"I respectfully beg the adjutant to observe that I have only two hands for the service of my general and of my country."
"And I beg you to observe that the train is about to start off."
"If the adjutant would order some one to give me a hand ..."
"There isn't any one to be had, confound it!"
Just at that moment Pinocchio advanced resolutely toward the adjutant to put forward his request to be enlisted.
"Mr. Adjutant ... I have come ... to ..."
The adjutant didn't let Pinocchio say another word, but caught hold of him under the chin, squeezed him, shook him gently ... and said:
"Good! I understand ... you want to do something for the army.... Good boy! You are the best kind of a volunteer. Fine! Help Private Mollica to carry in all this stuff and your country will be grateful to you. And you, Mollica, hurry up. I beg you to observe that now you have the four hands you requested for the job. We understand each other, heh?"
Then he was off toward a group of soldiers who were chalking on the door of one of the railway carriages in large letters: "Through Train—Venice—Trieste—Vienna." A big crowd had gathered around, stopping the traffic.
"Ho, boys, who told you to write through train? Next time ask permission from your superior officer.... There will be a little stop before we get there."