Stranica 255 [255]
PINOCCHIO 231
your foot which you had stuck through the
house door? ”
- I remember it all," shouted Pinocchio.
- Tell me quickly, my beautiful little Snail,
where have you left my good Fairy? What is
she doing? has she forgiven me? does she still
remember me? does she still wish me well? is
she far from here? can I go and see her?”
. To all these rapid, breathless questions the
Snail replied in her usual phlegmatic manner:
" My dear Pinocchio, the poor Fairy is
lying in bed at the hospital! ...”
“At the hospital? .. .”
“It is only too true. Overtaken by a thou¬
sand misfortunes she has fallen seriously ill,
and she has not even enough to buy herself a
mouthful of bread."
“Is it really so? . . . Oh, what sorrow you
have given me! Oh, poor Fairy! poor Fairy!
poor Fairy! . . . If I had a million I would run
and carry it to her... but I have only forty
pence ... here they are: I was going to buy a
new coat. Take them, Snail, and carry them
at once to my good Fairy.”
" And your new coat?...
“What matters my new coat? I would
sell even these rags that I have got on to be
able to help her. Go, Snail, and be quick; and
in two days return to this place, for I hope I
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