The Heart of Pinocchio

See Pinoc

l three were in a bad humor. They didn't even talk. Captain Teschisso, dressed in a brand-

to give those dogs! They've botched me so I'm no longer fit for this world.... It's against the regulations, but before I die I want to devour heaps of those curs! Who allows them to make war like this? Who permits them to reduce a

igure him. Another man would have wept at seeing him

an automatic motion in harmony with his sound leg. Pinocchio had tried to run, to jump, and to balance, and had to convince himself that he had not lost anything by the exchange. But the leg

Mr. Cutemup pay for. If he comes up to me and repeats that I am better than I used to be I'll plant another kick in his stomach

cket, although a little stiff, could be moved as easily as a real hand. The wound that furrowed his forehead didn't disfigure him; indeed, it gave to his gentle features a certain air of nobi

no, what was your bus

that t

ust want

ournalist,

e a horrid

hy

to work so hard no

old yo

ents a day as a volunteer at the front, as a civilian you must have been hard up all the year. Then ... you needn't make a fac

ess by saying it in this way, b

roughly and with such a stern tone tha

is appearance, followed by Fatina and by a regiment of soldiers and nurses. He was red as the comb of a cock at his firs

or, and everything must be done in ten minutes. And you, boys, put on your special uniforms.... I have great news for you. His Majesty has announced his visit to the hospital; wit

ajesty see me in this frightful condition? Half a be

t you can do about it. Fi

o to a barber who can make me look like a Christian, because yo

t .

s who got me in this condition stick

chis

't let the

I must remind you of

ink I was talking of you? Not a thought of

n be off to t

ave him fix me

p. His Majest

Pinocchio had disappeared. Teschisso had gone to be shaved. Fatina was arranging the white window-curtains. The B

ter? What is it

him a minute with her large, soft eyes, came up nea

ou crying? Why don't you make yourself handsome? Didn

that? What do you think t

much astonished at his word

or my existence. Who will get any satisfaction from the reward the King's hand has bestowed on me? No one. Perhaps the day will come when I shall have t

agined you could talk like tha

g that he, fearing he had offende

ina

our country? And now you are almost blaming yourself for the good you have done, for fear of the morrow. And you think yourself destined to end as a laughing-stock of horrid little children? Oh,

so, Fatina, if

fered, knowing you were wounded, or trembled at the thought of your bed of pain? Do you really believe that there is no

m poor,

ntinue it with the pen. Write what you have seen; you will make a

, wounded, maimed, will never find

ut I have enough to live on; I am not a professor, but I am widely educated.... I will be

e his

understand? Proud of him and of the medal shining

tina, F

he looked at him tenderly with her kind eyes,

from crying. But as it was not amusing he could not stand it any longer. He crawled very quietly from his hiding-place, approached Fatina and Bersaglierino cautiously and withou

d brought together. The picture they made was interesting and touching and would have touched every

oing? Aren't you prepari

a? Who'

fore him, the flower of gentlemen, a good father of his family, one of the wisest sovereigns of Europe...? In short, you'll see him soon. Hurry up, because when I came in the royal

e same time, who caused the rooms to be polished in five minutes, who set Cutemup to trembling, who kept all the wounded in the hospital in order, all of them men of valor who had held

they think. If Augusta, or his Majesty, is in a bad humor and should find my presence among the soldiers out of order, he can bat his eye at Cutemup, make him a sign, and ..

by three bugle notes which br

is! Ther

nthusiastic hurr

ino's bed ... popped up again, disguis

nd a number of other officers of the garrison, Red Cross nurses, and other wounded who had come from their rooms to take part in the ceremony. It didn't seem possible that the room could hold so many persons, but all of them crowded in, squeezing together i

en you go back to your regiment I shall hear more of you

for our King,

aly greater

f we have to she

is my

rage, and approached Fatina, his large, angry e

me so?" he asked, in

I

u to put everyt

el

h were hung a hat with cock plumes, a coat, with a pair of trousers all torn and ragged and dirty. It was the un

clothes spread out, affected her so that she had no thought of the major or of his rag

ierino, and General Win-the-War

o blow up the enemy wire defenses; he carried out the assignment given him, and, unhurt himself, he tried to free a comrade caught on the barbed wire and managed to put to flight an enemy patrol which attacked him. Then he was hit several

on and pinned it on Bersaglierino's breast, who was so pale with emotion that he looke

gives you by the hand of your King. Wear it always proudly on your breast. Every one should know that you

your M

have recovered,

o my profession. I

will you

s very severely

him, Majo

ed with damage to his eye, wounded in his third upper rib and another wound in the groin with lesion in the intestines. An abdominal opera

ng at his glorious uniform

tion trembled and t

truly ...

you d

glorious object, but in a hospital ward it may have infectious germs.... I had given order

could not help running up to see what had happened. Imagine how he looked when he found himself face to face with Pinocchio, cold with

s happ

to explain it.... Under these cl

Bersaglierino this uniform that is dear to him. It will be a glorious souvenir for his family. Good-by, brave soldier; remember your King. I call

ther, the model soldier, turned

isses with the tips of his fingers, and began to dance like mad with happiness. His w

er and pen and inkstand and I will write: 'Dear King, you are the best and kindest man in the world, but do me the favor to cut off the head, or some o