Stranica 33 [33]
PINOCCHIO 23
the carabineer barricading the whole street, he
endeavoured to take him by surprise and to
pass between his legs. But he failed signally.
The carabineer without disturbing himself
in the least caught him cleverly by the nose—
it was an immense nose of ridiculous propor¬
tions that seemed made on purpose to be laid
hold of by carabineers—and consigned him to
Geppetto. Wishing to punish him, Geppetto
intended to pull his ears at once. But imagine
his feelings when he could not succeed in find¬
ing them. And do you know the reason? It
was that, in his hurry to model him, he had
forgotten to make them.
He then took him by the collar, and as he
was leading him away he said to him, shaking
his head threateningly:
“We will go home at once, and as soon as
we arrive we will regulate our accounts, never
doubt it.”
At this announcement Pinocchio threw him¬
self on the ground and would not take another
step. In the meanwhile a crowd of idlers and
inquisitive people began to assemble and to
make a ring round them.
Some of them said one thing, some another.
“Poor puppet! ” said several, “ he is right
not to wish to return home! Who knows how
Geppetto, that bad old man, will beat him!...”