"Keep quiet, ugly Gab! It would be better for you tochew a few cough drops to get rid of that cold you have.
Go to bed and sleep! You will feel better in the morning."In the meantime, the boys, having used all their books,looked around for new ammunition. Seeing Pinocchio'sbundle lying idle near-by, they somehow managed to gethold of it.
One of the books was a very large volume, an arithmetic text,heavily bound in leather. It was Pinocchio's pride.
Among all his books, he liked that one the best.
Thinking it would make a fine missile, one of the boys tookhold of it and threw it with all his strength at Pinocchio's head.
But instead of hitting the Marionette, the book struck one of theother boys, who, as pale as a ghost, cried out faintly:
"Oh, Mother, help! I'm dying!" and fell senseless to the ground.
At the sight of that pale little corpse, the boys were sofrightened that they turned tail and ran. In a few moments,all had disappeared.
All except Pinocchio. Although scared to death by thehorror of what had been done, he ran to the sea and soakedhis handkerchief in the cool water and with it bathed thehead of his poor little schoolmate. Sobbing bitterly, hecalled to him, saying:
"Eugene! My poor Eugene! Open your eyes and look at me!
Why don't you answer? I was not the one who hit you,you know. Believe me, I didn't do it. Open your eyes,Eugene? If you keep them shut, I'll die, too. Oh, dear me,how shall Iever go home now? How shall I ever look atmy little mother again? What will happen to me? Whereshall I go? Where shall I hide? Oh, how much better itwould have been, a thousand times better, if only I hadgone to school! Why did I listen to those boys? Theyalways were a bad influence! And to think that the teacherhad told me--and my mother, too!--`Beware of badcompany!' That's what she said. But I'm stubborn andproud. I listen, but always I do as I wish. And then I pay.
I've never had a moment's peace since I've been born! Oh,dear! What will become of me? What will become of me?"Pinocchio went on crying and moaning and beatinghishead. Again and again he called to his little friend, whensuddenly he heard heavy steps approaching.
He looked up and saw two tall Carabineers near him.
"What are you doing stretched out on the ground?"they asked Pinocchio.
"I'm helping this schoolfellow of mine.""Has he fainted?""I should say so," said one of the Carabineers, bendingto look at Eugene. "This boy has been wounded on thetemple. Who has hurt him?""Not I," stammered the Marionette, who had hardlya breath left in his whole body.
"If it wasn't you, who was it, then?""Not I," repeated Pinocchio.
"And with what was he wounded?""With this book," and the Marionette picked up thearithmetic text to show it to the officer.
"And whose book is this?""Mine.""Enough.""Not another word! Get up as quickly as you can and come along with us.""But I--""Come with us!""But I am innocent.""Come with us!"Before starting out, the officers called out to severalfishermen passing by in a boat and said to them:
"Take care of this little fellow who has been hurt.
Take him home and bind his wounds. Tomorrow we'll come after him."They then took hold of Pinocchio and, putting himbetween them, said to him in a rough voice: "March!
And go quickly, or it will be the worse for you!"They didnot have to repeat their words. The Marionettewalked swiftly along the road to the village. But thepoor fellow hardly knew what he was about. He thoughthe had a nightmare. He felt ill. His eyes saw everythingdouble, his legs trembled, his tongue was dry, and, try ashe might, he could not utter a single word. Yet, in spiteof this numbness of feeling, he suffered keenly at thethought of passing under the windows of his good littleFairy's house. What would she say on seeing himbetweentwo Carabineers?