Chapter 11

ChAPTER ELEVEN Kate slipped out of the lift and into the maze of greasy machinery. Careful to keep to the shadows, she snuck up a trail of metal steps until she was perched directly above Johannes. From here she'd be able to spot any funny business while waiting for Rupert to appear from the main chute, newspaper in tow. Settling against the railings, Kate looked at a big clock on the wall. Penny

第十一章 凯特溜出电梯，钻进了满是油腻机械的迷宫里。 她小心翼翼地躲在阴影里，顺着一段金属台阶悄悄往上爬，最后刚好停在约翰内斯的正上方。 待在这里，她既能留意有没有不对劲的动静，也能等着鲁珀特拿着报纸从主传送道出来。 凯特靠在栏杆上，抬眼看向墙上的大时钟。 佩妮

Press would be examining the newspaper now, stamping her approval under the watchful eye of Rupert. Well, that would give Kate plenty of time to tuck into her provisions: an apricot-and-cheese sandwich, courtesy of Bunty. Just as she was about to take a bite, Kate saw a dark shape dart between the pipes below her. Peering through the metal steps, she spotted a small figure dressed head-to- toe in black, running straight towards Johannes! Tossing her sandwich aside, Kate clambered to her feet and pelted down the metal steps. If this masked meddler wasn't Frances up to no good, she would eat The Special Correspondent Ma—

这会报社的人肯定正在检查报纸，在鲁珀特的注视下盖章通过呢。 也好，这样凯特就有足够的时间吃她带的东西：一个杏子奶酪三明治，是邦蒂给她的。 她刚要咬下去，就看见一个黑影从下方的管道之间窜了过去。 她透过金属台阶往下看，发现一个从头到脚裹着黑衣的小个子，正直直朝约翰内斯跑去！ 凯特把三明治往旁边一扔，赶紧爬起来，顺着金属台阶猛冲下去。 要是这个戴面具的捣乱鬼不是搞鬼的弗朗西斯，她就把《特约通讯员马——》给吃下去

AAARRGHH! Her arms flailed as she was very nearly floored by a browning banana peel. The figure glanced back over their shoulder. "Stop!" Kate yelled in desperation. "I know what you're up to, Frances!" But the meddler kept sprinting, weaving in and out of Johannes's pipes, getting closer and closer to the centre of the giant printing press. They were very fast, but so was Kate. In seconds she was upon them and reaching out to grab the balaclava, when- SWISH - the figure whipped to the left and somersaulted onto a conveyor belt.

啊啊啊！ 她胳膊胡乱挥着，差点被一块发褐的香蕉皮滑倒。 那个身影回头瞥了一眼。 “站住！” 凯特绝望地大喊。 “我知道你在打什么鬼主意，弗朗西斯！” 可那个捣乱的人还在往前跑，在约翰内斯的管道之间穿来穿去，离巨型印刷机的中心越来越近。 他们跑得很快，可凯特也不慢。 没几秒她就追到了跟前，伸手就要去抓对方的头套，就在这时——唰的一下，那个人猛地往左一转，翻了个跟头跳到了传送带上。

"It's not moving, you crumpet!" shouted Kate, leaping up to join them. But she had spoken too soon. With a shudder, the strip beneath her feet lurched forward as Johannes creaked to life. "Shrimps!" cursed Kate. If Johannes was warming up, it meant Rupert and the newspaper were well on their way. Following the hooded hoaxer meant she would certainly miss her moment of interception at the chute and Johannes might send out another batch of horrible newspapers. But if this really was the saboteur, catching them would put an end to their meddling once and for all. She had no choice but to chase them. Kate steadied herself; she could do this!

“它又没动，你个笨蛋！” 凯特喊着，也跳上了传送带和他们对峙。 可她这话刚说出口就后悔了。 随着一阵震颤，她脚下的传送带猛地往前动了起来，约翰内斯也嘎吱嘎吱启动了。 “该死！”凯特骂了一句。 要是约翰内斯开始预热，就说明鲁珀特和报纸已经快出来了。 要是接着追这个戴头套的骗子，她肯定会错过在传送道拦截的时机，约翰内斯说不定就会印出另一批糟糕的报纸。 可要是这个人真的是搞破坏的家伙，抓住她就能彻底解决捣乱的问题。 她没得选，只能接着追。 凯特稳住身子，她肯定能做到！

She began to move towards the figure, trying to keep her balance. But with a glance over their shoulder, the saboteur set off at top speed, deep into the heart of Johannes. Kate scanned the network of whizzing machinery. Was there another way to catch up? She spotted a ladder zooming past and made a leap for it, catching a rung just in time and quickly clambering up. If she timed this right, she'd catch the saboteur just as they rounded the corner. Reaching the top, she took a deep breath. Metres away, suspended high above the Print Room floor, a spout

她开始朝着那个身影挪过去，努力保持着平衡。 可那个破坏者回头瞥了一眼，立刻全速往前跑，钻进了约翰内斯的核心区域。 凯特快速扫了一圈飞速运转的机械网络。 有没有别的办法能追上她？ 她看见一架梯子正好从旁边经过，立刻跳了过去，刚好抓住一根梯级，飞快地爬了上去。 要是时机算得准，她就能在那个破坏者拐弯的时候刚好拦住她。 爬到顶之后，她深吸了一口气。 几米之外，悬在印刷车间地板的高空处，有一个出料口

of newspapers was shooting out from Johannes before spinning up, plunging down and looping around the room as if they were on a rollercoaster. She knew she had missed Rupert and that Johannes was printing whatever copy had come down with him- but if she timed this right and unmasked the saboteur, there was still every chance she could solve the case tonight. There was nothing else for it. Heart in her mouth, Kate grabbed a freshly printed newspaper as it flew past, pegged to a suspended conveyor belt. She hung on tight, her stomach swooping and shoelaces streaming behind her, as she soared high over Johannes,

正往外喷吐着报纸，这些报纸先往上转，再往下冲，绕着车间兜圈，就像坐过山车一样。 她知道自己已经错过拦截鲁珀特的时机了，约翰内斯现在印的全是跟着他传过来的内容——可要是她算准时机揭下破坏者的面具，今晚还是很有可能破案的。 没有别的办法了。 凯特的心都提到了嗓子眼，她抓住一张刚好飞过去的、刚印好的报纸，那张报纸夹在悬空的传送带上。 她紧紧抓着报纸，胃里翻江倒海，鞋带在身后飘着，整个人高高地飞过约翰内斯的上方，