"What a
delightful country! I have never been there, but I can quite imagine
it."

"Why will you not come also?"

"It is useless to tempt me. I promised my good Fairy to become a
sensible boy, and I will not break my word."

"Good-bye, then, and give my compliments to all the boys at school, if
you meet them in the street."

"Good-bye, Candlewick; a pleasant journey to you; amuse yourself, and
think sometimes of your friends."

Thus saying, the puppet made two steps to go, but then stopped, and,
turning to his friend, he inquired:

"But are you quite certain that in that country all the weeks consist of
six Saturdays and one Sunday?"

"Most certainly."

"But do you know for certain that the holidays begin on the first of
January and finish on the last day of December?"

"Assuredly."

"What a delightful country!" repeated Pinocchio, looking enchanted.
Then, with a resolute air, he added in a great hurry:

"This time really good-bye, and a pleasant journey to you."

"Good-bye."

"When do you start?"

"Shortly."

"What a pity! If really it wanted only an hour to the time of your
start, I should almost be tempted to wait."

"And the Fairy?"

"It is already late. If I return home an hour sooner or later it will
be all the same."

"Poor Pinocchio! And if the Fairy scolds you?"

"I must have patience! I will let her scold. When she has scolded well
she will hold her tongue."

In the meantime night had come on and it was quite dark. Suddenly they
saw in the distance a small light moving and they heard a noise of
talking, and the sound of a trumpet, but so small and feeble that it
resembled the hum of a mosquito.

"Here it is!" shouted Candlewick, jumping to his feet.

"What is it?" asked Pinocchio in a whisper.

"It is the coach coming to take me. Now will you come, yes or no?"

"But is it really true," asked the puppet, "that in that country boys
are never obliged to study?"

"Never, never, never!"

"What a delightful country! What a delightful country! What a delightful
country!"

[Illustration: THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE TO GET ON THE
TUNNY'S BACK]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXI

PINOCCHIO ENJOYS FIVE MONTHS OF HAPPINESS

At last the coach arrived, and it arrived without making the slightest
noise, for its wheels were bound round with flax and rags.

It was drawn by twelve pairs of donkeys, all the same size but of
different colors.

Some were gray, some