第 20 节
作者:别克陆上公务舱      更新:2021-02-20 18:01      字数:9322
  At first; the Little Man petted and caressed them and
  smoothed down their hairy coats。  Then he took out a
  currycomb and worked over them till they shone like glass。
  Satisfied with the looks of the two little animals;
  he bridled them and took them to a market place far away
  from the Land of Toys; in the hope of selling them at a
  good price。
  In fact; he did not have to wait very long for an offer。
  Lamp…Wick was bought by a farmer whose donkey had died
  the day before。  Pinocchio went to the owner of a circus;
  who wanted to teach him to do tricks for his audiences。
  And now do you understand what the Little Man's
  profession was?  This horrid little being; whose face shone
  with kindness; went about the world looking for boys。
  Lazy boys; boys who hated books; boys who wanted to
  run away from home; boys who were tired of schoolall
  these were his joy and his fortune。  He took them with
  him to the Land of Toys and let them enjoy themselves
  to their heart's content。  When; after months of all play
  and no work; they became little donkeys; he sold them on
  the market place。  In a few years; he had become a millionaire。
  What happened to Lamp…Wick?  My dear children; I do not know。
  Pinocchio; I can tell you; met with great hardships
  even from the first day。
  After putting him in a stable; his new master filled his
  manger with straw; but Pinocchio; after tasting a mouthful;
  spat it out。
  Then the man filled the manger with hay。
  But Pinocchio did not like that any better。
  〃Ah; you don't like hay either?〃 he cried angrily。
  〃Wait; my pretty Donkey; I'll teach you not to be so particular。〃
  Without more ado; he took a whip and gave the Donkey
  a hearty blow across the legs。
  Pinocchio screamed with pain and as he screamed he brayed:
  〃Haw!  Haw!  Haw!  I can't digest straw!〃
  〃Then eat the hay!〃 answered his master; who understood
  the Donkey perfectly。
  〃Haw!  Haw!  Haw!  Hay gives me a headache!〃
  〃Do you pretend; by any chance; that I should feed you duck
  or chicken?〃 asked the man again; and; angrier than ever;
  he gave poor Pinocchio another lashing。
  At that second beating; Pinocchio became very quiet and said no more。
  After that; the door of the stable was closed and he
  was left alone。  It was many hours since he had eaten
  anything and he started to yawn from hunger。  As he
  yawned; he opened a mouth as big as an oven。
  Finally; not finding anything else in the manger;
  he tasted the hay。  After tasting it; he chewed it well;
  closed his eyes; and swallowed it。
  〃This hay is not bad;〃 he said to himself。  〃But how
  much happier I should be if I had studied!  Just now;
  instead of hay; I should be eating some good bread
  and butter。  Patience!〃
  Next morning; when he awoke; Pinocchio looked in
  the manger for more hay; but it was all gone。  He had
  eaten it all during the night。
  He tried the straw; but; as he chewed away at it; he
  noticed to his great disappointment that it tasted neither
  like rice nor like macaroni。
  〃Patience!〃 he repeated as he chewed。  〃If only my
  misfortune might serve as a lesson to disobedient boys
  who refuse to study!  Patience!  Have patience!〃
  〃Patience indeed!〃 shouted his master just then; as he
  came into the stable。  〃Do you think; perhaps; my little
  Donkey; that I have brought you here only to give you
  food and drink?  Oh; no!  You are to help me earn some
  fine gold pieces; do you hear?  Come along; now。  I am
  going to teach you to jump and bow; to dance a waltz and
  a polka; and even to stand on your head。〃
  Poor Pinocchio; whether he liked it or not; had to learn
  all these wonderful things; but it took him three long
  months and cost him many; many lashings before he was
  pronounced perfect。
  The day came at last when Pinocchio's master was
  able to announce an extraordinary performance。  The
  announcements; posted all around the town; and written
  in large letters; read thus:
  GREAT SPECTACLE TONIGHT
  LEAPS AND EXERCISES BY THE GREAT ARTISTS
  AND THE FAMOUS HORSES
  of the
  COMPANY
  First Public Appearance
  of the
  FAMOUS DONKEY
  called
  PINOCCHIO
  THE STAR OF THE DANCE
  The Theater will be as Light as Day
  That night; as you can well imagine; the theater was filled
  to overflowing one hour before the show was scheduled to start。
  Not an orchestra chair could be had; not a balcony seat;
  nor a gallery seat; not even for their weight in gold。
  The place swarmed with boys and girls of all ages and
  sizes; wriggling and dancing about in a fever of impatience
  to see the famous Donkey dance。
  When the first part of the performance was over; the
  Owner and Manager of the circus; in a black coat; white
  knee breeches; and patent leather boots; presented himself
  to the public and in a loud; pompous voice made the
  following announcement:
  〃Most honored friends; Gentlemen and Ladies!
