out once giving up.

The day began to break and they were still pursuing him. Suddenly
Pinocchio found his way barred by a wide, deep ditch full of stagnant
water the color of coffee. What was he to do? "One! two! three!" cried
the puppet, and, making a rush, he sprang to the other side. The
assassins also jumped, but not having measured the distance
properly--splash! splash! they fell into the very middle of the ditch.
Pinocchio, who heard the plunge and the splashing of the water, shouted
out, laughing, and without stopping:

"A fine bath to you, gentleman assassins."

And he felt convinced that they were drowned, when, turning to look, he
perceived that, on the contrary, they were both running after him, still
enveloped in their sacks, with the water dripping from them as if they
had been two hollow baskets.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XV

THE ASSASSINS HANG PINOCCHIO TO THE BIG OAK

At this sight the puppet's courage failed him and he was on the point of
throwing himself on the ground and giving himself over for lost.
Turning, however, his eyes in every direction, he saw, at some distance,
a small house as white as snow.

"If only I had breath to reach that house," he said to himself, "perhaps
I should be saved."

And, without delaying an instant, he recommenced running for his life
through the wood, and the assassins after him.

At last, after a desperate race of nearly two hours, he arrived quite
breathless at the door of the house, and knocked.

No one answered.

He knocked again with great violence, for he heard the sound of steps
approaching him and the heavy panting of his persecutors. The same
silence.

Seeing that knocking was useless, he began in desperation to kick and
pommel the door with all his might. The window then opened and a
beautiful Child appeared at it. She had blue hair and a face as white as
a waxen image; her eyes were closed and her hands were crossed on her
breast. Without moving her lips in the least, she said, in a voice that
seemed to come from the other world:

"In this house there is no one. They are all dead."

"Then at least open the door for me yourself," shouted Pinocchio, crying
and imploring.

"I am dead also."

"Dead? Then what are you doing there at the window?"

"I am waiting for the bier to come to carry me away."

Having said this she immediately disappeared and the window was closed
again without the slightest noise.

"Oh! beautiful Child wi