Part 22 (2/2)
To-day that we can say we have made Italy?”
”Now you see Italy The general has made so free ...”
chattered the wretch of a parrot.
”Be quiet, Coccorito; if you keep on with that nonsense I won't give you any sunflower seeds for a week. I'd like to know who trained him to be so impertinent during my absence. If it were not ...”
General Win-the-War started to get up, but a sudden twinge of pain made him cry out and keep still in his chair. After biting his lips for five minutes he began again to suck the mouthpiece of his pipe, and after smoking up the air for another five minutes he said:
”Heh! My dear Duretti, it is a great satisfaction to fight for the greatness of one's country, and if it were not for that cursed Austrian shot which broke my leg I should like ...”
But Coccorito wouldn't let him finish and began to sing in his horrible voice:
”Every day, Pe--pe--pe, When he grew great, The soldiers he ate, Ho, ho, ho!
He broke his leg, Or so he said, 'Tis gout, you know, Won't let him go ...”
[Ill.u.s.tration]
The general groaned and threw with all the strength he had left his big meerschaum pipe at the bird. Coccorito would have come to a sad end if the G.o.d of parrots had not, as he always did, held his protecting hand over his tuft. The pipe grazed his head and fell in the street, while he, with a strong tug at his light bra.s.s chain, flew off and perched himself on the window-sill of the floor above, where he laughed loudly and cried:
”Ha, ha, ha!
The general to the front set out, Felt a blow and down he fell, Because he suffers from the gout.
He says his leg he broke--well, well-- For his King, for Italy He broke his leg--he, he, he, he!”
But Coccorito could now sing in peace and be as insolent as he liked because the general was no longer paying any attention to him, for two excellent reasons. First, because, in spite of his high rank, he was not great enough to reach up to the second-floor window; second, and more important, because at the moment that his pipe fell in the street a carriage stopped in front of the house and out of it got a gentleman, a lady, and ... a small box they were carrying, and it was against this box that the strange projectile fell, making such a clatter that the lady couldn't help uttering a few words of protest.
Win-the-War, who never allowed any one to outdo him in courtesy, found it necessary to explain matters, and with the help of his orderly got up from his chair and dragged himself to the railing of the terrace.
”Pardon me, I beg you.... You are right to protest, but my pipe ...
fell.... I threw it.... In short, it is all the fault of my parrot, who upset me and the pipe. Coccorito, show them at least ... so that the lady and gentleman may not believe ...”
”But don't imagine such a thing, General. Don't bother yourself ... it is no matter.”
”Ha, ha, ha!
The general to the front set out, Felt a blow and down he fell, Because he suffers from the gout.
He says his leg he broke--well, well-- For his King, for Italy He broke his leg--he, he, he, he!”
Coccorito began again.
”Oh, you wretch! Did you hear him?”
<script>