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X XII
PINOCCHIO DISCOVERS THE ROBBERS, AND AS A
REWARD FOR HIS FIDELITY IS SET AT LIBERTY
H two hours when, towards midnight, he
was roused by a whispering of strange
voices that seemed to come from the courtyard.
Putting the point of his nose out of the kennel
he saw four little beasts with dark fur, that
looked like cats, standing consulting together.
But they were not cats; they were polecats—
carnivorous little animals, especially greedy
for eggs and young chickens. One of the pole¬
cats, leaving his companions, came to the open¬
ing of the kennel and said in a low voice:
‘ Good evening, Melampo.”
“My name is not Melampo,” answered the
puppet.
‘“ Qh! then who are you? ”’
“Tam Pinocchio.”
" And what are you doing here?”
“Tam acting as watch-dog.”
" Then where is Melampo? Where is the
old dog who lived in this kennel?”
" He died this morning.”
“Ts hedead? Poor beast! He was so good.
But judging you by your face I should say
that you were also a good dog.”
The polecat of Europe is not the same animal as the American skunk.
110
E had been sleeping heavily for about