4 The Cave

4. THE CAVE Matilda dropped her bike onto the grass. Bones had already jumped from her basket and had disappeared over the edge of the cliff. There was a path, but it was overgrown, and if Bones hadn't taken it, Matilda could easily have ridden by.

4. 玛蒂尔达把她的自行车掉在草地上。 骨头已经从篮子里跳了出来，消失在悬崖边上。 有一条小路，但杂草丛生，如果不是骨头走这条路，玛蒂尔达很容易就骑过去了。

Looking over the edge of the cliff, she could see Bones bounding over the rocks toward a cave that cut deep beneath the headland. In the middle of the sand, Matilda noticed the Jolley-Rogers' beach things. Their vehicle was parked wheel deep in the surf. It looked like the family had been there moments before, but now they were nowhere to be seen. She felt a shiver run down her spine.

从悬崖边缘往外看，她看见骨头在岩石上蹦蹦跳跳地朝海岬下面的一个山洞走去。 在沙滩中央，玛蒂尔达注意到了乔利-罗杰斯的沙滩用品。 他们的车停在很深的海浪里。 看起来这家人刚才还在那儿，但现在却不见了踪影。 她感到一阵寒颤顺着她的脊背流下来。

Matilda rolled down her sleeves so the brambles wouldn't scratch her. She fought her way through the heavy undergrowth at the top of the path, pushing prickly branches above her head and trying to avoid the nettles that sprang up around her ankles. Halfway down, she had to cross a very rickety bridge, with broken handrails entwined in foliage. Soon she was at Bones's side, peering into the darkness. Bones looked at her, then looked in the cave. Then looked at her again, wagging his tail.

玛蒂尔达把袖子卷了下来，免得被荆棘划伤。 她奋力穿过小路顶端茂密的灌木丛，把多刺的树枝推过头顶，努力避开在脚踝周围窜出的荨麻。 走到一半，她必须穿过一座非常摇摇晃晃的桥，断了的扶手被树叶缠绕着。 很快，她来到了骨头的身边，凝视着黑暗。 骨头看了看她，又看了看山洞里。 然后又摇着尾巴看了看她。

The cave looked very dark. Bones gave one last bark and disappeared inside. Matilda took a deep breath and walked slowly into the shadows.

山洞看起来很黑。 骨头叫了最后一声，消失在里面。 玛蒂尔达深吸了一口气，慢慢地走进阴影里。

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Matilda could make out a faint yellow glow from deep within the cave. She turned a corner, and the rocks lit up with the flickering light of lanterns, bouncing in all directions off a huge hoard of gold. Great piles of gold coins, goblets, crowns, and jewelry covered the sand. Wooden chests and caskets lay open, overflowing with treasure. Matilda gasped. It was only then that she noticed the Jolley-Rogers, standing before the great pile of gold with their backs to her. Bones bounded toward them.

当玛蒂尔达的眼睛适应黑暗时，她能分辨出洞穴深处有微弱的黄光。 她拐了个弯，岩石被闪烁的灯笼照亮了，被一大堆金子照亮了四面八方。 沙子上堆满了成堆的金币、高脚杯、王冠和珠宝。 木箱和棺材敞开着，里面装满了财宝。 玛蒂尔达气喘吁吁地说。就在这时，她才注意到乔利-罗杰斯一家，他们背对着她站在那一大堆金子前。 骨头向他们跳了过来。

"Hello," said Matilda from a distance. "Jim?" There was no answer. Not one of them turned to greet her. Bones was tugging at Jim's sash, but Jim was motionless.

“你好，”玛蒂尔达从远处说。 “吉姆?”没有人回答。 没有一个人转过身来迎接她。 骨头在拉吉姆的腰带，但吉姆一动不动。