Chapter 19

chapter nineteen "June's right, friend," says Quint. "We may not have a choice. This is the only path through without losing days, maybe weeks." But I'm still not sure about this. It can't be a coincidence that, like, the entire world has been carved and arranged to lead us straight here. "We could turn back. Find back roads that lead around," I say. "Or maybe, like, underroads?" "Tunnels," June says. "Those are called tunnels." Softly, Quint says, "Jack, if you really think it's the wrong idea, we can turn back." I know the importance of what awaits, but that doesn't mean I wanna go. I can't let fear guide this decision, though. I swallow. "It's OK. I'm in. Dirk, drive." He hits the gas, and Big Mama jerks forward. We rumble down the long, strange path. Soon,

第十九章“琼是对的，朋友，”昆特说。 “我们可能别无选择。 这是唯一不会浪费几天，甚至几周时间的方法。” 但我还是不确定。 这绝不可能是巧合，整个世界都被雕刻和安排引导我们来到这里。 “我们可以回头。我说：“找一条可以绕过去的小路。” “或者，像地下公路？”“隧道，”琼说。 “那些叫做隧道。” 昆特温柔地说：“杰克，如果你真的认为这是个错误的主意，我们可以回去。” 我知道等待的重要，但这并不意味着我想去。 但我不能让恐惧左右我的决定。 我吞下。“这是好的。我在。 德克,开车。”他猛踩油门，大妈猛地向前冲。 我们隆隆地走在那条又长又奇怪的小路上。 很快,

we can see a building up ahead: dark and ominous. "Wait! I know this place!" Dirk shouts. "It's the Museum of Histories and Ancient Antiquities! This was on my dad's road trip list. Which is weird—he was not a museum guy." "He was more of a gift shop guy, right?" I ask. "Huh?" Dirk says. "Sorry, nevermind, carry on," I murmur. "I just can't think of a reason why he'd want to come here," Dirk says quietly. I snort. "You don't say...." Big Mama rumbles forward. The vines crowd around the museum on both sides, and the path stops at the entrance. The closer we get, the more uneasy I feel—until a sense of dread nearly consumes me.

我们可以看到前面有一座建筑：黑暗而不祥。 “等等!我知道这个地方！”德克喊道。 “这是历史和古代文物博物馆！”这是我爸的自驾游清单上的。 这很奇怪，他不是博物馆的人。” “他更喜欢逛礼品店，对吧？”我问。 “嗯?”德克说。“对不起，没关系，继续吧，”我低声说。 “我就是想不出他来这里的理由，”德克平静地说。 我snort。“你不要说....” “大妈妈”隆隆地向前走。藤蔓环绕着博物馆的两侧，小路在入口处停止。 我们越靠近，我越感到不安——直到一种恐惧感几乎吞噬了我。

Big Mama thuds up the massive steps toward the main entrance, flanked by huge columns. My stomach is in ropes. Dirk shifts gears and steers us forward. The truck nudges open the huge doors. And just like that, we're pushing through, into the museum. Inside, the place is enormous, with high ceilings and marble floors. We pass a ticket booth by the entrance, and I can just make out a coat check behind the far wall.

“大妈妈”噔噔地走上巨大的台阶，走向大门，大门两侧是巨大的柱子。 我的胃很紧张。德克换挡，带领我们前进。 卡车轻轻推开巨大的车门。 就这样，我们向前推进，进入博物馆。 这个地方内部很大，天花板很高，铺着大理石地板。 我们经过入口处的一个售票亭，我只看到远处的墙后面有一个大衣寄存处。

Dirk eases us forward slowly, but then... KA-SLAM! Something explodes behind us. I thrust my head out the window, just in time to see a huge sculpture of a pale dude toppling over. It smashes—and blocks the front entrance. "Well, I guess there's no turning back now," Dirk says with a sigh. "Only way out," June says, "is through...." "If this didn't feel like a trap before..." I mutter. This is usually the moment where Quint would get all excited about having an entire museum to himself—but still wouldn't let me touch the stuff that says no touching. But Quint is quiet. We all are. Big Mama rumbles forward. We're passing the gift shop—it looks like a good gift shop, but I don't even consider going in. Though I do lean down to grab a Space Ice Cream display, using the Cosmic Hand's sticky suckers to easily snag it, Wet Bandit style. I lift it into Big Mama and packs spill across the floor.

