9 A GOOD IDEA – AND A DISAPPOINTMENT

CHAPTER NINE A GOOD IDEA– AND A DISAPPOINTMENT THE ACROBATS came in, turning cartwheels and springing high into the air. One came in with his body bent so far over backwards that he was able to put his head between his legs. He looked very peculiar indeed. Peter nudged Colin. 'Colin! See that fellow with his head between his legs– he's clean- shaven like the man I saw hidden in the bush– and he's got black hair!' Colin nodded. 'Yes– he may be the one! All the others have moustaches. Let's watch him carefully and see if he could really leap up a

第九章好主意——令人失望的是，杂技演员进来了，他们翻了个侧手翻，一跃而起。 其中一个进来的时候，他的身体向后弯得很厉害，以至于他的头都能夹在两腿之间。 他看上去确实很奇怪。 彼得推了推科林。“科林!看那个把脑袋夹在两腿之间的家伙——他很干净——像我看见的藏在灌木丛里的那个人——他还有黑头发！”科林点点头。 “是的——也许就是他！”其他人都留着小胡子。 让我们仔细观察他，看他是否真的能跳起来

high wall, and over the top.' All the Secret Seven kept their eyes glued on this one acrobat. They had seen that the others had moustaches, so that ruled them out– but this one fitted the bill– he was dark- haired and had no moustache! Could he leap high? Would he show them that he could easily leap up a steep wall to the top? They watched eagerly. The clean-shaven acrobat was easily the best of them all. He was as light as a feather. When he sprang across the ring it almost seemed as if his feet did not even touch the ground. He was a very clever tight-rope walker too. A long ladder was put up, and fixed to a wire high up in the roof of the tent. The children watched the acrobat spring lightly up the ladder, and they turned to look at one another– yes– if he could leap up a ladder like that, hardly touching the rungs with feet or hands, he could most certainly leap up a three-metre

墙很高，而且越过了墙顶。”所有的秘密七人都盯着这个杂技演员。 他们看到其他人都有胡子，所以就排除了他们——但是这个人符合条件——他黑头发，没有胡子！他能跳得高吗？ 他会向他们展示他可以轻松地跳过一堵陡峭的墙吗？ 他们热切地注视着。这个胡子刮得干干净净的杂技演员无疑是他们当中最好的。 他像羽毛一样轻。 当他跳过拳击场时，他的脚几乎没有着地。 他也是一个非常聪明的走钢丝者。 架起了一架长长的梯子，把它固定在帐篷屋顶高处的一根铁丝上。 孩子们看着杂技演员轻轻地跳上梯子，他们转过身来互相看了看——是的——如果他能像这样跳上梯子，脚和手几乎不用碰到梯子的梯级，他肯定能跳上三米高

wall to the top! 'I'm sure that one's the thief,' whispered Janet to Peter. He nodded. He was sure, too. He was so sure, that he settled down to enjoy the circus properly, not bothering to look out for a thief any longer, now that he had made up his mind this was the one.

墙顶！“我敢肯定那个就是贼，”珍妮特小声对彼得说。 他点了点头。他也很确定。 他非常肯定，于是他坐下来好好欣赏马戏，不再费心去找小偷了，因为他已经下定决心，这就是他要找的人。

It was quite a good circus. The performing bears came on, and really seemed to enjoy themselves boxing with each other and with their trainer. One little bear was so fond of its trainer that it kept hugging his legs, and

那是一个相当不错的马戏团。 表演的熊来了，看起来真的很享受彼此和他们的教练的拳击。 一只小熊非常喜欢它的教练，一直抱着他的腿

wouldn't let him go! Janet wished she had a little bear like that for a pet. 'He's just like a big teddy,' she said to Pam, and Pam nodded. The clowns came in again– and then the two stilt-walkers, with three of the clowns. The stilt-walkers were ridiculous. They wore long skirts over their stilts, so that they looked like tremendously tall people, and they walked stiffly about with the little clowns teasing them and jeering at them. Then a strong cage was put up, and the lions were brought in, snarling. Janet shrank back. 'I don't like this,' she said. 'Lions aren't meant to act about. They only look silly. Oh dear– look at that one– he won't get up on his stool. I know he's going to pounce on his keeper.' But he didn't, of course. He knew his performance and went through it very haughtily with the others. They ambled away afterwards, still snarling.

不让他走！珍妮特希望她有一只那样的小熊当宠物。 “他就像一个大泰迪熊，”她对帕姆说，帕姆点点头。 小丑们又进来了——然后是两个走高跷的人，还有三个小丑。 那些踩高跷的人很可笑。 他们把长裙套在高跷上，使他们看起来像个子很高的人。他们僵僵地走来走去，被那些小小丑逗弄着，嘲笑着。 然后，一个坚固的笼子被架起，狮子被带了进来，咆哮着。 珍妮特退缩了。“我不喜欢这样，”她说。 “狮子不是用来演戏的。 他们只是看起来很傻。哦，天哪——看那只——他不肯从凳子上站起来。 我知道它会扑向它的饲养员。”当然，他没有。 他知道自己的表演，和其他人一起傲慢地表演了一遍。 后来他们慢悠悠地走开了，还在咆哮。

Then a big elephant came in and began to play cricket with his trainer. He really enjoyed that, and when he hit the ball into the audience six times running, everyone clapped like mad. Altogether, the children enjoyed themselves enormously. They were sorry when they found themselves going out into the big field again. 'If we could only hunt for thieves in circuses every time, it would be very enjoyable,' said Janet. 'Peter– what do you think? Is that dark- haired, clean-shaven acrobat the thief? He's the only likely one of the acrobats, really.' 'Yes– all the others have moustaches,' said Peter. 'I wonder what we ought to do next? It would be a good thing, perhaps, to go and find him and talk to him. He might let something slip that would help us.' 'But what excuse can we give for going to find him?' said George. 'Oh– ask him for his autograph!' said Peter.

然后一头大象进来了，开始和他的教练玩板球。 他真的很享受，当他连续六次将球击中观众时，每个人都疯狂地鼓掌。 总的说来，孩子们玩得非常开心。 当他们发现自己又要走到大田野里时，他们感到很难过。 “如果我们每次都能在马戏团里抓小偷，那将是非常愉快的，”珍妮特说。 “彼得——你怎么想？” 那个黑头发、刮得干干净净的杂技演员就是小偷吗？ 他是唯一可能的杂技演员，真的。“是的——其他人都留着小胡子。”彼得说。 “我想知道下一步我们应该做什么？” 去找他，跟他谈谈，也许是件好事。 他可能会说漏了嘴，对我们有帮助。”“可是我们去找他有什么借口呢？乔治说。 “哦——向他要签名吧！”彼得说。