7 Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Heading back to school on Tuesday, Kyle knew he had to put on a brave face. He smiled as he walked with his class toward the auditorium for a special early-morning assembly. The one where Mr. Luigi L. Lemoncello himself would announce the winners of the Library Lock-In Essay Contest. "I hope he picked yours," Kyle whispered to Akimi. "Thanks. I do, too. But the lock-in won't be as much fun without you."

周二回到学校的路上，凯尔知道他必须装出一副勇敢的样子。 他微笑着和同学们一起走向礼堂，准备参加一个特别的清晨集会。 就是路易吉·L。 莱蒙塞罗将亲自宣布图书馆锁定征文比赛的获胜者。 “我希望他选了你的。”凯尔低声对阿基米说。 “谢谢。我也是。但是没有你，禁闭就没那么有趣了。”

"Well, when it's over, and the library is officially open, you can take me on a tour." "That's exactly what I'm going to do! If I win." "If you don't, I'm sending a flaming squirrel after Mrs. Cameron." For this assembly, the seventh graders, most of whom were twelve years old, were told to sit in the front rows, close to the stage. That made Kyle feel a little better. At least he'd get a chance to see Mr. Lemoncello up close and personal. But his hero wasn't even onstage. Just the principal; the school librarian, Mrs. Yunghans; and a redheaded woman in high-heeled shoes who Kyle didn't recognize. She sat up straight, like someone had slipped a yardstick down the back of her bright red business suit. Her glasses were bright red, too. "That's Dr. Yanina Zinchenko!" gushed Miguel Fernandez, who was sitting on Kyle's right. "Who's she?" asked Akimi, seated to Kyle's left. "Just the most famous librarian in the whole wide world!"

“好吧，当它结束，图书馆正式开放时，你可以带我去参观。” “这正是我要做的!”如果我赢了。” “如果你不这么做，我就派一只燃烧的松鼠去追卡梅伦夫人。” 在这次集会上，七年级的学生，其中大多数是12岁，被要求坐在前排，靠近舞台。 这让凯尔感觉好点了。 至少他有机会近距离接触莱蒙切罗先生。 但他的英雄甚至没有上台。 只有本金;学校图书管理员杨汉太太;还有一个穿高跟鞋的红发女人，凯尔没认出来。 她坐直了身子，就像有人把标尺塞进了她鲜红色的西装后面。 她的眼镜也是鲜红色的。 “那是亚尼娜·津琴科医生!”坐在凯尔右边的米格尔·费尔南德斯滔滔不绝地说。 “她是谁?”坐在凯尔左边的明美问。 “全世界最有名的图书管理员!”

"All right, boys and girls," said the principal at the podium. "Settle down. Quiet, please. It is my great honor to introduce the head librarian for the new Alexandriaville public library, Dr. Yanina Zinchenko." Everybody clapped. The tall lady in the red outfit strode to the microphone. "Good morning." Her voice was breathy with just a hint of a Russian accent. "Twelve years ago, this town lost its one and only public library when it was torn down to make room for an elevated parking garage. Back then, many said the Internet had rendered the 'oldfashioned' library obsolete, that a new parking garage would attract shoppers to the boutiques and dress shops near the old bank building. But the library's demolition also meant that those of you who are now twelve years old have lived your entire lives without a public library." She looked down at the front rows. "This is why, to kick off our summer reading program, twelve twelve-year-olds will be selected to be the very first to explore the wonders

“好了，孩子们，”校长在讲台上说。 “安定下来。请安静。 我非常荣幸地向大家介绍亚历山大维尔新公共图书馆的馆长。 Yanina Zinchenko。”每个人都鼓掌。 穿红衣服的高个女士大步走向麦克风。 “早上好。”她的声音喘不过气来，带有一点俄国口音。 “12年前，这个小镇失去了它唯一的一个公共图书馆，当时它被拆除，为一个高架停车场腾出空间。 当时，很多人说互联网让“老式”图书馆变得过时了，新的停车场会吸引购物者到老银行大楼附近的精品店和服装店去。 但图书馆的拆除也意味着，你们这些现在已经12岁的人一辈子都没有公共图书馆。” 她低头看着前排的观众。 “这就是为什么，为了启动我们的夏季阅读计划，12名12岁的孩子将被选中，成为第一批探索奇迹的人

awaiting inside Mr. Lemoncello's extraordinary new library. You will, of course, need your parents' permission. We have slips for you to take home. You will also need a sleeping bag, a toothbrush, and, if you please, a change of clothes." She smiled mysteriously. "You might consider packing two pairs of underwear." Oh-kay, thought Kyle. That's bizarre. Did the librarian really think seventh graders weren't toilet trained? "There will be movies, food, fun, games, and prizes. Also, each of our twelve winners will receive a five-hundred-dollar gift card good toward the purchase of Lemoncello games and gizmos." Oh, man. Five hundred bucks' worth of free games and gear? Kyle sank a little lower in his seat. The next time someone gave him an extracredit essay assignment, he'd turn it in early! "And now, here to announce our winners, the man behind the new library, the master gamester himself—Mr. Luigi Lemoncello!"

等在莱蒙塞罗先生非凡的新图书馆里。 当然，你需要得到父母的允许。 我们有单子让你带回家。 你还需要一个睡袋，一把牙刷，如果你愿意的话，还需要一套换洗的衣服。” 她神秘地笑了。“你可以考虑带两件内衣。” 好吧，凯尔想。这是奇怪的。 图书管理员真的认为七年级的学生不会上厕所吗? “会有电影、食物、娱乐、游戏和奖品。 此外，我们的12名获奖者将每人获得一张价值500美元的礼品卡，用于购买柠檬大提琴游戏和小玩意儿。” 哦,男人。价值500美元的免费游戏和装备? 凯尔在座位上坐得更低了。 下次有人给他课外论文作业时，他会提前交!“现在，在这里宣布我们的获胜者，新图书馆的幕后主使，赌博大师本人。 路易吉Lemoncello !”

Dr. Zinchenko gestured to her left. The whole auditorium swung their heads. People were clapping and whistling and cheering. But nobody came onstage. The applause petered out. And then, on the opposite side of the stage, Kyle heard a very peculiar sound. It was a cross between a burp and the squeak from a squeeze toy.

津琴科医生向她左边指了指。 整个礼堂的人都摇了摇头。 人们鼓掌、吹口哨、欢呼。 但是没有人上台。掌声渐渐消失了。 然后，在舞台的另一边，凯尔听到了一个非常奇怪的声音。 这是一种介于打嗝和挤压玩具发出的吱吱声之间的声音。