德克让我们慢慢前进，但是…… KA-SLAM !我们身后有东西爆炸了。 我把头伸出窗外，正好看到一个巨大的雕塑，一个苍白的家伙倒在地上。 它砸坏了——堵住了前门。 “好吧，我想现在已经没有回头路了，”德克叹了口气说。 “唯一的出路，”琼说，“就是通过....。” “如果以前不觉得这是个陷阱……” 我喃喃自语。通常在这个时候，昆特会为自己拥有整个博物馆而兴奋不已，但仍然不让我碰那些写着不能碰的东西。 但昆特很安静。我们都是。 “大妈妈”隆隆地向前走。我们经过礼品店，看起来是个不错的礼品店，但我根本没想进去。 虽然我确实俯下身去抓一个太空冰淇淋，但用宇宙之手的粘性吸盘很容易抓住它，就像湿强盗一样。 我把它举到“大妈妈”面前，袋子撒了一地。

We all tear open wrappers as Dirk turns a corner. The food seems to calm us some.... It isn't nearly as good as real ice cream, but in a world where real ice cream is basically extinct, it tastes like the best triple fudge brownie sundae you ever had. You know, I think it's better, better than real ice cream. Don't be absurd. I prefer Dippin dots. That calmness fizzles out as we come to a large hallway. Darkness stretches in both directions. "There's something about this place that doesn't feel right," Quint says softly. "Something, buddy?" I say. "How about everything."

当德克拐弯时，我们都撕开包装纸。 食物似乎能让我们平静下来.... 它远不如真正的冰淇淋好吃，但在一个真正的冰淇淋基本上已经灭绝的世界里，它尝起来就像你吃过的最好的三倍软糖布朗尼圣代。 你知道，我觉得这比真正的冰淇淋好。 别傻了。我更喜欢小甜甜圈。 当我们来到一个大走廊时，那种平静就消失了。 黑暗向两个方向延伸。 “这个地方总让人感觉不对劲，”昆特轻声说。 “什么,朋友?”我说。 “一切都怎么样？”

"No," he responds. "I mean something that I've overlooked...." Dirk goes left. "We need a directory," June says. "To find the quickest way through the museum. Quickest way to the exit." Leaving the entrance hall, I suddenly think I hear something behind us. But it's hard to tell over the sound of my own chewing. It's like eating popcorn at the movies—you wanna hear what's going on, but your brain just keeps hearing your own dumb chomping teeth. I stop chewing, mouth open—listening. And the sound is gone. Or maybe it was never there.... So, I continue again. Then stop again. And that time, for sure, I hear it. "Drive faster, Dirk," I say. "Please." "Can't go any faster," Dirk says. "We're driving through a building. And most of these, uh, whaddya call 'em... rooms?" "Galleries," June says.

“不，”他回答。“我是说我忽略的东西....” 德克向左走。“我们需要一个目录，”琼说。 “找到参观博物馆的最快路线。 这是最快的出口。” 离开门厅时，我突然觉得听到身后有什么声音。 但我自己咀嚼的声音很难分辨。 这就像在电影院吃爆米花一样——你想知道发生了什么，但你的大脑只听到你自己愚蠢的咀嚼声。 我停止咀嚼，张着嘴倾听。 声音消失了。也可能它根本就不存在.... 所以，我继续。然后再停下来。 那一次，我确实听到了。 “开快点，德克，”我说。 “请。”“不能再快了，”德克说。 “我们正开车穿过一栋大楼。 大多数这些，呃，你们怎么称呼它们的… 房间?”“画廊，”琼说。