Ch3-The Ice Wizard

CHAPTER THREE The Ice Wizard The air inside the palace was even colder than the air outside. Moonlight flooded through tall arches in the walls. The floor shined like a skating rink. Thick columns of sparkling ice held up a domed ceiling. "WELCOME, JACK AND ANNIE," boomed a voice from beyond the columns.

宫殿里的空气比外面的还要冷。 月光透过墙上高高的拱门倾泻而下。 地板像溜冰场一样闪闪发光。 厚厚的冰柱支撑着圆顶的天花板。 “欢迎你们，杰克和安妮。”一个声音从柱子那边传来。

Jack gasped. "Is that Merlin?" he whispered. "It does not sound like Merlin," whispered Teddy. "But how does he know our names?" whispered Annie. "COME, JACK AND ANNIE. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU," bellowed the voice. "Maybe it is Merlin!" said Annie. "Maybe he's just using a different voice! Come on!" "Annie, wait!" Jack called. But Annie had already disappeared into the sparkly room. "We have to follow her," he said to Teddy and Kathleen. The three of them hurried after Annie. Beyond the columns, steps made of carved ice led up to a

杰克气喘吁吁地说。“是梅林吗？” “听起来不像梅林。”特迪低声说。 “可是他怎么知道我们的名字呢？”安妮小声说。 “来吧，杰克和安妮。“我一直在等你。”那声音吼道。 “也许是梅林！”安妮说。 “也许他只是换了一种声音！”来吧!”“安妮,等等!”杰克叫。 但安妮已经消失在那间闪闪发光的房间里了。 “我们得跟着她，”他对特迪和凯瑟琳说。 他们三个人急忙跟在安妮后面。 石柱后面，冰雕的台阶通向一座

platform. Sitting on a throne on the platform was a huge bearded man. The man on the throne was definitely not Merlin. He was dressed in a worn robe trimmed with dirty fur. He had a rugged, weather-beaten face, a bushy beard, and a black eye patch. He leaned forward and glared down at Annie with his one good eye. "Who are you?" he demanded. "I was expecting Jack and Annie of Frog Creek." Annie stepped toward the throne. "I am Annie and he's Jack," she said. "And these are our friends Teddy and Kathleen. We come in peace." "Annie? Jack?" the man snorted. "You are not Annie and Jack! You are far too small!"

平台。站台上的宝座上坐着一个大胡子。 王位上的人绝对不是梅林。 他穿着一件镶着脏皮毛的旧长袍。 他有一张饱经风霜的粗犷的脸，浓密的胡须，黑色的眼罩。 他身体前倾，用他那只完好的眼睛瞪着安妮。 “你是谁？”他问道。 “我还以为是青蛙溪的杰克和安妮呢。” 安妮走向宝座。 “我是安妮，他是杰克，”她说。 “这是我们的朋友泰迪和凯瑟琳。 我们为和平而来。”“安妮? 杰克？”男人哼了一声。“你们不是安妮和杰克！”你太小了！”

"We're not so small," said Annie. "I'm nine. Jack's ten." "But you are children," the man said with scorn. "Jack and Annie are heroes!" "Well, I don't know if I'd call us heroes," said Annie. "But we sometimes help Merlin and Morgan le Fay." "Annie, shhh!" said Jack. He didn't trust the man on the throne and worried that Annie was saying too much. But Annie went on. "In fact, Merlin told us to come to the Land-Behind-the-Clouds today," she said. "He sent us a message written on a stone." "Ah…," said the man on the throne. "Perhaps you really are Jack and Annie." He leaned forward

“我们不是那么小，”安妮说。 “我九。杰克的十。”“可你们是孩子啊，”那人轻蔑地说。 “杰克和安妮是英雄！”“嗯，我不知道我是否该称我们为英雄，”安妮说。 “但我们有时会帮助梅林和仙女摩根。” “安妮，嘘！”杰克说。他不信任王位上的男人，担心安妮说得太多。 但安妮继续说下去。“事实上，梅林叫我们今天到云后大陆来。”她说。 “他给了我们写在石头上的信息。” “啊……”坐在宝座上的人说。 “也许你们真的是杰克和安妮。” 他身体前倾

and spoke in a low voice: To Jack and Annie of Frog Creek: My Staff of Strength has been stolen. On the winter solstice, journey to the Land-Behind-the-Clouds. Travel toward the setting sun and retrieve my staff—or all will be lost. Jack didn't understand. "How…?" "How do I know what was in Merlin's message?" the man said. "I know because I wrote it myself! I hoped it would find its way to you somehow." Jack stepped back. So Merlin hadn't sent them on this mission at all. The weird man on the throne had tricked them! "Who are you?" demanded Teddy.

低声说道：给青蛙溪的杰克和安妮：我的力量之杖被偷了。 在冬至，前往云后之地。 朝夕阳的方向走，找回我的权杖，否则一切都完了。 杰克不明白。“怎么……?”“我怎么知道梅林的信里有什么？” “我知道，因为这是我自己写的！”我希望它能找到你的路。” 杰克向后退了一步。所以梅林根本没有派他们去执行这个任务。 王位上那个古怪的人欺骗了他们！“你是谁？”特迪问。

"I am the Ice Wizard," said the man. "The Wizard of Winter." Teddy gulped. Oh, no! thought Jack. They had heard about this wizard on their past Merlin missions. It was the Wizard of Winter who had put a spell on the Raven King and who had stolen the Sword of Light!

“我是冰法师。”那人说。 “冬天的巫师。”泰迪一饮而尽。 哦,不!杰克想。他们在过去的梅林任务中听说过这个巫师。 是冬天的巫师给乌鸦王施了咒语，偷走了光之剑！