The great battle between Pinocchio and his playmates.One is wounded.Pinocchio is arrested.
Going like the wind,Pinocchio took but a very short time to reach the shore.He glanced all about him,but there was no sign of a Shark.The sea was as smooth as glass.
“Hey there,boys!Where's that Shark?” he asked,turning to his playmates.
“He may have gone for his breakfast,” said one of them,laughing.
“Or,perhaps,he went to bed for a little nap,” 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!”
“Cuck—oo!” said the Marionette,mocking them with his thumb to his nose.
“You'll be sorry!”
“Cuck—oo!”
“We'll whip you soundly!”
“Cuck—oo!”
“You'll go home with a broken nose!”
“Cuck—oo!”
“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 me—and 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 cap—but 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 dust on the road that,after a few moments,it was impossible to see them.
匹諾曹和他的玩伴們發(fā)生了大戰(zhàn)。其中一人受傷。匹諾曹被捕。
匹諾曹一陣風(fēng)似的,不一會(huì)兒就跑到了海邊。他看了看四周,但連鯊魚(yú)的影子都沒(méi)有見(jiàn)到。大海平靜得像一面鏡子。
“喂,伙計(jì)們!那條鯊魚(yú)在哪兒?”他轉(zhuǎn)向玩伴們問(wèn)道。
“它可能吃早飯去了。”其中一個(gè)笑道。
“要不也許是去上床睡覺(jué)了。”另一個(gè)也笑道。
從接下來(lái)的回答和笑聲中,匹諾曹明白那些男孩子跟他開(kāi)了個(gè)玩笑。
“怎么?”他生氣地對(duì)他們說(shuō),“你們?cè)隍_我?”
“噢,是跟你開(kāi)玩笑嘛!”那些小壞蛋大聲說(shuō)道,比先前笑得更開(kāi)心了,同時(shí)他們還在木偶身邊歡快地跳著舞。
“什么?”
“我們不讓你上學(xué),讓你跟我們走。你天天這樣認(rèn)真、這樣用功,不害臊嗎?你從來(lái)不會(huì)享受一點(diǎn)兒快樂(lè)?!?/p>
“我學(xué)我的,跟你們有什么關(guān)系?”
“關(guān)系大了,你不想想,這樣一來(lái),老師會(huì)對(duì)我們有什么看法……”
“為什么?”
“難道你不明白嗎?要是你學(xué)習(xí),而我們不學(xué)習(xí),就會(huì)使我們很丟臉。”
“你們要我做什么?”
“像我們大家一樣討厭學(xué)校、書(shū)本和老師,讓他們成為你的三大敵人,你要知道,他們總是讓人討厭?!?/p>
“要是我繼續(xù)學(xué)習(xí),你們拿我怎么辦?”
“你會(huì)為此付出代價(jià)!”
“你們真好笑?!蹦九紦u了搖頭說(shuō)。
“嘿,匹諾曹,”其中最高的一個(gè)男孩子叫道,“夠了。我們厭煩你自吹自擂,你這個(gè)妄自尊大的人!你也許不怕我們,但記住我們也不怕你!你要知道,你就一個(gè)人,我們有七個(gè)人呢?!?/p>
“七個(gè)罪過(guò)吧?!逼ブZ曹大笑著說(shuō)。
“你們聽(tīng)見(jiàn)了嗎?他在侮辱我們大家,他叫我們七個(gè)罪過(guò)。”
“匹諾曹!你要道歉,否則就要倒霉喲!”
“咕咕!”說(shuō)著,木偶用大拇指指著鼻子,以示嘲笑。
“你會(huì)后悔的!”
“咕咕!”
“我們要狠狠地抽你!”
“咕咕!”
“你會(huì)帶著個(gè)打斷的鼻子回家的!”
“咕咕!”
