7. Saturday

Chapter 7 Saturday Marvin couldn't believe it was already Saturday. What happened to Friday? The week had sped by super fast, out of control. He walked out through the laundry room into the garage. His shoes were double-knotted. So was his stomach. His bike was leaning against the side wall. It had been leaning there for almost three weeks. "Don't you want to try it out?" his father had asked when they first brought it home from the bike shop. "I'm kind of tired," Marvin had said. Now he took hold of the handlebars. "I'm not afraid of you," he whispered. He slowly rolled the bike backward, between the van and the garbage pail. The pedal banged against his shin as he made his way out of the garage and onto the driveway. He still hadn't decided if he would go down Suicide

马文不敢相信已经是星期六了。 星期五怎么了?这一周过得飞快，失去了控制。 他穿过洗衣房走进车库。 他的鞋是双结的。 他的胃也是如此。他的自行车靠在侧墙上。 它已经在那里躺了将近三个星期了。 “你不想试试吗?”当他们第一次从自行车店把它带回家时，他父亲问。 “我有点累了。”马文说。 现在他抓住了车把。 “我不怕你，”他低声说。 他慢慢地向后滚动自行车，在货车和垃圾桶之间。 当他从车库开到车道上时，踏板撞在了他的小腿上。 他还没决定要不要自杀

Hill, but he had to go at least as far as Stuart's house. It was decided that he and Nick would meet at Stuart's, and then they'd all ride to Suicide Hill together. Nick and Stuart were the ones who decided this. It seemed to Marvin that he didn't make any of his own decisions anymore. His life was being decided by others. His bike helmet dangled off the end of one handlebar. He put it on, but it didn't seem to fit right. The strap was too tight under his chin, and the helmet seemed way too loose at the top of his head. He hoped he hadn't put it on backward. He stared at his giant bicycle. His parents had chosen a bicycle that was a little big for him. "You'll grow into it," his father had said. "We don't want to have to buy another bike in six months." He had to lean it way over to try and get his leg over it. It was impossible. As he tried to lift himself onto the seat, the bike almost fell. He just managed to stick his foot out and catch himself. He tried several more times, hopping on one foot and scraping his leg against the pedal. He couldn't do it. How am I supposed to ride down Suicide Hill if I can't

但他至少得走到斯图亚特家。 他们决定他和尼克在斯图尔特家见面，然后他们一起骑马去自杀山。 尼克和斯图尔特是做决定的人。 在马文看来，他再也不能自己做任何决定了。 他的生活由别人决定。 他的自行车头盔挂在车把一端。 他戴上了，但似乎不太合适。 他下巴下的带子太紧了，头顶上的头盔似乎太松了。 他希望自己没有穿反。 他盯着他那辆巨大的自行车。 他的父母给他选了一辆有点大的自行车。 “你会长大的，”他父亲说。 “我们不想在六个月内再买一辆自行车。” 他不得不把它倾斜过去，试图让他的腿跨过它。 这是不可能的。当他试图爬上座位时，自行车差点倒了。 他只是设法把脚伸出来，然后自己抓住了。 他又试了几次，单脚跳着，腿蹭着踏板。 他做不到。如果我不能骑上自杀山，我还怎么骑下去

even get on my bike? he wondered. He thought about all the kids waiting for him at Suicide Hill. Casey and Judy. Clarence and Travis. Nate and all the kids from middle school. Marvin walked the bike down the driveway and into the street. He edged it next to the curb and then rotated the pedals into position. Then, standing on the curb, he was able to stretch his leg over the top of the bike and just barely touch the pedal on the other side. He hopped on. The bike wobbled. The tire rubbed against the curb and he almost fell, but he managed to turn the handlebars and straighten out. He pedaled hard. He felt himself gain his balance. He headed toward Stuart's house. Now that Marvin was on the bike, it felt almost the same as his old bike. He was just higher off the ground. He didn't try to shift gears. And he hoped he wouldn't have to use the brakes. There was only one corner between his house and Stuart's. He took it nice and slow, almost too slow. He found it easier to keep his balance when he was going a little faster, but if he went too fast, he might have to use

