"
The poor puppet, beside himself with joy, thanked the Fox and the Cat
a thousand times, and promised them a beautiful present.
"We wish for no presents," answered the two rascals. "It is enough for
us to have taught you the way to enrich yourself without undergoing
hard work, and we are as happy as folk out for a holiday."
Thus saying they took leave of Pinocchio, and wishing him a good
harvest went about their business.
X
PINOCCHIO IS ROBBED
The puppet returned to the town and began to count the minutes one by
one; and when he thought it must be time he took the road leading to
the Field of Miracles.
And as he walked along with hurried steps his heart beat fast, tic,
tac, tic, tac, like a drawing-room clock when it is really going well.
Meanwhile he was thinking to himself:
"And if instead of a thousand gold pieces, I was to find on the
branches of the tree two thousand?... And instead of two thousand
supposing I found five thousand? and instead of five thousand that
I found a hundred thousand? Oh! what a fine gentleman I should then
become!... I would have a beautiful palace, a thousand little wooden
horses and a thousand stables to amuse myself with, a cellar full of
currant-wine, and sweet syrups, and a library quite full of candies,
tarts, plum-cakes, macaroons, and biscuits with cream.
Pages:
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560