“我們這就來(lái)揍你一個(gè)咕咕!拿著,留作你的晚飯吧?!逼渲凶顑吹囊粋€(gè)叫道。說(shuō)著,他在木偶頭上狠狠地?fù)v了一拳。
木偶也回敬了他一拳。這是一場(chǎng)混戰(zhàn)開(kāi)始的信號(hào)。過(guò)了一會(huì)兒,雙方就拳來(lái)拳往激戰(zhàn)了起來(lái)。
盡管勢(shì)單力薄,但匹諾曹還是勇敢自衛(wèi)。他那兩只木腳飛快運(yùn)動(dòng),使對(duì)手敬而遠(yuǎn)之。他的兩只腳落到哪兒,哪兒就留下痛苦的痕跡。那些男孩子只能跑開(kāi),嗷嗷直叫。
他們無(wú)法和木偶近距離搏斗,怒不可遏,開(kāi)始向他扔各種各樣的書(shū)。各種閱讀書(shū)、地理書(shū)、歷史書(shū)、語(yǔ)法書(shū)從四面八方紛紛向他飛來(lái)。但是,木偶眼疾手快,那些書(shū)一本本地飛過(guò)他的頭頂,全都落進(jìn)海里不見(jiàn)了蹤影。
那些魚(yú)以為可能是什么好吃的東西,就成群成群游到水面上。有的輕輕咬了一口,有的咬了一大口,但嘗過(guò)一兩頁(yè)后,都紛紛做了個(gè)鬼臉吐出來(lái),好像是說(shuō):“味道真不好!還是我們自己的食物要好得多!”
這時(shí),搏斗越來(lái)越激烈了。聽(tīng)到響聲,一只大螃蟹從水里慢慢地爬出來(lái),用因患感冒而像長(zhǎng)號(hào)般的嗓音大聲叫道:“別打了,你們這些小淘氣!男孩子們這樣打架很少會(huì)有好下場(chǎng)。你們肯定會(huì)闖禍的!”
可憐的螃蟹!它還不如對(duì)風(fēng)說(shuō)話(huà)。匹諾曹沒(méi)有聽(tīng)螃蟹的好言相勸,而是轉(zhuǎn)向它,用它知道的方式粗暴地說(shuō)道:“安靜,丑螃蟹!你最好還是去吃一些海草,治好你的感冒,上床睡覺(jué)吧!你明天感覺(jué)會(huì)好些的!”
與此同時(shí),那些男孩子已經(jīng)扔完了所有的書(shū),回頭去找新的“武器彈藥”??吹侥九嫉臅?shū)包就在不遠(yuǎn)處,他們一下子把它搶到了手。
其中有一本書(shū)很大,是一個(gè)算術(shù)課本,包著厚厚的皮革。那是匹諾曹引以為豪的東西,在所有的書(shū)中,他最喜歡那本。
想著這將是一枚優(yōu)質(zhì)“導(dǎo)彈”,其中一個(gè)男孩子就抓住這本書(shū),用盡全力地朝匹諾曹的頭上扔去。但是,他沒(méi)有打中木偶,卻扔到了另一個(gè)男孩子的頭上。那個(gè)男孩子臉色煞白,有氣無(wú)力地叫道:“噢,媽呀,救命!我要死了!”隨后,就一動(dòng)不動(dòng)地倒在了地上。
看到那個(gè)臉色蒼白的小尸體,那些男孩子膽戰(zhàn)心驚,轉(zhuǎn)身就跑,眨眼就不見(jiàn)了蹤影。
除了匹諾曹之外,所有人都不見(jiàn)了。盡管被所發(fā)生的一切嚇得要死,但匹諾曹還是跑到海邊,把手帕在涼爽的海水里浸了浸,敷在那個(gè)可憐的小同學(xué)的頭上。他一邊痛哭,一邊對(duì)那個(gè)同學(xué)喊道:“尤金!我可憐的尤金??!睜開(kāi)眼睛看看我吧!你為什么不回答呀?你知道,不是我打的你!相信我,我沒(méi)有那樣做。睜開(kāi)眼睛吧,尤金。要是你總是閉著眼睛,我也會(huì)死的。噢,哎呀,我現(xiàn)在怎么回家呀?我怎么再去見(jiàn)我的小媽媽呀?我會(huì)怎么樣呢?我去哪兒呀?我藏在哪兒呀?噢,要是我去上學(xué),那該多好,那要好上千倍呀!我為什么聽(tīng)那些男孩子的話(huà)?他們總是起壞作用。老師曾警告過(guò)我——媽媽也警告過(guò)我——‘謹(jǐn)防壞同伴!’她就是這樣說(shuō)的。可是,我既頑固又驕傲。他們講他們的,我干我的!于是,我就付出了代價(jià)。我從出生就沒(méi)有安生過(guò)一會(huì)兒!哎呀!我會(huì)怎么樣呢?我會(huì)怎么樣呢?”
