1 A Royal Invitation

Christmas in Camelot. This is Mary Pope Osborne.

《卡米洛特的圣诞节》，作者玛丽·波·奥斯本。

Chapter 1. A Royal Invitation Sunlight had faded from the late afternoon sky. Puffy snow clouds were moving in. Let's hurry, I'm cold, said Jack. He and Annie were walking home from school. Their Christmas vacation was just beginning. Cool, cool. Wait, said Annie. Look! She pointed to a white bird sitting on a bare tree branch at the edge of the woods. The bird was staring straight at them.

第一章 王室的邀请 傍晚的天空，阳光已经褪去，蓬松的雪云正飘过来。 "咱们快点，我好冷。"杰克说。他和安妮正放学往家走，他们的圣诞假期才刚开始。 "哇，哇，等一下。"安妮说，"快看！" 她指着树林边缘光秃秃的树枝上停着的一只白鸟，那只鸟正直勾勾地盯着他俩。

It's a dove," said Jack. It's a messenger," said Annie, from Morgan. No, Jack said, afraid to get his hopes up. They hadn't seen Morgan Le Fay in a long time. He really missed her. Yes, said Annie. She has a mission for us. I can feel it. In the hush of the cold twilight, the dove spread its wings and flew into the Frog Creek woods. Come on," said Annie. The treehouse is back. You're just hoping," said Jack. I'm knowing," said Annie. She ran into the woods, following the white dove. Oh, brother," said Jack, but he took off after Annie. Even in the growing darkness they easily found their way. They zigzagged between the bare trees and ran over the frozen ground until they came to the tallest oak in the woods.

"是只鸽子。"杰克说。 "它是信使呀，"安妮说，"摩根派来的。" "才不是。"杰克说，他不敢抱太大希望。 他们已经很久没见过摩根·勒·菲了。 他可想念她了。 "就是的。"安妮说。 她给我们安排了新任务。 我能感觉到。 寒冷的暮色静悄悄的，鸽子张开翅膀，飞进了青蛙溪的 树林里。 "快跟上呀！"安妮说。 魔法树屋回来了。 "你就瞎想吧。"杰克说。 "我就是知道。"安妮说。 她跟着那只白鸽，跑进了树林。 "哎，真受不了你。"杰克嘴上说着，还是拔腿追安妮去了。 哪怕天色越来越暗，他们还是很容易就找对了路。 他们在光秃秃的树之间绕来绕去，踩过冻硬的地面，一直跑到 树林里最高的那棵橡树跟前。

See?" said Annie, pointing to the top of the tree. Yeah," whispered Jack. There it was, the magic treehouse. Morgan! shouted Annie. Jack held his breath, waiting to see the Enchantress at the treehouse window, but Morgan did not appear. Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jack followed. When they climbed inside the treehouse, Jack saw something lying on the floor. It was a scroll, rolled up and tied with a red velvet ribbon. Jack picked up the scroll and unrolled it. The thick yellowed paper shimmered with large gold writing. Wow! Morgan sent us a really fancy note! said Annie. It's an invitation, said Jack. Listen.

"看到没？"安妮指着树顶说。 "真的哎。"杰克小声说。 就在那儿呢，魔法树屋！ "摩根！"安妮大喊。 杰克屏住呼吸，等着看女巫出现在树屋的窗口，可摩根没有 出现。 安妮抓住绳梯就往上爬。 杰克跟在后面。 他们爬进树屋之后，杰克看到地板上放着个东西。 是一卷卷轴，卷得紧紧的，用红色丝绒缎带绑着。 杰克拿起卷轴，把它展开。 泛黄的厚纸上，金色的大字闪着微光。 "哇！" "摩根给我们寄了张好漂亮的信呀！"安妮说。 "是邀请函哦。"杰克说。 "你听我念。"

Dear Jack and Annie, please accept this royal invitation to spend Christmas in the Kingdom of Camelot. Im." "'Christmas in Camelot?' said Annie. "'I don't believe it!' "'Cool,' whispered Jack. He pictured a beautiful glowing castle lit with candles and filled with knights and ladies feasting and singing. "'We're going to celebrate Christmas with Morgan and King Arthur,' said Annie, and Queen Guinevere.'

亲爱的杰克和安妮，请接受这份王室邀请，来王国共度圣诞节 卡米洛特王国。 我…… "‘卡米洛特的圣诞节？’"安妮说。 "‘我没听错吧！’" "‘太酷了。’杰克小声说。" 他脑海里浮现出一座闪闪发光的美丽城堡，点满了蜡烛，到处都是骑士和贵妇 大吃大喝，唱歌说笑。 "‘我们要和摩根还有亚瑟王一起过圣诞节啦！’安妮说，‘还有王后 桂妮薇儿。’"

"'Yeah,' said Jack, and the Knights of the Round Table, like Sir Lancelot. "'Let's go,' said Annie. Where's the book?' She and Jack looked around the treehouse for a book about Camelot. The only book they saw was the Pennsylvania book that always brought them home. "'That's strange,' said Jack. Morgan didn't send a book about Camelot with a royal invitation. How does she expect us to get there?' "'I don't know,' said Annie. Maybe she forgot.' Jack picked up the invitation. He read it again. He turned it over, hoping to find more information. The back of the scroll was blank. He handed the invitation to Annie. "'She must have forgotten,' he said. "'Darn,' said Annie, staring at the gold writing. "'I really wish we could go to Camelot.' The tree branches rustled. The wind began to blow.

"‘对呀，’杰克说，‘还有圆桌骑士呢，比如兰斯洛特爵士。’" "‘咱们快走吧！’安妮说。" "书在哪儿呀？" 她和杰克在树屋里到处找关于卡米洛特的书。 他们只看到了那本总能把他们带回家的宾夕法尼亚的书。 "‘这就奇怪了。’杰克说。" 摩根寄了王室邀请函，却没把卡米洛特的书一起寄来。 "她想让我们怎么过去呀？" "‘我不知道呀。’安妮说。" "说不定她忘了呢。" 杰克拿起邀请函。 他又读了一遍。 他把它翻过来，希望能找到更多信息。 卷轴的背面空空的，什么都没有。 他把邀请函递给安妮。 "‘她肯定是忘了。’他说。" "‘真讨厌。’安妮盯着那些金色的字说。" "‘我真的好想去卡米洛特呀。’" 树枝沙沙作响。 起风了。