Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 As Dylan's gnashing teeth closed, there was only one way for Charlie to go: further into Dylan's mouth. Dropping off the apple, he landed on Dylan's tongue. It was like riding a fleshy wave– the tongue was rippling and thrashing, throwing Charlie all over the place. Saliva gushed around him in a sticky rushing tide. Chunks of apple battered and buffeted Charlie as he clung on for dear life but finally a big lump smacked him squarely in his worm-face, knocking him clean off the tongue in a swirling spiral of saliva. Blind terror clutched at Charlie as he was pulled– no, swallowed– down Dylan's throat. He desperately tried to swim back up but it was impossible; he was caught in a great surging current of saliva and apple bits, while the muscly tube of fleshfn1 surrounding him was squeezing and contracting, creating unstoppable waves. Down he was squeezed, down he

迪伦咬牙切齿的时候，查理只有一条路可走：更深入迪伦的嘴里。 他掉下苹果，落在迪伦的舌头上。 这就像骑在一个肉肉的波浪上——舌头在荡起涟漪，拍打着，把查理扔得到处都是。 唾液在他周围如潮水般涌来。 大块的苹果砸在查理身上，他拼命地抓着苹果不放，但最后一个大肿块正好打在他那张虫脸上，把他从舌头上打了下来，吐出了一股漩涡般的唾液。 查理被迪伦拽下——不，是被吞下——喉咙时，莫名的恐惧攫住了他。 他拼命地想游回来，但这是不可能的；他被一股由唾液和苹果渣组成的汹涌的水流缠住了，而他周围肌肉发达的肉管在挤压和收缩，形成了不可阻挡的波浪。 他被挤倒了，他被挤倒了

was pulled, and down he was washed in a dark, rolling tide. And Charlie knew where he was heading. He had paid enough attention in science lessons to know that at the end of this journey was the stomach. And the stomach was full of acid. And that was how he was going to die– dissolved into nothing in Dylan's stomach. Unless… No. He couldn't. Could he? Maybe… if… if he changed back into a boy right now, Charlie might just survive. But Dylan definitely wouldn't. If Charlie changed while he was still inside Dylan… Well, the less said about that the better, but rest assured Dylan would most definitely have a very, VERY sticky end. And with a sinking feeling, Charlie realized he could never, ever do that, not even to his mortal enemy. He had no choice but to accept his acidy fate. Charlie's eyes had become accustomed enough to the dark to see he was approaching a fleshy valve, flapping open and closed. It was the entrance to the stomach. Charlie stopped struggling and allowed himself to be dragged down to his doom. The great valve snapped open and Charlie landed with a tiny plop in the soup of acidy stomach juices and semi-digested food.

他被一股翻滚的黑潮卷了下去。 查理知道他要去哪里。 他在科学课上足够专心，知道这趟旅程的终点是胃。 胃里充满了酸。 他就是这样死去的——在迪伦的胃里化为乌有。 除非…不。他不能。 他能吗?也许，如果，如果他现在变回男孩，查理也许能活下来。 但迪伦绝对不会。 如果查理在他还在迪伦肚子里的时候就变了……好吧，少说越好，但请放心，迪伦肯定会有一个非常非常棘手的结局。 查理有一种不祥的预感，他意识到他永远，永远不能那样做，即使是对他的死敌。 他别无选择，只能接受自己的悲惨命运。 查理的眼睛已经习惯了黑暗，可以看到他正走近一个肉瓣，它不停地打开和关闭。 这是胃的入口。 查理停止了挣扎，任由自己被拖入毁灭的深渊。 巨大的阀门啪的一声打开了，查理扑通一声落在酸胃液和半消化食物的汤里。

He waited for the burning, agonizing death. But it didn't come. Instead… 'Morning!' came a cheery voice. 'Morning!' came another, equally cheery, voice. 'Hello! New down here, are you?' came yet another cheery voice. Voices? That I can understand? That can only mean one thing, Charlie thought. There must be more worms in here! 'Hello!' Charlie called back. 'So worms can survive in stomach acid, can they?' 'Oh yes!' called back another worm. 'It's lovely! Like a warm bath!' Charlie had to agree– it was exactly like swimming in a warm bath. Not at all what he'd expected. Slowly, Charlie began to be able to make out the pale wriggling shapes of other worms. Lots of other worms. 'So how many of you are down here?' Charlie asked.

