12 SSTAGE FRIGHT

CHAPTER 12 STAGE FRIGHT Alexander peeked through the curtains. The auditorium was filling up fast. Mr. Hoarsely was setting up a microphone. And along one wall was a cafeteria cart, loaded with brownies. "Ah! Just what we need," Alexander whispered. "Guys, I'll be right back." "Okay, but hurry!" said Nikki. Alexander jogged down a dark passageway and through a narrow side door.

第十二章怯场亚历山大透过窗帘往外偷看。 礼堂里很快就坐满了人。 沙哑先生正在安装麦克风。 一面墙上是一辆自助餐车，装满了布朗尼蛋糕。 “啊!这正是我们需要的。”亚历山大低声说。 “伙计们，我马上回来。” “好吧，但是快点！”尼基说。 亚历山大小跑着穿过一条黑暗的过道，穿过一扇狭窄的侧门。

He made his way through the crowd. He could see Principal Vanderpants talking to Mr. Mingus, off to one side. "Ooof!" Alexander bumped into Stanley the Steam Shovel. Actually, it wasn't Stanley It was someone dressed as Stanley. Actually, it wasn't someone— it was his dad. "Howdy, AI!" his dad said. "Uh, hi, Dad," said Alexander. "I can't talk right now— I'm kind of busy." "Oh, me, too!" said Alexander's dad. "They've got me passing out treats! Here, have a brownie!"

他从人群中挤过去。 他可以看到范德帕斯校长在一旁和明格斯先生说话。 “Ooof !”亚历山大撞上了蒸汽铲斯坦利。 事实上，不是斯坦利，是有人打扮成斯坦利的样子。 实际上，不是别人，是他爸爸。 “你好，AI!”他爸爸说。 “嗯，嗨，爸爸，”亚历山大说。 “我现在不能说话——我有点忙。” “哦，我也是！”亚历山大的爸爸说。 “他们让我分发点心！”来，吃块布朗尼吧！”

Thanks, Dad— just what I needed!" said Alexander. He took a brownie and turned to head backstage. But then the lights flashed. "It's about to start!" said Alexander's dad. Principal Vanderpants stood onstage. "Good morning, students," she said, speaking into a microphone. "You know our visiting author from such books as Stanley Eats His Lima Beans and Stanley and the Thank-You-copter. Let's give a big welcome to Morty C. Mingus."

谢谢你，爸爸——这正是我所需要的！”亚历山大说。 他拿了一块布朗尼蛋糕，转身向后台走去。 但随后灯光亮了起来。 “就要开始了！”亚历山大的爸爸说。 范德帕斯校长站在台上。 “早上好，同学们，”她对着麦克风说。 “你知道我们的访问作者，读过《斯坦利吃青豆》和《斯坦利和感谢直升机》等书。 让我们热烈欢迎莫蒂·C。 明格斯。”

Mr. Mingus took the stage. "Thank you, Stermont Elementary," he said. "Why don't I start by telling some knock-knock jokes?" The crowd clapped politely. Except for Alexander's dad, who was jumping, whistling, and cheering. Alexander made his way back to the side door. "WHOA!" said Rip's voice from the other side of the curtains.

明格斯走上舞台。 “谢谢你，斯特蒙特小学，”他说。 “为什么我不先讲一些敲门的笑话呢？”人群礼貌地鼓掌。 除了亚历山大的爸爸，他跳着，吹着口哨，欢呼着。 亚历山大走回侧门。 “哇！”窗帘那边传来瑞普的声音。

Ms. Vanderpants's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head toward the curtains. Alexander raced along the dark passageway back to his friends. "Rip," he whispered. "I could hear you out front." "Sorry, Salamander," said Rip. "But check out the ants!" said Nikki. Ants were still swarming around Rip's cookie. But they were no longer black— they were bright blue. "Whoa!" said Alexander. "Shhh!" said Rip. "Vanderpants might hear you."

范德帕斯眯起眼睛，把头歪向窗帘。 亚历山大沿着黑暗的通道跑回他的朋友们身边。 “里普，”他低声说。“我能听到你在前面说话。” “对不起，蝾螈。”瑞普说。 “但是看看那些蚂蚁！”妮基说。 蚂蚁还围着瑞普的饼干团团转。 但它们不再是黑色的，而是亮蓝色的。 “哇！”亚历山大说。“嘘！”瑞普说。 “范德帕特可能会听到你的声音。”

From the other side of the curtain, Alexander could hear the audience groan at one of Mr. Mingus's jokes. The ants wiggled a bit, and then— BA-DINK! BA-DINK! BA-DINK! They grew larger and larger. The S.S.M.P. was surrounded by an army of huge blue ant creatures.

从幕布的另一边，亚历山大可以听到观众因明格斯的一个笑话而发出的呻吟声。 蚂蚁扭动了一下，然后——BA-DINK！BA-DINK !BA-DINK !它们变得越来越大。 S.S.M.P.被一群巨大的蓝色蚂蚁包围了。