Chapter 9

ChAPTER NiNE "Now, darling," said Dad, "you know I am very much impressed with your dedication to Special Correspondenting, but tonight I want you tucked up safe with Roo." It was getting dark outside. After a slightly cold dinner, everyone had hurried off to their compartments under the new curfew. Trees made spiky black shapes against the low-hanging moon as they sped past.

第九章 “好啦，宝贝，”爸爸说，“你知道我特别佩服你当特派记者的这份干劲，但今晚我要你和小鲁乖乖待在铺位上，安安全全的。” 外面的天色渐渐暗了下来。 匆匆吃完一顿有点凉的晚饭之后，按照新的宵禁规定，大家都赶紧回了自己的隔间。 列车飞驰而过，低垂的月亮映衬下，树木映出尖尖的黑色剪影。

"The last thing I want is for you to meet your mother with an arm missing. Or missing altogether." He began locking the door with multiple padlocks. "Why are you locking all the locks?" Kate asked. "Because of the tiger, sweetie!

“我最不想看到的，就是你见你妈妈的时候少了一只胳膊。 或者整个人都不见了。” 他开始用好几把挂锁锁门。 “你为什么要把所有锁都锁上呀？” 凯特问。 “因为有老虎呀，小乖乖！

We don't want a surprise visitor tonight! Nor do I want you investigating anything, I'm afraid." Kate's stomach sank. With the corridors free and everyone locked away, Madame Maude could get up to whatever sneaky business she wanted. And Kate wasn't going to let her. But how was she going to get out of the compartment? The bunch of keys was now firmly lodged under Dad's pillow, which would soon be under his sleeping head. Kate waited until Dad's earplugs were in and his eyes were shut before switching on her torch and opening up The Special

我们可不想今晚有不速之客闯进来！ 而且恐怕我也不想你再去调查任何事了。” 凯特的心一下子沉了下去。 走廊里没人，大家都被锁在隔间里，莫德夫人想干什么偷偷摸摸的勾当都可以了。 凯特可不会就这么放任她。 可她要怎么从隔间出去呢？ 那串钥匙现在妥妥地塞在爸爸的枕头底下，很快爸爸的脑袋就要枕上去了。 凯特一直等到爸爸戴好耳塞、闭上眼睛，才打开手电筒，翻开了那本《特派记者手册》。

Correspondent Manual. She looked at the tattered photograph of Catherine Rodríguez, her One True Idol. What would she do in this situation? Wait until morning? No, Catherine Rodríguez would most certainly not sit

《特派记者手册》。 她看着凯瑟琳·罗德里格斯那张皱巴巴的照片，那是她唯一的真偶像。 换作是她遇上这种情况会怎么做？ 等到早上再说？ 不，凯瑟琳·罗德里格斯绝对不会乖乖坐着

around in a bunk bed while there was a story unfolding just beyond her door. "This is impossible, Rupert," said Kate. "Perhaps I should just go to sleep and forget all about this mess." Rupert made a noise Kate had never heard before. It was somewhere between a squeak and a pfft. He climbed onto her pillow, stood up on his little pink legs and puffed out his tiny chest. "You are absolutely NOt going to sit around here

待在双层床上，眼睁睁看着门外就有新闻正在发生。 “鲁珀特，这根本不可能，”凯特说， “也许我就该乖乖睡觉，把这堆烂事全忘了。” 鲁珀特发出了一种凯特从来没听过的声音。 介于吱呀叫和嗤笑之间的声音。 他爬到她的枕头上，用粉色的小细腿站着，挺起了自己小小的胸脯。 “你绝对绝对不能坐在这儿

and do nothing," he peeped. "You're Kate! Special Correspondent! Daughter of one of the most successful Arctic explorers in the world! If you don't find a way out of here and solve this mystery, I'll do it myself!" Suddenly Dad sat up straight in his bed. Kate switched off the torch and froze. Had they woken him? "My wife..." he mumbled, "the cleverest of all of the seaweeds..." before collapsing back down into his cosy blankets with a giant snore. "That was close," whispered Kate grimly. "Let's get those keys."

什么都不做，”他尖声说。 “你可是凯特啊！ 特派记者！ 这世上最厉害的北极探险家之一的女儿！ 要是你不想办法出去解开这个谜团，我就自己去！” 爸爸突然在床上坐直了身子。 凯特立刻关掉手电筒，整个人僵住了。 他们把他吵醒了吗？ “我老婆……”他嘟囔着，“所有海藻里最聪明的那个……”说完就倒回舒服的毯子里，发出了响亮的鼾声。 “好险啊。”凯特压低声音，心有余悸地说。 “我们去拿那串钥匙吧。”