Stranica 79 [79]
PINOCCHIO 67
possible to see a hand’s breadth in front of him.
In the adjacent country not a leaf moved. Only
some night-birds flying across the road from
one hedge to the other brushed Pinocchio’s
nose with their wings as they passed, which
caused him so much terror that, springing back,
he shouted: " Who goes there?” and the echo
in the surrounding hills repeated in the dis¬
tance: " Who goes there? Who goes there?
Who goes there? ”
As he was walking along he saw a little
insect shining dimly on the trunk of a tree,
like a night-light in a lamp of transparent china.
“ Who are you?” asked Pinocchio.
“I am the ghost of the Talking-cricket,”
answered the insect in a low voice, so weak and
faint that it seemed to come from the other
world.
. What do you want with me?” said the
puppet.
" I want to give you some advice. Go back,
and take the four sovereigns that you have left
to your poor father, who is weeping and in
despair because you have never returned.”
. By to-morrow my papa will be a gentle¬
man, for these four sovereigns will have be¬
come two thousand.”
" Don't trust, my boy, to those who promise
to make you rich in a day. Usually they are