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XXXVI PINOCCHIO AT LAST CEASES TO BE A PUPPET AND BECOMES A BOY HILST Pinocchio was swimming \ \ quickly towards the shore he discovered that his father, who was on his shoulders with his legs in the water, was trembling as violently as if the poor man had got an attack of ague fever. Was he trembling from cold or from fear? . . . Perhaps a little from both the one and the other. But Pinocchio, thinking that it was from fear, said to comfort him: “Courage, papa! In a few minutes we shall be safely on shore.” " But where is this blessed shore?” asked the little old man, becoming still more frightened, and screwing up his eyes as tailors do when they wish to thread a needle. "I have been looking in every direction and I see nothing but the sky and the sea.” " But I see the shore as well,” said the puppet. “ You must know that I am like a cat: I see better by night than by day." Poor Pinocchio was making a pretence of being in good spirits, but m reality . .. in reality he was beginning to feel discouraged: his strength was failing, he was gasping and 221
