6 A Surprise

Chapter 6 A Surprise Peanuts spent the rest of the tube journey quietly mulling over Little-Bit's theory and concluded that it was pretty watertight. It was exciting to think that the great lost masterpieces may not be lost after all, and even more exciting to think that they might be able to find and return them. Up until this point, she had mainly viewed the gang's trip back to Chroma as a fact-finding exercise (a) to determine whether Mr White was, as she suspected, behind the disappearing works of art, and (b) to find out why he did it. She was also keen to inform Mr and Mrs Markmaker, the leaders of the Resistance, of her suspicions about White's true identity. But now the purpose of the trip had changed. It had

第6章 一个惊喜 花生在余下的地铁行程中静静琢磨小不点的推论，最后认定这个推论没有漏洞。 一想到那些遗失的伟大名作说不定根本没丢，就足够让人激动，更让人激动的是，他们说不定能找到这些名作，把它们物归原主。 在此之前，她只把大伙回克洛马的行程当成一次调查行动：一是确认怀特先生是不是像她怀疑的那样，是偷走艺术品的幕后黑手，二是查清他这么做的原因。 她还急切地想把自己对怀特真实身份的怀疑，告诉反抗组织的领袖马克梅克夫妇。 可现在，这次出行的目的已经变了。 它已经

become a rescue mission, and she couldn't help but be a little thrilled by the prospect. There was something else too. Peanut couldn't help but hope that there would be news of her dad. The Markmakers had told her that he had been working with the Resistance in secret for years, and that he had escaped from the Spire, but until now there had been no further information as to his whereabouts. Maybe this time someone would be able to tell her something. THIS IS LEICESTER SQUARE," boomed the voice over the carriage speakers, bringing Peanut back into the real world with a jolt. "CHANGE HERE FOR THE PICCADILLY LINE." The three of them got off the train, made their way up the escalators and walked out into the balmy London evening. They picked their way through thirsty after-work crowds, and walked south along Charing Cross Road towards Trafalgar Square, passing the theatres, cafes, currency-exchange booths and chain restaurants. And there, next to a large statue of someone called Henry Irving, was the entrance to the National Portrait Gallery. Peanut looked at her watch. 5.45 p.m. "It closes in fifteen minutes. Perfect! It'll be emptying out nicely. The children dashed through the entrance doors, ran up the stairs to the first floor and turned right, following the signs to the Victorian Galleries.

变成了一项营救任务，一想到这个前景，花生忍不住隐隐有些兴奋。 还有一件事让她放不下。 花生忍不住盼着能得到爸爸的消息。 马克梅克夫妇告诉她，爸爸多年来一直秘密和反抗组织合作，还从斯派尔逃了出来，但直到现在，还是没有他下落的进一步消息。 说不定这次，有人能告诉她一些爸爸的消息。 “这里是莱斯特广场！”车厢广播传出洪亮的声音，一下子把花生拉回了现实。 “在这里换乘皮卡迪利线。” 三个人下了地铁，走上自动扶梯，走进了伦敦温暖宜人的傍晚夜色中。 他们挤过下班后来找乐子的人群，沿着查令十字街向南走向特拉法加广场，一路上路过了剧院、咖啡馆、兑换亭和连锁餐厅。 就在那儿，一尊名叫亨利·欧文的大人物雕像旁边，就是国家肖像馆的入口。 花生低头看了看手表。 下午5点45分。 “还有十五分钟就闭馆了。 太完美了！ 馆里刚好会慢慢空下来。 三个孩子冲过入口大门，跑上楼梯来到一楼，然后右转，跟着指示牌往维多利亚展厅走。

Then Peanut, who was leading the way, suddenly skidded to a halt. "I don't believe it!" she said, aghast. Quick! Hide!" But it was too late. "Peanut?" It was her older brother Leo! He was standing with a very tall security guard with huge shoulders, a neat white beard and a name badge that read "Stanley'. "Peanut, is that you?" "Hi, Leo." "What are you doing here? Aren't you guys meant to be at the Science Museum?" "What are we doing here? What are you doing here?" said Peanut. "Since when have you visited art galleries? You don't like art. You like... maths!" Leo, who was indeed a gifted mathematician, seemed taken aback. "I... er... well... you see, I'm... trying to educate myself." He ran his fingers through his messy red hair. "I don't believe you. He sighed. "Look. You want the truth?" He glanced at the security guard, who shook his head slightly. "It's just that, I'm, er, embarrassed that I don't know more about this stuff. I'm nearly eighteen, after all. And so, well, here I am. To learn. "Rubbish!" snapped Peanut. "I know you, Leonardo Jones, and I know full well that you have about as much interest in

