Chapter 84

　　He turned toward the poor animal and said to him:

　　"But if I help you, will you promise not to bother meagain byrunning after me?""I promise! I promise! Only hurry, for if youwaitanother second, I'll be dead and gone!"Pinocchio hesitated stillanother minute. Then, rememberinghow his father had often told him that a kinddeed is never lost,he swam to Alidoro and, catching5 holdof his tail, dragged him to the shore.

　　The poor Dog was so weak he could not stand. He hadswallowed so muchsalt water that he was swollen6 likeaballoon. However, Pinocchio, not wishing to trust himtoo much, threw himselfonce again into the sea. As heswam away, he called out:

　　"Good-by, Alidoro, good luck and remember me to thefamily!""Good-by, little Pinocchio," answered the Dog.

　　"A thousand thanks for having saved me from death.

　　You did me a good turn, and, in this world, what is givenis alwaysreturned. If the chance comes, I shall be there."Pinocchio went onswimming close to shore. At lasthe thought he had reached a safe place.Glancing up anddown the beach, he saw the opening of a cave out of which rose aspiral of smoke.

　　"In that cave," he said to himself, "there must be afire.

　　So much the better. I'll dry my clothes and warm myself,andthen--well--"His mind made up, Pinocchio swam to the rocks, butas hestarted to climb, he felt something under him liftinghim up higher and higher.He tried to escape, but he wastoo late. To his great surprise, he found himselfin a hugenet, amid a crowd of fish of all kinds and sizes, who werefighting andstruggling desperately7tofree themselves.

“可我救了你，你保证不再找我麻烦，不再追我对吗？”
　　“我保证，我保证！快帮忙吧，再过半分钟，我就完蛋了。”
　　皮诺乔先还犹豫了一下，可终于记起他爸爸一再说过的话，做好事永远不吃亏，就游到阿利多罗身边，伸出两手，一把抓住了它的尾巴，把它活生生拉上干燥的沙滩。
　　这条可怜的狗站都站不住了。它不得已喝了那么多咸水，肚子胀得像个大皮球。可是木偶不太相信它，觉得还是小心点好，于是重新跳到海里。他离岸远远的，对他救起来的朋友叫道：
　　“再见，阿利多罗，一路平安，给我向你一家问好。”
　　“再见，小皮诺乔，”狗回答说，“万分感谢您救了我的命。您帮了我一个天大的忙。在这个世界上善有善报，一有机会，我要报答您的。”
　　皮诺乔继续紧靠着岸边游。最后他觉得已经到了安全的地方，朝岸上看看，看见礁石上有个山洞，山洞里冒出烟来，飘得高高的。
　　“这山洞里一定有火，”他自言自语说。“那多好啊！让我上去把身子烤烤干，烤烤暖和。然后呢？……然后该怎么办就怎么办吧。”
　　他拿定了主意，就向礁石游过去。可他到了那里正要上岸，忽然觉得水底下有样东西升起来，升啊，升啊，把他一直托到空中，他马上打算逃走，可已经来不及了，因为使他惊奇万分的是，他竟在一个大鱼网里，夹在一大堆鱼中间。这些鱼形形色色，有大有小，正拼了命啪哒啪哒摇着尾巴挣扎。

5 catching    

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

·There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。

·Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

6swollen 

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

·Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。

·A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

7desperately 

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

·He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。

·He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。