11 A Theory

11. A THEORY Jim and Matilda retreated across the sand, back to the steps by the cliff face. Bones was reluctant to leave the children in the cave, so he sat guard behind the boulder and out of view of the Piper. "We need a plan!" said Jim, pulling his headphones from his ears and resting

11. 吉姆和玛蒂尔达退过沙滩，回到悬崖边的台阶上。 骨头不愿意把孩子们留在山洞里，所以他坐在巨石后面守卫，避开吹笛者的视线。 “我们需要一个计划！”吉姆说着，把耳机从耳朵上拿下来休息

them around his neck. "That cursed piper has them kids under his spell, and we've gotta rescue them!" "I've been thinking about that," said Matilda. "And I've developed a theory." Jim wasn't entirely sure what a theory was. "What if Nugget's fiddle music is more powerful than the Pirate Piper's music?" Matilda said. "What if Nugget could enchant those children? And take them home?" "More like drive 'em away!" scoffed Jim. "Nugget's never enchanted me!"

他们在他的脖子上。“那个被诅咒的吹笛手对孩子们施了魔法，我们得去救他们！”“我一直在想这件事，”玛蒂尔达说。 “我已经形成了一个理论。” 吉姆不太清楚什么是理论。 “如果纽格特的小提琴音乐比海盗吹笛手的音乐更有力量呢？”玛蒂尔达说。 “要是纽金能给那些孩子施魔法怎么办？” 然后带他们回家？”“更像是把他们赶走！”吉姆嘲笑道。 “金块从来没有对我施过魔法！”

"But don't you think it's funny that the only child in town who wasn't drawn to the Pirate Piper's flute was ME? And I just happened to be listening to Nugget's music when the piper took the children? "And the moment I heard Nugget on the beach the other day, I had to run and listen. I couldn't stop myself. And there were other children too, almost every child on the beach. I've got a plan, and we need Nugget and her fiddle," said Matilda. "Don't like the sound of any plan involvin' that cursed fiddle," said Jim, dreading the thought of listening to Nugget play. "But I could borrow yer bike and fetch her."

“可是，你不觉得镇上唯一不喜欢海盗吹笛手吹笛子的孩子是我吗？ 当吹笛手带走孩子们的时候我刚好在听纽格特的音乐？ “前几天我在海滩上听到纳格特的声音时，我不得不跑过去听。 我控制不住自己。还有其他的孩子，几乎每个孩子都在海滩上。 我有个计划，我们需要纳格特和她的小提琴。”玛蒂尔达说。 “我不喜欢任何涉及到那把该死的小提琴的计划，”吉姆说，一想到听纳格特演奏，他就害怕。 “但我可以借你的自行车去接她。”

"You stay here and guard the cave with Bones. I'm probably faster than a pirate on a bike anyway," said Matilda. "I'll get Nugget, but I need to pop in to see my dad on the way." Matilda pedaled as fast as she could to Dull-on-Sea, dropping by her dad's office on her way to the harbor. She scribbled some instructions on a few sheets of paper and explained the plan to him. When she was sure he understood it all, and that the plan was top, top secret, she jumped back on her bike. Her dad waved her off. "If Mom calls, tell her I'm fine and I'm playing on the beach with Jim Lad and

“你留在这里，和骨头一起守着山洞。 反正我骑自行车可能比海盗还快，”玛蒂尔达说。 “我会去接金块的，但我得顺路去看看我爸爸。” 玛蒂尔达以最快的速度骑着车去了海边的杜尔，在去港口的路上顺便去了父亲的办公室。 她在几张纸上草草写了一些说明，并向他解释了计划。 当她确信他明白一切，而且这个计划是最高机密时，她跳上了她的自行车。 她爸爸挥手让她走开。“如果妈妈打电话来，告诉她我很好，我和吉姆·拉德在海滩上玩

Bones!" she said as she set off down the street. "And I'll see her for dinner!" When Matilda arrived at the Jolley- Rogers' ship, she saw a police car by the gangplank and her mom with two police officers talking to Jim's dad. She hid her bike behind an old fishing boat that was raised up on planks, waiting to have its hull repainted Matilda watched her mom closely, knowing that if she revealed herself, there was no way

骨头！”她边说边沿街走去。 “我要和她共进晚餐！”当玛蒂尔达到达乔利-罗杰斯的船时，她看到一辆警车停在跳板旁，她的妈妈和两个警察正在和吉姆的爸爸说话。 玛蒂尔达把自行车藏在一艘旧渔船后面，那艘渔船是用木板撑起来的，正等着给船壳重新上漆。玛蒂尔达紧紧地盯着妈妈，知道如果她暴露自己，那是不可能的

she'd be allowed to return to Contraband Cove. She could talk to the police perhaps, but Chief Inspector Klewless was renowned for messing things up. Also, most of the officers loved playing with their blue lights and sirens, so the Pirate Piper would hear them coming. Matilda was pretty sure that her plan would the best way to return the children to Dull-on-Sea, safe and sound. And then she spotted Nugget, practic- ing her fiddle on the Blackhole's poop deck. Matilda crept along the wharf, darting between coils of ropes, lobster pots, and barrels. Soon she was at the ship's stern,

她就可以回到违禁品湾了 也许她可以和警察谈谈，但总督察克鲁维斯是出了名的爱搞砸事情。 而且，大多数军官都喜欢吹响他们的蓝灯和警笛，这样海盗吹笛手就能听到他们来了。 玛蒂尔达非常确信，她的计划是让孩子们安然无恙地回到海边钝岭的最好办法。 然后她发现了纳格特，她正在黑洞号的船尾甲板上练习小提琴。 玛蒂尔达沿着码头蹑手蹑脚地走着，在一圈圈的绳子、龙虾罐和木桶之间穿梭。 很快她就到了船尾，