6 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Dr. Yanina Zinchenko, the world-famous librarian, dragged a lumpy mail sack to the far end of the Rotunda Reading Room, where her boss, Luigi Lemoncello, was flying up and down in front of the three-story-tall fiction bookcases. "I'm looking for a good book," said Mr. Lemoncello as his hover ladder jerked vertically, then skittered sideways. "But I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for." The hover ladders were floating platforms with handrails, book baskets, and ski-boot safety locks that allowed you to float up to retrieve any

世界著名图书管理员亚尼娜·津琴科博士拖着一个笨重的邮袋走到圆形阅览室的另一端，她的老板路易吉·莱蒙切罗正在三层楼高的小说书架前飞来飞去。 “我在找一本好书，”莱蒙切罗说，他的悬停梯子垂直摇晃了一下，然后又向侧面晃动。 “但我不太确定我在找什么。” 悬停梯子是带有扶手、书篓和滑雪靴安全锁的浮动平台，可以让你浮起来取回任何书

book you wanted simply by entering the book's call number into a computerized keypad. The system worked with the same magnetic levitation technology used in Germany and Japan to propel bullet trains with magnets instead of wheels. "Perhaps I can be of assistance," said Dr. Zinchenko in her thick Russian accent. "Do you have the call number?" "No need," Mr. Lemoncello said, laughing. "I wanted to test-drive our new 'browse' function." After several patrons had complained that the hover ladders' demand for a specific book code eliminated the ability for patrons to leisurely peruse the shelves, the imagineers at Mr. Lemoncello's game company had come up with the new and improved hover ladders, which featured a browse button. Once you pushed it, the hover ladder randomly flitted in front of the shelves, using advanced biofeedback technology, heart-rate monitors, and complex algorithms to figure out what sort of story you might be interested in.

只要在电脑键盘上输入图书的借阅号码，就能找到你想要的书。 该系统采用了与德国和日本相同的磁悬浮技术，用磁铁代替车轮推动子弹头列车。 “也许我能帮上忙。” 津琴科带着浓重的俄罗斯口音。 “你有电话号码吗?”“没必要，”莱蒙切罗笑着说。 “我想测试一下我们新的‘浏览’功能。” 几位顾客抱怨说，悬停梯子需要特定的图书代码，这让顾客无法悠闲地浏览书架。莱蒙切罗的游戏公司的工程师们想出了新的、经过改进的悬停梯子，上面有一个浏览按钮。 一旦你推了它，悬停的梯子就会在书架前随机移动，使用先进的生物反馈技术、心率监测仪和复杂的算法来找出你可能感兴趣的故事类型。

"But we have a very important matter to discuss." Dr. Zinchenko pointed to the mail sack. It was the size of an overstuffed duffel bag. "Oh, dear. A V.I.M.? I don't know if I have the vigor for a V.I.M." "We also have visitors…." "Visitors and a V.I.M.? I'll deal with both as soon as I finish browsing." "Mr. Lemoncello?" bellowed a voice below. He glanced down and saw a very properly dressed lady flanked by six other very properly dressed ladies and one properly dressed man in a bow tie. "I'll be right with you!" shouted Mr. Lemoncello as his hover ladder caromed across the wall of books like an out-of-control Ping-Pong ball. "I'm busy browsing." "My name is Susana Chiltington," the lady said operatically. "Mrs. Susana Willoughby Chiltington." "Hello, Susana. Don't you cry for me. The doctors say they can easily remove the banjo on

“但我们有一件非常重要的事情要讨论。” 津琴科医生指着邮袋。 它有一个塞满东西的行李袋那么大。 “哦,亲爱的。V.I.M.吗?我不知道我是否有精力去做V.I.M.。” “我们也有访客....” “访客和贵宾?”我一看完就去处理这两件事。” “莱蒙切罗先生?”下面一个声音吼道。 他朝下瞥了一眼，看见一位穿着得体的女士和另外六位穿着得体的女士以及一位打着领结的穿着得体的男士站在一起。 “我马上就来!”莱蒙切罗喊道，他的悬停梯子像失控的乒乓球一样掠过书墙。 “我正忙着浏览呢。”“我叫苏珊娜·奇尔廷顿，”这位女士戏剧性地说。 “苏珊娜·威洛比·奇廷顿夫人。” “你好,苏珊娜。不要为我哭泣。 医生说他们可以很容易地取出班卓琴

my knee." Mrs. Chiltington wasn't amused. "Perhaps you've heard of my brother?" she said. "The head librarian for the Library of Congress? James F. Willoughby the third?" "What happened to the first two?" "I beg your pardon?" "Never mind. I am finished browsing. Pull me down, Captain Underpants." The hover ladder gently lowered the happy billionaire to the floor. "Now then, how may I help you, Duchess Susana Willoughby Chiltington the third, Esquire, PhD?" "I'm not a… Oh, never mind. My colleagues and I represent the recently formed League of Concerned Library Lovers. Winthrop?" The gentleman in the bow tie opened a leather briefcase. "As a public library, Mr. Lemoncello, this institution needs a board of trustees to oversee its finances and champion its mission."

