15 Christmas Magic

Chapter 15 Christmas Magic Jack and Annie watched in horror as the water from the cup splashed over the stone floor. It trickled into the cracks between the stones and disappeared. Jack scrambled to the cup. He picked it up. It was completely empty. Oh, no! Jack moaned. He sat back and put his head in his hands. Camelot will never wake up now, he thought. The legend will end forever. Jack, said Annie, look!

第十五章 圣诞魔法 杰克和安妮惊恐地看着杯子里的水泼到了石头地板上。 水顺着石块间的缝隙流进去，消失不见了。 杰克慌忙扑向杯子，他把杯子捡起来，里面已经彻底空了。 “哦，糟了！”杰克呻吟道，他往后一坐，双手捂住了脸。 “卡米洛特现在再也醒不过来了，”他心想，“这个传说会永远终结。” “杰克，”安妮说，“你看！”

Jack raised his head. He pushed his glasses into place. A golden cloud was rising from the cracks between all the stones of the floor. The cloud spread quickly throughout the Great Hall, filling the room with wonderful smells—the scent of cedar smoke and evergreen, of roses and almonds. The cloud rose up and up, then wafted out through the upper windows of the hall. Suddenly, a white dove flew through one of the windows. It soared across the dark room like a bright light, then swooped back out into the night. Soft, gentle laughter came from the end of the hall. The laughter grew louder. Jack saw King Arthur and Queen Guinevere looking at one another. They were laughing. The knights of the round table were laughing, too. Best of all, Jack saw Morgan Le Fay, smiling at him and Annie. Jack! Annie! Come here! she called. She held at her arms.

杰克抬起头，推了推架在鼻梁上的眼镜，一道金色的云雾正从缝隙里冒出来。 那缝隙就在地板的所有石块之间，云雾飞快地漫过整个大厅， 整个房间都充满了好闻的气味——有雪松烟和常春藤的香气，还有玫瑰 和杏仁的香味。云雾越升越高，顺着大厅高处的窗户飘了出去。突然， 一只白鸽从其中一扇窗户飞了进来，它像一道亮光似的飞过昏暗的房间， 接着又转身飞回到外面的夜色里。大厅的尽头传来了轻轻柔柔的笑声。 笑声越来越响，杰克看到亚瑟王和桂妮薇儿王后正看着彼此，他们 都在笑。圆桌骑士们也都在笑。最棒的是，杰克看见了摩根·勒·菲， 正对着他和安妮微笑。 “杰克！安妮！到这儿来！”她喊道，张开了双臂。

"'Morgan!' cried Annie. She ran to Morgan and threw her arms around the Enchantress. Jack stood up. Still holding the empty cup, he ran to Morgan and hugged her, too. "'We did what the Christmas night told us to do,' said Annie. "'We brought back the water of memory and imagination.' "'But I dropped the cup,' said Jack, and spilled all the water.' "'But the water made a gold cloud,' said Annie. And everyone came back to life.' Morgan laughed with amazement. "'You have just returned from the Otherworld?' she asked. "'Yes,' said Annie. "'A white stag brought us back,' said Jack. He turned to King Arthur. "'Your Majesty,' he said. "'We have good news. Your nights are safe. Sir Lancelot said to tell you they'll be home before the first night of the New Year.'

“摩根！”安妮大叫着跑向摩根，一把抱住了这位女魔法师。 杰克站了起来，手里还握着那个空杯子，他也跑过去抱住了摩根。 “我们按照圣诞夜精灵吩咐的做啦。”安妮说。 “我们带回了记忆和想象之水。” “可我把杯子摔了，”杰克说，“把水全洒了。” “可是水变出了一朵金色的云呀，”安妮说，“大家都活过来了。” 摩根又惊又喜地笑了。 “你们刚从异世界回来对吗？”她问。 “对呀。”安妮说。 “是一只白牡鹿把我们送回来的。”杰克说，他转向亚瑟王。 “陛下。”他说。 “我们有好消息，您的骑士们都很安全。兰斯洛特爵士让我们转告您，他们会 在新年的第一个夜晚之前回到家。”

The King looked bewildered. You found them?" "'Yes, and they're all fine,' said Annie. "'Here,' said Jack. He handed the silver cup to the King. "'Please give this back to Sir Galahad.' "'And this to Sir Lancelot,' said Annie. She took the glass key from around her neck and gave it to King Arthur. "'Oh, and this to Sir Percival,' said Jack. He pulled the wooden compass -box from his pack and gave it to the King. At first King Arthur was too stunned to speak. Then he clapped his hands and laughed joyfully. "'Thank you,' he said to Jack and Annie. The knights of the round table all cheered. "'Ring the bells,' King Arthur shouted. Call the people of Camelot to the castle.' "'They have already gathered outside the doors, Your Majesty,' said a page.

国王看起来一脸茫然。 “你们找到他们了？” “对呀，他们全都好好的。”安妮说。 “给您。”杰克说。 他把银杯子递给了国王。 “请您把这个交还给加拉哈德爵士。” “还有这个要交给兰斯洛特爵士。”安妮说。 她把脖子上挂的玻璃钥匙取下来，递给了亚瑟王。 “哦，还有这个要交给珀西瓦尔爵士。”杰克说。 他从背包里掏出那个木质罗盘盒，递给了国王。 一开始亚瑟王震惊得说不出话来。 接着他拍着手，开心地大笑起来。 “谢谢你们。”他对杰克和安妮说。 圆桌骑士们全都欢呼起来。 “去敲响钟声，”亚瑟王大声下令。 叫卡米洛特的所有民众都到城堡来。 “他们已经在门外集合了，陛下。”一个侍从说道。

"'Bring them in,' said King Arthur. "'We must rejoice together.' Queen Guinevere smiled at Jack and Annie. Her eyes sparkled now. "'Once again you have helped save Camelot,' she said. "'Thank you very much.' "'You're welcome,' said Jack and Annie together. Then Jack heard the sounds of children talking and laughing. He turned to see a crowd of people streaming through the arch -doorway of the great hall. They carried candles, a giant fir tree, and boughs of holly and pine. Musicians followed them with stringed instruments. As everyone started to decorate the hall, the musicians began playing and singing a beautiful Christmas carol. "'Jack,' said Annie, "'look!' The white stag was standing in the arch -doorway.

“让他们进来吧。”亚瑟王说。 “我们要一起庆祝。” 桂妮薇儿王后对着杰克和安妮笑了笑。 她的眼睛此刻亮晶晶的。 “你们又一次拯救了卡米洛特。”她说。 “非常感谢你们。” “不客气。”杰克和安妮异口同声地说。 就在这时，杰克听到了孩子们说笑的声音。 他转过身，看见一大群人正涌进大厅的拱形门洞。 他们拿着蜡烛、一棵超大的冷杉树，还有冬青枝和松枝。 乐手们拿着弦乐器跟在他们后面。 就在大家开始装饰大厅的时候，乐手们开始演奏，还唱起了一首 动听的圣诞颂歌。 “杰克，”安妮说，“你看！” 那只白牡鹿正站在拱形门洞里。

Jack turned excitedly to Morgan. See that white stag? He said. He took us to the other world. See him? Morgan smiled. Yes, I do see him, she said. And now I see everything.

杰克兴奋地转向摩根。 “看见那只白牡鹿了吗？” 他问道。 “就是他带我们去的异世界。” “你看见他了吗？” 摩根笑了。 “是的，我确实看见他了。”她说。 “而且现在我什么都明白了。”