62 Mr White

62 Mr White Sir?" said Alan, looking nervously at the screen. "Is everything OK?" "You call that an interrogation?" said the person on screen in an angry, surprisingly high voice. "I-I-I've only just started." "Useless! If you want a job done properly, you've got to do it yourself!" "You're Mr White," said Peanut. "Indeed," said the silhouette, turning slightly to face her. And you are Pernilla Anne Jones." "Peanut!" she said, automatically. "How do you know my name? And what have you done with my friends?" "Your friends? Oh yes, the tall boy with the hair, the

“是怀特先生吗？”艾伦紧张地盯着屏幕问道。 “一切都还好吗？” “你这也叫审讯？”屏幕里的人怒声说道，声音高得惊人。 “我、我我才刚刚开始呢。” “没用的东西！ 要想把事情做好，只能亲自出手！” “你就是怀特先生。”花生说道。 “没错。”黑影说着，微微转过身子面向她。 而你就是佩妮拉·安妮·琼斯。” “我叫花生！” 她脱口而出。 “你怎么知道我的名字？ 你把我的朋友们怎么样了？” “你的朋友们？ 哦对呀，那个高个子长发男孩，那个

annoying little girl and the scruffy mutt. They are currently enjoying my hospitality, just like you." He laughed. "Would you like to see them?" Peanut nodded. The screen cut to a shot of Rockwell in a cell just like the one Peanut was in. He was sitting on a chair with his head in his hands, rocking slowly back and forth. Five seconds later, it cut to another cell, but this time Peanut could see Doodle standing on his hind legs, his paws on the door, barking loudly. The final shot really upset Peanut. Her little sister was curled up on the cold concrete bench in her cell, quietly singing to herself. She could just about make out the words "Twinkle, twinkle, little star... How I wonder what you are..." A tear ran down Peanut's cheek. And Mr Markmaker?" "He has been moved to an even more comfortable location." The screen cut to a shot of Mr M in a cell that was half the size of the others. He was sitting perfectly still on the chair, staring straight at the huge type printed on the wall. Poor man, thought Peanut. Maybe this was the final straw for him. "What are you going to do with us, you monster?" Peanut wiped the tears from her eyes but could not hide the anger in her voice. "That depends on whether you cooperate," sneered Mr White.

讨人厌的小姑娘，还有那只脏乎乎的笨狗。 他们现在和你一样，正享受着我的款待呢。” 他笑了起来。 “你想看看他们吗？” 花生点了点头。 画面切换到洛克威尔，他和花生一样，也被关在一间囚室里。 他坐在椅子上，双手撑着头，慢慢地前后摇晃。 五秒钟后，画面切到另一间囚室，花生看到嘟嘟后腿撑地站着，爪子扒着门，大声吠叫。 最后一个画面让花生难过极了。 她的小妹妹缩在囚室冰冷的水泥长椅上，轻声哼着歌。 她刚好能听清歌词：“一闪，一闪，小星星... 我多想知道你是谁...” 一滴眼泪顺着花生的脸颊流了下来。 那马克梅克先生呢？” “他被转移到更舒服的地方去了。” 画面切到M先生，他的囚室比其他人的小一半。 他一动不动坐在椅子上，直勾勾盯着墙上印的巨大字体。 可怜的人，花生心想。 说不定这已经是压垮他的最后一根稻草了。 “你这个怪物，你打算把我们怎么样？” 花生擦去眼泪，可声音里的怒气藏不住。 “那得看你配不配合了。”怀特先生冷笑道。

"What do you want?" "I want to know how you got from London to Chroma. It must have either been through a portal, in which case I want to know exactly where that portal is, or... you used another method." Peanut shook her head. "Why do you care so much?" "Well, young lady, we can't have just anybody waltzing in here with their illegal drawing apparatus, directly disobeying my laws, can we? Where would that leave us?" "In a much happier place!" shouted Peanut. "Maybe it would leave us all with a much happier world!" "Why on earth do you think the world would be happier with more creativity in it? The sooner people realise that a planet devoid of art means a more ordered, controlled and calm existence, the better." "Existence!" said Peanut. "You do know that there is a difference

“你想要什么？” “我想知道你们从伦敦怎么到克罗玛来的。 要么是走传送门，我要知道传送门到底在哪，要么...你们用了别的方法。” 花生摇了摇头。 “你为什么这么在意这件事？” “呵，小姑娘，总不能放任任何人带着非法绘画工具闯进来，公然违反我的法令吧？ 不然我们这还成什么样子？” “那也会变成快乐得多的地方！”花生大喊。 “说不定会变成一个所有人都更幸福的世界！” “你为什么会觉得，多些创造力世界就会更幸福？ 人们越早明白，没有艺术的星球才更有序、更可控、更平静，就越好。” “只是存在而已！”花生说。 “你明明知道这两者之间有区别

between merely existing and actually living, don't you?" "OK, you're boring me now, young lady. I'm going to ask again. How. Did. You. Get. Here? Did you have help?" He pulled the brim of his hat down even further over his eyes. "From your father, for example." Peanut felt the blood drain from her face. "My father? What have you done to him? Where is he?" "Oh bravo, Miss Jones. An Oscar-worthy performance. But enough with the pretending. Why don't you just tell me where he is right now, to avoid my having to use a more... painful method of extraction. "Er, what do you mean?" Peanut was confused. "You know full well where he is. He's here. In the Spire. In a cell somewhere. Don't toy with me, young lady!" snapped Mr White. "Yes, he was imprisoned here, but he's not any more, as I think you know. He... disappeared a few days ago. Disappeared?" Peanut felt as if her legs were going to buckle. "What do you mean, "disappeared"?" Mr White seemed thrown by this reaction. "So, you really don't know where he is?" Peanut shook her head. Mr White then started laughing a terrible, high-pitched laugh. He sounded like a hyena who had sucked all the helium out of a balloon.

