07 Dynamite!

Chapter 7. Dynamite. We'd better be careful, said Annie. They stepped in their sock feet over the broken cobblestones trying not to cut themselves. They headed down the hillside. On their way, they passed policemen carrying stretchers with injured people on them. They passed soldiers directing all those trying to escape the fires.

第七章 炸药 “我们最好小心点。”安妮说 他们穿着袜子踩过破碎的鹅卵石，生怕割到脚 他们往山坡下走去 路上，他们碰到了抬着担架运送伤者的警察 他们还路过了指挥大家逃离火灾的士兵

One man was trying to push a piano down the street. Another man was wearing a bunch of hats all piled on top of one another. A woman carried her three little dogs in a bag. Everyone's trying to save what's important to them, said Annie. Like the librarian, said Jack. And us, we're trying to save the sign, he clutched the piece of wood. When they were halfway down the hill, a soldier on a horse galloped in front of them. Get off the street, we're setting off dynamite, he shouted. Dynamite, said Jack. Yikes, said Annie. People started running in all directions. Jack and Annie looked around wildly for a safe place to go. Jack saw an alley. There, he said.

有个男人正费劲地推着一架钢琴沿街走 另一个男人脑袋上摞着好大一叠帽子 一位女士把她的三只小狗装在包里提着 “每个人都在努力抢救对自己重要的东西呢。”安妮说 “就像那个图书馆管理员一样。”杰克说 “还有我们呀，我们在努力抢救这块标牌。”他攥紧了手里的木牌 他们走到半山腰的时候，一名骑马的士兵冲到了他们面前 “离开街道！我们要引爆炸药了！”他大喊道 “炸药？”杰克愣住了 “妈呀！”安妮叫道 人们开始四处乱跑 杰克和安妮慌慌张张地四处张望，想找个安全的地方躲 杰克看到了一条小巷 “去那儿！”他说

They ran into the alley and crouched on the ground. Jack reached into his bag for their research book. He looked in the index for the word dynamite. He found it. Then he turned to the right page number and read. After the fire started, the mayor had an idea. He thought that if some buildings were destroyed, the sparks would not fly from one wooden roof to the next. He ordered some buildings to be blown up by dynamite. His plan did not work. The firestorm raged from building to building, from street to street. Firestorm, Jack thought. The word sounded terrible. Just as he put the book away, a huge blast of dynamite shook the ground.

他们冲进小巷，蹲在了地上 杰克把手伸进包里掏他们的资料书 他在索引里找“炸药”这个词 他找到了 接着他翻到对应的页码读了起来 火灾发生后，市长想到了一个办法 他觉得如果拆掉一部分建筑，火花就不会从一个木屋顶 飞到另一个木屋顶上了 他下令用炸药炸掉一些建筑 可他的计划失败了 火焰风暴肆虐着，从一栋楼烧到另一栋楼，从一条街烧到另一条街 火焰风暴？杰克心想 这个词听着就很可怕 他刚把书收起来，一声巨大的炸药爆炸声响过，地面都震动了

Dust and dirt flew everywhere, even down the alley. Jack clutched their sign with one hand. He covered his eyes with the other. Annie did the same. Another huge blast rocked the ground. Jack tasted grit in his mouth. He looked at Annie. She was caked with dust from head to toe. He looked down at himself. He was just as dirty as she was. Hey, would you look at those two? Someone said. Now that's a story. Jack looked up. Betty, the newspaper reporter, and Fred, the photographer, were standing in front of them. Even though they were also covered with dirt, Fred was setting up his camera. And Betty was taking notes in her notebook.

灰尘和泥土四处飞溅，甚至都飘进小巷里来了 杰克一只手紧紧攥着他们的标牌 另一只手捂住了眼睛 安妮也这么做 又一声巨响传来，地面晃得更厉害了 杰克嘴里都尝到了沙尘的味道 他看向安妮 安妮从头到脚都沾满了灰 他低头看了看自己 他跟安妮一样脏 “嘿，你们快看那两个小孩！” 有人说道 “这可真是个好新闻素材。” 杰克抬起头 报社记者贝蒂和摄影师弗雷德 正站在他们面前 虽然他俩身上也沾满了灰尘 弗雷德还是在架他的相机 贝蒂则在她的笔记本上记着东西

Hold up your sign, Sonny, said Betty. Too stunned to say anything, Jack held up the sign with a poem about hope. Fred took a picture.

“小家伙，举着你的标牌。”贝蒂说 杰克吓得说不出话来 他举起了那块写着希望诗篇的标牌 弗雷德按下快门拍了张照片

Another dynamite blast shook the ground. Come with us, we're headed for the park, said Betty. We can't, we're on our way home to our parents, said Annie. Well, get going and be careful, said Betty. Let's beat it, Fred. The photographer grabbed his camera equipment and the two of them rushed off. I don't think Betty and Fred recognized us, said Annie. I don't recognize us, said Jack. Another blast shook the ground. Come on, said Annie, let's beat it. Jack and Annie jumped up. Jack put their sign in his bag, then they started back down the hill.

又一阵炸药爆炸震动了地面 “跟我们来吧，我们要去公园。”贝蒂说 “不行呀，我们要回家找爸爸妈妈。”安妮说 “好吧，那你们路上小心。”贝蒂说 “我们快走，弗雷德。” 摄影师抓起他的摄像设备，两个人就匆匆跑走了 “我觉得贝蒂和弗雷德没认出我们来。”安妮说 “我都认不出我们自己了。”杰克说 又一次爆炸震动了地面 “快走，”安妮说，“我们也赶紧离开这儿。” 杰克和安妮跳了起来 杰克把标牌放进包里，然后两人就往山下走去