Chapter 76

　　Witha lesson more or less, we are always the same donkeys.""And what willthe teacher say?""Let him talk. He is paid to grumble10 all daylong.""And my mother?""Mothers don't know anything,"answered those scamps.

　　"Doyou know what I'll do?" said Pinocchio.

　　"Forcertain reasons of mine, I, too, want to see that Shark;but I'll go afterschool. I can see him then as well as now.""Poor simpleton!"cried one of the boys. "Do you thinkthat a fish of that size will standthere waiting for you?

　　Heturns and off he goes, and no one will ever be the wiser.""How longdoes it take from here to the shore?" asked the Marionette.

　　"Onehour there and back.""Very well, then. Let's see who gets therefirst!" cried Pinocchio.

　　Atthe signal, the little troop, with books under their arms,dashed across thefields. Pinocchio led the way, runningas if on wings, the others following asfast as they could.

　　Nowand again, he looked back and, seeing his followers hot and tired, and withtongues hanging out, he laughed out heartily11. Unhappy boy! If he had onlyknown then the dreadful12 things that were tohappen to him on account of his disobedience!

多上一课少上一课都一祥，反正不懂，还是驴子。”
　　“老师会怎么说呢？”
　　“让老师去说吧。他天天咕噜，也该给他点报应了。”
　　“那我妈妈呢？……”
　　“咱们的妈妈什么都不会知道的。”这些顽皮孩子说。
　　“你们知道我怎么办吗？”皮诺乔说，“我因为某种理由，也要去看看这条鲨鱼……可我下了课去。”
　　“可怜的糊涂虫！”有一个孩子大叫，“这么大一条鱼，你以为它会呆在那儿等着，随便你什么时候去看吗？它给人一搞烦，转过身子就上别处去了，要看也看不到啦。”
　　“打这儿到海边要走多久，”木偶问道。
　　“来回一个钟头。”
　　“那就去吧！谁跑得最快谁就最有种！”皮诺乔叫道，
　　这声起步信号一响，一帮顽皮孩子就把他们的书刊、练习本啊夹在胳肢窝里，抢着向田野奔去了。皮诺乔跑在最前面，只觉得脚上长了翅膀。
　　他不时回过脸去，笑话那些落在他后面有好一段路的同学。他看见他们气喘咻咻，上气不接下气，浑身是尘土，吐出了舌头，不由得衷心大笑起来。这时候，这可怜的家伙还不知道他正在走向什么样的可怕事情，走向什么样的可怕灾难呢！……

10 grumble    

vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声

参考例句：

·I don't want to hear another grumble from you.我不愿再听到你的抱怨。

·He could do nothing but grumble over the situation.他除了埋怨局势之外别无他法。

11heartily 

adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很

参考例句：

·He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿，就出去找他的马。

·The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手，热情地和我握手。

12dreadful 

adj.糟透了的，极端的，可怕的，令人畏惧的

参考例句：

·I cannot imagine what to do in this dreadful situation.我不能想像在这么糟的情况下该怎么办。

·I must apologize for the dreadful mistake I made.我为我所犯的严重错误深表歉意。