61 Leo's Story

61 Leo's Story "I know about Chroma," said Leo, matter-of-factly. "That is to say, I know that a place called Chroma exists somewhere, and that it's the hub of all of the world's creativity." "YOU KNOW ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATED CITY?" shouted an astonished Peanut. "But... but how?" Leo closed his eyes. "Dad told me." "Dad? But he disappeared over a year ago!" "Yes. He, er, told me a few months before he... went." Peanut stared at her brother. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. "So, what happened?" asked Little-Bit. "It was a Sunday afternoon, and you two had gone

61 里奥的故事 “我知道克罗玛，”里奥一本正经地说。 “也就是说，我知道确实有个叫克罗玛的地方，它是全世界所有创造力的核心。” “你居然知道插画城？”皮纳特惊讶地大喊道。 “可是……你怎么会知道？” 里奥闭上了眼睛。 “爸爸告诉我的。” “爸爸？ 可他已经失踪一年多了！” 对。 他，呃，在他……离开前几个月告诉我的。” 皮纳特盯着自己的哥哥。 她张开嘴想说话，可一个字都没说出来。 “那，后来发生了什么？”小比特问道。 “那是一个周日的下午，你们俩已经出门

somewhere with Mum, probably to Auntie Jean's. Dad called me into his studio and said that there was something important that he needed to tell me, something that Gran had told him when he was eighteen, and that he was going to tell me when I was eighteen. He said that because I was his first-born child, it was my birthright to know." "But you weren't eighteen then. In fact, you're still not eighteen!" said Peanut, finding her voice again. That was my response, too. But Dad said he was telling me early because—" Leo made quote signs with his fingers— "certain forces were at play, and he couldn't wait any longer. I got the impression that he was scared of something. That he knew he was in danger. It seemed as though he were telling me as quickly as he could just in case something happened to him." "Well, he was right, wasn't he?" said Rockwell. Leo nodded. "I guess so. "So, what was it he had to tell you?" asked Peanut. "He said that there was this really important secret city called Chroma, that hardly anyone knew about. He said it was this place in a different dimension where all of the world's creativity sprang from, and that only a few people ever get to visit it. Only those who need it, find it, he said. He said that

和妈妈去了别处，大概率是去琼阿姨家了。 爸爸叫我去他的工作室，说有件重要的事要告诉我，这件事是奶奶在他十八岁时告诉他的，他本来打算等我十八岁再讲给我听。 他说，因为我是他的长子，知道这件事是我与生俱来的权利。” “可那时候你还没十八岁啊。 实际上，你现在都还没满十八岁！”皮纳特终于开口说道。 我当时也是这么说的。 但爸爸说他提前告诉我是因为——”里奥用手比出引号的动作——“有某些势力在活动，他不能再等了。 我能感觉到，他在害怕什么。 他清楚自己身处危险之中。 他好像拼尽全力尽快把这件事告诉我，就怕万一自己遭遇不测。” “可不是嘛，他说对了，对不对？”罗克韦尔说道。 里奥点了点头。 “我也觉得是这样。 “那他到底告诉你什么了？”皮纳特问道。 “他说有一座非常重要的秘密城市叫克罗玛，几乎没人知道它的存在。 他说这座城市在另一个维度，全世界的创造力都从这里发源，只有极少数人能到访这里。 他说，只有需要它的人才能找到它。 他说

for generations, knowledge of the city had been passed down through our family, and that it was time that I learned about it. He said he would take me there." "So Dad is Conté's heir..." said Little-Bit, a hushed awe in her voice. "He is what?" said Leo, confused. "Don't worry, we'll get to that another time," said Peanut. "Carry on." "OK. Er, where was I? Oh yes. Then a few days later he came into my room and said there was something else he had to tell me about." Again, Leo glanced down at Peanut's bandolier. "He mentioned a pencil. Peanut's hand automatically went to Little Tail. "That pencil, by the looks of it," said Leo. "Dad described it to me: yellow with a handmade feel, a blue eraser and a really long, sharp lead. He said it was the most beautiful pencil you could ever hope to see. Apparently, it's extremely important. He also said it was hidden somewhere safe." He cast a quizzical look at Peanut. "So, er, where did you find it?" Peanut picked up the box and showed Leo where the secret compartment was. "Ah," said her brother, nodding. "Makes sense." "So, then what happened?" said Little-Bit. "Dad made me promise not to tell anyone about Chroma or the pencil. Not even Mum. He said the fewer people who

这座城市的秘密，已经在我们家族传了好几代，现在该轮到我知晓了。 他说他会亲自带我去。” “所以爸爸就是孔特的继承人……”小比特轻声说道，语气里满是敬畏。 “他是什么继承人？”里奥一脸困惑。 “别担心，我们回头再说这个，”皮纳特说。 “继续说吧。” “好的。 呃，我说到哪了？ 哦对了。 又过了几天，他走进我房间，说还有一件事必须告诉我。” 里奥再次低头看向皮纳特的弹带。 “他提到了一支铅笔。 皮纳特的手不由自主地碰向了小尾巴。 “看来就是这支铅笔，”里奥说。 爸爸给我描述过它：黄色笔杆，带着手工质感，蓝色橡皮，还有很长很锋利的笔芯。 他说，这是你能见到的最漂亮的铅笔。 很明显，这支铅笔极其重要。 他还说它被藏在一个安全的地方。” 他疑惑地看向皮纳特。 “所以，呃，你是在哪里找到它的？” 皮纳特拿起盒子，给里奥看那个秘密夹层在哪里。 “哦，”她哥哥点了点头说道。 “说得通。” “那，后来又发生了什么？”小比特问道。 “爸爸让我保证，不把克罗玛和铅笔的事告诉任何人。 连妈妈都不能说。 他说，知道的人越少

