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XI FIRE-EATER SNEEZES AND PARDONS PINOCCHIO, WHO THEN SAVES THE LIFE OF HIS FRIEND HARLEQUIN Pp ; HE showman Fire-eater—for that was his name—looked, I must say, a terrible man, especially with his black beard that covered his chest and legs like an apron. On the whole, however, he had not a bad heart. In proof of this, when he saw poor Pinocchio brought before him, struggling and screaming “ I will not die, I will not die!” he was quite moved and felt very sorry for him. He tried to hold out, but after a little he could stand it no longer and he sneezed violently. When he heard the sneeze, Harlequin, who up to that moment had been in the deepest affliction, and bowed down like a weeping willow, became quite cheerful, and leaning towards Pinocchio he whispered to him softly: ‘““Good news, brother. The showman has sneezed, and that is a sign that he pities you, and consequently you are saved.” For you must know that whilst most men, when they feel compassion for somebody, either weep or at least pretend to dry their eyes, Fireeater, on the contrary, whenever he was really overcome, had the habit of sneezing. 52
