Chapter 14

14 APLEASANT NIGHT WIND COOLS THE CROWD OF MIDVILLE CITIZENS gathered at the Midville Park band shell, watching the end of the blackand- white movie Tarzan the Ape Man on the big screen. Fake palm trees wave in the light of the full moon. The Midville electric model elephant, donated by a former mayor, a crazy Tarzan

宜人的晚风使米德维尔的市民们感到凉爽。他们聚集在米德维尔公园的乐队场边，在大屏幕上观看黑白电影《人猿泰山》的结尾。 假棕榈树在满月的灯光下摇曳。 米德维尔的电动大象模型，前市长捐赠的，疯狂的人猿泰山

fan, nods its head and flaps its ears. This all looks a little odd sitting next to the Fall Festival display of hay bales, pitchforks, funny-shaped gourds, torches, and pumpkins. But this is movie night. And, as always, it's free. On-screen, Tarzan swings through the jungle on a vine. Cheeta the chimpanzee grabs another vine and swings after him.

扇子点点头，拍打着耳朵。 这一切看起来有点奇怪旁边的秋季节日展示的干草捆，干草叉，形状滑稽的葫芦，火炬和南瓜。 但这是电影之夜。而且，一如既往，它是免费的。 在银幕上，泰山骑在藤蔓上在丛林中荡秋千。 黑猩猩奇塔抓住另一根藤蔓，在他身后摇摆。

A small robot in the very back row of the band shell beeps quietly. "This makes no sense. Why is the human acting like an ape?" "He's Tarzan," whispers Watson. "He was raised by apes." Klank's antenna blinks in amazement. "So he has decided that he is most happy when he is swinging through the jungle with his ape friends? That is nice." "That is not true," beeps Klink. "Humans do not live in trees." "I would love to live in a tree and study monkeys and apes all the time," says Janegoodall. "And someday I will." "OK," says Frank, "get ready. As soon as the movie ends, we jump onstage and give our Electro-Finger demonstration, just as we planned." Tarzan lands on a broad branch. He looks out over the tops of the jungle trees, cups his

一个小机器人在乐队的最后一排静静地发出哔哔声。 “这毫无道理。为什么人类的行为像猿猴？”“他是人猿泰山，”华生小声说。 “他是被猿类养大的。”克兰克的天线惊讶地闪烁着。 “所以他已经决定，当他和他的猿类朋友在丛林里荡秋千时，他是最快乐的？” 这很好。”“那不是真的，”link嘟嘟地说。 “人类不住在树上。” “我想住在树上，一直研究猴子和猿类，”珍妮古德尔说。 “总有一天我会的。”“好吧，”弗兰克说，“准备好。 电影一结束，我们就跳上台，像我们计划的那样展示我们的电子手指。” 泰山落在一根宽树枝上。 他从丛林的树顶往外看，喝着他的酒

hands to his mouth, and— The screen goes black. The model elephant stops its electronic nodding and flapping. The electric lights blink off, leaving the park lit only by moonlight. "Hey!" "What happened?" "Check the power!" But before the crowd completely freaks out, a small figure in an old-fashioned suit and a bad haircut walks to the middle of the stage, lit by a circle of light from the candle he carries in front of him. "Nothing to worry about, good people of Midville," says a familiar, creepy voice booming through a megaphone. "Just a friendly reminder from your power company that we all love electricity and we all need electricity." The figure blows out the candle.

双手捂住嘴，然后-屏幕变黑了。 模型大象停止了它的电子点头和拍动。 电灯一闪一闪地熄灭了，公园里只剩下月光。 “嘿!”“发生什么事了?”“检查电源！”但在人群完全崩溃之前，一个穿着老式西装、发型难看的小个子走到舞台中央，被他面前拿着的蜡烛发出的一圈光照亮。 “没什么好担心的，米德维尔的好人们，”扩音器里传来一个熟悉的、令人毛骨悚然的声音。 “只是你们电力公司善意的提醒，我们都爱电，我们都需要电。” 那个人影吹灭了蜡烛。

"Lights!" booms the creepy voice. The band shell lights pop back on and illuminate the last person Frank and Watson want to see. Watson makes a face and says the kid's name like he is spitting out a bad taste. "Edison!"

“灯光！”那个令人毛骨悚然的声音大声说道。 乐队外壳灯重新亮起，照亮了弗兰克和华生最不想见到的人。 沃森做了个鬼脸，叫着孩子的名字，就像在吐痰一样。 “爱迪生!”