Chapter 3

ChAPTER THREE The room was sparse and elegant, with the highest ceiling Kate had ever seen. Afternoon sunlight poured in through the tall windows that looked down on the whole city. At a large desk in the centre of the room sat Figgy FitzHarris. She was immaculately dressed, with big sparkly earrings. "Such gravitas," whispered Rupert from Kate's shoulder.

第三章 房间布置得简约雅致，天花板是凯特见过最高的。 午后的阳光透过高高的窗户倾泻进来，从这扇窗能俯瞰整座城市。 房间中央的大书桌后面，坐着菲吉·菲茨哈里斯。 她穿着一丝不苟，戴着一对闪闪发亮的大耳环。 “气场真强啊。”鲁珀特趴在凯特肩膀上小声说。

"And here she is!" cried Figgy FitzHarris with a wide smile, striding across the room. It took quite a long time, because the room was so large, but when Figgy finally arrived she pulled Kate into a hug, chatting away merrily as Kate's face was squashed into her perfumed dress. "Kate on the Case!" Figgy sang. "Special Correspondent extraordinaire! I am thrilled to have you here with us. I've been following your career ever since you put Madame Maude back on the map and outed Mr Hornbill for the villain he truly was! And with a mentor like yours, it's no surprise!" Figgy released Kate from the hug and beamed at her.

“她来了！” 菲吉·菲茨哈里斯笑着大喊，大步穿过房间。 房间实在太大，她走了好一会儿才到跟前，一把将凯特抱进怀里，高高兴兴地说个不停，凯特的脸被挤在她香喷喷的裙子上。 “办案小能手凯特！” 菲吉唱道。 “我们最了不起的特派记者！ 你能来这儿我真是太开心了。 自从你帮莫德夫人东山再起、揭露了霍恩比尔先生的真面目之后，我就一直在关注你的工作进展！ 还有你这么好的导师，这么优秀一点都不奇怪！” 菲吉松开凯特，笑眯眯地看着她。

"Thank you, Mrs FootzHirris- I mean, HutzFarris," blurted a dazed Kate, who was finding it hard to think straight. "And of course, your daring adventures would have only been half as charming without darling Rupert here!" Figgy chattered on, winking at Rupert. "And impossible were it not for Dad's nurturing care!" Dad blushed and shyly whispered, "Thank you." "This calls for a celebration! Bunty!" Figgy clapped her hands and a long- haired dog appeared, a tray of brightly coloured drinks balanced on her back.

“谢谢您，富茨海里斯夫人——哦不对，哈茨法里斯。”晕乎乎的凯特脱口而出，脑子都转不过弯了。 “当然啦，要是没有亲爱的鲁珀特，你那些惊险冒险的趣味可就得少一半呢！” 菲吉一边絮絮叨叨地说着，一边冲鲁珀特使了个眼色。 “要是没有爸爸的悉心照顾，那些冒险根本不可能完成！” 爸爸脸一红，害羞地小声说：“谢谢您。” “这可得好好庆祝一下！ 邦蒂！” 菲吉拍了拍手，一只长毛狗走了出来，背上稳稳托着一个托盘，里面放着五颜六色的饮品。

"Bunty here is my assistant!" "Hello, said Bunty politely. "At your assistance." Before Kate knew it, a fancy drink was in her hand. "Now I'm going to steal you for just a minute. Yes, darling, come, come!" Kate barely had a moment to catch

“邦蒂是我的助手！” “你好呀。”邦蒂礼貌地开口。 “随时为您效劳。” 凯特还没反应过来，手里就被塞了一杯精致的饮品。 “现在我得借你一小会儿。 对，亲爱的，来吧，来吧！” 凯特都还没来得及和

Dad's eye before Figgy was sweeping her away towards the tallest doors she had ever seen. "Bunty will look after you, Kate's Dad!" "Look at those!" squeaked Rupert from her top pocket, as Kate was ushered past a long line of gold-framed portraits. "Every Chief Executive Officer of The Lookout Post in the last sixty years," explained Figgy. "That's mine over there, the last in a long line of FitzHarrises. I think they captured my earrings exquisitely, don't you?"

爸爸对视一眼，菲吉已经拉着她朝几扇她见过最高的门走去了。 “邦蒂会照顾你的，凯特爸爸！” “快看那些！”凯特被领着走过一长排金框肖像时，鲁珀特在她的上衣口袋里尖叫起来。 “这些是过去六十年里《瞭望邮报》每一位首席执行官的肖像。”菲吉解释道。 “那边那个就是我，菲茨哈里斯家族的最后一位掌权人。 我觉得他们把我的耳环画得特别精致，你说呢？”

But before Kate could answer, Figgy flung open the tall doors and led her out onto a large balcony overlooking the whole city. Kate blinked in the bright sunlight, spotting a long concrete runway above them, although the famous Lookout Post blimp was nowhere to be seen today. "Ah yes, I have private access to the blimp pad, said Figgy, following Kate's gaze. "Is it true Catherine Rodríguez arrives by blimp at unknowable hours?" Kate asked in awe. With a fresh new story up her sleeve and a knowing look in her eye?" squeaked Rupert from Kate's pocket. A smile played about Figgy's mouth.

凯特还没来得及回答，菲吉已经一把推开那扇高门，带着她走到一个大阳台上，从这里能俯瞰整座城市。 凯特被明晃晃的太阳晃得眨了眨眼，看见上方有一条长长的混凝土跑道，不过今天著名的《瞭望邮报》飞艇不在这儿。 “啊对，我有通往飞艇坪的私人通道。”菲吉顺着凯特的目光看过去，开口说道。 “凯瑟琳·罗德里格斯真的会不定时坐飞艇过来吗？” 凯特满怀敬畏地问。 “每次来都攥着个全新的报道线索，眼睛里还藏着了然的笑意？”鲁珀特在凯特的口袋里尖声问。 菲吉的嘴角漾起一抹笑意。