Stranica 106 [106]
92 PINOCCHIO
“It is a long story,” answered the puppet,
" which I will tell you when I have time. But
do you know that the other night, when you
left me alone at the inn, I met with assassins
OO the TOA, 25°
" Assassins!...QOh, poor Pinocchio! And
what did they want? ”
‘They wanted to rob me of my gold pieces.”
* Villains! ...” said the Fox.
" Infamous villains!’ repeated the Cat.
" But I ran away from them,” continued
the puppet, " and they followed me: and at
last they overtook me and hung me to a branch
of that oak-tree. .. .”
And Pinocchio pointed to the Big Oak,
which was two steps from them.
“Is it possible to hear of anything more
dreadful?” said the Fox. “In what a world
we are condemned to live! Where can respect¬
able people like us find a safe refuge? ”
Whilst they were thus talking Pinocchio
observed that the Cat was lame of her front
right leg, for in fact she had lost her paw with
all its claws. He therefore asked her:
‘What have you done with your paw? ”
The Cat tried to answer but became con¬
fused. ‘Therefore the Fox said immediately:
" My friend is too modest, and that is why
she doesn’t speak. I will answer for her. I