The Heart of Pinocchio

ned Because He Was No

ned up a pass of great strategic importance which the Austrians apparently were intending to defend at all costs. Yet it had seemed strange to Teschisso that the foe with its numerous exits should try to attack his Alpine troops in force, all the more that his first line of defense might be considered as irretrievably lost. For this reason he had restrained the impulse of his brave soldiers to fight and decided to intrench them on the diffic

ily I was prudent, but you'll see what a joke I'll in

d beard and full, ruddy cheeks, who at first sight looked so good-natured. But he was a man of exceptional energy a

ived I have learned that we have

the b

mined

so good, not

set off with the whole company, leaving only eight men in the trench, which they must hold at a

nly, ce

command

s, Cap

there will be ten of you. Choose the other eight quickly

Pulin, Cattaruzza, and t

you. I am attempting a big coup, but if I succeed, H

interrupted with laughs, quickly smothered as the rattle of an officer's sword was heard. All these shadows grouped themselves in the depth of the trench against a heap of huge stones and merged into the profound darkness. For a time still there was to be heard coming from down below a subdued rustle, then a profo

Captain Te

two rough, heavy hands grab him by the ear

the trenches you've got to be as quiet as in church, and ... here

io grumbled, keeping

ntly on the ground, face to face wi

want with Capt

Noth

you call

ng terrible had happened.... H

aven't disappeared; the

he

on the mined zone. Then we'll see a fine sight. But until this minute comes we've got to keep quiet and not make a racket. Do you understand?

tion he was to go. The unexpected disappearance of the Alpine troops still seemed miraculous in spite of the simp

by the collar I should never have got here. And how will they manage to get down it? Hum! I am almost beginning to believe that these Alpine soldiers are in league with the devil. I saw two of them yesterday with some kind of shoes a couple of yards long which flew over the sno

came a dull grunt. Overcome with terror, he was about to take flig

nds.... If you are a creditor come back six months after peace is declared, because now I won't pay you a soldo even if I had one. If you ar

e go. Don't you recogni

zete Spazzete? I have nothing to tell you, but if you insist upon my sing

s," thought it prudent to leave him in peace, so he lay down o

orning, when dawn was peeping over the horizon, he heard a

before the loopholes. "It was Draghetta who saw the enemy. Boys, I count on you. We've got to make a racket, lots of

wide open with terror, and Ciampanella tranquilly dozing. Wi

g or I'll break your neck! I'll smash your

was calmly dreaming a culinary dream, and gave him

they'll

t him and ran to take his post, grumbling, "but why doesn't the

ho stood there turning his gun round and round without

w as much about as I know about training fleas, you would do better to give a look at t

epan? Are you

e yelled at me when he

battery, not that of the stove. Don't y

ecks to wring or beasts to butcher I'm ready, because they are hens or lambs or such like beasts, but Christians I can't, and toward the enemy I have the respect ord

do, who had an eye on him, turned hurr

me a hole where I can be safe, because if I die the Manual of War Cookery won't be writt

ng for help, only a few f

iggling like a serpent, with his revolver in his hand, he set off and wa

matter? Are

but I can't stand up. I'm

is woolen puttees, his hobnailed boots, his waterproof stockings, and to r

who fired

es

enemy in

ir usual nasty little ways to draw us out, and as my superiors d

were

had to try to crawl on my hands and knees until I had only b

Scotimondo swore a

s the

place at the machine-gun; I

hy

owling, "poor Draghetta! He tried to warn th

as it was lighter they would have to make themselves heard, so as to keep the enemy from attempting an attack, which would undoubtedly be fatal to the little garrison.

so I'll send to the devil myself. I have need of every one of you, and it's too much

laugh which followed Scotimondo's words had died down. "Did you hear

't let it rest a minute. The others kept up a tremendous fire and an accurate one, because they could see that the parapet of the enemy's trench was marked by little red clouds. Every now and then above the crackle of the musketry resounded the humming of larger projectiles that had their own special tone. The Austrian commanders were evidently laying plans for the whole day b

little garrison, wearied by the fatigues imposed by its contin

of himself as to-day. What had happened to the company? It wasn't possible that it had been captured by superior forces. The Alpine troops would have fought like lions; the noise of their battle would have reached the trench, and some one would certainly have returned to bring the news of the disaster. It was more like

to hold fast you have to have men. My men are not made of iron; I am not made of iron; they need rest and yet even to let them rest I can't allow the trench to be without sentinels all night. If I change sentries every half-hour, nobody sleeps

ement, gestured with his head for him to move to one side, but, seeing that he stood there

nd anything? Don't you understand I

uestion,

t is

sentinel f

one every

ome to vo

will take your half-hour's turn, but thi

to volunteer for

Are you i

t I have a wooden leg, but I prefer to tell you now. Wood doesn't freeze and so I can stand guard for

he oth

and don't fall over. I am a man 'that's not a man,' but if I were no more

e furious, but didn't succeed. He let out a terrible "Good Heavens!" then was overcome with e

s trenches, the awful mass of peaks and jagged ridges. At the side of the adversary's position the snow was marked with an enormous black streak which was lost in the

el all

as pos

ive you a g

breath with all this stuff I've got

ind a thermos bottle of hot co

len

u want

case of alarm I'll keep soundi

the sky. If you see anything white on black or black on white which moves give the alarm; if not, keep still. Take good ca

me up ... five mi

, I'm

d lu

ress it on you

rollamondo.

ut from the pockets of his cloak, so full of food that they seemed a military depot, a thin rope a couple of yards long, knotted one end of it, stuck his head through, bending

est sensation of fear.... It's dark, but I seem to see as well as by day. It must be that a sentinel's duty clears the sight. I could swear that I could see a flea a mile away. Besides, my duty is simple: I am to stay here and do nothing; I am not to get my feet frozen, and as far as that is concerned there's no danger; and I am to look out for white moving on black or black on white. Then, ta-pum, ta-pum, ta-pum, like this morning, th

os bottle. He took it out, put it to his lips, and drank a mouthful. Five minutes late

e to drop into one of those dozes from which even Ciampanella's ta-pum wouldn't wake me.... If I go to sleep I'll be cold. That tyrant of a Scotimondo would just as lief wake me up with a revolver at my head.... I'd like to know what's the fun of keeping a poor sentinel out in the cold where there's nothing to watch, because I bet a soldo against a lira that the Austrians are sleeping soundly to-night-I seem to hear them snoring like so many suckling pigs.... No, I said I wouldn't go to sleep, and to ke

ho was about to set out on his usual tour of inspection, glanced at the sky, then growled, as he rubbed his hands: "T

movement like many ants. He fixed his eyes on it, and while his heart beat so loudly that he thought he would suffocate, he concentrated all his attention, all his mind, on the point there below. He saw the jagged rock swarming with Alpine troops, saw little clusters of men suspended over the abyss, and ropes hanging in space slowly lifting up soldiers; and at the sight of this miracle of daring and dexterity he naturally forgot the fear of his wakening. Anxiously he followed the maneuvers of these brave sons o

d Pinocchio there, and tenderly gave him first aid, but, seeing t

n to care for him as my best friend. Poor youngster, who will have to have another wooden l