44 THE RUNAWAY

CHAPTER 44 THE RUNAWAY "Your son will be fine," said Loudwing. "You know how they are at this age." "I do not know," said Roz. "Please tell me how they are at this age." "Oh, right. Well, Brightbill is growing up fast. It's only natural for adolescent goslings to be a little… moody. He just needs to be alone for a while. You've raised a wonderful son. I know he'll come home soon. Try not to worry." But Roz did worry. At least, she worried as much as a robot is capable of worrying. Brightbill had never run away—or flown away—and suddenly Roz was computing all the things that could go wrong. A violent storm. A broken wing. A predator. She had to find her son before something bad happened. There was only one place Brightbill could have gone. The robot gravesite. So Roz galloped northward. She leaped over rocks and ducked under

“你儿子会没事的，”响亮翼说。 “你知道他们这个年龄是什么样的。” “我不知道，”罗兹说。 “请告诉我他们在这个年龄是怎样的。” “哦,对。好吧，布莱特比尔成长得很快。 青春期的小鹅有点喜怒无常是很正常的。 他需要一个人静一静。 你养育了一个很棒的儿子。 我知道他很快就会回家的。 尽量不要担心。”但罗兹确实担心。 至少，她和机器人一样担心。 布莱特比尔从来没有逃跑——或者飞走——突然间，罗兹开始计算所有可能出错的事情。 猛烈的风暴。折断的翅膀。 一个捕食者。她必须在出事之前找到她儿子。 布莱特比尔只可能去一个地方。 机器人墓地。于是罗兹向北疾驰而去。 她跳过岩石，钻到下面

branches and charged through meadows without ever slowing her pace. She raced all the way across the island until she finally stepped onto the sea cliffs above the gravesite. And there was Brightbill. Perched on the edge, looking at the robot parts scattered on the shore below. His eyes were wet. "Don't be angry!" he said as his mother walked over. "I am not angry. But you should not have flown off like that. You could have gotten hurt, or worse. I was worried sick!" "I'm sorry, Mama." "It is okay," said Roz. "It is only natural for goslings your age to be a little… moody."

她从树枝上冲过草地，丝毫没有放慢脚步。 她一路跑过小岛，最后登上了墓地上方的海边悬崖。 还有布莱特比尔。栖息在岸边，看着散落在岸边的机器人零件。 他的眼睛湿润了。“别生气！”他妈妈走过来时，他说。 “我没有生气。但你不应该就那样飞走。 你可能会受伤，甚至更糟。 我担心死了！”“对不起，妈妈。” “没关系，”罗兹说。“你这个年纪的小鹅有点……喜怒无常是很正常的。”

"Mama, I need to understand what you are. And I think it might help to see those other robots." "You are right—it might help. Why are you not down there?" "I was about to go," said Brightbill, "but I got nervous. I want you to go with me." "Let us go down there," said Roz. "Together."

“妈妈，我要知道你是什么。 我认为看到其他机器人可能会有所帮助。” “你说得对，这也许有帮助。 你为什么不下去？”“我正要去，”布莱特比尔说，“但我有点紧张。 我要你和我一起去。” “我们下去吧，”罗兹说。 “在一起”。