Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 'So, let me get this straight, puffed Silver as the team sprinted along the sewer that would get them to Ratborough. 'You reckon the nice, polite diplomat we've been guarding is actually a CRIMINAL GENIUS who, thanks to Catface (sorry, Catface), has been plotting all along to swipe Old Tom's Collar, and raise an army of every rat in the country to do his bidding? 'Well, as crazy as it sounds, yes!' answered Toto. 'Honestly, sis, HE'S AS BIG AS A SIBERIAN CAT,

“那么，让我把话说明白吧，”西尔弗喘着气说，这时队伍正沿着通往拉特伯勒的阴沟疾跑。 “你认为我们一直在看守的彬彬有礼的外交官实际上是一个犯罪天才，多亏了猫脸（对不起，是猫脸），他一直在密谋偷走老汤姆的衣领，并召集一支由全国所有老鼠组成的军队来执行他的命令？” “嗯，听起来很疯狂，是的！”托托回答。 “老实说，姐姐，他和西伯利亚猫一样大。”

not an ounce of fat on him, very tough-looking, chipped in Socks. 'Not helpful, Socks! So, boss, what are your orders when we get there?' she called to Larry. 'The key will be to isolate him. It's vital we get him away from the townsfolk as quickly as possible, so he can't turn them. Then you and I will take him on. I thought it was just legend, but he really did seem to grow in size and stature when he put on both pieces of the collar. He could be lethal in combat; we'll have to approach with caution. Up ahead, Catface was leading the way to Ratborough- the rat capital of north London, and the seat of his father's power. To avoid the crowds, Catface took the back route but a couple of times they heard a squadron of rat soldiers marching towards them, and hid in the shadows, uncertain as to whose side they were on. Finally, they made it to the town square, and

他身上没有一盎司的脂肪，看起来很硬朗，袜子上有缺口。 “没用，袜子！”老大，我们到那里后你有什么命令？她对拉里喊道。 “关键是孤立他。 我们必须尽快让他离开镇上的人，这样他就不会背叛他们。 那你和我来对付他。 我以为这只是一个传说，但当他戴上这两个项圈的时候，他的身材和身材似乎真的变大了。 他在战斗中可能是致命的；我们得小心行事。 在前面，猫脸正带路去拉特伯勒——伦敦北部的老鼠之都，也是他父亲权力的所在地。 猫脸为了避开人群，走了一条小路，但有几次，他们听到一中队的鼠兵向他们走来，他们躲在阴影里，不知道自己站在哪一边。 最后，他们到达了镇广场，然后

lurked in a side street that the cats knew well. Peeking out from behind a wall made of old soup tins, they took in the scene. 'Oh, this is not good. As in, it's bad, said Silver with a wince, as he painted the picture for Toto. All the townsfolk were in the square and their eyes were on the grand old palace made from glass bottles that dominated the skyline. UP ON THE BALCONY WAS CATFACE'S DAD, THE KING RAT. But he wasn't addressing his people. He was surrounded by his own guards, who were armed with toothpicks. It was clear he was under arrest. Monsieur Raton Laveur (if that was his real name) was proudly addressing the crowd. His voice now had no shred of a French accent. He was finally showing his true colours, and the rats were hanging on every word. 'My friends, for years you have been lied to by cowards and traitors. He gestured to the king.

潜伏在猫们熟悉的小巷里。 他们从一堵用旧汤罐砌成的墙后向外窥视，看到了这一幕。 “哦，这可不妙。西尔弗一边给托托画这幅画，一边皱了皱眉头说，这是坏的。 所有的市民都聚集在广场上，他们的目光都集中在那座由玻璃瓶建成的宏伟的古老宫殿上，这座宫殿高耸入云。 站在阳台上的是猫脸的爸爸，老鼠王。 但他不是在对他的人民讲话。 他被自己的卫兵包围着，他们都拿着牙签。 很明显他被捕了。 拉顿·拉沃尔先生（如果这是他的真名的话）正骄傲地向人群讲话。 他的声音现在一点法国口音也没有了。 他终于露出了他的真面目，老鼠们对他说的每一个字都死死地盯着。 “我的朋友们，多年来你们一直被懦夫和叛徒欺骗。 他向国王做了个手势。

'I say, steady on,' said the king. 'SILENCE!' the giant rat continued, 'All the animals in the kingdom look down upon us rats, they laugh and sneer at us, think us dirty and diseased. Well, no more!' THE CROWD ERUPTED IN APPRECIATION. 'When my great-great-great-great-great-great...' (this was repeated for another thirty seconds and even the most committed listeners were beginning to look a little distracted) '...GREAT-GRANDFATHER, KING RODERICK THE ABSOLUTELY FILTHY DIRTY, was betrayed by his own kind and defeated by Old Tom, my family went into hiding in Europe, but we've never forgotten our destiny. We have been biding our time, waiting for centuries to come again and claim what is rightfully ours.' A shout of support went up from the square. Behind the old soup tins, the cats heard every word.

“我说，别着急，”国王说。 “安静!”大老鼠继续说，“王国里所有的动物都看不起我们老鼠，他们嘲笑我们，认为我们肮脏、有病。 好了，再也不是了！”人群爆发出一阵感激之情。 “当我的伟大的伟大的伟大的伟大的伟大……（这句话又重复了30秒，即使是最忠实的听众也开始显得有点心烦意乱）“……曾祖父，罗德里克国王，绝对肮脏的肮脏，被他的同类背叛，被老汤姆打败，我的家人躲在欧洲，但我们从未忘记我们的命运。 我们一直在等待时机，等待了几个世纪，等待再次到来，要求得到我们应得的东西。”广场上响起了支持的喊声。 在旧汤罐后面，猫听到了每一个字。