6 The Puddle of Chaos

The Puddle of Chaos Ebenezer drove home recklessly. He swerved in and out of lanes and honked at every adult, child, puppy, and ducky who crossed his path. "What did Mr. Nickle mean, the beast's found a way to escape?" asked Ebenezer. "How should I know?" said Bethany. "He hung up as soon as he said it!"

混乱的水坑埃比尼泽不顾一切地开车回家。 他在车道上转弯进进出出，对每一个经过他道路的成人、孩子、小狗和鸭子都按喇叭。 “尼克尔先生是什么意思，野兽找到了逃跑的方法？”埃比尼泽问。 “我怎么知道？”宝芬妮说。 “他一说完就把电话挂了！”

Before he had even finished parking in the driveway, Bethany scrambled out of the car and sprinted up to her room. She threw sweater after sweater out of her cupboard, until she reached the backpack she had prepared for emergency purposes. She quickly checked the contents one final time. A trumpet from the Cussock Theater School, a literally lethal catapult from The Late-Night Pranking Emporium, and a cassette player ready to play a recording of Claudette's cousin Patrick singing "Hurricane Picnic" (the beast's least favorite song) on repeat. She had also sewn a parachute sheet into the front pocket, in case she needed to jump out of any airplanes. Meanwhile, Ebenezer took a slightly different approach. He didn't have any

他还没把车停好，宝芬妮就从车里爬出来，冲进自己的房间。 她把一件又一件毛衣从柜子里扔了出来，直到她拿到了为紧急情况准备的背包。 她迅速地最后一次检查了里面的内容。 一把库索克戏剧学校的小号，一把《深夜恶作剧商场》里的致命弹弓，还有一台卡式录音机，准备重复播放克劳德特的表哥帕特里克唱的《飓风野餐》（这头野兽最不喜欢的歌）。 她还在前口袋里缝了一张降落伞单，以防她需要从飞机上跳下来。 与此同时，埃比尼泽采取了一种略有不同的方法。 他没有

weapons or secret parachutes, but he had prepared a killer outfit. He unzipped his Special Occasion Uh-Oh Suit Bag and slipped on a glossy black turtleneck and a pair of trousers tighter and more fabulous than a ladybug's living room. They met downstairs by the front door and put on their rain boots. "Where do you think the puddle portal is going to appear?" asked Ebenezer. "How should I flipping know, you idiot?!" said Bethany. She took a few deep breaths. "Sozza. Bit stressed. He said he was gonna open it somewhere in the house." "I bet he opens one outside," said Ebenezer. They ran toward the gardens, but before they even got past the Library of Comic

武器或秘密降落伞，但他准备了一套杀手装备。 他拉开他的特殊场合西装包的拉链，套上一件光滑的黑色高领毛衣和一条裤子，比瓢虫的客厅更紧、更漂亮。 他们在楼下的前门集合，穿上雨靴。 “你认为水坑传送门会出现在哪里？”埃比尼泽问道。 “我怎么知道，你这个白痴？！”宝芬妮说。 她深吸了几口气。 “Sozza。有些压力。他说他会在房子里的某个地方打开它。” “我打赌他在外面开了一家，”埃比尼泽说。 他们朝花园跑去，但还没经过漫画图书馆

Books and Movies, the whole house started to shake and a puddle grew out of the carpet in front of them. Ebenezer couldn't believe he had got something wrong—again. He gulped. "Ladies first?" he suggested in a warbly voice. "Fat chance," said Bethany. "We're a team on this." Ebenezer nodded and stood on the edge of the puddle with Bethany. They counted backward from three and jumped in—disappearing like two biscuits dropped into a cup of tea. A moment later, they reappeared in the shallow waters that led to the coastline of D.o.R.R.i.S. Island. Visitors were usually bewitched, bothered, and bewildered by D.o.R.R.i.S. Island. They

书和电影，整个房子开始摇晃，他们面前的地毯上出现了一个水坑。 埃比尼泽不敢相信他又犯错了。 他一饮而尽。“女士优先？”他用颤抖的声音建议道。 “不可能，”宝芬妮说。 “我们在这件事上是一个团队。”埃比尼泽点点头，和宝芬妮一起站在水坑边上。 他们从三开始倒数，然后跳进去，像两块饼干掉进一杯茶里一样消失了。 片刻之后，它们再次出现在通往d.r.r.i.s.海岸线的浅水区。 岛。来访者通常会被D.o.R.R.i.S迷惑、困扰和迷惑。 岛。他们

would coo at the fat, high-tech pyramid in the center of the island, and their mouths would drop open at the many species of Dorrises marching ashore from every angle of the sea. They would try to figure out how the water was dry, and they would marvel at the raw, cloudless sun. Bethany and Ebenezer did none of these things. They were too busy worrying about the beast. They found Mr. Nickle waiting on the beach. The old man's face was jollier than they had ever seen it, and he was being offered pats and congratulations by every Dorris who passed him. "Squeezer, Bethany!" cried Mr. Nickle in his ragged, jangly voice. He raised his weaponized walking sticks in the air, as if he

它们会对着岛中央高大的高科技金字塔咕咕地说着话，对着从大海的各个角度上岸的许多种类的多里斯鱼，它们会张大嘴巴。 他们会试图弄清楚水是如何干涸的，他们会惊叹于纯净无云的太阳。 伯大尼和以比尼谢没有做这些事。 他们忙着担心那只野兽。 他们发现尼克先生在海滩上等着。 老人的脸比他们见过的任何时候都高兴，每个从他身边走过的人都拍拍他，向他表示祝贺。 “挤压，宝芬妮！”尼克尔先生用他那粗糙刺耳的声音叫道。 他把武器化的手杖举在空中，好像他

were welcoming them to a birthday party. "Now then, is there anything I can get you? A tea? Some Martian lemonade? We might even be able to spring for some tears from a dying star, if you fancy something with a kick?"

我们欢迎他们参加生日聚会。 “那么，我能为你做点什么吗？” 一个茶吗?火星人的柠檬水？ 我们甚至可以从垂死的恒星那里得到一些眼泪，如果你喜欢有冲击力的东西的话？”