knew about it, the safer we would all be." "Safer from what?" asked Rockwell. "He didn't say. But there was definitely something that he was afraid of. He even told me what I should do if he were to ever mysteriously disappear." "He did WHAT?" shouted Peanut. "HE GAVE YOU SOME INSTRUCTIONS?" "Peanut, you promised you wouldn't get cross with me." "BUT... BUT YOU KNEW! THE WHOLE TIME! WHAT ABOUT ALL THE FIGHTS I HAD WITH MUM AFTER HE DISAPPEARED?" she screamed. "WHEN I WAS SAYING HE WOULD NEVER JUST UP AND LEAVE US? THAT HE WOULD NEVER VOLUNTARILY DO THAT TO US? YOU COULD HAVE BACKED ME UP! BUT YOU SAID NOTHING?" "I had no choice, Peanut! Dad said that if I was to let on that I knew anything, I would be putting you and Mum and LB in terrible danger. He made me swear to keep quiet and not say a word. Don't you think I wanted to tell you everything? Don't you think I wanted to back you up? To make you feel better? I was totally torn! It was awful! The worst time of my life." Peanut looked at her brother. He was telling the truth, she could see it in his eyes. She took a breath. She remembered how Leo had changed after Dad had left. He wasn't the same fun-loving, wise-cracking big brother that she had loved

我们所有人就越安全。” “要防备什么？”罗克韦尔问道。 “他没说。 但他肯定是在害怕什么东西。 他甚至提前告诉我，如果他哪天神秘失踪了我该怎么做。” “他居然这么做？”皮纳特大喊道。 “他居然还给你留了指示？” “皮纳特，你答应过不会对我发火的。” “可是…… 可是你早就知道了！ 从一开始就知道！ 爸爸失踪后我和妈妈吵了那么多次架，你怎么能一句话不说？” 她尖叫道。 我那时候一直说，爸爸不可能就这样抛下我们走掉， 他不可能自愿丢下我们不管， 你本来可以站出来支持我的！ 可你居然半个字都没说？” “我没有选择啊，皮纳特！ 爸爸说，如果我透漏一点风声，就会把你、妈妈还有小比特都置于极度危险的境地。 他让我发誓保持沉默，一个字都不能说。 你以为我不想把一切都告诉你吗？ 你以为我不想站出来支持你吗？ 不想让你好受一点吗？ 我心里别提多煎熬了！ 那段日子太可怕了！ 是我人生中最痛苦的日子。” 皮纳特看着自己的哥哥。 他说的是真话，她从他的眼睛里就能看出来。 她吸了一口气。 她想起爸爸离开后里奥变了多少。 他已经不是那个她一直深爱的，热爱玩乐、爱说俏皮话的好哥哥

so much. He had changed overnight. All of a sudden, he'd spent all of his time either in his room or out "with friends'. He stopped smiling entirely, instead wearing a permanently anxious expression on his face. Peanut's eyes filled with tears. It all made sense now. She balled her fists and took another deep breath. "OK," she said in a much calmer voice. "I'm sorry, Leo. I understand. I'm not cross any more. It must have been really hard for you. "Thanks, Topknot," he said. "It was. Actually, I could really use a hug. Peanut smiled. It had been a long time since he'd called her Topknot. She put her arms around his waist. It felt really nice to have her big brother back. "This is all very touching," said Rockwell, "but I for one want to hear the rest of the story. Leo, what instructions did your dad leave you?" "Well, it was a bit odd," replied the boy. "So odd, in fact, that I had to write them down to make sure I hadn't dreamed the whole thing." He stood up and pulled a dog-eared piece of paper from his back pocket and showed it to them. Go to the National Portrait Gallery and find a security guard called Stanley. He'll be able to help you.

变化太大了。 他一夜之间就变了。 突然间，他所有时间要么待在自己房间，要么就是出门“和朋友们在一起”。 他再也不笑了，脸上始终挂着焦虑不安的神情。 花生的眼里噙满了泪水。 现在一切都说得通了。 她攥紧拳头，又深吸了一口气。 “好吧，”她语气平静多了。 “对不起，里奥。 我理解了。 我不再生气了。 你这些日子肯定过得很不容易。 “谢谢你，顶髻，”他说。 “确实很难熬。 其实，我真的很需要一个拥抱。 花生笑了。 他已经好久没叫过她顶髻了。 她伸出胳膊搂住了他的腰。 哥哥回来了，这种感觉真好。 “这实在太感人了，”罗克韦尔说，“但我想听接下来的故事。 里奥，你爸爸给你留了什么指示？” “嗯，这件事有点奇怪，”男孩回答道。 “实在太奇怪了，我只好把它写下来，好确认这不是我做梦编出来的。” 他站起身，从后口袋掏出一张折得卷边的纸，递给他们看。 去国家肖像馆找一位名叫斯坦利的保安。 他能帮你。