56 The Magic Trick

56 The Magic Trick "Let's cut straight to the chase, shall we?" said Mr M, who was sitting in front of the console in Mission Control. "Where is he?" Alan lifted his handcuffed hands and brushed away a stringy bit of melted cheese that was dangling from his eyebrow. Then he smiled. "Where is who?" he said. "The Easter Bunny," snapped Peanut. "Who do you think?" Alan," said Mrs M. "Tell us where Mr White is hiding." "You lot think you're so clever, don't you?" he sneered. "Now that you've

56 魔术诡计 “咱们开门见山吧，好不好？” 坐在任务控制中心操控台前的M先生开口说道。 “他在哪儿？” 艾伦抬起戴着手铐的手，拂掉了挂在眉毛上的一坨拉丝融化奶酪。 然后他笑了。 “你问的是谁在哪儿呀？”他说道。 “当然是复活节兔子，”花生没好气地说。 “你觉得我问的是谁？” “艾伦，”M夫人说道，“告诉我们怀特先生藏在哪里。” “你们这群人觉得自己特别聪明，是吧？”他冷笑道。 “既然你们已经

got your little tower back, you think you rule the world. You think that you've won. Well, let me tell you that you don't and you haven't. And you're not half as smart as you think you are. "I can't believe that you, of all people, are saying that, scoffed Peanut. "That's like Henry VIII giving out marital advice!" Anyway, what are you talking about?" said Rockwell. "We have won! We've got control of the city! We've disabled the RAZERs and the BIG Xs! So of course we've won!" "RAZERs, Big Xs, Exocetia, they're all just toys," Alan replied, grinning. "Little toys for little children. The big prize, the real prize, is still very much in play. And what prize is that?" said Mr M. Alan started to laugh. "You really don't get it, do you? It's all been a magic trick," he said between giggles. "What has?" said Mrs M. "What's been a magic trick?" Laughing harder now, Alan managed to squeeze out the words "classic misdirection'.

拿回了你们的小塔楼，就觉得自己能统治全世界了。 你们觉得自己赢了。 哼，我告诉你们，你们没赢，根本就没赢。 而且你们也根本没有自己想的那么聪明。 “真不敢相信这话居然是从你嘴里说出来的，”花生嘲笑道。 “这就好比亨利八世给别人讲婚姻之道！” “行了，你到底在说什么呀？”罗克韦尔问道。 “我们明明赢了！ 我们已经掌控了整座城市！ 我们废掉了锐刺机器人和巨型X机器人！ 所以我们当然赢了！” “锐刺机器人、巨型X、埃克塞特，这些都不过是玩具罢了，”艾伦咧嘴笑着答道。 “给小孩子玩的小玩具而已。 最大的奖励，真正的大奖，到现在都还没决出胜负呢。 那到底是什么奖呀？”M先生问道。艾伦大笑起来。 “你真的没搞懂，对不对？ 这从头到尾都是一场魔术，”他边笑边断断续续地说。 “什么从头到尾？”M夫人问道。 “什么是一场魔术？” 艾伦笑得更凶了，好不容易挤出来几个字：“经典的注意力误导演示”。

"OK. I've had enough of this," said a vexed Mr M. "WHERE IS MR WHITE?" Alan was laughing so much, he had tears rolling down his cheeks. Bucket Head, who had accompanied them to the top of the Spire alongside Table Guy, had had enough. He walked over from his position next to the Mona Lisa, tipped his head forward and drenched the hysterical man with a few gallons of freezing cold water. It did the trick. "Now," said Mr M, once a shivering Alan had composed himself. "What are you talking about?" "Do you know what sleight of hand is?" asked Alan. Mr M shifted slightly in his chair and looked over at his wife. "Of course I do," he said. "It's when someone tricks a person into thinking they're doing one thing when they're actually doing something else altogether. But what's that got to do with anything?" "When a magician is performing a magic trick in front of you," said Alan, smiling again, "he will draw your attention and make you concentrate on this hand—" he held up his left hand "while subtly stealing your watch with the other one." "What are you telling us?" said Mrs M. "Well, let's just say that while you've all been concentrating on this little skirmish here in Chroma, you've all had your watches well and truly stolen." Actually, I don't wear a watch," said Rockwell, smugly.

“好了。 我受够这一套了，”恼怒的M先生吼道，“怀特先生到底在哪儿？” 艾伦笑得太厉害，眼泪都顺着脸颊滚下来了。 和桌子哥一起陪众人登上尖塔顶端的桶头，早就忍无可忍了。 他从蒙娜丽莎旁边的位置走过来，往前一歪头，好几加仑冰水劈头浇在了这个笑疯的家伙身上。 这招果然管用。 “好了，”等浑身发抖的艾伦平静下来后，M先生开口了。 “你到底在说什么？” “你知道什么是手上戏法吗？”艾伦问道。 M先生在椅子上微微动了动身子，看向自己的妻子。 “我当然知道，”他说道。 “就是有人骗你，让你以为他在做这件事，其实他在做完全不一样的另一件事。 可这跟现在的事有什么关系？” “当魔术师在你面前表演魔术的时候，”艾伦又笑了，他说，“他会把你的注意力引开，让你盯着这只手——”他举起左手，“偷偷用另一只手拿走你的手表。” “你到底想告诉我们什么？”M夫人问道。 “这么说吧，当你们所有人都盯着克罗玛这里的小冲突的时候，你们的手表早就被偷得干干净净了。” “那个，我根本就不戴手表哦，”罗克韦尔得意洋洋地说。

"So the joke's on you. "It was a metaphor," said Alan, rolling his eyes. "Good heavens, what are they teaching you kids in school these days?" "OK, that's enough. I think we should lock him up in one of the cells for the night," said Mr M. "Give him a taste of his own medicine. I've got a feeling he'll be more willing to talk sense tomorrow." As Alan was led away, Peanut suddenly felt nervous. "Er, Mrs M," she said. "I think I'd like to go home, if that's OK. I, er, I just think I really should check on Mum and Leo as soon as possible." "I think that's a very good idea," said the woman. "But first get some rest you're exhausted and then we'll escort you back to the Green Valleys portal first thing in the morning. "There's no need for that," said Peanut, holding up Little Tail. Remember?"

“所以这个玩笑刚好就落在你身上了。 “这只是个比喻啦，”艾伦翻了个白眼说道。 “天呐，现在学校都教你们这些孩子什么东西呀？” “好了，够了。 我觉得咱们把他关去牢房住一晚，”M先生说，“让他尝尝自作自受的滋味。 我感觉他明天就会愿意说真话了。” 艾伦被带走的时候，花生突然感到一阵不安。 “呃，M夫人，”她开口说道。 “如果可以的话，我想回家了。 我，呃，我觉得我真得赶紧回去看看妈妈和里奥了。” “我觉得这真是个好主意，”M夫人说道。 “不过你先休息一下，你已经累坏了，明早我们第一件事就是送你回绿谷传送门。 “不用麻烦你们啦，”花生举起小尾巴说道。 “还记得吗？”