双语·木偶奇遇记 第十一章
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CHAPTER 11
Fire Eater sneezes and forgives Pinocchio，who saves his friend，Harlequin，from death．
In the theater，great excitement reigned．
Fire Eater（this was really his name）was very ugly，but he was far from being as bad as he looked．Proof of this is that，when he saw the poor Marionette being brought in to him，struggling with fear and crying，“I don't want to die！I don't want to die！” he felt sorry for him and began first to waver and then to weaken．Finally，he could control himself no longer and gave a loud sneeze．
At that sneeze，Harlequin，who until then had been as sad as a weeping willow，smiled happily and leaning toward the Marionette，whispered to him：
“Good news，brother mine！Fire Eater has sneezed and this is a sign that he feels sorry for you．You are saved！”
For be it known，that，while other people，when sad and sorrowful，weep and wipe their eyes，Fire Eater，on the other hand，had the strange habit of sneezing each time he felt unhappy．The way was just as good as any other to show the kindness of his heart．
After sneezing，Fire Eater，ugly as ever，cried to Pinocchio：
“Stop crying！Your wails give me a funny feeling down here in my stomach and—E—tchee！—E—tchee！” Two loud sneezes finished his speech．
“God bless you！” said Pinocchio．
“Thanks！Are your father and mother still living？” demanded Fire Eater．
“My father，yes．My mother I have never known．”
“Your poor father would suffer terribly if I were to use you as firewood．Poor old man！I feel sorry for him！E—tchee！E—tchee！E—tchee！” Three more sneezes sounded，louder than ever．
“God bless you！” said Pinocchio．
“Thanks！However，I ought to be sorry for myself，too，just now．My good dinner is spoiled．I have no more wood for the fire，and the lamb is only half cooked．Never mind！In your place I'll burn some other Marionette．Hey there！Officers！”
At the call，two wooden officers appeared，long and thin as a yard of rope，with queer hats on their heads and swords in their hands．
Fire Eater yelled at them in a hoarse voice：
“Take Harlequin，tie him，and throw him on the fire．I want my lamb well done！”
Think how poor Harlequin felt！He was so scared that his legs doubled up under him and he fell to the floor．
Pinocchio，at that heartbreaking sight，threw himself at the feet of Fire Eater and，weeping bitterly，asked in a pitiful voice which could scarcely be heard：
“Have pity，I beg of you，signore！”
“There are no signori here！”
“Have pity，kind sir！”
“There are no sirs here！”
“Have pity，your Excellency！”
On hearing himself addressed as your Excellency，the Director of the Marionette Theater sat up very straight in his chair，stroked his long beard，and becoming suddenly kind and compassionate，smiled proudly as he said to Pinocchio：
“Well，what do you want from me now，Marionette？”
