2 The Heart of the Oak

Chapter two, The Heart of the Oak. Jack opened his eyes. A chilly wind blew into the tree house. Oak leaves swirled outside the window. Look, we have our costumes, said Annie. I'm not a princess or a vampire. Jack looked at their clothes. He was wearing a knee -length tunic and tights. Annie was wearing a long dress with an apron. Camelot costumes, Jack said softly. They looked out the window together. They were high in a huge oak tree in a thick forest.

第二章：橡树之心 杰克睁开了眼睛。 一阵冷风吹进了树屋。 窗外的橡树叶打着旋儿飞舞。 “看，我们有新衣服穿啦。”安妮说。 我既不是公主也不是吸血鬼。 杰克低头看了看两人的穿着。 他穿着一件及膝束腰外衣和紧身裤。 安妮穿着一条带围裙的长款连衣裙。 “是卡美洛的服饰。”杰克轻声说。 他们一起望向窗外。 他们正待在茂密森林里一棵巨型橡树的高处。

The afternoon sun was low in the autumn sky. So what do we do now? Said Jack. The invitation says we're supposed to meet Merlin in the heart of the oak, said Annie. Yeah, but what does that mean? Said Jack, scowling. The heart of an oak? Let's go down and try to figure it out, said Annie. She carefully placed their invitation in a corner of the treehouse. Then she and Jack climbed down the rope ladder. They stepped onto the leafy ground. In the fading daylight, they began circling the base of the giant oak. They walked all the way around until they came to the rope ladder again. We're back where we started, said Jack. We never found the heart. Wait a minute, said Annie. What's that? She pointed to a long thin crack in the bark of the tree trunk. A sliver of light seemed to be coming from the crack.

秋日的天空中，午后的太阳已经落得很低了。 “那我们现在该做什么呀？” 杰克问道。 “邀请函上说我们得去橡树之心跟梅林碰面。” 安妮说。 “话是没错，可橡树之心是什么意思呀？” 杰克皱着眉头问道。 橡树的心脏？ “我们下去找找看吧，肯定能弄明白的。”安妮说。 她小心翼翼地把邀请函放在树屋的一个角落里。 接着她就和杰克顺着绳梯爬了下去。 他们踩到了铺满落叶的地面上。 天色越来越暗，他们开始绕着大橡树的树根转圈。 他们走了整整一圈，最后又走回了绳梯旁边。 “我们又回到起点了。”杰克说。 我们根本没找到什么橡树之心。 “等一下。”安妮说。 那是什么？ 她抬手指了指树干树皮上一道细长的裂缝。 好像有一缕光正从裂缝里透出来。

Jack touched the bark around the light. He pushed. The crack got bigger. It's a secret door, said Jack. He pushed harder. Creek. A tall narrow door swung into the tree. Light streamed from inside. We found it, whispered Annie. The heart of the oak. Jack nodded. Let's go in, said Annie. They slipped through the narrow doorway into the bright hollow of the tree trunk.

杰克伸手摸了摸透出光的那块树皮周围。 他伸手推了一下。 裂缝变大了。 “是一扇暗门！”杰克惊呼道。 他加大力气又推了一下。 吱呀一声。 一扇又高又窄的门朝树干内侧转开了。 明亮的光线从门里涌了出来。 “我们找到了！”安妮小声叫道。 就是橡树之心。 杰克点了点头。 “我们进去吧。”安妮说。 他们侧身穿过窄窄的门道，走进了树干里明亮的空洞。

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Jack couldn't believe his eyes. The round room was lit with hundreds of candles. Shadows danced on the curved brown walls. This is impossible, thought Jack. The heart of the oak seemed much bigger than the tree itself. Welcome, said a deep, whispery voice. They turned around and saw an old man sitting in a carved wooden chair. He had a long white beard and wore a red cloak. Hi, Merlin, said Annie. Hello, Annie. Hello, Jack. It is good to see you again, the magician said. I am grateful for the help you gave us on Christmas Eve in Camelot. Now Morgan and I believe you might be able to help us again. We'd love to, said Annie. The whole future of our kingdom depends upon your success, said Merlin. Are you sure you want us? Jack asked. I mean, we're just kids.

杰克简直不敢相信自己的眼睛，这间圆形房间被数百根蜡烛照得通亮。 影子在弯曲的棕色墙壁上轻轻舞动。 这也太神奇了吧，杰克心想，橡树之心看起来居然比整棵树还要大得多。 “欢迎你们。”一个低沉沙哑的声音响起。 他们转过身，看见一位老人坐在一把雕花木椅上。 他留着长长的白胡子，身上披着一件红色斗篷。 “嗨，梅林。”安妮打招呼道。 “你好呀，安妮。你好，杰克。” “很高兴能再次见到你们。”魔法师说道。 “我非常感谢你们平安夜在卡美洛给我们的帮助。” “现在我和摩根都觉得，你们说不定能再帮我们一个忙。” “我们当然愿意啦！”安妮立刻说道。 “我们王国的未来，全靠你们这次能不能成功了。”梅林说。 “您确定要找我们帮忙吗？”杰克疑惑地问。 “我是说，我们还只是小孩子呀。”

You have passed many tests for Morgan," said Merlin. Are you not master librarians and magicians of everyday magic? Jack nodded. Yes, we are, he said. Good. You will need all your skills on this mission, said Merlin. You will also need a helper and guide from our world, the world of magic and legend. Are you coming with us? asked Annie. No, the magician said, your guide shall be one much younger than I. He is in my library now. Yesterday he brought me some books I had requested from Morgan's library. Merlin rose from his chair. Come, he said, leading them to a door in the curved wall. He opened it and stepped into another room. Jack and Annie followed him. The musty room was filled with scrolls and ancient looking books. Sitting on the floor was a boy about 11 or 12 years old. He was reading by the light of a lantern.

“你们已经通过了摩根设下的很多考验了呀，”梅林说， “你们难道不是日常魔法的首席图书管理员和魔法师吗？” 杰克点了点头。 “对呀，我们是。”他回答道。 太好了。 “这次执行任务，你们需要用上你们所有的技能。”梅林说。 “你们还需要一个来自我们魔法传说世界的帮手和向导。” “你要跟我们一起去吗？” 安妮问道。 “不了，”魔法师笑着说，“你们的向导可比我年轻多啦。” “他现在就在我的图书馆里。” “昨天他刚把我向摩根的图书馆借的几本书送过来。” 梅林从椅子上站了起来。 “跟我来。”他说着，领着他们走向弧形墙壁上的一扇门。 他打开门，走进了旁边的房间。 杰克和安妮跟在他身后走了进去。 这间房间带着一股霉味，里面摆满了卷轴和看起来很古老的书。 地板上坐着一个看起来十一二岁的男孩。 他正就着一盏提灯的光线看书。