甚至骑上我的自行车?他想知道。 他想到了那些在自杀山等着他的孩子们。 凯西和朱迪。克拉伦斯和特拉维斯。 内特和所有中学同学。 马文把自行车沿着车道推到街上。 他把车开到路边，然后把踏板转到合适的位置。 然后，站在路边，他可以把腿伸到自行车的顶部，几乎没有碰到另一边的踏板。 他跳上了车。自行车摇摇晃晃。 轮胎摩擦着路缘，他差点摔倒，但他设法把车把转直了身子。 他使劲蹬车。他感到自己恢复了平衡。 他朝斯图亚特家走去。 现在马文骑在自行车上，感觉就像他的旧自行车一样。 他只是离地面更高。 他没有试图改变档位。 他希望自己不用踩刹车。 他的房子和斯图亚特的房子之间只有一个角落。 他从容而缓慢地接受了，几乎是太慢了。 他发现走得快一点时更容易保持平衡，但如果他走得太快，他可能不得不使用

his brakes. Stuart's driveway was uphill. It slowed him down enough that he didn't have to use his brakes. He let the bike roll to a stop, then hopped off. He let it fall beside him. He knocked on Stuart's door. As he waited for someone to answer it, he looked back at his bike. He hoped he'd be able to get back on it without too much trouble. Stuart's mother opened the door and said, "Hi, Marvin. Come on in. The boys are watching a movie." Marvin walked through the kitchen and into the family room. His friends were lying on the floor, staring at the TV. Before he could say anything, Nick said, "Shush! It's the good part." "It's almost twelve o'clock," said Marvin. "We have to get going." "After the movie," said Stuart. Marvin couldn't believe it. "How long will that be?" he asked. "I don't know," said Stuart. jmkfho. "Shush!" said Nick.

他的刹车。斯图亚特的车道是上坡的。 它使他的速度减慢到不必刹车的程度。 他让自行车停下来，然后跳下车。 他让它掉在身边。 他敲了敲斯图亚特的门。 当他等着有人来接电话时，他回头看了看自己的自行车。 他希望自己能不太麻烦地重新上路。 斯图亚特的妈妈打开门说:“嗨，马文。 请进。男孩们正在看电影。” 马文穿过厨房，走进了家庭活动室。 他的朋友们躺在地板上盯着电视。 他还没来得及说话，尼克就说:“嘘!这是好的部分。” “快十二点了，”马文说。 “我们得走了。”“看完电影，”斯图亚特说。 马文简直不敢相信。 “那要多久?”他问。 “我不知道，”斯图亚特说。 “嘘!”尼克说。

"Can't you watch it later?" Marvin asked. "You look funny in that helmet," said Stuart. "Do you think it's on backward?" Marvin asked. Stuart didn't answer. He was staring back at the TV set. "It's a video," Marvin pointed out. "You can watch it later." "We want to watch it now," said Nick. "Besides, we haven't had lunch yet." "Lunch!" exclaimed Marvin. "Everyone is waiting for me at Suicide Hill." "Then go," said Stuart. "I still have to eat lunch." "Ooh, did you see that?" asked Nick. "Gross!" said Stuart. Marvin didn't know what to do. He didn't want to have to go to Suicide Hill alone. He didn't even know if he was allowed to ride there alone. He was allowed to ride to Stuart's house, because it was just around the block. Suicide Hill was much farther away. He decided to call home. If his mother wouldn't let him go, then there was nothing he could do about it. No one could blame him. It would be her fault. And Stuart

“你不能待会儿再看吗?”马文问道。 “你戴着那顶头盔真滑稽，”斯图亚特说。 “你认为它是反的吗?”马文问道。 斯图亚特没有回答。他回头盯着电视机。 “这是一个视频，”马文指出。 “你可以以后再看。”“我们想现在就看，”尼克说。 “再说，我们还没吃过午饭呢。” “午饭!”马文叫道。 “每个人都在自杀山等我。” “那就走吧，”斯图亚特说。“我还得吃午饭。” “哦，你看到了吗?”尼克问。 “恶心!”斯图亚特说。马文不知道该怎么办。 他不想一个人去自杀山。 他甚至不知道他是否可以独自骑马去那里。 他被允许骑马去斯图尔特家，因为他家就在附近。 自杀山远得多。 他决定给家里打电话。如果他妈妈不让他去，那他就无能为力了。 谁也不能责怪他。那将是她的错。 和斯图尔特

and Nick's. He used the kitchen phone. His father was the one who answered. Marvin explained the problem. "I think it will be fine," his father said. "There are no busy streets along the way. And I appreciate the fact that you called. It shows you're responsible. If you didn't call,

和尼克的。他用厨房的电话。 是他父亲接的电话。 马文解释了这个问题。 “我想会没事的，”他的父亲说。 “沿途没有繁忙的街道。 我很感激你打电话来。 这表明你是负责任的。 如果你不打电话