He wants me to
renounce this pleasure, to make a sacrifice to God to-night by staying
at home."
"Oh, nonsense!" answered the tempter. "You come with me. I'll take
you down into the city, and to the puppet show, and the fireworks, and
everything else. We'll be back in an hour, and Father Somazzo, who is
saying his prayers, won't even know you've been away."
"He has locked the door, and will be angry if he finds me gone," said
the boy, half ready to yield to the tempter.
"He won't find it out. Quick. Climb up on the window-sill, I'll lift
you down, and in a moment we'll be out through the little gate in the
wall, for I have the key that unlocks it. We've no time to lose.
Don't you hear the drums and tomtoms in the market-place? The puppet
show is beginning."
Little Peppo's conscience told him that he ought not to go, but his
anger at what seemed to him an unjust command, caused him to give no
heed to its dictation. "Well, anyway, when Father Somazzo shuts me up
for punishment, I'll have seen the puppet show and the fireworks," he
said, climbing up on the window-sill, and the next moment he was in the
garden.
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