13 Jack and Annic's Magic

Chapter 13, Jack and Annie's Magic. Jack, Annie, and Teddy crunched through fallen leaves until they came to Merlin's oak. They found the hidden door near the rope ladder. Teddy pushed on the bark. The door opened. One by one, they slipped into the candle -lit hollow of the tree trunk. Merlin was sitting in his tall wooden chair. So you restored order to the castle, he said calmly. Yes, sir, said Teddy. Had to use a bit of magic, but now all is well.

第十三章 杰克和安妮的魔法 杰克、安妮和泰迪踩着咔嚓响的落叶，一直走到梅林的橡树前。 他们找到了绳梯旁边的暗门。 泰迪推了推树皮。 门开了。 他们一个接一个溜进了点着蜡烛的树干空心处。 梅林正坐在他的高木椅上。 "这么说你们恢复了城堡的秩序啦。"他平静地说。 "是的，先生。"泰迪说。 "不得不动用了一点魔法，不过现在一切都好啦。"

"'Your rhyming must have improved,' Merlin said to Teddy. Teddy grinned sheepishly. "'Well, to be truthful, the real magic was not in my rhymes. It was the magic of Jack and Annie's courage and kindness that saved the day, and saved me, too.' "'Indeed,' said Merlin. "'Ay,' said Teddy, they have a magic as powerful as any sorcerer's rhymes or enchanted hazel twig.' Merlin raised a bushy eyebrow. "'Enchanted, hazel twig,' he said. "'Tis only a figure of speech,' Teddy said quickly. Merlin turned to Jack and Annie. "'I thank you for your help,' he said. "'All the realm of Camelot thanks you.' "'You're welcome,' they said.

"你的押韵本事肯定进步啦。"梅林对泰迪说。泰迪 不好意思地咧嘴笑了。"呃，说实话，真正的魔法不是 来自我的押韵咒。是杰克和安妮的勇气与善良的魔力 解决了麻烦，也救了我。" "确实。"梅林说。 "是啊，"泰迪说，他们拥有的魔力和任何巫师的押韵咒 或者魔法榛树枝一样厉害。" 梅林挑了挑浓密的眉毛。 "魔法榛树枝啊。"他说。 "只是个比喻啦。"泰迪连忙说。 梅林转向杰克和安妮。 "谢谢你们出手帮忙。"他说。 "整个卡米洛特王国都感谢你们。" "不客气。"他们说。

Merlin stood up. Come along, my boy," he said to Teddy. I will help speed you back to Morrigan now. My research is done. We must return these rare books to her library. He reached down and picked up a stack of ancient -looking books from the floor. He piled them into Teddy's arms.

梅林站了起来。 "走吧，小伙子。"他对泰迪说。 我现在就送你快点回莫丽根那儿。 我的研究已经做完了。 我们得把这些珍贵的书送回她的图书馆。 他弯腰从地板上捡起一摞看起来古旧的书。 他把书摞到泰迪怀里。

Teddy turned awkwardly with his books, then he and Jack and Annie followed Merlin out of the heart of the oak. The sun had risen higher in the sky, the woods were still. Teddy peered over the tops of the books. I suppose we must say goodbye now, he said to Jack and Annie. When will we see you again? Asked Annie. When duty calls, I suppose, said Teddy. He looked at Merlin. The magician smiled. Will you be able to find your way home all right? Teddy asked them. Sure, said Jack, the treehouse will take us back. He and Annie looked up at the magic treehouse at the top of the oak. A sudden gust of wind rustled the leaves. Jack and Annie turned back to Merlin and Teddy, but they were gone. Bright yellow leaves swirled and danced in the spot where they'd been standing.

泰迪抱着书笨拙地转过身，然后他和杰克还有 安妮跟着梅林走出了橡树的中心空心处。 太阳在天空升得更高了，树林里静悄悄的。 泰迪从书堆顶上探出头来。 "我想我们现在得说再见啦。"他对杰克和安妮说。 我们什么时候能再见到你呀？ 安妮问。 "等有任务召唤的时候吧，我猜。"泰迪说。 他看向梅林。 魔法师笑了笑。 "你们自己能顺利找到回家的路吧？" 泰迪问他们。 "当然啦，"杰克说，树屋会带我们回去的。 他和安妮抬头看向橡树顶的魔法树屋。 一阵突如其来的风吹得树叶沙沙作响。 杰克和安妮转头看向梅林和泰迪，可他们已经不见了。 明黄色的树叶在他们刚才站的地方打着旋飞舞。

"'Wow,' said Annie. "'Yeah,' said Jack. "'Well,' said Annie, sighing. "'Onward?' "'Homeward,' said Jack." Annie started up the rope ladder. Jack followed. When they climbed inside the tree house, Merlin's leaf invitation was fluttering off the floor. Before it could blow out the window, Annie grabbed it. She pointed to the words, Frog Creek. "'I wish we could go there,' she said. The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still."

"哇。"安妮说。 "是啊。"杰克说。 "好吧。"安妮叹着气说。 "继续出发？" "回家啦。"杰克说。 安妮开始爬绳梯。 杰克跟在后面。 他们爬进树屋的时候，梅林的树叶邀请函正从地板上飘起来。 还没等它吹出窗外，安妮就一把抓住了它。 她指着上面的字：青蛙溪。 "我希望我们能去那里。"她说。 风开始刮起来了。 树屋开始旋转。 它转得越来越快。 然后一切都静止了。 彻底静止了。

Jack opened his eyes. He and Annie sat quietly on the floor of the treehouse for a moment. Jack looked out the window. High overhead a bird was soaring through the dusky sky. Jack could hardly believe that just a little while ago he had been a bird himself. Ready to go home, said Annie. Jack nodded. There was no way to explain what had just happened to them, he thought. There was no way to even talk about it. Annie carefully placed Merlin's autumn leaf in the corner of the treehouse next to their royal Christmas invitation. Then she and Jack climbed down the ladder and started through the woods. In the gathering dark of Halloween night, nothing seemed very spooky. Jack knew all the trees. He knew the familiar path out to their street. As he and Annie headed toward home, three creatures stepped onto the sidewalk in front of them. A hideous witch, a grinning skeleton, and a huge hairy eyeball.

杰克睁开眼睛。 他和安妮安静地在树屋地板上坐了一会儿。 杰克看向窗外。 高高的天上，一只鸟正掠过暮色沉沉的天空。 杰克简直不敢相信，就在不久前他自己还变成过一只鸟。 "准备好回家了吗？"安妮说。 杰克点了点头。 他心想，刚才发生在他们身上的事根本没法解释。 甚至连提都没法提。 安妮小心翼翼地把梅林的秋叶放在树屋的角落，挨着 他们的皇家圣诞邀请函。 然后她和杰克爬下梯子，动身穿过树林。 万圣节前夜的夜色越来越浓，什么东西看起来都不算很吓人。 杰克认识所有的树。 他认识那条通往他家街道的熟悉小路。 就在他和安妮往家走的时候， 三个身影走到了他们前方的人行道上。 一个丑兮兮的女巫，一个咧嘴笑的骷髅，还有一个巨大的毛茸茸眼球。