And he turned to go out.  But when he reached the door he remembered his donkey’s ears, and, feeling ashamed to show them in public, what do you think he did?  He took a big cotton cap and, putting it on his head, he pulled it well down over the point of his nose.

He then set out and went everywhere in search of Candlewick.  He looked for him in the streets, in the squares, in the little theaters, in every possible place, but he could not find him.  He inquired for him of everybody he met, but no one had seen him.

He then went to seek him at his house and, having reached the door, he knocked.

“Who is there?” asked Candlewick from within.

“It is I!” answered the puppet.

“Wait a moment and I will let you in.”

After half an hour the door was opened and imagine Pinocchio’s feelings when, upon going into the room, he saw his friend Candlewick with a big cotton cap on his head which came down over his nose.

At the sight of the cap Pinocchio felt almost consoled and thought to himself: 

“Has my friend got the same illness that I have?  Is he also suffering from donkey fever?”

And, pretending to have observed nothing, he asked him, smiling: 

“How are you, my dear Candlewick?”

“Very well; as well as a mouse in a Parmesan cheese.”

“Are you saying that seriously?”

“Why should I tell you a lie?”

“Excuse me; but why, then, do you keep that cotton cap on your head which covers up your ears?”

“The doctor ordered me to wear it because I have hurt this knee.  And you, dear puppet, why have you got on that cotton cap pulled down over your nose?”

“The doctor prescribed it because I have grazed my foot.”

“Oh, poor Pinocchio!”

“Oh, poor Candlewick!”

After these words a long silence followed, during which the two friends did nothing but look mockingly at each other.

At last the puppet said in a soft voice to his companion: 

“Satisfy my curiosity, my dear Candlewick:  have you ever suffered from disease of the ears?”

“Never!  And you?”

“Never.  Only since this morning one of my ears aches.”

“Mine is also paining me.”

“You also?  And which of your ears hurts you?”

“Both of them.  And you?”

“Both of them.  Can we have got the same illness?”

“I fear so.”

“Will you do me a kindness, Candlewick?”

“Willingly!  With all my heart.”

“Will you let me see your ears?”

“Why not?  But first, my dear Pinocchio, I should like to see yours.”

“No:  you must be first.”

“No, dear.  First you and then I!”

“Well,” said the puppet, “let us come to an agreement like good friends.”

“Let us hear it.”

“We will both take off our caps at the same moment.  Do you agree?”