Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN The next morning Layla waved her friends off on their camping trip and then headed for the library. On her way there, she paused by an open window overlooking Sparkle Lake. More leaves had fallen in the night and the surface of the lake was now thick with rust-coloured leaves. They even fluttered up from the fountain as it spouted water. A foul smell crept in on the breeze. The smell stuck in the back of Layla's throat, making her sneeze. Poor Ms Nettles, she thought. It must be even worse for her with her hay fever.

第七章第二天早上，蕾拉挥手送朋友们去露营，然后去了图书馆。 在去那里的路上，她在一扇可以俯瞰闪闪湖的开着的窗户前停了下来。 夜里落了更多的树叶，湖面上布满了厚厚的铁锈色的树叶。 它们甚至在喷泉喷水的时候从喷泉里飞了出来。 一阵恶臭随着微风飘进来。 这种气味卡在蕾拉的喉咙后面，使她打喷嚏。 可怜的荨麻女士，她想。 她的花粉热肯定更糟。

Layla took out a notebook and listed all the things she knew about fire beetles. They were shy, they feasted on flash flies and they loved warm places. It wasn't much to go on. Maybe if she researched likely habitats… Layla skimmed through three books on deserts and two books on tropical climates without finding any reference to fire beetles. Then she saw a book on volcanoes. Volcanoes, of course! They were very warm places. There was a famous volcano on Unicorn Island. Mount Fury. Layla opened the book and to her delight it contained several chapters on the volcano. She read fast, her eyes gobbling up the words until she found something.

莱拉拿出一个笔记本，列出了她所知道的关于火甲虫的所有事情。 它们很害羞，喜欢吃苍蝇，喜欢温暖的地方。 没什么可说的。也许如果她研究一下可能的栖息地……莱拉浏览了三本关于沙漠的书和两本关于热带气候的书，但没有找到任何关于火甲虫的资料。 然后她看到一本关于火山的书。 当然是火山了！它们是非常温暖的地方。 独角兽岛上有一座著名的火山。 山的愤怒。蕾拉打开书，令她高兴的是，里面有几章是关于火山的。 她读得很快，眼睛狼吞虎咽地读着，直到找到了什么东西。

While very few creatures can survive the heat of Mount Fury, there is one that Positively seeks its warmth. The rare fire beetle favours a home on the crater's edge, living there until the volcano erupts when it will fly to sqfety. Layla stared at the page. If fire beetles lived on Mount Fury, couldn't the teachers go there and bring some back? Layla quicldy returned the book and headed for Ms Nettles' study, "Layla!" Ms Nettles, who was half hidden by a huge pile of books and papers on her desk, seemed irritated to see her. She sneezed. "I'm very busy. Please come back another time."

虽然很少有生物能在狂暴山的高温下生存，但有一种生物正积极寻求它的温暖。 这种罕见的火甲虫喜欢在火山口的边缘安家，直到火山爆发，它才会飞到安全的地方。 蕾拉盯着那页纸。如果火甲虫住在愤怒山上，老师们不能去那里带一些回来吗？ 蕾拉迅速把书还了回去，朝内特尔斯老师的书房走去，“蕾拉！”纳特尔斯女士被桌子上一大堆书和文件遮住了一半，看到她似乎很生气。 她打了个喷嚏。“我很忙。 请下次再来。”

Part of Layla wanted to do as she was told but she stood her ground. This was too important. "Ms Nettles, did you know that fire beetles would chase the flash flies away? I found a book in the library that said that they live on Mount Fury. Can't you go there and get some?" Ms Nettles frowned. "Oh, Layla, of course I know that fire beetles can help with flash flies.

莱拉内心深处想按照别人的吩咐去做，但她坚持了自己的立场。 这太重要了。“荨麻小姐，你知道火甲虫会把闪光蝇赶走吗？” 我在图书馆找到一本书说他们住在弗瑞山上。 你不能去那儿买点吗？”荨麻女士皱起了眉头。 “哦，蕾拉，我当然知道火甲虫可以帮助对付闪光蝇。

But Mount Fury could erupt at any time. It's far too dangerous to go there." Layla felt suddenly hot as a wild idea jumped into her head. She took a deep breath, wondering if she was completely crazy. "I'll go. Dancer will look after me." Ms Nettles' eyes softened slightly. "I know you want to help, Layla, but I will not have you and Dancer– or anyone else– putting themselves in danger. I forbid it." "But every day the lake looks worse!" exclaimed Layla. "The fountain is clogged up and the magic water can't flow around the island. Soon everyone will start to suffer and if the water isn't cleaned up the unicorns will get ill. We have to do something, Ms Nettles!" She blushed as she finished and waited for Ms Nettles to tell her off but the teacher just sighed. "I'm sorry, Layla. Now, please leave. I have lots to do." Layla's head was in a whirl as she backed

但愤怒火山随时可能喷发。 去那里太危险了。” 蕾拉突然感到一阵发热，一个疯狂的念头跃入她的脑海。 她深吸了一口气，想知道自己是不是完全疯了。 “我要走了。丹瑟会照顾我的。” 纳特尔斯女士的目光稍稍柔和了一些。 “我知道你想帮忙，蕾拉，但我不会让你和丹瑟——或者任何其他人——把自己置于危险之中。 我不允许。”“可是湖水一天比一天糟！”莱拉叫道。 “喷泉堵塞了，神奇的水不能在岛上流动。 很快，每个人都会开始受苦，如果水不清理干净，独角兽就会生病。 我们必须做点什么，荨麻女士！”说完，她脸红了，等着荨麻老师责备她，但老师只是叹了口气。 “对不起，蕾拉。现在，请离开。 我有很多事要做。”莱拉后退的时候，她的头一阵晕眩

out of the study. She understood it would be risky to travel to the volcano. But the island was in danger. Should she stay safe and obey her teacher– or should she follow her heart? Layla went to Dancer's stable. "Oh good," he said, looking very pleased to see her. "I'm so bored. What have you been up to?" Layla quickly told him about her conversation with Ms Nettles. "I know she says it's too dangerous but we need to find some fire beetles." "Then let's go to Mount Fury– just you and me!" Dancer exclaimed. Layla bit her lip. The cautious voice in her head was saying "No, no, no!" but deep down it felt like the right thing to do. They had to try to save the island. "We could do it, Layla," said Dancer eagerly. "We could use the magical map to get

走出书房。她明白去火山旅行是有风险的。 但这座岛处于危险之中。 她应该保证安全，听从老师的建议，还是应该听从自己的内心？ 蕾拉去了丹瑟的马厩。 “哦，太好了，”他说，看上去很高兴见到她。 “我好无聊。你在忙什么呢？”蕾拉很快告诉了他她和奈特尔斯女士的谈话。 “我知道她说那里太危险了，但我们需要找到一些火甲虫。” “那我们就去怒山吧——只有你和我！”舞者喊道。 蕾拉咬着嘴唇。她脑子里那个谨慎的声音在说：“不，不，不！”但在内心深处，她觉得这样做是对的。 他们必须设法拯救这座岛。 “我们能做到的，蕾拉，”丹瑟急切地说。 “我们可以用魔法地图找到。