The Heart of Pinocchio

Protest to Francis Joseph to

his companions, whom he had first accosted in the station when they were setting out. I have told you that Pinocchio trembled with cold, and I will tell you that it was almost a good thing for him to do so; otherwise they would have seen him tremble with fear. If this had happened, his teasing companions would have driven him to despair. Pinocchio was to be pitied. He was at the front, the frontier several miles behind them, and any mi

ica was furi

che-chew!

you little beast! If you let the enemy spot

any longer. I am

are all right. You wanted to be a volu

I

had a chance to make extra soldi. If you hadn't gone and told him that you had helped me to carry his things and if you hadn't s

fraid, the

ow that if I catch sight of

the general," that rascal o

gic at the sound of a certain roar in the distance an

e the

re i

he

e are

cape. The mountain was very steep there and covered with thick vegetation. Down at the bottom, toward the plain, there seemed to be an unexpected rise ... after the steep d

nd the whistling of the shells, and a b

hole in which to hide himself. He looked about him and caught sight near by of an enormous larch-tree which pointed directly toward the heavens. I don't know how to explain it, but the sight of it took away from Pinocchio

THE SUE

hem! I s

ho

do you

here are you that

up h

do you see?" Be

he suet-

e are

es ... up here you can see a roof and the spire of a bell-tower ... you can see

seemed to be aiming in another direction, bec

afing'?" Corporal F

don't come down alive I will bring you down de

ing it to," cried the enraged Bersaglierino, pointing

infan

y will beat us to

t to start off at

e a half-m

t there first ... even if th

e th

you

ard,

bayonets fixed, they

re at the top of this tree and run off.... But if they think they can play me such a trick they are mistaken.... I am

the belt of his trousers, drank in several deep breaths of

ird. I call it a "good third" merely as a way of expressing it, because when he arrived at the village our soldiers had already passed through i

rs were lying; among them was that of an officer so ugly that he seemed to have died of fright, but there was a red spot on his back. Pinocchio was terrified at the sight of him, but he had such a longing for his sword, his automatic pistol, his handsome belt, his light-blue cape, and his cap that he persuaded himsel

-tower. He saw a rag tied to a pole waving and, as if in reply to a signal, brumm! another shot that fell closer. Pinocchio, who was suspicious, went into the vestry and, pistol in hand, rushed up the steep little wooden stairs. He got to the top without even making the old worm-eaten stairs squeak. In the space where the bells hung a man in civilian's clothes had his back turned toward him. He was looking off from the balcony, and kept on waving the red cloth. You could

ocked his pistol, shut his eyes, pulled the trigger, and pum-pum-pum-pum-pum-pum-pum, seven shots went off. He had expected only one, and was so frightened

voices in a lively discussion. He stopped suddenly and very, very quietly approached a big window closed merely by a wire netting. Inside he saw on one side of the large room two rows of beds, in the middle a group of rough-looking soldiers, wi

G TIED TO A

ch?n!" (

tival," grunted a Croat and laughed boisterous

on the ground like a petticoat, slunk along the walls of the shed, then rushed off at full speed toward the fields. He was just passing the last house of the village when h

her. 'Talians still near a

? I a

ake croak S

Mam

, j

, j

s Hungarian, Dalmatian, or Rumanian, spun 'round and continued on his way to the Italian position. The Austrians followed him, bayonets fixed, convinced that the spirit of Tegetoff had come to life and was leading them to victory. But instead, when they had gone a hun

and are shooting like mad. Oh! Perhaps it is on account of the uniform of that miserable officer. If that is the case, my dear ones, enou

e cap away from him, and with no thought of danger,

ks-in-the-box, threw their arms about and waved their hands in the air.... From a hedge not

stick him like a toad,"

, I'll spit him f

their

yonets. I'm no Austrian officer. I am Pi

at game are you playing? But I'l

's up

. Do you know me? I am glad. Order these twenty apes, which I have brought all the way here, to be bound, and then if you give me thirty men I will guarantee to catch some others t

e are

making signals to some one far off, and then, boom! there came one of those shells that burst. I meant

Come on! Sho

ded you, you will give me something to eat, because I

to the village.

