves　thrown　on
their　backs　and　dashed　once　more　and　very　unceremoniously
into　the　stomach　of　the　monster。

To　make　matters　worse；　the　candle　went　out　and　father
and　son　were　left　in　the　dark。

〃And　now？〃　asked　Pinocchio　with　a　serious　face。

〃Now　we　are　lost。〃

〃Why　lost？　　Give　me　your　hand；　dear　Father；　and　be
careful　not　to　slip！〃

〃Where　will　you　take　me？〃

〃We　must　try　again。　　Come　with　me　and　don't　be　afraid。〃

With　these　words　Pinocchio　took　his　father　by　the　hand
and；　always　walking　on　tiptoes；　they　climbed　up　the　monster's
throat　for　a　second　time。　　They　then　crossed　the
whole　tongue　and　jumped　over　three　rows　of　teeth。　　But
before　they　took　the　last　great　leap；　the　Marionette　said
to　his　father：

〃Climb　on　my　back　and　hold　on　tightly　to　my　neck。
I'll　take　care　of　everything　else。〃

As　soon　as　Geppetto　was　comfortably　seated　on　his
shoulders；　Pinocchio；　very　sure　of　what　he　was　doing；
dived　into　the　water　and　started　to　swim。　　The　sea　was　like
oil；　the　moon　shone　in　all　splendor；　and　the　Shark　continued
to　sleep　so　soundly　that　not　even　a　cannon　shot　would
have　awakened　him。



CHAPTER　36

Pinocchio　fi