the judge stretched out his hand and rang the bell. At that sound two large mastiff dogs entered, dressed like soldiers. Then the judge, pointing to Pinocchio, said to them: “This poor idiot has had his money stolen. Take him and put him in prison.”
The marionette, hearing this sentence, began to protest; but the mastiffs, not wishing to waste time, covered his mouth and led him to a cell.
And there he remained four months and would have been there much longer if something fortunate had not happened. You must know, little readers, that the young emperor of the city called Stupid-catchers had just won a brilliant victory over his enemies. So he ordered a grand festival, fireworks and all sorts of parades, and to further celebrate his victory he opened all the prisons and liberated the convicts.
“If the other prisoners go out, I must go out too,” said Pinocchio to the guard.
“You?” replied the guard; “no, because you are not a convict.”
“Excuse me,” replied Pinocchio, “I am as bad any of them.”
“In that case you are right,” said the guard; and raising his hat respectfully and saluting him, he opened the door of his cell and allowed him to escape.
