登陆注册
5190000000014

第14章

Pinocchio, not having listened to the good advice of the Talking Cricket, falls into the hands of the Assassins"Dear, oh, dear! When I come to think of it," said the Marionette to himself, as he once more set out on his journey, "we boys are really very unlucky.Everybody scolds us, everybody gives us advice, everybody warns us.

If we were to allow it, everyone would try to be father and mother to us; everyone, even the Talking Cricket.

Take me, for example.Just because I would not listen to that bothersome Cricket, who knows how many misfortunes may be awaiting me! Assassins indeed! At least I have never believed in them, nor ever will.To speak sensibly, I think assassins have been invented by fathers and mothers to frighten children who want to run away at night.And then, even if I were to meet them on the road, what matter? I'll just run up to them, and say, `Well, signori, what do you want? Remember that you can't fool with me! Run along and mind your business.'

At such a speech, I can almost see those poor fellows running like the wind.But in case they don't run away, I can always run myself..."Pinocchio was not given time to argue any longer, for he thought he heard a slight rustle among the leaves behind him.

He turned to look and behold, there in the darkness stood two big black shadows, wrapped from head to foot in black sacks.The two figures leaped toward him as softly as if they were ghosts.

"Here they come!" Pinocchio said to himself, and, not knowing where to hide the gold pieces, he stuck all four of them under his tongue.

He tried to run away, but hardly had he taken a step, when he felt his arms grasped and heard two horrible, deep voices say to him: "Your money or your life!"On account of the gold pieces in his mouth, Pinocchio could not say a word, so he tried with head and hands and body to show, as best he could, that he was only a poor Marionette without a penny in his pocket.

"Come, come, less nonsense, and out with your money!"cried the two thieves in threatening voices.

Once more, Pinocchio's head and hands said, "I haven't a penny.""Out with that money or you're a dead man," said the taller of the two Assassins.

"Dead man," repeated the other.

"And after having killed you, we will kill your father also.""Your father also!"

"No, no, no, not my Father!" cried Pinocchio, wild with terror;but as he screamed, the gold pieces tinkled together in his mouth.

"Ah, you rascal! So that's the game! You have the money hidden under your tongue.Out with it!"But Pinocchio was as stubborn as ever.

"Are you deaf? Wait, young man, we'll get it from you in a twinkling!"One of them grabbed the Marionette by the nose and the other by the chin, and they pulled him unmercifully from side to side in order to make him open his mouth.

All was of no use.The Marionette's lips might have been nailed together.They would not open.

In desperation the smaller of the two Assassins pulled out a long knife from his pocket, and tried to pry Pinocchio's mouth open with it.

Quick as a flash, the Marionette sank his teeth deep into the Assassin's hand, bit it off and spat it out.Fancy his surprise when he saw that it was not a hand, but a cat's paw.

Encouraged by this first victory, he freed himself from the claws of his assailers and, leaping over the bushes along the road, ran swiftly across the fields.His pursuers were after him at once, like two dogs chasing a hare.

After running seven miles or so, Pinocchio was well-nigh exhausted.Seeing himself lost, he climbed up a giant pine tree and sat there to see what he could see.

The Assassins tried to climb also, but they slipped and fell.

Far from giving up the chase, this only spurred them on.

They gathered a bundle of wood, piled it up at the foot of the pine, and set fire to it.In a twinkling the tree began to sputter and burn like a candle blown by the wind.Pinocchio saw the flames climb higher and higher.Not wishing to end his days as a roasted Marionette, he jumped quickly to the ground and off he went, the Assassins close to him, as before.

Dawn was breaking when, without any warning whatsoever, Pinocchio found his path barred by a deep pool full of water the color of muddy coffee.

What was there to do? With a "One, two, three!"he jumped clear across it.The Assassins jumped also, but not having measured their distance well--splash!!!--they fell right into the middle of the pool.Pinocchio who heard the splash and felt it, too, cried out, laughing, but never stopping in his race:

"A pleasant bath to you, signori!"

He thought they must surely be drowned and turned his head to see.But there were the two somber figures still following him, though their black sacks were drenched and dripping with water.

同类推荐
  • 佛说太子慕魄经

    佛说太子慕魄经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 行次汉上

    行次汉上

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诗地理考

    诗地理考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 东海文集

    东海文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 小江驿送陆侍御归湖

    小江驿送陆侍御归湖

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 继承者到来之首富校草宠上瘾

    继承者到来之首富校草宠上瘾

    她们是十大首富之女,高傲,睿智,温柔,贤惠,呆萌……这些美好的词汇都能在她们找到,谁知中途杀出一群人。愣是把她们逼成傲慢,冷漠,无礼,花痴,炸毛……看雪花飞舞的乔木林里,首富成群的世风中,微雨撒满南北道,校花校草斗智谋。
  • 浮世

