Read Sebastian for Free Online Page A

nodded at me and closed the door.
    Every so often they looked in to see if I was done. Franco even poked me with a fork - just in fun (I hoped).
    After fifteen minutes they agreed that I was thawed out and the chef fetched a brush and comb to tidy me up.
    His brothers arrived just as it was getting dark - all jolly men of different shapes and sizes with turned-down moustaches and broad-brimmed hats.
    â€œMagnifico! Magnifico!” they all agreed when the chef introduced me. He explained about the reward and how they would have to smuggle me out of the castle, and gave them the newspaper cutting about me.
    Luigi took charge of me - he was the eldest and strongest brother.
    â€œHe is the weight-lifter,” said the chef proudly.
    Luigi picked up a marble-topped table in one hand with me in the other just to prove it.
    â€œBravo, bravo!” shouted Franco.
    â€œAnd there is Sandro,” went on the chef. “He is the smallest and funniest, so he is the clown. Vittorio is the lion-tamer, Alberto and Enrico work the trapeze, Renato trains the horses, and Ugo plays the big drum.”
    They all bowed in turn and I felt quite honoured.
    â€œNow, my brothers,” said the chef, wiping a tear from his eye. “You will have to go. The Count is in a very bad temper and he is not in the mood for visitors.”
    They all nodded sympathetically and hugged the chef in turn and slapped Franco on the back.
    Outside on the castle drive the caravans were waiting - all brightly painted but no horses like the picture books, which was sad. They were really big lorries with trailers. There was a lot of shouting and waving and weeping as we moved off.
    Luigi put me beside him on the driving seat.
    â€œWell, Sebastino,” he said. “For three months you are going to be the mascot of my circus. You see, we don’t come back to Paris till the autumn, and we need somebody to bring the circus good luck.”
    We turned out of the drive and on to the open road.
    I felt a thrill of excitement trembling through all my stuffing as though it was going to come alive. Circus bear! How magnificent!
    If only Toots and Diddy could see me now.

Chapter 6: The Open Road

    We roared down the long, straight roads, with tall silvery trees each side like soldiers in a row, and Luigi told me stories of the circus.
    â€œLast week Ludo the lion had to have all his teeth out - imagine it - a lion with no teeth. It was a tragedy. But Sandro - he’s very clever with his hands - managed to make him a new set in wood. But - Dio Mio! - they fell out just as Vittorio put his head in his mouth. You should have heard the crowd!”
    I tried to look understanding, but I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the lion. Still, false teeth were useful. Auntie Vi always used to say that she could leave her teeth to get on with the dinner on their own, but I never actually saw them do it.
    â€œAnd then there was Gertie the chimp. She was sitting, good as anything, when this tall lady comes along with a hat like a fruit basket, and swoop! - all the fruit disappears inside Gertie. Poor thing!”
    Did he mean the lady or the chimp? Very ill-mannered things I always thought - banging their mugs on the table when they had tea parties, and always using their fingers.
    â€œBut the worst thing was the tent,” he went on. “Someone tied Sandro’s trick motor car to the big pole - you know, the one that holds up the tent - and when he moved off ...! It was hours before we found everybody. Aldo said he was sure we had rolled up some of the thin people when we packed that night. But they never came out again.”
    Luigi went on telling stories until they turned into dreams, and the next thing I knew was it morning and I was inside a real caravan. It had a shining brass oil lamp hanging from the roof, all sorts of cupboards and seats in dark wood, and a table spread for breakfast - bread and jam again.
    Outside was the sound of