Upon hearing himself called Excellence the showman began to smile and became at once kinder and more tractable. Turning to Pinocchio, he asked: "Well, what do you want from me?" "I implore you to pardon poor Harlequin." "For him there can be no pardon. As I have spared you he must be put on the fire, for I am determined that my mutton shall be well roasted." "In that case," cried Pinocchio proudly, rising and throwing away his cap of bread crumb--"in that case I know my duty. Come on, gendarmes! Bind me and throw me amongst the flames. No, it is not just that poor Harlequin, my true friend, should die for me!" These words, pronounced in a loud, heroic voice, made all the puppets who were present cry. Even the gendarmes, although they were made of wood, wept like two newly born lambs. Fire-Eater at first remained as hard and unmoved as ice, but little by little he began to melt and to sneeze. And, having sneezed four or five times, he opened his arms affectionately and said to Pinocchio: "You are a good, brave boy! Come here and give me a kiss." Pinocchio ran at once and, climbing like a squirrel up the showman's beard, he deposited a hearty kiss on the point of his nose. "Then the pardon is granted?" asked poor Harlequin in a faint voice that was scarcely audible. "The pardon is granted!" answered Fire-Eater; he then added, sighing and shaking his head: "I must have patience! Tonight I shall have to resign myself to eat the mutton half raw; but another time, woe to him who displeases me!" At the news of the pardon the puppets all ran to the stage and, having lighted the lamps and chandeliers as if for a full-dress performance, they began to leap and to dance merrily. At dawn they were still dancing. [Illustration] CHAPTER XII PINOCCHIO RECEIVES A PRESENT OF FIVE GOLD PIECES The following day Fire-Eater called Pinocchio to one side and asked him: "What is your father's name?" "Geppetto." "And what trade does he follow?" "He is a beggar." "Does he gain much?" "Gain much? Why, he has never a penny in his pocket. Only think, in order to buy a spelling-book so that I could go to school he was obliged to sell the only coat he had to wear--a coat that, between patches and darns, was not fit to be seen." "Poor devil! I feel almost sorry for him! Here are five gold pieces. Go at once and take them to him with my compliments." Pinocchio was overjoyed and thanked the showman a thousand times. He embraced all the puppets of the company one by one, even to the gendarmes, and set out to return home. But he had not gone far when he met on the road a Fox lame of one foot, and a Cat blind of both eyes, and they were going along helping each other like good companions in misfortune. The Fox, who was lame, walked leaning on the Cat; and the Cat, who was blind, was guided by the Fox. "Good-day, Pinocchio," said the Fox, greeting him politely. "How do you come to know my name?" asked the puppet. "I know your father well."