05 The Scholar

Chapter 5, The Scholar. It's a book from our country, said Jack. Your books are made of bamboo, but ours are made of paper. Actually, your country invented paper, but later, in the future. The man looked confused. Never mind, said Annie. It's for reading. It's for learning about faraway places. The man stared at them. Tears filled his eyes. What's wrong? Annie asked softly.

第五章 学者 “这是我们国家的书。”杰克说。 你们的书是竹子做的，可我们的是纸做的。 其实是你们国家发明了纸哦，不过是在很久以后的未来啦。 男人看起来一脸困惑。 “没关系哒。”安妮说。 “这是用来读的。” “能用来了解很远很远的地方的故事哦。” 男人盯着他俩看。 他的眼眶里满是泪水。 “你怎么啦？” 安妮轻声问道。

I love reading and learning," he said. So do I, said Jack. The man smiled. You don't understand. I am dressed as a farmer, he said, but in truth I am a scholar. What's a scholar? said Annie. We are great readers, learners, and writers, he said. We have long been the most honored citizens in China. The scholar's smile faded, but now scholars are in danger, he said. And many of us have gone into hiding. Why, said Jack. The dragon king is afraid of the power of our books and learning, said the scholar. He wants people to think only what he wants them to think. Any day he may order the burning of the books.

“我最爱读书、学知识啦。”他说。 “我也是。”杰克说。 男人笑了。 “你们不知道哦。” “我现在穿得像个农夫，”他说，“可其实我是个学者。” “学者是什么呀？”安妮问。 “我们特别爱读书、爱学习、还会写东西，”他说。 很久以来，我们都是中国最受尊敬的人。 学者的笑容消失了，“可现在学者们都有危险。”他说。 “好多人都躲起来了。” “为什么呀？”杰克问。 “龙王害怕我们的书和知识的力量，”学者说。 他想让所有人都只能按他的想法来思考。 他随时都可能下令把所有书都烧掉。

Annie gasped. Does that mean what I think it means? said Jack. The scholar nodded. All the books in the Imperial Library will be burned. He said that's rotten said Annie. Indeed it is. The scholar said quietly. Listen, we have a mission to get a book from that library said Jack. Who are you? asked the scholar. Show him said Annie. She reached into her shirt pocket as Jack reached into his sack. They brought out the secret library cards. The letters shimmered in the sunlight. The scholar's mouth dropped open again. You are master librarians, he said.

安妮倒吸了一口凉气。 “意思是不是我想的那样？”杰克问。学者点了点头。 “皇家藏书馆里所有的书都会被烧掉。”他说。“那也太坏了！”安妮说。 “确实是这样。”学者轻声说道。 “对了，我们的任务就是去那座藏书馆取一本书。”杰克说。 “你们是谁呀？”学者问道。 “给他看看吧。”安妮说。 她伸手去掏上衣口袋，杰克也伸手去摸自己的背包，他俩掏出了秘密借书证。 上面的字在阳光下闪着光，学者的嘴巴惊讶得又张大了。 “你们居然是 藏书大师啊。”他说。

I have never met ones so honored who were so young. He bowed to show his respect. Thank you, said Jack and Annie.

我从来没见过这么年轻，身份还这么尊贵的人呢。 他鞠了一躬表示敬意。 “谢谢您。”杰克和安妮一起说道。

They bowed back to him How can I help you ask the scholar? We need to go to the Imperial Library and find this book said Jack He held out Morgan's bamboo strip to the scholar We will go to the Imperial Library said the scholar as for the story I know it well. It is a true one written not long ago But I warn you we will be in great danger We know said Annie The scholar smiled I am happy to be doing something. I believe in again said the scholar. Let us go They all climbed into the front of the cart the long line of wall builders was marching in the distance as the oxen started forward

他俩也朝他鞠了一躬回礼。 我能帮你们做什么呢？学者问道。 “我们要去皇家藏书馆找这本书。”杰克说。 他把摩根的竹简递给了学者。 “我们这就去皇家藏书馆。”学者说，“至于这个故事 我可熟悉了，是不久前刚写的真事哦。” 不过我得提醒你们，咱们会面临很大的危险。 “我们知道的。”安妮说。 学者笑了，“我真高兴能再做我相信的事了。”学者说，“咱们出发吧。” 他们都爬到了马车的前部，远处有一长队修城墙的人正列队往前走，这时候 牛开始往前走了。

The scholar turned to Jack and Annie. Where are you from? He asked. Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, said Annie. I have never heard of it, said the scholar. Do they have a library there? Oh, sure. There's a library in every town, said Jack. In fact, there are probably thousands of libraries in our country. And millions of books, said Annie. And no one burns them. Right, said Jack. Everyone gets to go to school to learn to read them. The scholar stared at him and shook his head. It sounds like paradise, he said.

学者转头看向杰克和安妮。 “你们从哪里来呀？” 他问道。 “宾夕法尼亚州的青蛙溪。”安妮说。 “我从来没听说过这个地方呢。”学者说。 “那里有藏书馆吗？” “当然有啦。” “每个镇子都有藏书馆哦。”杰克说。 “其实啊，我们国家可能有好几千座藏书馆 呢。” “还有好几百万本书哦。”安妮说。 “而且没人会烧书呀。” “对呀。”杰克说。 每个人都能去学校上学，学习认字读书。 学者盯着他，摇了摇头。 “听起来就像天堂一样。”他说。