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〃Ah； you rascal！ So that's the game！ You have the money hidden under your tongue。 Out with it！〃
But Pinocchio was as stubborn as ever。
〃Are you deaf？ Wait； young man； we'll get it from you in a twinkling！〃
One of them grabbed the Marionette by the nose and the other by the chin； and they pulled him unmercifully from side to side in order to make him open his mouth。
All was of no use。 The Marionette's lips might have been nailed together。 They would not open。
In desperation the smaller of the two Assassins pulled out a long knife from his pocket； and tried to pry Pinocchio's mouth open with it。
Quick as a flash； the Marionette sank his teeth deep into the Assassin's hand； bit it off and spat it out。 Fancy his surprise when he saw that it was not a hand； but a cat's paw。
Encouraged by this first victory； he freed himself from the claws of his assailers and； leaping over the bushes along the road； ran swiftly across the fields。 His pursuers were after him at once； like two dogs chasing a hare。
After running seven miles or so； Pinocchio was well… nigh exhausted。 Seeing himself lost； he climbed up a giant pine tree and sat there to see what he could see。 The Assassins tried to climb also； but they slipped and fell。
Far from giving up the chase； this only spurred them on。 They gathered a bundle of wood； piled it up at the foot of the pine； and set fire to it。 In a twinkling the tree began to sputter and burn like a candle blown by the wind。 Pinocchio saw the flames climb higher and higher。 Not wishing to end his days as a roasted Marionette； he jumped quickly to the ground and off he went； the Assassins close to him； as before。
Dawn was breaking when； without any warning whatsoever； Pinocchio found his path barred by a deep pool full of water the color of muddy coffee。
What was there to do？ With a 〃One； two； three！〃 he jumped clear across it。 The Assassins jumped also； but not having measured their distance wellsplash！！！ they fell right into the middle of the pool。 Pinocchio who heard the splash and felt it； too； cried out； laughing； but never stopping in his race：
〃A pleasant bath to you； signori！〃
He thought they must surely be drowned and turned his head to see。 But there were the two somber figures still following him； though their black sacks were drenched and dripping with water。
CHAPTER 15
The Assassins chase Pinocchio； catch him； and hang him to the branch of a giant oak tree
As he ran； the Marionette felt more and more certain that he would have to give himself up into the hands of his pursuers。 Suddenly he saw a little cottage gleaming white as the snow among the trees of the forest。
〃If I have enough breath left with which to reach that little house； I may be saved；〃 he said to himself。
Not waiting another moment； he darted swiftly through the woods； the Assassins still after him。
After a hard race of almost an hour； tired and out of breath； Pinocchio finally reached the door of the cottage and knocked。 No one answered。
He knocked again； harder than before； for behind him he heard the steps and the labored breathing of his persecutors。 The same silence followed。
As knocking was of no use； Pinocchio； in despair； began to kick and bang against the door； as if he wanted to break it。 At the noise； a window opened and a lovely maiden looked out。 She had azure hair and a face white as wax。 Her eyes were closed and her hands crossed on her breast。 With a voice so weak that it hardly could be heard； she whispered：
〃No one lives in this house。 Everyone is dead。〃
〃Won't you； at least； open the door for me？〃 cried Pinocchio in a beseeching voice。
〃I also am dead。〃
〃Dead？ What are you doing at the window； then？〃
〃I am waiting for the coffin to take me away。〃
After these words； the little girl disappeared and the window closed without a sound。
〃Oh； Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair；〃 cried Pinocchio； 〃open； I beg of you。 Take pity on a poor boy who is being chased by two Assass〃
He did not finish； for two powerful hands grasped him by the neck and the same two horrible voices growled threateningly： 〃Now we have you！〃
The Marionette； seeing death dancing before him； trembled so hard that the joints of his legs rattled and the coins tinkled under his tongue。
〃Well；〃 the Assassins asked； 〃will you open your mouth now or not？ Ah！ You do not answer？ Very well； this time you shall open it。〃
Taking out two long； sharp knives； they struck two heavy blows on the Marionette's back。
