7 The West Turret

CHAPTER 7

第七章

The West Turret That night Lucas and Clara had a no-sleep sleepover. After dinner they mapped the way to the West Turret. Then they laid out warm coats— just in case of a sudden drop in temperature— and gathered candles and candleholders. Lucas and Clara paced eagerly, waiting for midnight to arrive. The tower bells would mark the hour.

那天晚上，卢卡斯和克拉拉彻夜未眠。 晚饭后，他们绘制了通往西塔楼的地图。 然后，他们拿出保暖的外套——以防气温突然下降——并收集蜡烛和烛台。 卢卡斯和克拉拉急切地踱步，等待着午夜的到来。 钟楼上的钟声将标明时辰。

At a quarter to midnight they put on their coats, lit their candles, and tiptoed down the passageways that led to the West Turret. The only sound was the ticking of Ruskin's long claws on the stone floor. They stopped beside a heavy oak door at the bottom of the West Turret.

午夜差一刻，他们穿上外套，点上蜡烛，蹑手蹑脚地走过通往西塔楼的通道。 唯一的声音是罗斯金的长爪子在石头地板上的滴答声。 他们在西塔楼底部一扇沉重的橡木门旁停了下来。

"This is the wizards' chambers," Lucas whispered. Then they crept by the door and into the turret to climb up the winding stone staircase. The stairwell smelled dank and musty. Soon they came to another door. "Okay. Now we're here," Lucas whispered. "Are you ready?" Clara nodded. Then the prince slowly pushed the iron handle. Sticking close together, the kids and Ruskin cautiously entered the moonlit room. The door swung shut behind them with a resounding BAM that boomed through the silent night. They froze, hearts racing, as the flames of their candles flickered. After a moment their fear lessened, allowing Lucas and Clara to get a better look at the room.

“这是巫师的房间。”卢卡斯小声说。 然后，他们蹑手蹑脚地走过大门，进入塔楼，爬上蜿蜒的石头楼梯。 楼梯间散发着潮湿发霉的气味。 不久他们来到另一扇门前。 “好吧。现在我们到了。”卢卡斯低声说。 “你准备好了吗？”克拉拉点点头。 然后王子慢慢地推了推铁把手。 孩子们和罗斯金紧紧靠在一起，小心翼翼地走进了月光下的房间。 门在他们身后砰的一声关上了，响亮的“砰”的一声响彻了寂静的夜晚。 当蜡烛的火焰闪烁时，他们僵住了，心跳加速。 过了一会儿，他们的恐惧减轻了，卢卡斯和克拉拉得以更好地观察房间。