“I beg for mercy for my poor friend，Harlequin，who has never done the least harm in his life．”
“There is no mercy here，Pinocchio．I have spared you．Harlequin must burn in your place．I am hungry and my dinner must be cooked．”
“In that case，” said Pinocchio proudly，as he stood up and flung away his cap of dough，“in that case，my duty is clear．Come，officers！Tie me up and throw me on those flames．No，it is not fair for poor Harlequin，the best friend that I have in the world，to die in my place！”
These brave words，said in a piercing voice，made all the other Marionettes cry．Even the officers，who were made of wood also，cried like two babies．
Fire Eater at first remained hard and cold as a piece of ice；but then，little by little，he softened and began to sneeze．And after four or five sneezes，he opened wide his arms and said to Pinocchio：
“You are a brave boy！Come to my arms and kiss me！”
Pinocchio ran to him and scurrying like a squirrel up the long black beard，he gave Fire Eater a loving kiss on the tip of his nose．
“Has pardon been granted to me？” asked poor Harlequin with a voice that was hardly a breath．
“Pardon is yours！” answered Fire Eater；and sighing and wagging his head，he added：“Well，tonight I shall have to eat my lamb only half cooked，but beware the next time，Marionettes．”
At the news that pardon had been given，the Marionettes ran to the stage and，turning on all the lights，they danced and sang till dawn．
第十一章
吞火者打了个喷嚏，饶恕了匹诺曹，因为匹诺曹救了他的朋友花衣小丑一命。
戏院里，群情激动。
吞火者（这其实是他的名字）看上去非常粗鲁，但他绝不是坏人。事实证明，一看到可怜的匹诺曹被带到他面前，害怕得挣扎着哭叫：“我不想死！我不想死啊！”他就可怜起了匹诺曹，他先是动摇，后是犹豫，最后终于忍不住，打了个响亮的喷嚏。
听到那声喷嚏，一直很伤心、像垂柳那样弯下身子的花衣小丑露出了笑脸，向匹诺曹倾过身，低声对他说道：“好消息，我的兄弟！吞火者打喷嚏了，这是他可怜你的标志，你有救了！”
因为要知道，别人伤心难过时，会哭鼻子抹眼泪，而吞火者每次感动时却有打喷嚏的怪习惯。他是以这种方式表明他发善心了。
打过喷嚏后，吞火者还是那样粗鲁，对匹诺曹叫道：“别哭了！你一哭，让我这肚子里很不舒服——阿嚏——阿嚏！”两声响亮的喷嚏结束了他的谈话。
“上帝保佑你！”匹诺曹说。
“谢谢！你爸爸妈妈都还活着吗？”吞火者问道。
“爸爸活着，妈妈我从来不知道。”
“要是我把你当柴火烧掉，你可怜的爸爸就会非常痛苦。可怜的老头！我真可怜他啊！阿嚏！阿嚏！阿嚏！”他又打了三个喷嚏，一个比一个响亮。
“上帝保佑你！”匹诺曹说。
“谢谢！不过，我现在也该可怜我自己了，我的美餐被糟蹋了，我没有木柴生火了。羊只烤熟了一半。没关系！我要烧另一个木偶，来代替你。喂，过来！宪兵！”
一声命令，马上来了两个木头宪兵，他们像帆桁一样瘦长，头上戴着奇怪的帽子，手里握着剑。
吞火者嘶哑着嗓子对他们高声喊道：“抓住花衣小丑，把他捆住，扔到火上去。我要把这只羊烤熟！”
想一下可怜的花衣小丑是怎样的感受吧！他吓得两腿一弯，倒在地板上。
看到这个令人心碎的场面，匹诺曹扑倒在吞火者的脚边，一边痛哭，一边可怜巴巴地哀求，哀求声几乎听不见：“可怜可怜他吧，我求你了，先生！”
“这儿没有什么先生！”
“可怜可怜他吧，好心的先生！”
“这儿没有什么先生！”
“可怜可怜他吧，阁下！”
一听到匹诺曹喊自己阁下，木偶戏班班主在椅子上挺坐起来，捋着长胡子，突然变得亲切慈悲，他一边面带自豪的微笑，一边对匹诺曹说：“好了，你现在要我做什么，木偶？”
“我求你饶了我那可怜的朋友花衣小丑吧，他一生从来没有做过伤天害理的事。”
“这可没有什么可怜，匹诺曹，我已经饶恕了你，花衣小丑就必须替你去死。我饿了，我的羊必须烤熟。”
“那样的话，”匹诺曹自豪地说着，站起来，扔掉自己的生面团帽子，“那样的话，我知道我该怎么做了。来吧，宪兵！把我捆起来扔到火上去。不能让我在这个世界上最好的朋友可怜的花衣小丑替我去死，这不公平！”
这些勇敢的话说得动人心扉，使其他的木偶都哭了起来。就连那两个也是木头做的宪兵也像婴儿一样哭了起来。
吞火者起先像一块冰似的又冷又硬，但后来，他渐渐心软了，开始打起了喷嚏。打了四五个喷嚏后，他张开大大的怀抱，对匹诺曹说道：“你是一个勇敢的孩子！到我的怀抱里来，亲我一下！”
匹诺曹跑到他的身边，像一只松鼠似的顺着他的长黑胡子匆匆往上爬，然后在吞火者的鼻尖上深情地吻了一下。
“你已经饶了我吗？”可怜的花衣小丑几乎声如游丝地问道。
“饶你了！”吞火者回答说，然后叹了口气，摇了摇头，补充道，“噢，今天晚上我只好吃半生不熟的羊肉喽，但下次可要注意啊，木偶。”
听到班主饶恕的消息，木偶们都跑到戏台上，开亮所有的灯，载歌载舞，直到天亮。
