06 The Dragon King

Chapter 6. To Dragon King. The ox cart bumped across the wooden bridge that crossed over a moat. Then it passed guards standing by giant wooden gates. Are the gates ever closed? Jack asked. Oh yes, every day at sunset, said the scholar. When the gong sounds, the gates close. The bridge comes up and the city is sealed shut for the night. I guess visitors have to leave before that happens, Annie said. But they'll be stuck here for the whole night, right?

第六章 前往龙王宫 牛车哐当哐当驶过横跨护城河的木桥。 接着它驶过了守在巨型木门旁的守卫们。 这些门会不会关上呀？杰克问。 当然会呀，每天太阳落山的时候就关。书生说。 锣声一响，城门就关上了。 吊桥会拉起来，整座城整夜都封得严严实实的。 我想游客们得赶在那之前离开对吧？安妮说。 不然就得被困在这里一整晚，对不对？

Yes, said the scholar. The cart bumped between the city gates. Rows of small houses were bunched together on either side of the street. They were made of mud with straw roofs. People cooked over outdoor fires. They washed their clothes in wooden tubs. As the ox cart bumped along, the houses got larger. These were made of painted wood and pottery tiles. They all had curved roofs. Why are those roofs like that? Asked Jack. To keep away the bad spirits, said the scholar. How do they do that? Said Annie.

对呀。书生说。 牛车晃晃悠悠地穿过了城门。 街道两旁挤着一排排小小的房子。 它们都是泥土砌的，盖着茅草屋顶。 人们在屋外的火堆上做饭。 他们用木盆洗衣服。 牛车继续往前晃，路边的房子渐渐变大了。 这些房子是刷了漆的木头建造的，盖着陶瓦。 它们的屋顶都是弯弯的。 为什么那些屋顶是那样的呀？ 杰克问。 为了赶走坏精灵呀。书生说。 它们是怎么做到的呀？ 安妮问。

The spirits can only travel in straight lines said the scholar Wow whispered Annie The cart went by some open tea shops then it passed a large market square filled with stalls and shoppers People were buying and selling fish chickens firewood wagon wheels silk cloth furs and jade jewelry Some people were lined up at a stall filled with tiny cages

精灵只会走直线哦。书生说。 哇 安妮小声说道。 牛车路过了几家开着的茶馆，然后经过了一个满是小摊和顾客的大型集市广场。 大家在买卖鱼、鸡、柴火、马车轮子、丝绸布料 毛皮还有玉石首饰。 有些人在一个摆满小笼子的小摊前排队。

What's for sale there? said Annie. Crickets the scholar said they make good pets. You can feed them tea leaves and enjoy their delicate song. The cart moved on toward the Dragon Kings wall to palace. They stopped in front of the palace gates. Grain delivery! the scholar shouted up to the guard at the tower. The guard waved to them through. Inside were beautiful gardens and huge mounds of earth surrounded by a low brick wall. That is the Imperial burial grounds said the scholar pointing at the mounds. Who is buried there? asked Jack. The ancestors of the Dragon King said the scholar. What are ancestors? Annie asked.

那里在卖什么呀？安妮问。 是蟋蟀哦，书生说，它们很适合当宠物。你可以喂它们茶叶，听它们清脆好听的鸣叫声。 牛车继续朝着龙王的宫殿城墙前进，最后在宫殿大门前停了下来。 送粮食的！书生朝着塔楼里的守卫大喊。 守卫挥挥手让他们进去了。 门内有漂亮的花园，还有矮砖墙围着的一大堆巨大的土丘。 那是皇家墓地。书生指着那些土丘说。 那里埋着谁呀？杰克问。是龙王的祖先们。书生回答。 祖先是什么呀？ 安妮问。

They are the people in your family who lived before you," said the scholar. Someday, the Dragon King himself will be buried there. Three hundred thousand workers have been building his burial tomb. Oh, man," said Jack. He looked over his shoulder at the burial grounds. He wondered why it took so many workers to build a tomb. No," said the scholar. Jack whirled around. What's wrong? He asked. The scholar pointed at the palace courtyard. A dark cloud of smoke was rising into the sky. Fire, said the scholar. The books, said Jack. Hurry, said Annie.

祖先就是你家族里比你更早生活在世上的长辈呀。书生说。 以后，龙王本人也会被安葬在那里。 有三十万工人一直在为他修建陵墓呢。 我的天呀。杰克说。 他扭过头去望着那片墓地。 他想不明白为什么修一座陵墓需要这么多工人。 不好了。书生说。 杰克猛地转过身来。 怎么了？ 他问道。 书生指着宫殿的院子。 一团黑烟正往天空升去。 着火了。书生说。 那些书！杰克喊道。 快！安妮说。

The scholar snapped the reins. The oxen trotted up the stone path. When the cart rolled into the courtyard, soldiers were everywhere. Some threw wood on a huge bonfire. Others were carrying bamboo strips down the steep stairs that led from the palace. Are those books? asked Jack. Yes, the strips are tied together into different bundles, moaned the scholar. Each bundle is a book. Look! said Annie, pointing to the palace entrance. Stepping outside was a man in a rich flowing robe and a tall hat. Jack knew him at once, the Dragon King.

书生猛地一扯缰绳，牛沿着石子路小跑起来。牛车驶进院子的时候，到处都是士兵。 有些人往巨大的篝火堆里扔木头，另一些人正从通往宫殿的陡峭楼梯上往下搬竹片。 那些是书吗？杰克问。 是的，这些竹片绑成一捆一捆的，每一捆就是一本书。书生难过地呜咽道。 看！安妮指着宫殿入口说。 一个穿着华丽飘逸的长袍、戴着高帽子的男人走了出来，杰克一眼就认出他了——龙王。