匹諾曹一直哭哭啼啼,打自己的腦袋。他一遍又一遍地對(duì)這個(gè)小朋友叫喊,直到突然聽(tīng)到沉重的腳步聲越來(lái)越近了。
他抬起頭,看到兩個(gè)高大的憲兵站在他身邊。
“你伸展四肢躺在地上做什么?”他們問(wèn)匹諾曹。
“我在救我這位同學(xué)。”
“他昏倒了嗎?”
“應(yīng)該說(shuō)是這樣?!币粋€(gè)憲兵彎下腰看著尤金說(shuō),“這個(gè)男孩子的太陽(yáng)穴受傷了。是誰(shuí)打傷他的?”
“不是我?!蹦九冀Y(jié)結(jié)巴巴地說(shuō),全身幾乎連一絲力氣也沒(méi)有了。
“不是你,那又是誰(shuí)?”
“不是我?!逼ブZ曹重復(fù)道。
“他是被什么東西打傷的?”
“是被這本書(shū)打傷的?!闭f(shuō)著,木偶拿起算術(shù)課本給那個(gè)憲兵看。
“那這本書(shū)是誰(shuí)的?”
“是我的?!?/p>
“夠了。”
“不用再說(shuō)了!趕快起來(lái),跟我們走。”
“可我——”
“跟我們走!”
“可我是無(wú)辜的。”
“跟我們走!”
臨走前,那兩個(gè)憲兵沖幾個(gè)正坐小船從岸邊經(jīng)過(guò)的漁民叫喊,對(duì)他們說(shuō)道:“照顧好這個(gè)受傷的小家伙,把他送回家,包扎一下傷口。明天我們?cè)賮?lái)找他?!?/p>
隨后,他們抓住匹諾曹,把他夾在中間,粗暴地說(shuō):“走!走快點(diǎn)兒!不然,對(duì)你更糟!”
他們不用說(shuō)第二遍,木偶就沿路飛快地向村里走去。但是,這可憐的家伙簡(jiǎn)直不知道自己是干什么的。他以為自己做了一場(chǎng)噩夢(mèng),他感到惡心,眼睛看什么東西都是重影,兩腿顫抖,舌頭發(fā)干,盡管他十分努力,但他卻說(shuō)不出一個(gè)字。不過(guò),盡管他感覺(jué)麻木,但一想到要從善良的仙女的窗下經(jīng)過(guò),他就痛徹心扉。她看到他夾在兩個(gè)憲兵中間會(huì)說(shuō)什么呢?
他們剛來(lái)到村邊,突然一陣狂風(fēng)刮掉了匹諾曹的帽子,帽子順著街道飄了起來(lái)。
“你們讓我去追自己的帽子好嗎?”木偶對(duì)兩個(gè)憲兵說(shuō)。
“可以,去吧,但要快?!?/p>
木偶走過(guò)去拾起帽子,卻沒(méi)有戴到頭上,而是用牙咬住,然后撒腿向海邊飛奔。
他跑得像一顆出膛的子彈一樣快。
兩個(gè)憲兵眼看很難抓住他,就放出一條大猛犬去追他。這條狗在賽狗中還得過(guò)第一名呢。匹諾曹跑得快,狗跑得更快。聽(tīng)到這么大的嘈雜聲,所有人不是把頭探出窗戶(hù),就是聚在街上,迫不及待地想看到比賽的結(jié)果。但是,他們大失所望,因?yàn)楣泛推ブZ曹一路上揚(yáng)起了漫天灰塵,不大一會(huì)兒就什么也看不見(jiàn)了。
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