Oldal 59 [59]
PINOCCHIO 49
“Tt is indeed himself!" screamed Miss
Rose, peeping from behind the scenes.
“Tt is Pinocchio! it is Pinocchio! ” shouted
all the puppets in chorus, leaping from all sides
on to the stage. “It is Pinocchio! It is our
brother Pinocchio! Long live Pinocchio!.. .”
“Pinocchio, come up here to me,” cried
Harlequin, “ and throw yourself into the arms
of your wooden brothers!”
At this affectionate invitation Pinocchio
made a leap from the end of the pit into the
reserved seats; another leap landed him on the
head of the leader of the orchestra, and he then
sprang upon the stage.
The embraces, the hugs, the friendly
pinches, and the demonstrations of warm broth¬
erly affection that Pinocchio received from the
excited crowd of actors and actresses of the
puppet dramatic company beat description.
The sight was doubtless a moving one, but
the public in the pit, finding that the play was
stopped, became impatient, and began to shout:
“ We will have the play—go on with the play!”
It was all breath thrown away. ‘The pup¬
pets, instead of continuing the recital, re¬
doubled their noise and outcries, and putting
Pinocchio on their shoulders they carried him
in triumph before the footlights.
At that moment out came the showman.
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