    浮世

    风卷雪裹的旗镇,有三条远近文明的巷子:财馆好汉巷、烟馆神仙巷、妓院杏花巷;还有纸灯笼街、野鸡岭、豪华岭、豪华典雅的人头红楼,以及时常有钟声响起的北大庙和圣·尼拉大教堂。山里种罂粟的烟客,深夜出没国境走私的“扒皮老客”,杀人越货绑票抢劫的“胡子”......镇子上来了一个神秘的旅行家,裤裆街口的千年榆一夜间竟旺绿了一大枝,注定了旗镇一段撼魂动魄的兴衰传奇。作品境界内涵悠远,格调品位高雅,犹如一幅“清明上河图”的艺术长卷。
  • 父母平和 孩子快乐

    父母平和 孩子快乐

    本书分为“自我调整”、“培养亲情”、“引导而非控制”三大部分,这既是本书的三大特色和基本理念,也是让父母循序渐进的三大阶梯,即父母首先需要解决自身的问题 ,其次建立起理想的亲子关系,然后才可能采用高效的育儿技巧。这本革命性指南可以帮助父母更好地理解和管理自己的情感,针对学步期到中学阶段的儿童,通过合理的限制、换位思考和清晰的交流,书中提供实用高效实用的应答措辞和教子方案,培养具有自律品质的孩子。
  • 弃女医妃

    弃女医妃

    她是21世纪医学院美女学霸,一次意外穿越成为相府嫡女。她医术超然,天资聪颖,纤纤玉手,翻天覆地。传言她是丑八怪,更是无才无德的废材,可面纱之下又是怎样一个倾国倾城,容姿绝色。一朝穿越,既然占了这身体,那就让她替她护她的亲人,欺她之人一一还回去。两次退婚,她无人敢娶,正落她意。怎料半途杀出一个精明毒舌的妖孽王爷,他冷酷邪魅腹黑霸道,天赋卓绝。传说妖孽王爷年少成名,成年后却变得慵懒纨绔。可又有谁知,他乾坤在握,风华无双。当不期而遇变成命中注定,她扮猪吃虎,他追捕宠溺,强强联手虐渣渣。权谋天下,只为你一人倾心!
  • 福运小厨娘

    福运小厨娘

    穿越成了个荒野胖村姑,不但体型如猪蠢笨如它,还被人冤枉偷汉子抓了现行。一脸懵逼的罗锦表示,她不能白担了这名声,必须的将便宜占足了才行。然后嘛,你们懂的哈~ 减肥成功的某女干了坏事满意的偷笑,打算顺便再拐个夫君回去做长工。俊俏的猎户看了看眼前一天比一天漂亮的女子,不动声色勾唇笑,到底是谁拐谁,此刻下定论,为时过早。(此文已完结)
  • 三国之黄巾传说

    三国之黄巾传说

    这是个有些疯狂的异界三国。《山海经》中的奇异灵兽依旧存在,工匠祖师鲁班发明了可以载人飞行的木鹊。董卓成了上古赣巨人,关羽真的是青龙转世……主角张大山穿越到了黄巾军首领天师张角儿子的身上,正赶上张角身死,黄巾军兵败,张曼成、波才这些著名的黄巾军将领都已经战死,他又该何去何从……
  • 剑客的宿命

    剑客的宿命

    剑客对决,或寒刃藏鞘,或尖锋相对,于数招内定生死。这时,平日的权势、谋略、知识通通无所倚仗,只是双方最原始的、赤裸裸的精、气、神、力、技比拼,方到舍弃一切浑然忘我一刀破出之际,生死立判,这就是剑客的宿命。一个男人被传送到日本电影中,不知前路亦不知归处,以一介剑客的身份,与最顶级的剑客对决,与最底层的无赖争食,浪迹于不同时代,不同剧情,体验残酷与温情。
  • 毒修凶猛

    毒修凶猛

    凉拌七星海棠,香脆可口;清炒断肠钩吻,色香俱全。鹤顶红作酱,失心散为主,谁人三餐可用?这是一个嗑毒证道的故事,纯属虚构,请勿模仿。分身流,请小心食用。
  • 荒野的狐灯

    荒野的狐灯

    重新演绎了袁枚的著名鬼怪笔记小说《子不语》里的精彩故事。一个死人千里赴约,去向同窗好友交代身后之事,执念不舍,一直到化作了一具僵尸,作势扑人!一个青年爱上了一个姑娘,染红了她的长发,却看见圣庙门前的一个赑屃头上猩红耀目,一个仙女思凡,对一个卖鸡的农夫暗生情愫,在城门口拦住他,说:你卖掉鸡会得钱八千四百文,一个书生去深山里寻死,却不期遇见了已死的相好——一个妓女。而旧相好再不肯跟他缱绻,说:我已经是仙女了。这是一场场人与鬼之间的缱绻缠绵。它惊骇诡异,曲折动人,描摹出了一切魑魅魍魉最本色的一面。它让我们突然惊觉,有些鬼怪,竟然如此可爱!《子不语》,又名《新齐谐》,中国历史上最伟人的志怪小说之一。
  • 靠窗

    靠窗

    男孩毕业后意外成为了一个作家,然而在出版书目的过程中得知了妹妹跳楼的死讯。他着手调查妹妹死亡的原因却知道了一个令他更加震撼的真相。。。