Stranica 124 [124]
108 PINOCCHIO —
“It is late, and I want to go to bed; we
will settle our accounts to-morrow. In the
meanwhile, as the dog who kept guard at night
died to-day, you shall take his place at once.
You shall be my watch-dog.”
And taking a great collar covered with
brass knobs he strapped it tightly round his
throat that he might not be able to draw his
head out of it. A heavy chain attached to the
collar was fastened to the wall.
" If it should rain to-night,” he then said to
him, “ you can go and lie down in the kennel;
the straw that has served as a bed for my poor
dog for the last four years is still there. If
unfortunately robbers should come, remember
to keep your ears pricked and to bark.”
After giving him this last injunction the
man went into the house, shut the door, and
put up the chain.
Poor Pinocchio remained lying on the
ground more dead than alive from the effects
of cold, hunger, and fear. From time to time
he put his hands angrily to the collar that tight¬
ened his throat and said, crying:
“It serves me right!... Decidedly it serves
me right! I was determined to be a vagabond
and a good-for-nothing. . . . I would listen to
bad companions, and that is why I always meet
with misfortunes. If I had been a good little