Stranica 182 [182]
162 PINOCCHIO
am a rascal. I am always promising to correct
myself, and I never keep my word! . . .”
When he reached the village it was night
and very dark. A storm had come on, and
as the rain was coming down in torrents he
went straight to the Fairy s house, resolved to
knock at the door, and hoping to be let in.
But when he was there his courage failed
him, and instead of knocking he ran away some
twenty paces. He returned to the door a
second time, but could not make up his mind ;
he came back a third time, still he dared not;
the fourth time he laid hold of the knocker and,
trembling, gave a little knock.
He waited and waited. At last, after half
an hour had passed, a window on the top floor
was opened—the house was four stories high—
and Pinocchio saw a Snail with a lighted candle
on her head looking out. She called to him:
‘Who is there at this hour?”
“Is the Fairy at home? ” asked the puppet.
“The Fairy is asleep and must not be
awakened; but who are you? ”
ho lg
“Who is I?”
" Pinocchio.”
“And who is Pinocchio?”
“The puppet who lives in the Fairy’s
house.”