Pinocchio presently became very anxious about his health. He was sure that the night’s troubles had brought on a high fever, and this, of course, would keep him from attending to affairs of state. At dawn, therefore, Pinocchio the First rapped the pan and sent for the doctor of the court. He was an old man, with a long white beard. Having listened to the emperor’s lament, the doctor drew out a string of beads from his breast, threw them on the floor, and examined them closely, all the time murmuring strange words. Then he began to count the beads. At the end of a quarter of an hour he said that his royal majesty was in excellent health and need not worry.
The marionette’s rage knew no bounds, but it would not do to complain at the very beginning of his career. He thanked the worthy doctor therefore, and dismissed him with a polite nod of the head. Then he again rapped furiously on the pan. There promptly appeared eight or ten servants, who first knelt down at the foot of the imperial bed, and then advancing with every sign of respect, raised his majesty gently, and placed him upon a panther’s skin that was stretched upon the floor.
Pinocchio allowed them to proceed, until they began to cover his body with oil. At this, he asked why they anointed him in such a manner.
“To make you clean, your majesty,” answered the servants, very respectfully.
“Fine cleaning!” thought the marionette. “How are my face and hands to get washed this morning? Never mind. Let us see what comes next.”
This first operation ended, Pinocchio the First was made to sit cross-legged to have his hair combed. His attendants covered his hair with a purple cream and then sprinkled over it a golden powder.
Pinocchio’s joy upon seeing that glittering substance knew no bounds, but he overheard one of the servants say in a melancholy undertone: “What a pity his majesty has not a black complexion such as we have! What a pity! What a pity!”
The marionette was moved to the bottom of his heart, and he was about to say, “You may be sure, my dear subjects, I shall do the best I can to become black,” when he heard footsteps approach.
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