"It is indeed himself!" screamed Miss Rose, peeping from behind the
scenes.
"It is Pinocchio! it is Pinocchio!" shouted all the puppets in chorus,
leaping from all sides on to the stage. "It is Pinocchio! It is our
brother Pinocchio! Long live Pinocchio!"
"Pinocchio, come up here to me," cried Harlequin, "and throw yourself
into the arms of your wooden brothers!"
At this affectionate invitation Pinocchio made a leap from the end of
the pit into the reserved seats; another leap landed him on the head
of the leader of the orchestra, and then he sprang upon the stage.
The embraces, the hugs, the friendly pinches, and the demonstrations
of warm brotherly affection that Pinocchio received from the excited
crowd of actors and actresses of the puppet dramatic company beat
description.
The sight was doubtless a moving one, but the public in the pit,
finding that the play was stopped, became impatient, and began to
shout "We will have the play--go on with the play!"
It was all breath thrown away. The puppets, instead of continuing the
recital, redoubled their noise and outcries, and putting Pinocchio on
their shoulders they carried him in triumph before the footlights.
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