他等待着灼热而痛苦的死亡。 但它没有来。而不是…'早上好!一个欢快的声音说。 '早上好!另一个同样欢快的声音说。 “你好!你是新来的吧？又传来一个欢快的声音。 的声音吗?我能理解吗？ 这只能说明一件事，查理想。 这里肯定有更多的虫子！“你好!”查理回叫道。 “所以蠕虫可以在胃酸中生存，对吗？”“哦，是的！”另一只虫子叫道。 这是可爱的!就像洗个热水澡！”查理不得不同意——这就像在一个温暖的浴缸里游泳一样。 这完全不是他所期望的。 慢慢地，查理开始辨认出其他蠕虫苍白的蠕动的形状。 还有很多其他的蠕虫。“你们有多少人在下面？”查理问道。

'Well, including you, ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and twenty-six,' replied a worm. 'No,' replied another worm. 'You're still counting Delbert 237. He died.' 'Oh! You're quite right. Poor old Delbert 237. So that means you're number ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and twenty-five.' Charlie couldn't quite believe how many worms there were in Dylan's stomach.fn2 'What's your name?' a worm called out. 'Charlie,' replied Charlie. 'Oh, that makes you Charlie 1921!' 'There are 1,920 other worms down here called Charlie?' asked Charlie in amazement. Before any worms could answer though, the walls of Dylan's stomach suddenly contracted, creating huge waves in the juices. All the worms whooped and cheered, and Charlie had to admit that it did remind him of swimming in the local pool when the wave machine was turned on. Only the excited yells of the worms gave it more of a party feel. 'Come on, Charlie! Swim with us!' Charlie started swimming in the waves, and realized he was rather enjoying himself. But deep down, he knew he couldn't stay. He had to somehow get back to his friends. 'Does anybody know how to get out of here?' 'Get out?!' exclaimed one worm. 'Why would you want to do that? Stay!' 'That's right!' called another worm. 'Stay!'

“嗯，算上你，一共九万七千四百二十六个人，”一条虫子回答。 “不，”另一只虫子回答。 “你还在数Delbert 237。 他就死了。“哦!你说得很对。 可怜的老德尔伯特237。那就是说你的号码是九万七千四百二十五。”查理简直不敢相信迪伦的胃里竟然有这么多虫子。你叫什么名字？一条虫子叫道。 “查理，”查理回答。 “哦，那你就是1921年的查理了！”“下面还有1920只叫查理的虫子吗？”查理惊奇地问。 在任何蠕虫回答之前，迪伦的胃壁突然收缩，在汁液中产生巨大的波浪。 所有的虫子都在欢呼雀跃，查理不得不承认，这确实让他想起了在当地的游泳池里游泳时，打开了波浪机。 只有蠕虫兴奋的叫声给人一种聚会的感觉。 “来吧，查理！”和我们一起游吧！”查理开始在海浪中游泳，他意识到自己玩得很开心。 但在内心深处，他知道他不能留下来。 他必须想办法回到他的朋友们身边。 “有人知道怎么离开这里吗？”“出去？”一只虫子叫道。 “你为什么要这么做？” 保持!“对！”另一只虫子叫道。 “呆!”

'Stay!' all the worms started shouting. 'Stay and play!' Playing didn't sound half bad to Charlie. Maybe it would be OK to stay just a bit longer… No, Charlie thought, trying to snap himself out of it. I can't forget who I am! 'I can't! I have to go!' 'Oh what a party-pooper!' 'Yes! What a spoilsport!' 'Maybe we shouldn't tell you the way out!' 'No, don't tell him! Stay down here and play with us! Come play with us, Charlie… forever!' 'And ever!' 'And ever!' Charlie was beginning to realize that the worms were going to be no help. He was going to have to find his own way out. Charlie thought back to the plastic model of the human body that he'd been given for his birthday a couple of years ago. The way out of the stomach was the intestine! That long, twisting tunnel was his escape route. He just had to find the opening.

“呆!所有的虫子开始大叫。 “留下来玩吧！”对查理来说，演奏听起来还不错。 也许再多待一会儿也无妨……不，查理想，努力让自己振作起来。 我不能忘记我是谁！“我不能!我得走了！“哦，真扫兴！”“是的!真扫兴！“也许我们不应该告诉你出去的路！”“不，别告诉他！”待在下面和我们一起玩！来和我们一起玩吧，查理……永远！“永远！”“永远！”查理开始意识到这些虫子是帮不上忙的。 他得自己找出路了。 查理回想起几年前他生日时收到的塑料人体模型。 走出胃的出路是肠！那条又长又弯的隧道是他的逃生路线。 他只需要找到突破口。

It has to be down, thought Charlie, so he began swimming down, through the bubbling sludge. 'Don't go!' shouted the worms. 'Stay!' 'We'll have such fun! Stay with us, Charlie!' 'Stay!' 'Staaaay… Plaaay…'

它一定会沉下去的，查理想，于是他开始游下去，穿过冒泡的污泥。 “不要走!”虫子们喊道。 “呆!“我们会玩得很开心的！”坚持住，查理！“呆!“走开……玩……”