“And who is this Pinocchio?” asked the Marionette, feigning ignorance.
“They say he is a mischief-maker, a tramp, a street urchin—”
“Calumnies! All calumnies!”
“Do you know this Pinocchio?”
“By sight!” answered the Marionette.
“And what do you think of him?” asked the old man.
“I think he’s a very good boy, fond of study, obedient, kind to his Father, and to his whole family—”
As he was telling all these enormous lies about himself, Pinocchio touched his nose and found it twice as long as it should be. Scared out of his wits, he cried out:
“Don’t listen to me, good man! All the wonderful things I have said are not true at all. I know Pinocchio well and he is indeed a very wicked fellow, lazy and disobedient, who instead of going to school, runs away with his playmates to have a good time.”
At this speech, his nose returned to its natural size.