Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/100

 confused. Therefore the Fox said immediately:

'My friend is too modest, and that is why she doesn't speak. I will answer for her. I must tell you that an hour ago we met an old wolf on the road, almost fainting from want of food, who asked alms of us. Not having so much as a fish-bone to give him, what did my friend, who has really the heart of a Caesar, do? She bit off one of her fore paws, and threw it to that poor beast that he might appease his hunger.'

And the Fox, in relating this, dried a tear.

Pinocchio was also touched, and approaching the Cat he whispered into her ear:

'If all cats resembled you, how fortunate the mice would be!'

'And now, what are you doing here?' asked the Fox of the puppet.

'I am waiting for my papa, whom I expect to arrive every moment.'

'And your gold pieces?'

'I have got them in my pocket, all but one that I spent at the inn of the Red Craw-fish.'

'And to think that, instead of four pieces, by to-morrow they might become one or two thousand! Why do you not listen to my advice? why will you not go and bury them in the Field of miracles?'

'To-day it is impossible: I will go another day.'