08 Eight

The news that a peach almost as big as a house had suddenly appeared in someone's garden spread like wildfire across the countryside, and the next day a stream of people came scrambling up the steep hill to gaze upon this marvel. Quickly, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker called in carpenters and had them build a strong fence round the peach to save it from the crowd; and at the same time, these two crafty women stationed themselves at the front gate with a large bunch of tickets and started charging everyone for coming in.

一个人的花园里突然出现了一个和房子一样大的桃子，这个消息像野火一样传遍了整个乡村。第二天，一群人爬上陡峭的山坡，争相观看这个奇迹。 海绵姑妈和斯派克姑妈赶紧叫来木匠，让他们在桃子周围筑起一道坚固的篱笆，免得桃子被人群撞坏;与此同时，这两个狡猾的女人拿着一大堆票站在前门，开始向所有进来的人收费。

'Roll up! Roll up!' Aunt Spiker yelled. 'Only one shilling to see the giant peach!' 'Half price for children under six weeks old!' Aunt Sponge shouted. 'One at a time, please! Don't push! Don't push! You're all going to get in!' 'Hey, you! Come back, there! You haven't paid!' By lunchtime, the whole place was a seething mass of men, women, and children all pushing and shoving to get a glimpse of this miraculous fruit. Helicopters were landing like wasps all over the hill, and out of them poured swarms of newspaper reporters, cameramen, and men from the television companies. 'It'll cost you double to bring in a camera!' Aunt Spiker shouted. 'All right! All right!' they answered. 'We don't care!' And the money came rolling into the pockets of the two greedy aunts. But while all this excitement was going on outside, poor James was forced to stay locked in

“卷起来!卷起来!”斯派克姨妈喊道。 “只要一先令就能看到大桃子!”“六周以下儿童半价!”海绵姨妈喊道。 “一次一个!”别碰!别碰!你们都会被录取的!“嘿，你!”回来，回来!你还没付钱呢!”到了午餐时间，整个地方都挤满了男人、女人和孩子，他们都挤来挤去，想看一眼这种神奇的水果。 直升机像黄蜂一样在山上降落，成群结队的报纸记者、摄影师和电视公司的人从直升机里涌了出来。 “带照相机来要花双倍的钱!”斯派克姨妈喊道。 “好吧!好吧!他们回答说。 “我们不在乎!”于是钱滚滚地进了两个贪婪的阿姨的口袋。 但是，当所有这些激动人心的事情都在外面进行时，可怜的詹姆斯却被迫被锁在家里

his bedroom, peeping through the bars of his window at the crowds below. 'The disgusting little brute will only get in everyone's way if we let him wander about,' Aunt Spiker had said early that morning. 'Oh, please!' he had begged. 'I haven't met any other children for years and years and there are going to be lots of them down there for me to play with. And perhaps I could help you with the tickets.' 'Shut up!' Aunt Sponge had snapped. 'Your Aunt Spiker and I are about to become millionaires, and the last thing we want is the likes of you messing things up and getting in the way.' Later, when the evening of the first day came and the people had all gone home, the aunts unlocked James's door and ordered him to go outside and pick up all the banana skins and orange peel and bits of paper that the crowd had left behind. 'Could I please have something to eat first?' he asked. 'I haven't had a thing all day.'

他的卧室，透过窗户的栅栏窥视下面的人群。 “如果我们让这个讨厌的小畜生到处乱逛，它只会妨碍大家。”斯派克姑妈那天一大早就说过。 “哦,谢谢!他恳求道。 “我已经很多年没见过其他孩子了，下面会有很多孩子让我一起玩的。” 也许我可以帮你买票。“闭嘴!”海绵姨妈厉声说。 "你的斯派克姨妈和我就要成为百万富翁了，我们最不愿意看到的就是你这样的人把事情搞砸，碍手碍脚。"后来，到了第一天的晚上，大家都回家了，姨妈们打开了詹姆斯的门，命令他到外面去，把大家留下的香蕉皮、橘子皮和纸片都捡起来。 “我能先吃点东西吗?”他问。 "我一整天都没吃东西。"

'No!' they shouted, kicking him out of the door. 'We're too busy to make food! We are counting our money!' 'But it's dark!' cried James. 'Get out!' they yelled. 'And stay out until you've cleaned up all the mess!' The door slammed. The key turned in the lock.

“不!他们喊着，把他踢出了门。 “我们太忙了，没时间做饭!”我们在数钱呢!“可是天太黑了!”詹姆斯叫道。 “出去!他们喊道。“在外面呆着，直到你把乱七八糟的东西收拾干净!”门砰地关上了。 钥匙在锁里转动。