The Heart of Pinocchio

nized the Advantage

the beaten foes taken prisoners.... I have been told by the commander-in-chief that it has been discovered that there is a host of spies who are working to injure us. I command you to be very severe with spies caught in the act, no matter what their age, race, or social standing. Tell your officers to keep absolutely secret all orders which they receive. If there is the slight

hought he would faint. His ears rang loudly and he burst into a sweat. Heigh-ho! The general was not a man to say such things as a joke: "If there is the slightest suspicion that an order relating to our advance has reached the ear of a person suspected even in the slightest degree, take

se the authorities certainly wouldn't let me go in a more decent way? And suppose he recognizes me as the one who smashed his stained-glass window that opened out on his terrace, instead of eight bullets, he will order me a couple of dozen.... What a pity! Poor me! Poor Papa Geppetto, what will he say about me? But, to sum it up, I am not a spy, and when any one wants to pretend to be what he is not

y his joyful smile. This little bit of reasoning had so quieted his mind that if they had pressed eight muskets against hi

g of the train, was soon overcome by such a tranquil slumb

wait for him. If Pinocchio, instead of letting himself be overcome with sleep, had kept his eyes and ears open while the train was slowing down and the locomotive ahead was puffing noisily he would have heard General Win-the-War l

he matter

ome back; it's worse t

have taken a

seem warm here, for a

ind

nd still climbing, and the

ext stop to ask if it is possible to heat the compartment. If the rest

e i

about heat for his commanding officer. It was not a hard matter to obtain what he wanted. The general was traveling in an up-to-date carriage, one of those that have und

ady been given when the major ret

el

is made and we

all have it, bec

do is to push that handle where th

f relief as if the compartment were suddenly transformed into a hothouse, a

n his dreams, while he was seated at a table that was spread with the most delicious dainties, he felt himself slipping down, down, and suddenly found himself on a hot gridiron with St. Lawrence in person. It is certain that when he opened his eyes it was impossible to breat

f no one moves that means that there is no danger ... but, Heavens! it burns! Ouch! I am covered with sweat, but I have got to stand it....

tion such as no one would wish for any creature of flesh and blood-for me or you, for instance. He had either to stand being steamed on the

ne way and another like the aforesaid St. Lawrence of blessed memory, the only difference being that the saint expected to be well cooked on one side and then to turn over and be c

ing any attention to the blow on the heads they gave each other, ran their arms under the seat, and with outstretched hands seized hol

wre

scoun

are

u miserabl

l, he i

m in German ... he m

sind

ans

do you speak, y

m by the collar with such a military firmness that he turned the color o

neral remember that in questioning a prisoner it is n

real crime if you had me shot ... just as soon as we arrive

So you listened

the train started. It was I who helped Pri

is leath

ly I, I

ans! Major, give me your revolver s

even when I went to school.... Can you really take me for a Boche? No, for gracious' sake, no.... Look at my features.... No, no, no, for Heaven's sake! Ke

he didn't see the bag again, but he felt it several times and with great force exactly on the part of his body which had suffered the most from the heat of the steam coil.... But Pinocchio was