4. Hamilton

Chapter 4 Hamilton I wouldn't be stuck here in time-out if I'd just listened to my big brother. And believe me, I hardly ever say that. It started the other day. I was packing Hamilton into my backpack. So he could go to school with me. Just like always. Max saw me. "No pigs allowed at school, Roscoe," he said. I ignored him.

如果我听我哥哥的话，我就不会被困在这里了。 相信我，我很少这么说。 这是从前几天开始的。我把汉密尔顿装进了背包。 这样他就能和我一起上学了。 一如既往。麦克斯看到我了。 “罗斯科，猪不准进学校，”他说。 我不理他。

Because number one, that isn't a rule. Unless the pig is the real kind. And number two, when a little brother ignores a big brother, it drives the big brother crazy. Max was eating Cheerios. He threw one at my head. "You're in first grade now," he said. "And first graders do NOT take stuffed animals to school." I picked the Cheerio out of my hair. Then I ate it. That also drives big brothers crazy. "Hamilton always comes with me," I said. Mom ran into the kitchen. "Has anyone seen Hazel's Cinderella toothbrush?" Hazel is my little sister. She has a thing about princesses. Also mud.

因为第一，这不是规则。 除非这头猪是真的。 第二，当一个小弟弟忽视一个大哥哥时，它会把大哥哥逼疯。 麦克斯在吃麦圈。他朝我的头扔了一个。 “你现在上一年级了，”他说。 “一年级的学生也不会把毛绒玩具带到学校去。” 我把头发上的麦圈捡了起来。 然后我吃了。这也会让大哥们抓狂。 “汉密尔顿总是和我在一起，”我说。 妈妈跑进厨房。“有人看到海柔的灰姑娘牙刷吗?”黑兹尔是我的小妹妹。 她特别喜欢公主。 还泥。

"The point is, stuffed animals are for babies," Max said. "Max!" Mom said. "What are you talking about?" "Roscoe's taking that stinkpot Bacon to school," Max said. "That isn't his name," I said. "Ham," Max said. "Ham-ILTON," I said. "It would be totally embarrassing if anyone sees you with that thing," Max said. "I'd be humiliated!" "You are in fourth grade," Mom said. "Roscoe's in first. How is he going to humiliate you?"

“关键是，毛绒玩具是给婴儿的，”马克斯说。 “马克斯!”母亲说。“你在说什么?”“罗斯科带那个臭臭培根去上学了。”麦克斯说。 “那不是他的名字，”我说。 “火腿，”马克斯说。“哈姆-伊尔顿，”我说。 “如果有人看到你拿着那个东西，那就太尴尬了，”马克斯说。 “我会很丢脸的!”“你上四年级了，”妈妈说。 “罗斯科先上。他要怎么羞辱你?”

Max shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mom," he said, "but you know nothing about the real world. People will talk." "That pig is Roscoe's best friend," Mom said. "And as long as it's okay with his teacher, he may take Bacon—I mean Hamilton—to school." "Besides, nobody knows he's there," I pointed out. "'Cause he stays in my backpack. Only Emma and Gus know about him. And Ms. Diz." Ms. Diz is my teacher. And Emma and Gus are my best buddies. Max made a pig-snort sound. I snorted back. Twice. Let me tell you, dealing with big brothers is an art. "I'm bringing Hamilton," I said. "And that's that." The thing is, I've had Hamilton forever.

马克斯摇了摇头。“对不起，妈妈，”他说，“但你对现实世界一无所知。 人们会说闲话的。”“那头猪是罗斯科最好的朋友，”妈妈说。 “只要他的老师同意，他就可以带培根——我是说汉密尔顿——去上学。” “再说，没人知道他在那儿，”我指出。 “因为他一直在我的背包里。 只有艾玛和格斯知道他。 还有迪兹女士。”迪兹老师是我的老师。 艾玛和格斯是我最好的朋友。 马克斯发出猪的呼噜声。 我也哼了一声。两次。让我告诉你，和大哥打交道是门艺术。 “我要带汉密尔顿来，”我说。 “就是这样。”问题是，我永远拥有汉密尔顿。

My Great-aunt Hilda sent him to me on my first birthday. She has a pig farm in North Carolina. Great-aunt Hilda says pigs are very intelligent and lovable. Sort of like snorting dogs. I can't sleep without Hamilton. When I was little, he kept away monsters and fire-breathing dragons. When I got bigger, he kept away black widow spiders and grizzly bears. He is my guard pig. "Guys!" Dad called. "Hustle! It's almost time for the bus!" Max ran to get his backpack. Mom ran to find Hazel's toothbrush.

我的姨婆希尔达在我一岁生日时把他送给我的。 她在北卡罗来纳州有一个养猪场。 希尔达姨婆说猪很聪明，也很可爱。 有点像会打鼾的狗。 没有汉密尔顿我睡不着。 我小的时候，他赶走了怪物和喷火龙。 我长大后，他赶走了黑寡妇蜘蛛和灰熊。 他是我的警卫猪。“男人!”爸爸叫道。 “喧嚣!快到公交车的时间了!”马克斯跑去拿他的背包。 妈妈跑去找Hazel的牙刷。

I sat in the kitchen and stared at Hamilton. I put him on the counter. What if Max was right? I was getting awfully old. I mean, I had a loose tooth. That's WAY old. Hamilton looked worried, like he might start to cry. I could see this was very hard for him. "Okay, buddy, you can come," I said. I smushed Hamilton into the very bottom of my backpack. I left the zipper open a little. So he could breathe. Max was crazy. Nobody would bug me about Hamilton.

我坐在厨房里，盯着汉密尔顿。 我把他放在柜台上。如果麦克斯是对的呢? 我变得非常老了。 我是说，我有颗牙松动了。 那太老了。汉密尔顿看上去很担心，好像要哭了。 我看得出来这对他来说很不容易。 “好吧，伙计，你可以来，”我说。 我把汉密尔顿塞进了背包的最下面。 我把拉链开了一点。 这样他才能呼吸。麦克斯疯了。 没人会拿汉密尔顿来烦我。