Page:Collodi - The Story of a Puppet, translation Murray, 1892.djvu/108

 puppet had nothing further to say he stretched out his hand and rang a bell.

At this summons two mastiffs immediately appeared dressed as gendarmes. The judge then, pointing to Pinocchio, said to them:

'That poor devil has been robbed of four gold pieces; take him up, and put him immediately into prison.'

The puppet was petrified on hearing this unexpected sentence, and tried to protest; but the gendarmes, to avoid losing time, stopped his mouth, and carried him off to the lock-up.

And there he remained for four months—four long months—and he would have remained longer still if a fortunate chance had not released him. For I must tell you that the young Emperor who reigned over the town of 'Trap for blockheads,' having won a splendid victory over his enemies, ordered great public rejoicings. There were illuminations, fire-works, horse races, and velocipede races, and as a further sign of triumph he commanded that the prisons should be opened and all the prisoners liberated.

'If the others are to be let out of prison, I will go also,' said Pinocchio to the jailor.

'No, not you,' said the jailor, 'because you do not belong to the fortunate class.'