Chapter 96

Pinocchio,instead of becoming a boy, runs awayto the Land of Toys with his friend,Lamp-WickComing at last out of the surprise into which the Fairy'swords hadthrown him, Pinocchio asked for permission togive out the invitations.

　　"Indeed, you may invite your friends to tomorrow's party.

　　Only remember to return home before dark. Do youunderstand?""I'll be back in one hour without fail," answeredthe Marionette1.

　　"Take care, Pinocchio! Boys give promises very easily,but theyas easily forget them.""But I am not like those others. When I givemy word I keep it.""We shall see. In case you do disobey, you will bethe oneto suffer, not anyone else.""Why?""Because boys whodo not listen to their elders always come to grief2.""I certainly have,"said Pinocchio, "but from now on, I obey.""We shall see if youare telling the truth."Without adding another word, the Marionette badethe goodFairy good-by, and singing and dancing, he left the house.

　　In a little more than an hour, all his friends wereinvited. Someaccepted quickly and gladly. Others had tobe coaxed3, but when they heard that the toastwas to be buttered on both sides, they all ended by acceptingthe invitationwith the words, "We'll come to please you."Now it must be known that,among all his friends,Pinocchio had one whom he loved most of all.

　　The boy's real name was Romeo, but everyone called himLamp-Wick, forhe was long and thin and had a woebegonelook about him.

　　Lamp-Wick was the laziest boy in the school and the biggestmischief-maker, but Pinocchio loved him dearly.

　　That day, he went straight to his friend's house to invite him tothe party, but Lamp-Wick was not at home. He went a second time ,and again athird, but still without success.

当然，皮诺乔马上就得到仙女同意，进城去把要请的人都给请来。临走时仙女对他说：
　　“那你就去请你的同学们明天来参加早宴吧。可你记住了，天黑前就得回家。明白了吗？”
　　我保证一个钟头就回来，木偶回答说。
　　“留神点，皮诺乔：孩子们总是答应起来很爽快，可做起来却慢腾腾的。”
　　“我跟别人可不一样，我说到做到。”
　　“咱们看吧。万一你不听话，你就要吃更大的苦头。”
　　“为什么？”
　　“因为孩子不听比他们懂得多的人劝，总是要倒霉的。”
　　“我已经尝到过滋味！”皮诺乔说，“现在我不会再犯老毛病了！”
　　“我说的话是真是假，咱们看吧。”
　　木偶二话不说，就跟做他妈妈的好心仙女告了别，又唱又跳地出门去了。
　　一个钟头多一点，所有的朋友他都请到了。有人一听就高兴地接受邀请。有人还得先求一求，可一听说有牛奶咖啡喝，还有两面涂黄油的面包吃，就都说：“我们为了让你高兴，要来的。”
　　现在诸位要知道，皮诺乔在他的朋友和同学中间，有一个最知己最要好的，名字叫罗梅奥，可大家给他取了个绰号叫“小灯芯”，因为他又干又瘦，活像晚上小油灯点的一根新灯芯。
　　小灯芯在全校学生当中最懒情最捣蛋，可皮诺乔却很喜欢他。事实就是这样，他一开头就上他家去找他，要请他赴早宴，可没碰到。他第二次去，小灯芯不在家。他第三次去，还是白跑。

1 marionette   

n.木偶

参考例句：

·With this marionette I wish to travel through the world.我希望带着这个木偶周游世界。

·The development of marionette had a great influence on the future development of opera.木偶戏的发展对以后的戏曲有十分重要的影响。

2 grief

n.悲伤，悲痛，悲伤的事，悲痛的缘由

参考例句：

·Don't allow yourself to sink into grief,it can do no good.不要使自己陷入悲哀之中，这样一点好处也没有。

·After her mother died,she abandoned herself to grief.母亲死后，她沉浸于悲痛之中。

3 coaxed

v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱

参考例句：

·She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer. 她哄着那匹马让它再靠近了一点。

·I coaxed my sister into taking me to the theatre. 我用好话哄姐姐带我去看戏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》