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24 PINOCCHIO
And the others added maliciously:
‘““Geppetto seems a good man! but with
boys he is a regular tyrant! If that poor pup¬
pet is left in his hands he is quite capable of
tearing him in pieces! .. .”
It ended in so much being said and done
that the carabineer at last set Pinocchio at
liberty and conducted Geppetto to prison. The
poor man, not being ready with words to defend
himself, cried like a calf, and as he was being
led away to prison sobbed out:
“Wretched boy! And to think how I have
laboured to make him a well-conducted puppet!
But it serves me right! I should have thought
of it sooner! . . .”
What happened afterwards is a story that
really is past all belief, but I will relate it to
you 1n the following chapters.