Pinocchio in Africa Part 5

"Nectar, your excellency."

Upon hearing himself called "excellency" Pinocchio fairly lost his head. He felt a strange lightness in his feet; indeed, he found it hard work to resist the temptation to get up and dance. "I knew that in Africa I should make my fortune," he thought, and called for a box of cigarettes.

Having smoked one of these, the brave Pinocchio arose to go out, when the host handed him a sheet of paper on which was written a row of figures.

"What is this?" asked the marionette.

"The bill, your excellency; the amount of your debt for the dinner."

Pinocchio stroked his wooden chin and looked at the innkeeper in surprise.

"Is there anything astonishing about that, your excellence? Is it not usual in your country to pay for what you eat?"

"It is amazing! I do not know what you mean! What strange custom is this that you speak of?"

"In these parts, your excellency," remarked the innkeeper, "when one eats, one must pay. However, if your lordship has no money, and intends to live at the expense of others, I have a very good remedy. One minute!"

So saying, the man stepped out of the door, uttered a curious sound, and then returned.

Pinocchio lost his courage. He broke down and began to weep. He begged the man to have patience. The first piece of gold he found would pay for the meal. The innkeeper smiled as he said, "I am sorry, but the thing is done."

"What is done?" asked the marionette.

"I have sent for the police."

"The police!" cried the marionette, shaking with fear. "The police!

Even in Africa there are policemen? Please, sir, send them back! I do not want to go to prison."All this was useless talk. Two black policemen were already there. Straight toward the marionette they went and asked his name.

"Pinocchio," he answered in a faint voice.

"What is your business?"

"I am a marionette."

"Why have you come to Africa?"

"I will tell you," replied Pinocchio, "You gentlemen must know that my poor father sold his coat to buy me a spelling book, and as I have heard that there is plenty of gold and silver in Africa, I have come here."

"What kind of talk is this?" asked the elder of the two policemen.

"No nonsense! Show us your papers."

"What papers! I left all I had at school."

The policemen cut short the marionette's words by taking out their handcuffs and preparing to lead him away to prison. But the innkeeper was a good-hearted man, and he was sorry for the poor blockhead. He begged them to leave Pinocchio in his charge.

"So long as you are satisfied, we are satisfied," said the policemen. "If you wish to give away your food, that is your own affair;" and they went off without saying another word.

15. Pinocchio's Father

PINOCCHIO blushed with shame.

"Then you are the marionette Pinocchio?"

Upon hearing himself addressed in this familiar way, Pinocchio felt a little annoyed, but recalling the unsettled account, he thought it best to answer politely that he was Pinocchio.

"I am pleased," continued the man; "I am very much pleased, because I knew your father."

"You knew my father?" exclaimed the marionette.

"Certainly I knew him! I was a servant in his house before you were born."

"In my house as a servant? When has father Geppetto had servants?"

asked the marionette, his eyes wide with surprise.

"But who said Geppetto? Geppetto is not your father's name."

"Oh, indeed! Well, then, what is his name?"

"Your father's name is not Geppetto, but Collodi. A wonderful man, my boy."

Pinocchio understood less and less. It was strange, he thought, to have come to Africa to learn the story of his family. He listened with astonishment to all that the innkeeper said.

"Remember, however, that even if you are not really the son of the good Geppetto, it does not follow that you should forget the care he has given you. What grat.i.tude have you shown him? You ran away from home without even telling him. Who knows how unhappy the poor old man may be! You never will understand what suffering you cause your parents. Such blockheads as you are not fit to have parents. They work from morning till night so that you may want for nothing, and may grow up to be good and wise men, useful to yourselves, to your family, and to your country. What do you do? Nothing! You are worthless!"

Pinocchio listened very thoughtfully. He had never expected that in Africa he was to hear so many disagreeable truths, and he was on the verge of weeping.

"For your father's sake you have been let off easily. From now on you may regard this as your home. I am not very rich, and I need a boy to help me. You will do. You may as well begin to work at once." And he handed the marionette a large broom.

Pinocchio was vexed at this, but the thought of the black policemen and the unsettled bill cooled his anger, and he swept as well as he knew how. "From a gentleman to a sweeper! What fine progress I have made!" he thought, as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

"If my father were to see me now, or my good Fairy, or my companions at school! What a fine picture I should make!" And he continued to sweep and dust.

16. Pinocchio Sells Drinking Water

THE time pa.s.sed quickly. At the dinner hour Pinocchio had a great appet.i.te and ate with much enjoyment. The master praised him highly for the tidy appearance of the store and urged him to keep up his good work.

"At the end of twenty years," he said, "You will have put aside enough to return home, and a little extra money to spend on poor old Geppetto. Now that you have eaten, take this leather bag and fill it with water, which you are to sell about the city. When you return we shall know how much you have made."

The bag was soon strapped on his shoulders and the marionette was shown the door. "Remember," said his master, "a cent a gla.s.s!"

Pinocchio set out down the narrow street. He walked on, little caring where he went. His wooden brains were far away. He was grieved.

Had the master known just how the marionette felt he would have run after him and at least regained his leather bag.

Pinocchio walked on. He was soon among a hurrying crowd of people.

"Can this be Egypt in Africa? I have read about it often."

A Man, wrapped in a white cloak, touched him on the shoulder.