2 A secret cave

Chapter 2 A secret cave A breathless pause followed. "Are you alright?" asked Jimmy. "Yes," Gerald called. "And guess what? I've found a cave!" Cathy climbed in, dry leaves rustling under her boots. Jimmy followed, diving head first.

第二章一个秘密的山洞，接着是一阵喘不过气来的沉默。 “你还好吗？”吉米问。 “是的，"杰拉尔德喊道。“你猜怎么着？ 我找到了一个山洞！”凯茜爬了进去，干树叶在她的靴子下沙沙作响。 吉米跟着，头朝下一跳。

"Follow me," said Gerald, who had discovered a passageway. One by one, they crept along, coming out through an arch into brilliant sunshine. "Oh!" breathed Cathy. "Is it the enchanted castle?"

“跟我来，"杰拉尔德说，他发现了一条通道。 他们一个接一个地爬着，穿过一道拱门来到灿烂的阳光下。 “哦！”凯茜低声说。“是魔法城堡吗？”

They were on a marble terrace overlooking a lake. Creamy white statues dotted the grounds and up ahead rose the turrets and towers of a castle. A sense of magic hung in the air.

他们在一个大理石平台上俯瞰着一个湖。 乳白色的雕像点缀在地面上，前方耸立着一座城堡的塔楼。 空气中弥漫着一种魔力。

The place was deserted. As they walked, the feeling of magic grew stronger. They halted at the start of a maze. "I bet there's something magical in the middle," said Gerald But the middle was hard to find. They were back at the start for the fourth time when Gerald spotted a thread of cotton, tied to a silver thimble engraved with a crown. "It's a clue!" he cried.

那地方空无一人。他们走着走着，魔法的感觉越来越强烈。 他们在迷宫的开头停了下来。 “我敢打赌，中间一定有什么神奇的东西，”杰拉尔德说，但是中间很难找到。 他们第四次回到起点时，杰拉尔德发现了一根棉线，上面系着一个刻有王冠的银顶针。 “这是一条线索！”

The clue wound around the hedges, across a grassy plot and stopped at a small hand. The hand belonged to someone in a long silk gown and a glittering veil, who was fast asleep in the sun.

线索绕着树篱，穿过一片草地，停在一只小手跟前。 那只手是一个人的，他穿着一件长长的丝绸长袍，戴着闪闪发光的面纱，正在太阳下酣睡。

"Sleeping Beauty..." Cathy whispered. "You're the eldest, Gerry. Kiss her awake." "Never!" cried Gerald, alarmed. "I will," said Jimmy and planted a loud kiss on her pale cheek. The Princess opened her eyes, yawned and said, "The hundred years must be over. Do you want to come to my castle for tea?"

“睡美人……”凯茜低声说。 “你是老大，格里。 吻醒她。”“决不！"杰拉尔德惊恐地喊道。 “我会的，”吉米说着，在她苍白的脸颊上重重地吻了一下。 公主睁开眼睛，打了个哈欠，说：“一百年必须结束了。 你想去我的城堡喝茶吗？”