CREATURE, WHAT GAM

ittle tower, the brave boys gave vent to unrestrained joy. It was time for rations. In the camp kitchens big pots were steaming, but the soldiers did not crowd around them as usual to fill their canteens. The bersaglieri's attention was held by a sight which put them in good humor, and good humor in war

ut for

oing to ea

h us he'll break

ys, he'll end

ustrians you have eaten, for pork is

find fault w

d of meat do

best

... you give beef to the office

you'll get into trouble

as if I were a Zulu chewing a hen with her feathers o

murde

was shoveling food into his mouth with both his hands, so that

pportune moment. Do you want to know the reason? The brave boys were afraid to stick Pinocchio into puttees with so many spiral bands because his little thin legs would have frightened people. For the time being they had him put on a pair of short trousers which dragged behind him on the ground, a little cape like a bersagliere's, and a fez with a light-blue tassel so long that it touched his heels. This tassel

soldiers are sleeping. The Bersaglierino is playing cards with Mollica. Corporal Fanfara is shaving. Stecca is practising on his cornet, trying a variation on a well

th full of grit, his nose dirty, and hears all the noise about him-has a terrible fright, lets out a yell, and rushes out of the tent. But he is scarcely outside before he feels himsel

has ha

ail ha

is racket for that? I tho

tle cowa

n I'll give you such a kick that will change your shape.

? I am as alone in the world as

he had suddenly felt his throat tighten at the thought of Pa

ra news from his two babies, Stecca kisses from his wife.... I might be killed to-morrow

-dealer in Naples, sent him a copy of every unsold publication, kn

ay the postman and yet you don't take

are j

ou, and I congratulate you because if you a

times. There was no doubt; it was his name that was written on the scented envelope the color

do your duty bravely, and remember that in thought I follow and will follow you every minute. If you return valorously I will meet you and tell you how happy I am; if you fall wounded

ar-god

ti

t in the air with all his force, seized Pinocchio who was standing by him, and lifted him up in both his

into you? Ar

one belonging to him. But I am fonder of you than ever. Give me a kiss ..." and he pressed such a hearty kiss on his

ivilians or the wounded in the hospitals.' That means you, dear Pinocchio, because you shot the tra

M

I killed him, do you? And you, thank God, are

derst

ld a sheet of paper on which there was nothing but some strange scrawls. He gazed at it with delight, and while two big tears ran down his cheeks he murmured in his Venetian dialect, "My darling little rascals!" These scrawls of theirs were more welcome to him than the letter from his wife which told of privations, anxiety, and

ee-trunk, with pencils, fountain-pens, on post-cards, envelopes, letter-paper spilled out miraculously from portfolios, bags, and canteens. Every one was writing. The Bersaglierino seemed to be composing a poem. He g

y now and then he would scratch his head so vigorously that he might have been currycombing a donkey. When Pinocchio scratched his head in that way ... Well

ut will you d

.. leave me alone ... you make

o you? Are you aware that th

ense. Leave me

favor and

it? Spi

ncil and a pi

t to wri

es

some one in the wor

.. per

ther lik

No i

ous about wan

es

encil, then. Do you

I knew

. Then let

adl

hin on his clasped hands, and, biting his p

e, Bersag

nished

shed beginning, but ... I don't know

nd-so,' or 'My dar

't put either 'dea

writing to

ing lik

me, his last name, swear a

e, Bersag

you sti

en able to start the

you not know

a la

he

w what his l

ho

nz J

nt to write to him? To

to amuse them. So walking quietly, as if they were all eager to take him in the very act, they approached the tent where Pinocchio was composing his missive, not without difficulty. He had not been writing for several minutes and the words seemed so

t you? Who taught you to stick your

have you

one I wa

e the scr

nd you will see worse

to read t

e a pack of il

etter with the other hand, and I'll carry you both off to the censor, who will

ally want to s

rd what

e cond

t's

rge of it and see that

here, you puppy. Lis

ranz H

ouse in

f while it was in my hands who am not in the army. That's how our soldiers found the traitor already dead, the traitor who made signals from the church tower, so that the shells fell on the ruins. As for the wounded in the horspital I can asshure y

occh

what took place after

sleep he kept repeating: "I have promised to take your letter to Franz Joseph.... You see if I don't send it through al