  〃Your humble servant; the Manager of this theater;
  presents himself before you tonight in order to introduce
  to you the greatest; the most famous Donkey in the world;
  a Donkey that has had the great honor in his short life of
  performing before the kings and queens and emperors of
  all the great courts of Europe。
  〃We thank you for your attention!〃
  This speech was greeted by much laughter and
  applause。  And the applause grew to a roar when Pinocchio;
  the famous Donkey; appeared in the circus ring。  He was
  handsomely arrayed。  A new bridle of shining leather with
  buckles of polished brass was on his back; two white
  camellias were tied to his ears; ribbons and tassels of red
  silk adorned his mane; which was divided into many
  curls。  A great sash of gold and silver was fastened around
  his waist and his tail was decorated with ribbons of many
  brilliant colors。  He was a handsome Donkey indeed!
  The Manager; when introducing him to the public;
  added these words:
  〃Most honored audience!  I shall not take your time
  tonight to tell you of the great difficulties which I have
  encountered while trying to tame this animal; since I
  found him in the wilds of Africa。  Observe; I beg of you;
  the savage look of his eye。  All the means used by
  centuries of civilization in subduing wild beasts failed in this
  case。  I had finally to resort to the gentle language of the
  whip in order to bring him to my will。  With all my
  kindness; however; I never succeeded in gaining my Donkey's
  love。  He is still today as savage as the day I found
  him。  He still fears and hates me。  But I have found in
  him one great redeeming feature。  Do you see this little
  bump on his forehead?  It is this bump which gives him
  his great talent of dancing and using his feet as nimbly
  as a human being。  Admire him; O signori; and enjoy
  yourselves。  I let you; now; be the judges of my success as a
  teacher of animals。  Before I leave you; I wish to state
  that there will be another performance tomorrow night。
  If the weather threatens rain; the great spectacle will take
  place at eleven o'clock in the morning。〃
  The Manager bowed and then turned to Pinocchio and said:
  〃Ready; Pinocchio!  Before starting your performance;
  salute your audience!〃
  Pinocchio obediently bent his two knees to the ground
  and remained kneeling until the Manager; with the crack
  of the whip; cried sharply:  〃Walk!〃
  The Donkey lifted himself on his four feet and walked
  around the ring。  A few minutes passed and again the
  voice of the Manager called:
  〃Quickstep!〃 and Pinocchio obediently changed his step。
  〃Gallop!〃 and Pinocchio galloped。
  〃Full speed!〃 and Pinocchio ran as fast as he could。
  As he ran the master raised his arm and a pistol shot rang
  in the air。
  At the shot; the little Donkey fell to the ground as if
  he were really dead。
  A shower of applause greeted the Donkey as he arose to his feet。
  Cries and shouts and handclappings were heard on all sides。
  At all that noise; Pinocchio lifted his head and raised
  his eyes。  There; in front of him; in a box sat a beautiful
  woman。  Around her neck she wore a long gold chain;
  from which hung a large medallion。  On the medallion
  was painted the picture of a Marionette。
  〃That picture is of me!  That beautiful lady is my Fairy!〃
  said Pinocchio to himself; recognizing her。  He felt so happy
  that he tried his best to cry out:
  〃Oh; my Fairy!  My own Fairy!〃
  But instead of words; a loud braying was heard in the theater;
  so loud and so long that all the spectatorsmen; women;
  and children; but especially the childrenburst out laughing。
  Then; in order to teach the Donkey that it was not
  good manners to bray before the public; the Manager
  hit him on the nose with the handle of the whip。
  The poor little Donkey stuck out a long tongue and licked
  his nose for a long time in an effort to take away the pain。
  And what was his grief when on looking up toward the boxes;
  he saw that the Fairy had disappeared!
  He felt himself fainting; his eyes filled with tears;
  and he wept bitterly。  No one knew it; however;
  least of all the Manager; who; cracking his whip; cried out:
  〃Bravo; Pinocchio!  Now show us how gracefully you can
  jump through the rings。〃
  Pinocchio tried two or three times; but each time he
  came near the ring; he found it more to his taste to go
  under it。  Th