我的膝盖。”奇廷顿夫人不觉得好笑。 “也许你听说过我哥哥吧?”她说。 “国会图书馆的馆长?” 詹姆斯·f·威洛比三世?”“前两个怎么样了?”“你说什么?”“没关系。 我已经浏览完了。把我拉下来，内裤船长。” 盘旋的梯子轻轻地把快乐的亿万富翁降到了地板上。 “那么，我能为您做些什么，公爵夫人苏珊娜·威洛比·齐廷顿三世，《时尚先生》博士?”“我不是……哦，算了。 我和我的同事们代表着最近成立的“关心图书馆爱好者联盟”。 温斯洛普?”打领结的绅士打开了一个皮公文包。 “作为一个公共图书馆，莱蒙切罗先生，这个机构需要一个董事会来监督它的财务状况，捍卫它的使命。”

Mrs. Chiltington snorted a little. "It is quite customary." "So is pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, but I prefer pineapple rhubarb," said Mr. Lemoncello. "As concerned library lovers," said the gentleman, brandishing a thick document, "we are here today to volunteer our services." Mr. Lemoncello ignored the man and focused on Mrs. Chiltington. "You're Charles's mother, aren't you?" "Indeed." She snuffled and adjusted her clothes to make certain all the seams were lined up precisely the way they were supposed to be. "Might I humbly suggest, Mrs. Chiltington, that your considerable concern might be better spent on your son instead of my library? Now then, Dr. Zinchenko, I believe we have a very important matter to discuss?" "Yes, sir." Mr. Lemoncello walked over to the wall of bookshelves and tilted back the head on a marble

奇廷顿夫人哼了一声。 “这是惯例。”“感恩节的南瓜派也很好吃，但我更喜欢菠萝大黄，”莱蒙切罗说。 “作为关心图书馆的爱好者，”这位先生挥舞着一份厚厚的文件说，“我们今天在这里自愿提供服务。” 莱蒙塞罗先生没有理睬那个人，而是把注意力集中在奇尔廷顿夫人身上。 “你是查尔斯的母亲，对吗?”“的确。” 她抽了抽鼻子，整理了一下自己的衣服，确保所有的缝合线都整齐地排列在应该有的位置上。 "奇廷顿夫人，我能否冒昧地建议，您把精力花在您儿子身上，而不是花在我的书房上? 那么，津琴科医生，我想我们有一件非常重要的事情要讨论吧?”“是的,先生。” 莱蒙塞罗走到书架前，把他的头靠在一块大理石上

bust of Andrew Carnegie, revealing a red button hidden in his neck. "Mr. Lemoncello?" trilled Mrs. Chiltington. "A public library requires public oversight— guardians who will safeguard the institution's well-being and stability." "I know! I've been thinking about that very fact for months. I've also been thinking about lunch for at least fifteen minutes. I thank you for your time and concern." He bopped the red button. A door-sized segment of bookshelves swished sideways. Mr. Lemoncello and Dr. Zinchenko disappeared with the mailbag down a dimly lit corridor. The bookcase slammed shut behind them. "Mr. Lemoncello?" Mrs. Chiltington called after them. "Dr. Zinchenko?" She banged on a row of books as if she were knocking on a door. "Mr. Lemoncello!"

安德鲁·卡内基的半身像，露出了藏在他脖子上的一颗红色纽扣。 “莱蒙切罗先生?”奇廷顿夫人颤颤地说。 “公共图书馆需要公众监督，也就是维护图书馆健康和稳定的监护人。” “我知道!这几个月来我一直在想这件事。 我还想了至少15分钟的午餐。 我感谢你的时间和关心。” 他按下了红色按钮。一扇门大小的书架嗖嗖地侧向一侧。 莱蒙切罗先生和津琴科博士带着邮包沿着一条灯光昏暗的走廊消失了。 书柜在他们身后砰地关上了。 “Lemoncello先生吗?”奇廷顿夫人在他们身后喊道。 “Zinchenko博士?”她砰砰地敲着一排书，好像在敲门。 “Lemoncello先生!”