第 23 节
作者:别克陆上公务舱      更新:2021-02-20 18:01      字数:9322
  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 finally ceases to be
  a Marionette and becomes a boy
  〃My dear Father; we are saved!〃 cried the Marionette。
  〃All we have to do now is to get to the shore; and that is easy。〃
  Without another word; he swam swiftly away in an
  effort to reach land as soon as possible。  All at once he
  noticed that Geppetto was shivering and shaking as if with
  a high fever。
  Was he shivering from fear or from cold?  Who knows?
  Perhaps a little of both。  But Pinocchio; thinking his father
  was frightened; tried to comfort him by saying:
  〃Courage; Father!  In a few moments we shall be safe on land。〃
  〃But where is that blessed shore?〃 asked the little old man;
  more and more worried as he tried to pierce the faraway shadows。
  〃Here I am searching on all sides and I see nothing but sea and sky。〃
  〃I see the shore;〃 said the Marionette。  〃Remember; Father;
  that I am like a cat。  I see better at night than by day。〃
  Poor Pinocchio pretended to be peaceful and contented;
  but he was far from that。  He was beginning to feel
  discouraged; his strength was leaving him; and his breathing
  was becoming more and more labored。  He felt he could
  not go on much longer; and the shore was still far away。
  He swam a few more strokes。  Then he turned to Geppetto
  and cried out weakly:
  〃Help me; Father!  Help; for I am dying!〃
  Father and son were really about to drown when they
  heard a voice like a guitar out of tune call from the sea:
  〃What is the trouble?〃
  〃It is I and my poor father。〃
  〃I know the voice。  You are Pinocchio。〃
  〃Exactly。  And you?〃
  〃I am the Tunny; your companion in the Shark's stomach。〃
  〃And how did you escape?〃
  〃I imitated your example。  You are the one who showed
  me the way and after you went; I followed。〃
  〃Tunny; you arrived at the right moment!  I implore you;
  for the love you bear your children; the little Tunnies;
  to help us; or we are lost!〃
  〃With great pleasure indeed。  Hang onto my tail; both
  of you; and let me lead you。  In a twinkling you will be
  safe on land。〃
  Geppetto and Pinocchio; as you can easily imagine; did not
  refuse the invitation; indeed; instead of hanging onto
  the tail; they thought it better to climb on the Tunny's back。
  〃Are we too heavy?〃 asked Pinocchio。
  〃Heavy?  Not in the least。  You are as light as sea…shells;〃
  answered the Tunny; who was as large as a two…year…old horse。
  As soon as they reached the shore; Pinocchio was the
  first to jump to the ground to help his old father。
  Then he turned to the fish and said to him:
  〃Dear friend; you have saved my father; and I have not
  enough words with which to thank you!  Allow me to
  embrace you as a sign of my eternal gratitude。〃
  The Tunny stuck his nose out of the water and Pinocchio
  knelt on the sand and kissed him most affectionately
  on his cheek。  At this warm greeting; the poor Tunny;
  who was not used to such tenderness; wept like a child。
  He felt so embarrassed and ashamed that he turned quickly;
  plunged into the sea; and disappeared。
  In the meantime day had dawned。
  Pinocchio offered his arm to Geppetto; who was so
  weak he could hardly stand; and said to him:
  〃Lean on my arm; dear Father; and let us go。  We will
  walk very; very slowly; and if we feel tired we can rest
  by the wayside。〃
  〃And where are we going?〃 asked Geppetto。
  〃To look for a house or a hut; where they will be kind enough
  to give us a bite of bread and a bit of straw to sleep on。〃
  They had not taken a hundred steps when they saw two
  rough…looking individuals sitting on a stone begging for alms。
  It was the Fox and the Cat; but one could hardly recognize
  them; they looked so miserable。  The Cat; after pretending
  to be blind for so many years had really lost the sight
  of both eyes。  And the Fox; old; thin; and almost hairless;
  had even lost his tail。  That sly thief had fallen into
  deepest poverty; and one day he had been forced to sell his
  beautiful tail for a bite to eat。
  〃Oh; Pinocchio;〃 he cried in a tearful voice。  〃Give us
  some alms; we beg of you!  We are old; tired; and sick。〃
  〃Sick!〃 repeated the Cat。
  〃Addio; false friends!〃 answered the Marionette。
  〃You cheated me once; but you will never catch me again。〃
  〃Believe us!  Today we are truly poor and starving。〃
  〃Starving!〃 repeated the Cat。
  〃If you are poor; you deserve it!  Remember the old
  proverb which says:  ‘Stolen money never bears fruit。'
  Addio; false friends。〃
  〃Have mercy on us!〃
  〃On us。〃
  〃Addio; false friends。  Remember the old proverb which says:
  ‘Bad wheat always makes poor bread!'〃
  〃Do not abandon us。〃
  〃Abandon us;〃 repeated the Cat。
  〃Addio; false friends。  Remember the old proverb:
  ‘Whoever steals his neighbor's shirt; usually dies without
  his own。'〃
  Waving good…by to them; Pinocchio and Geppetto
  calmly went on their way。  After a few more steps;
  they saw; at the end of a long road near a clump of trees;
  a tiny cottage built of straw。
  〃Someone must live in that little hut;〃 said Pinocchio。
  〃Let us see for ourselves。〃
  They went and knocked at the door。
  〃Who is it?〃 said a little voice from within。
  〃A poor father and a poorer son; without food and with
  no roof to cover them;〃 answered the Marionette。
  〃Turn the key and the door will open;〃 said the same
  little voice。
  Pinocchio turned the key and the door opened。  As soon
  as they went in; they looked here and there and everywhere
  but saw no one。
  〃Ohho; where is the owner of the hut?〃 cried Pinocchio;
  very much surprised。
  〃Here I am; up here!〃
  Father and son looked up to the ceiling; and there on a
  beam sat the Talking Cricket。
  〃Oh; my dear Cricket;〃 said Pinocchio; bowing politely。
  〃Oh; now you call me your dear Cricket; but do you
  remember when you threw your hammer at me to kill me?〃
  〃You are right; dear Cricket。  Throw a hammer at me now。
  I deserve it!  But spare my poor old father。〃
  〃I am going to spare both the father and the son。  I have
  only wanted to remind you of the trick you long ago
  played upon me; to teach you that in this world of ours
  we must be kind and courteous to others; if we want to
  find kindness and courtesy in our own days of trouble。〃
  〃You are right; little Cricket; you are more than right;
  and I shall remember the lesson you have taught me。  But
  will you tell how you succeeded in buying this pretty
  little cottage?〃
  〃This cottage was given to me yesterday by a little Goat
  with blue hair。〃
  〃And where did the Goat go?〃 asked Pinocchio。
  〃I don't know。〃
  〃And when will she come back?〃
  〃She will never come back。  Yesterday she went away
  bleating sadly; and it seemed to me she said:  ‘Poor Pinocchio;
  I shall never see him again。 。 。the Shark must have
  eaten him by this time。'〃
  〃Were those her real words?  Then it was sheit was
  my dear little Fairy;〃 cried out Pinocchio; sobbing bitterly。
  After he had cried a long time; he wiped his eyes and
  then he made a bed of straw for old Geppetto。  He laid him
  on it and said to the Talking Cricket:
  〃Tell me; little Cricket; where shall I find a glass of milk
  for my po