Part 10 (2/2)
”Hate school and books and teachers, as we all do They are your worst enemies, you know, and they like to o on studying, ill you do to me?”
”You'll pay for it!”
”Really, you a his head
”Hey, Pinocchio,” cried the tallest of the 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,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 torave 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 ed hot and heavy on both sides
Pinocchio, although alone, defended himself bravely With those tooden feet of his, he worked so fast that his opponents kept at a respectful distance Wherever they landed, they left their painful ed at not being able to fight the Marionette at close quarters, they started to throw all kinds of books at hirammars 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 reat numbers Some took a nibble, soe 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 e Crab crawled slowly out of the water and, with a voice that sounded like a tro, you rascals! These battles between boys rarely end well Trouble is sure to coht as well have spoken to the wind Instead of listening to his good advice, Pinocchio turned to hily 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 theused all their books, looked around for new a idle near-by, they soet hold of it
One of the books was a very large volume, an arithmetic text, heavily bound in leather It was Pinocchio's pride A it would make a fine missile, one of the boys took hold of it and threith 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'ht 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 schoolene! 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 ene? If you keep theo hoain? What will happen to o? Where shall I hide? Oh, how much better it would have been, a thousand tione to school! Why did I listen to those boys? They alere 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 ofand ain he called to his little friend, when suddenly he heard heavy steps approaching
He looked up and sao tall Carabineers near hiround?” they asked Pinocchio
”I' 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, as it, then?”
”Not I,” repeated Pinocchio
”And as 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 co with us”
”But I--”
”Come with us!”
”But I a out, the officers called out to several fisher by in a boat and said to them: ”Take care of this little felloho has been hurt Take him home and bind his wounds Tomorroe'll come after hi hio 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 knehat he was about He thought he had a nights treht, he could not utter a single word Yet, in spite of this nuht of passing under the s of his good little Fairy's house What would she say on seeing him between two Carabineers?