Ghosts in the House

Ghosts in the House, written by Ann Weil and Rusty Fischer, illustrated by Marcy Ramsey.

《屋子里的鬼》，作者：安·韦尔、拉斯蒂·费舍尔，插画：玛西·拉姆齐。

Noises in the Night It was the 1830s in rural New Hampshire. Since no school buses or cars existed back then, Virginia had a long walk to and from school every day. She liked walking through the farm fields because it gave her time to think. Sometimes she'd meet up with friends and they'd pass the time talking.

夜晚的声响 故事发生在19世纪30年代新罕布什尔州的乡下。 那时候还没有校车和汽车，弗吉尼亚每天都要走很远的路上下学。 她喜欢穿过农田走路，因为这段路能让她好好思考。 有时候她会碰到朋友，大家聊着天打发时间。

One day, Caleb told her that he had heard strange sounds while staying at his grandmother's house. His grandfather had died recently, and many of his belongings were stored in the attic. Caleb said that any time he walked past the stairs, he felt a cold chill. Virginia asked him to stop talking. She was getting scared. She, too, lived in an old farmhouse with an attic. She, too, heard noises in her attic. She grew worried and wondered if her house was haunted.

一天，迦勒告诉弗吉尼亚，他住在奶奶家的时候听到过奇怪的声音。 迦勒的爷爷刚去世不久，他的很多遗物都存放在阁楼上。 迦勒说，每次他走过楼梯边，都能感觉到一阵刺骨的寒意。 弗吉尼亚让他别说了。 她开始害怕起来。 她自己也住在一栋带阁楼的老农舍里。 她也听到过阁楼上的动静。 她越想越担心，不知道自己家是不是闹鬼了。

When Virginia arrived home, she wanted to ask her mother if she believed in ghosts but decided against it. Instead, she quietly and feverishly did her chores. She helped with dinner, washed all the dishes, and swept up afterward. Later in the evening, she was so exhausted that as she worked On her homework, she fell asleep in her chair. Her mother had to help walk her upstairs to get ready for bed. Good night, Virginia. Sleep well. Virginia's mother kissed her daughter on the forehead as she climbed under the quilt. Good night, Mother, said Virginia with a yawn, but as she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of ghosts.

弗吉尼亚回到家，本来想问妈妈相不相信有鬼，最后还是没开口。 反过来，她安安静静、急急忙忙做完了自己的活儿。 她帮忙做晚饭，洗完了所有盘子，之后还扫了地。 到了晚上，她累坏了，做着做着作业就在椅子上睡着了。 妈妈只好扶着她上楼，准备睡觉。 晚安，弗吉尼亚。 睡个好觉。 弗吉尼亚钻进被子的时候，妈妈亲了亲她的额头。 “晚安，妈妈。”弗吉尼亚打着哈欠说，可她刚睡着，就梦见了鬼。

Tip -tap, tip -tap. Virginia popped open her eyes with a burst of fear. What was that sound? She sat up and listened carefully, holding her breath. Tip -tap, tip -tap. Mother, is that you? Virginia whispered urgently, but there was no answer.

嗒——嗒，嗒——嗒。 弗吉尼亚一下子睁开眼睛，吓得浑身一紧。 那是什么声音？ 她坐起身，屏住呼吸，仔细听着。 嗒——嗒，嗒——嗒。 妈妈，是你吗？ 弗吉尼亚着急地小声问，可是没有人回答。

Virginia jumped out of bed and ran over to her bedroom window to see if maybe a tree branch was brushing against the glass. While peering outside, she watched the wind whip up leaves across the grass under a full moon. Tip -tap. Tip -tap. Virginia realized that the mysterious sound was not coming from below her, but from above her. There were no bedrooms on the top floor, so it must be an animal, Virginia thought. Maybe a raccoon snuck into the attic and is clawing its way out. Virginia got back in bed, feeling much better that she had convinced herself there were no ghosts, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

弗吉尼亚跳下床，跑到卧室窗边，想看看是不是树枝刮到玻璃了。 她向外望去，看见满月下，风卷着落叶擦过草地。 嗒 ——嗒。 嗒——嗒。 弗吉尼亚发现，这个神秘的声音不是从楼下传来的，而是来自头顶。 顶楼没有卧室，肯定是什么小动物，弗吉尼亚想。 说不定是浣熊偷偷溜进阁楼，正扒着墙想出来呢。 弗吉尼亚爬回床上，说服自己世上没有鬼，这下安心多了，很快就沉沉睡去。