走在最前面领路的花生突然猛地刹住了脚步。 “我简直不敢相信！” 她震惊地说道。 快！ 躲起来！ 可还是太晚了。 “花生？” 是她的哥哥利奥！ 他和一个高个子保安站在一起，这个保安肩膀宽厚，留着整齐的白胡子，胸牌上写着名字“斯坦利”。 “花生，是你吗？” “嗨，利奥。” 你在这里干什么？ 你们不是应该去科学博物馆了吗？ “我们来这里做什么？ 你又来这里做什么？”花生说。 你什么时候开始逛美术馆了？ 你根本不喜欢艺术。 你喜欢……数学！ 利奥确实是个有天赋的数学家，他听到这话吃了一惊。 我……呃…… 那个……你看，我……我是来充实自己的。 他伸手抓了抓自己乱糟糟的红头发。 我才不信你。 他叹了口气。 你听我说。 你想听真话吗？ 他瞥了一眼保安，保安轻轻摇了摇头。 就是那个，我，呃，我对这些东西知道得太少，觉得有点难为情。 毕竟我都快十八岁了。 所以呢，好吧，我就来这儿了。 来学习。 “胡说！”花生厉声说。 我了解你，莱昂纳多·琼斯，我很清楚，你对

Victorian portraiture as I do in... long division! No! As I do in FRACTIONS!" Leo opened his mouth, but then closed it again, as if he had been about to say something but changed his mind at the last minute. Instead, he walked quietly to the other side of the gallery and stood looking at a large painting of a woman writing on some parchment with a quill. Peanut went and stood next to him. She noticed that he looked tired. "Leo," she said softly. "What's going on? Something's wrong. I know it. You haven't been the same since Dad disappeared. And now you're in an art gallery. An art gallery, Leo!" "Do you know who this is, Peanut?" he said, looking up at the painting. "It's Mary Shelley. She wrote Frankenstein. You know, that book about a bloke who built a big monster." Peanut nodded. "Well, do you ever feel like you've created a monster? Y'know, when something just gets bigger and bigger, becomes

维多利亚肖像画的兴趣，就跟我对……长除法的兴趣差不多！ 不对！ 应该说，跟我对分数的兴趣差不多！ 利奥张开嘴，可又合上了，好像他本来要说什么，最后一刻又改了主意。 他没说话，静静走到展厅另一头，站着看一幅大画，画上是一个女人用鹅毛笔在羊皮纸上写字。 花生走过去，站在他身边。 她发现利奥看起来很疲惫。 “利奥，”她轻声说。 出什么事了？ 肯定不对劲。 我知道的。 自从爸爸失踪后，你就一直不对劲儿。 结果现在你居然出现在美术馆里。 你居然会来美术馆，利奥！ “你知道这是谁吗，花生？”他抬头看着画说道。 这是玛丽·雪莱。 她写了《弗兰肯斯坦》。 你知道的，就是那本讲一个男人造了个大怪物的书。 花生点了点头。 那你有没有觉得，其实你造出了一个怪物？ 你懂的，就是当一件事变得越来越大，变成

more and more of a burden, until eventually you don't feel like you're in control of it any more?" Peanut thought about Chroma and the Spire, Little Tail and Mr White. "Yes," she said. "Sometimes I do." "Well, that's how I feel at the moment. It's all just getting a bit... much." "What is?" she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Your A-level results?" A-level results?" He let out a short laugh, but then quickly composed himself. "I mean, er, yes. A-level results. That's it. I'm worried about my A-level results." Peanut's eyes narrowed. Something didn't quite ring true. "Listen, Peanut, I've got to go home. I'm already late. Don't worry, I won't tell Mum that I saw you here." "Thanks." He turned to look along the gallery, towards a small bust of Queen Victoria at the far end of the room, and then looked back at his sister. "Peanut, promise me one thing. Whatever it is that you're up to, you will be careful." "Er, and what, exactly, do you think I'm up to?" She also shot a look to Queen Victoria. Just promise me, OK?" Peanut nodded. "OK, I promise." "Thank you. He ruffled her topknot, went over to say goodbye to

它会越来越成为你的负担，到最后你会觉得自己再也没法掌控它了，对吗？” 花生想起了克罗马、高塔、小尾巴和怀特先生。 “没错，”她说。 “有时候我确实会这样。” “唉，我现在就是这种感觉。 所有这一切都变得有点……太过沉重了。” “是什么事呀？” 她一边说，一边将手搭在了他的肩膀上。 “是你的A-level考试成绩吗？” A-level考试成绩？” 他短促地笑了一声，很快又平复了情绪。 “我是说，呃，没错。 就是A-level考试成绩。 就是这件事。 我正为我的A-level考试成绩担心呢。” 花生眯起了眼睛。 她觉得这话听着不太对劲。 “听着，花生，我得回家了。 我已经迟到了。 别担心，我不会告诉妈妈我在这里见过你。” “谢谢。” 他转头沿着展厅望去，看向房间尽头那尊维多利亚女王的小型胸像，接着转回头看向自己的妹妹。 “花生，答应我一件事。 不管你在忙活什么，一定要小心。” “呃，你到底觉得我在忙活什么呀？” 她也朝维多利亚女王的方向瞥了一眼。 你就答应我，好吗？” 花生点了点头。 “好，我答应你。” “谢谢你。 他揉了揉她的发髻，走过去向