Happily for him； Pinocchio was made of very hard wood and the knives broke into a thousand pieces。 The Assassins looked at each other in dismay； holding the handles of the knives in their hands。
〃I understand；〃 said one of them to the other； 〃there is nothing left to do now but to hang him。〃
〃To hang him；〃 repeated the other。
They tied Pinocchio's hands behind his shoulders and slipped the noose around his neck。 Throwing the rope over the high limb of a giant oak tree； they pulled till the poor Marionette hung far up in space。
Satisfied with their work； they sat on the grass waiting for Pinocchio to give his last gasp。 But after three hours the Marionette's eyes were still open； his mouth still shut and his legs kicked harder than ever。
Tired of waiting； the Assassins called to him mockingly： 〃Good…by till tomorrow。 When we return in the morning； we hope you'll be polite enough to let us find you dead and gone and with your mouth wide open。〃 With these words they went。
A few minutes went by and then a wild wind started to blow。 As it shrieked and moaned； the poor little sufferer was blown to and fro like the hammer of a bell。 The rocking made him seasick and the noose； becoming tighter and tighter； choked him。 Little by little a film covered his eyes。
Death was creeping nearer and nearer； and the Marionette still hoped for some good soul to come to his rescue； but no one appeared。 As he was about to die； he thought of his poor old father； and hardly conscious of what he was saying； murmured to himself：
〃Oh； Father； dear Father！ If you were only here！〃
These were his last words。 He closed his eyes； opened his mouth； stretched out his legs； and hung there； as if he were dead。
CHAPTER 16
The Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair sends for the poor Marionette； puts him to bed； and calls three Doctors to tell her if Pinocchio is dead or alive
If the poor Marionette had dangled there much longer； all hope would have been lost。 Luckily for him； the Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair once again looked out of her window。 Filled with pity at the sight of the poor little fellow being knocked helplessly about by the wind； she clapped her hands sharply together three times。
At the signal； a loud whirr of wings in quick flight was heard and a large Falcon came and settled itself on the window ledge。
〃What do you command； my charming Fairy？〃 asked the Falcon； bending his beak in deep reverence （for it must be known that； after all； the Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair was none other than a very kind Fairy who had lived； for more than a thousand years； in the vicinity of the forest）。
〃Do you see that Marionette hanging from the limb of that giant oak tree？〃
〃I see him。〃
〃Very well。 Fly immediately to him。 With your strong beak； break the knot which holds him tied； take him down； and lay him softly on the grass at the foot of the oak。〃
The Falcon flew away and after two minutes returned； saying； 〃I have done what you have commanded。〃
〃How did you find him？ Alive or dead？〃
〃At first glance； I thought he was dead。 But I found I was wrong； for as soon as I loosened the knot around his neck； he gave a long sigh and mumbled with a faint voice； ‘Now I feel better！'〃
The Fairy clapped her hands twice。 A magnificent Poodle appeared； walking on his hind legs just like a man。 He was dressed in court livery。 A tricorn trimmed with gold lace was set at a rakish angle over a wig of white curls that dropped down to his waist。 He wore a jaunty coat of chocolate…colored velvet； with diamond buttons； and with two huge pockets which were always filled with bones； dropped there at dinner by his loving mistress。 Breeches of crimson velvet； silk stockings； and low； silver…buckled slippers completed his costume。 His tail was encased in a blue silk covering； which was to protect it from the rain。
〃Come； Medoro；〃 said the Fairy to him。 〃Get my best coach ready and set out toward the forest。 On reaching the oak tree； you will find a poor； half…dead Marionette stretched out on the grass。 Lift him up tenderly； place him on the silken cushions of the coach； and bring him here to me。〃
The Poodle； to show that he understood； wagged his silk…covered tail two or three times and set off at a quick pace。
In a few minutes； a lovely little coach； made of glass； with lining as soft as whipped cream and chocolate pudding； and stuffed with canary feathers； pulled out of the stable。 It was drawn by one hundred pairs of white mice； and the Poodle sat on the coachman's seat and snapped his whip gayly in the air； as if he were a real coachman in a hurry to get to his destination。
In a quarter of an hour the coach wa