“是仅仅活着和真正生活的区别，难道不是吗？” “好了，你现在烦死我了，小姑娘。 我再问你一遍。 怎。 么。 你。 到。 这儿？ “有没有人帮你？” 他把帽檐又往下拉了拉，把眼睛遮得更严实。 “比如说，是你的父亲帮的你。” 花生顿时吓得脸色煞白。 “我的父亲？ 你对他做了什么？ 他现在在哪？” “哦，演得真好，琼斯小姐。 这演技都能拿奥斯卡奖了。 别再装模作样了。 你不如现在就告诉我他在哪，免得我不得不用更...痛苦的方法逼你开口。” “呃，你这话是什么意思？” 花生一头雾水。 “你明明清楚他在哪。 他就在这儿。 在尖塔里。 在某间囚室里。 “别耍我了，小姑娘！” 怀特先生怒喝道。 “没错，他之前确实被关在这儿，但现在已经不是了，我想你肯定知道。 他...几天前不见了。 不见了？” 花生感觉自己的腿都快要软得站不住了。 “你说‘不见了’是什么意思？” 怀特先生似乎对她这个反应很意外。 “所以，你是真的不知道他在哪？” 花生摇了摇头。 怀特先生接着发出一阵可怕刺耳的大笑。 他笑起来就像吸光了气球里所有氦气的鬣狗。

"Oh dear, oh dear." Mr White dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief. "Here was I, hoping that you would be able to tell me how he escaped, but it seems we're both in the dark as far as your father's whereabouts are concerned. Suddenly, Peanut's surprise and confusion turned to anger. She realised that she was right back where she'd started not knowing where her dad was. And it was all because of this man, who had put him in prison in the first place. She took a deep breath and began to gather her thoughts. "So, if your father didn't help you," sneered Mr White, "how did you get here?" Peanut glared at him and didn't say a word. I see. It's the silent treatment, is it? OK. Have it your own way." Mr White picked up a folder from the desk in front of him and held it up to the camera. "It would be much easier if you just told us. It would save us a lot of paperwork. And paper doesn't grow on trees, you know!" Peanut's eyes widened. Something niggled in her memory, just out of reach. Alan!" barked Mr White. "Make sure she's thoroughly searched before you leave her to think about what she's done. I don't trust this girl." Searched? Peanut looked around the room. She took a deep breath. Could she escape if

“哦天呐，哦天呐。” 怀特先生用手帕轻轻按了按眼睛。 “我本来还盼着你能告诉我他是怎么逃出去的，可现在看来，关于你父亲的下落，我们俩都一头雾水。 突然间，花生的惊讶和困惑变成了愤怒。 她意识到自己又回到了原点，依旧不知道爸爸在哪里。 这一切都怪这个男人，当初就是他把爸爸投进监狱的。 她深吸一口气，开始整理自己的思绪。 “所以，既然你爸爸没帮你，”怀特先生嘲讽道，“你是怎么到这儿来的？” 花生怒视着他，一句话也没说。 我懂了。 你这是要跟我沉默对抗，是吧？ 行吧。 那就随你便。” 怀特先生拿起面前桌上的文件夹，举到了摄像头面前。 “如果你乖乖告诉我们，事情会简单很多。 还能帮我们省去一大堆文书工作。 你知道的，纸张可不是天上掉下来的！” 花生瞪大了眼睛。 有段记忆在她脑海里隐隐浮现，却又抓不住。 “艾伦！”怀特先生吼道。 “在把你关起来反省之前，一定要把她彻底搜一遍。 我信不过这个丫头。” 搜身？ 花生环顾了一下房间。 她深吸一口气。 她能不能逃走，如果

she was quick? She had to take the risk. It was now or never. In a flash, she ripped the makeshift pocket from her dungarees and grabbed Little Tail. As soon as he saw it, Mr White gasped. "Is that...? No! It can't be!" As quickly as she could, Peanut drew a rectangle on the wall next to her, but before she could sketch a door handle, Alan was upon her. He grabbed her wrist, pulling the pencil towards him. Peanut did her best to wrestle it back. "CAREFUL!" bellowed Mr White from the TV screen. But it was too late. Alan suddenly let go of Peanut's arm, and the pencil flew out of her hand. They both watched as it soared through the air in slow motion towards the window and, to Peanut's horror, sailed between the bars and out into the night sky. "Noooooooooo!" screamed Peanut. "Noooooooooo!" screamed Mr White. Alan looked up at the TV screen in panic, sweat on his brow. Peanut was breathing hard.

她动作够快？ 她必须冒这个险。 要么现在逃，要么永远没机会。 一瞬间，她扯下工装裤上临时缝的口袋，一把抓住了小尾巴。 怀特先生一看到它，立刻倒吸了一口冷气。 “这难道是……？ 不可能！ 绝对不可能！” 花生以最快的速度在身旁的墙上画了一个长方形，可还没来得及画门把手，艾伦就扑到了她跟前。 他抓住她的手腕，把铅笔往自己那边拽。 花生拼尽全力想要把铅笔抢回来。 “小心！”电视屏幕里的怀特先生大吼道。 可一切都已经太晚了。 艾伦突然松开了花生的胳膊，铅笔一下子从她手里飞了出去。 两人眼睁睁看着它慢动作般划过空气飞向窗户，让花生恐惧的是，它从栏杆间隙穿了过去，飞进了外面的夜空。 “不——————！”花生尖叫道。 “不——————！”怀特先生也尖叫道。 艾伦惊慌地抬头看向电视屏幕，额头上挂满了汗珠。 花生大口喘着粗气。