Chapter 3

Chapter Three IN WHICH Jared Finds Out Things He Doesn't Want to Know The grove was the same as he remembered it—treerimmed with mushrooms in the center—but this time when Jared stepped into the middle, nothing happened. No branches laced together to trap him, no roots wound around his ankles, and no elves appeared to scold him. "Hello!" Jared yelled. He waited a moment, but the only reply was the distant calling of birds.

第三章杰瑞德发现他不想知道的事小树林还是和他记忆中的一样——树的中央长满了蘑菇——但这次当杰瑞德走到中间时，什么也没发生。 没有树枝缠绕着他，没有树根缠绕着他的脚踝，也没有精灵在骂他。 “你好!”杰瑞德喊道。他等了一会儿，但唯一的回答是远处的鸟鸣。

Frustrated, Jared paced back and forth. "Is anyone here? I'm kind of in a hurry!" Still nothing. Minutes passed. Looking at the ring of mushrooms, he had an overwhelming urge to strike out at the elves. If only they hadn't taken Arthur. He'd just lifted his foot to kick one when he heard a soft voice from the tree line. "Reckless child, what are you doing in this place?" It was the green-eyed female elf, her hair tinged with more reds and browns than it had been before. And her gown was now deep amber and gold, like summer giving way to fall. Her voice sounded more sad than angry. "Please," Jared said. "Mulgarath has my mother. I have to save her. You have to let me talk to Arthur." "What should I care for one mortal?" She turned toward the trees. "Do you know how many of my own people have been lost? How many dwarves—old as the stones beneath our feet—are no more?"

杰瑞德沮丧地来回踱步。 “这里有人吗？”我有点赶时间！”还是什么都没有。 分钟过去了。看着那一圈蘑菇，他有一种强烈的冲动，想向精灵们发起攻击。 要是他们没有抓走亚瑟就好了。 他刚抬起脚想踢一只，就听到树林里传来一个轻轻的声音。 “鲁莽的孩子，你在这里做什么？”那是绿眼睛的女精灵，她的头发染上了比以前更多的红色和棕色。 她的长袍现在是深琥珀和金色，就像夏天让位于秋天。 她的声音与其说是生气，不如说是悲伤。 “求你了，”贾里德说。“马尔加拉斯抓走了我母亲。 我得去救她。你得让我和亚瑟谈谈。” “我何必在乎一个凡人呢？”她转向树林。 “你知道我有多少同胞失去了生命吗？” 有多少矮人——像我们脚下的石头一样古老——已经不复存在了？”

"I saw it," Jared said. "We were there. Please—I'll give you anything. I'll stay here if you want." She shook her head. "The only thing you had that was of value to us is lost." Jared felt relief and terror at the same time. He needed to see Arthur, but he had nothing else to offer. "We didn't have the Guide," he said. "We couldn't have given it to you then, but maybe we can get it back now." The green-eyed elf turned back with a scowl. "I

“我看到了，”贾里德说。“我们在那里。 求你了——我什么都给你。 如果你愿意，我就留在这儿。” 她摇了摇头。“你唯一拥有的对我们有价值的东西已经失去了。” 贾里德同时感到宽慰和恐惧。 他需要见亚瑟，但他没有别的办法。 “我们没有《指南》。”他说。 “我们当时不能把它给你，但也许我们现在可以把它拿回来。” 绿眼小精灵皱着眉头转过身来。 “我

have no further interest in your tales." "I... I can prove it." Jared reached back into his hood, pulled out Thimbletack, and set him down in the grass. "I told you our house brownie had the book. This is Thimbletack." The little brownie took off his hat and made a low bow, trembling slightly. "Great Lady, I know how this must look, but it is true I took the book." "Your manners become you." She glanced at them both and then was silent for a moment.

不要再对你的故事感兴趣了。” “我……我可以证明。”贾里德把手伸进兜帽，拉出西姆布兰蒂克，把他放在草地上。 “我告诉过你，我们家的小棕仙有这本书。 这是西姆布兰蒂克。”小棕仙脱下帽子，微微颤抖着深深地鞠了一躬。 “伟大的夫人，我知道这看起来像什么，但我确实拿了那本书。” “你的举止适合你。” 她看了他们俩一眼，然后沉默了一会儿。

Jared shifted impatiently as Thimbletack climbed up Jared's leg and slid back into his hiding place. The green-eyed elf's silence unnerved Jared, but he forced himself to stay quiet. This might be their last chance to convince her. Finally she continued. "Our time to punish and to command is past. The moment we feared is upon us. Mulgarath has gathered a great army and is using the Guide to make it even more fearsome." Jared nodded, although he was puzzled. He couldn't think of anything Mulgarath could do with the Guide that would make an army more dangerous. It was just a book. "Promise me this, mortal child," the green-eyed elf said. "If Arthur's field guide comes again into your possession while you look for your mother, you will give it to us so that it can be destroyed."

当西姆布兰蒂克爬上杰瑞德的腿，溜回他的藏身之处时，杰瑞德不耐烦地挪动了一下。 绿眼小精灵的沉默让贾里德感到不安，但他强迫自己保持安静。 这可能是他们说服她的最后机会了。 最后她继续说。“我们惩罚和命令的时代已经过去了。 我们害怕的时刻即将到来。 马尔加拉斯集结了一支强大的军队，并利用《指南》让它变得更加可怕。” 杰瑞德点了点头，尽管他很困惑。 他想不出马尔加拉斯可以用《指南》做什么，让军队变得更危险。 那只是一本书。“答应我，凡人的孩子。”绿眼精灵说。 “如果在你寻找你母亲的时候，亚瑟的野外指南又回到了你手里，你就把它交给我们，这样我们就能把它毁掉。”

Jared nodded, giddily agreeing to anything that meant he would be able to see Arthur. "I will. I'll bring it—"

贾里德点点头，头晕目眩地同意了任何能让他见到阿瑟的事情。 “我会的。我去拿——”