Chapter 7

Chapter Seven IN WHICH Jared Is Finally Pleased to Have a Twin Mallory leapt forward, brandishing her rapier. Simon held his net in awkward imitation. The unicorn shook its head, mane flying as it galloped noiselessly into the depths of the forest. "Oh ho!" said the leaf-horned elf. "Now we see the true character of humans!" "Let my brother go!" Mallory yelled. Jared suddenly had an idea. "Jared, help!" Jared called, hoping that Simon and Mallory would get the hint.

第七章贾里德终于有了双胞胎马洛里跳上前去，挥舞着她的长剑。 西蒙笨拙地模仿着拿着网。 独角兽摇了摇头，鬃毛飞扬，无声无息地奔向森林深处。 “哦嗬！”长着叶子角的小精灵说。 “现在我们看到了人类的真面目！”“放了我弟弟！”马洛里喊道。 杰瑞德突然有了一个主意。 “贾里德,救命!”贾里德打电话来，希望西蒙和马洛里能明白。

Simon just looked at him in confusion. "Jared," said Jared, "you have to help me." Then Simon smiled at him, his eyes lighting up with understanding. "Simon, are you okay?" "I'm fine, Jared." Jared pulled his leg against the grip of the roots with all his might. "But I can't move." "We'll come back with the Guide, Simon," Simon said, "and then they'll have to let you go." "No," said Jared. "If you come back, they might keep us all hostage. Make them promise!" "Our word is our bond," sniffed the green-eyed elf. "You didn't give us your word," Mallory said, looking at her brothers with growing alarm. "Promise that Jared and Mallory can leave the grove safely and that if they return, they will not be held against their will," said Jared. Mallory looked ready to protest, but she remained silent. The elves looked at the siblings with some hesitation. Finally Lorengorm nodded. "Let it be

西蒙只是困惑地看着他。 “杰瑞德，”杰瑞德说，“你得帮帮我。” 然后西蒙对他笑了笑，他的眼睛里闪烁着理解的光芒。 “西蒙，你还好吗？”“我很好，杰瑞德。” 杰瑞德用尽全身的力气把腿拉向树根。 “但是我动不了。”“我们会带着《指南》回来的，西蒙，”西蒙说，“然后他们就不得不放你走了。” “没有。”杰瑞德说。“如果你回来，他们可能会把我们都扣为人质。 让他们答应！”“我们的诺言就是我们的契约。”绿眼精灵嗅了嗅。 “你没有向我们保证，”马洛里说，越来越惊恐地看着她的兄弟们。 “保证贾里德和马洛里可以安全离开树林，如果他们回来，不会被强迫。”贾里德说。 马洛里看上去准备抗议，但她保持沉默。 精灵们有些犹豫地看着这对兄妹。 最后洛伦戈姆点了点头。“随它去吧。

so. Jared and Mallory may go from this grove. They will not be held here against their will now or later. Should they not bring the Guide, we will keep their brother, Simon, for all time. He will remain with us, ageless, beneath the hill, for a hundred times a hundred years—and should he ever leave, one step on the ground will bring all the missing years on to him at once." The real Simon shivered and took a step closer to Mallory. "Go swiftly," said the elf. Mallory looked searchingly at Jared. The tip of her rapier had dipped, but she was still holding it in front of her and she made no move to leave the grove. Jared tried to smile encouragingly, but he was scared and he knew it showed on his face.

所以。贾里德和马洛里可能会离开这个树林。 无论现在还是将来，他们都不会被强行关押在这里。 如果他们不带《指南》来，我们就永远留下他们的兄弟西蒙。 他将永远和我们在一起，永远活在山下，活上一百个一百年。如果他离开了，只要你一踏上地面，失去的岁月就会立刻回到他的身边。” 真正的西蒙颤抖着，向马洛里走近了一步。 “快去。”小精灵说。 马洛里用搜寻的目光看着贾里德。 她的长剑尖已经下垂，但她仍然把剑举在身前，没有离开树林。 贾里德试图露出鼓励的微笑，但他很害怕，他知道这从他的脸上表现出来了。

They turned and looked back at him.

他们转过身来，回头看着他。

Shaking her head, Mallory followed Simon. After a few paces they turned and looked back at him, then started climbing the steep hill. In a few minutes they were obscured by leaves. Jared spoke. "You have to let me go," he said. "And why is that?" asked the leaf-horned elf. "You have heard our promise. We will not release you until your brother and sister have brought us the Guide." Jared shook his head. "You said you wouldn't release Simon. I'm Jared." "What?" demanded Lorengorm. The leaf-horned elf took a step toward Jared, his hands curled like claws. Jared swallowed hard. "Your word is your bond. You have to let me go." "Prove yourself, child," said the green-eyed elf. Her lips pressed in a thin line. "Here." Jared shrugged off his backpack into his trembling hands. There, along the top, three

马洛里摇摇头，跟在西蒙后面。 走了几步后，他们转过身来，回头看了看他，然后开始爬上陡峭的山坡。 几分钟后，他们就被树叶遮住了。 贾里德说。“你必须让我走，”他说。 “这是为什么呢？”长着叶子角的小精灵问。 “你已经听到了我们的诺言。 我们不释放你，直到你哥哥和妹妹把《指南》带给我们。” 杰瑞德摇了摇头。“你说过你不会释放西蒙的。 我杰瑞德。”“什么？”洛伦戈姆问道。 长着叶子角的小精灵朝杰瑞德走了一步，他的手像爪子一样蜷曲着。 杰瑞德使劲咽了口气。“你的话就是你的契约。 你必须让我走。”“证明你自己，孩子。”绿眼小精灵说。 她的嘴唇抿成一条细线。 “在这里。”杰瑞德耸耸肩，把背包放到颤抖的手中。 在那里，沿着顶部，有三个

letters were monogrammed into the red canvas: JEG. "See. Jared Evan Grace." "Go," said the leaf-horned elf, speaking the word as though it were a curse. "Much may your freedom please you if we come upon you or your false-hearted siblings again." With that, the roots untwined from Jared's legs. He ran from the grove as fast as he could. He did not look back.

红色帆布上印着字母：JEG。 ”看到。杰瑞德·埃文·格雷斯。”“去吧。”长着叶子角的小精灵说，说话的口气就像在诅咒一样。 “如果我们再来找你或你那虚伪的兄弟姐妹，愿你的自由使你高兴得多。” 这样一来，贾里德腿上的根就解开了。 他以最快的速度从树林里跑了出来。 他没有回头看。