183 核心圈

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" Is Zira kidding?" Zann thought in disbelief

“齐拉在开玩笑吗？”赞难以置信地想。

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" Perda and I don't want to be part of her little power club

“佩尔达和我都不想加入她那个小权力俱乐部。

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Especially since we were just about to show everyone what a fraud she is!"

尤其是我们正打算让大家都知道她是个骗子！”

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He opened his mouth to say so. But Perda elbowed him

他张开口想这么说。但佩尔达用胳膊肘碰了碰他。

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" Thank you for your kind offer, Zira," she said

“谢谢你的好意，齐拉，”她说。

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" Please allow us to take a moment and discuss whether we should accept."

“请允许我们花点时间讨论一下是否接受。”

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" Of course." Zira sounded slightly displeased, though she continued to smile

“当然。”齐拉听起来有点不高兴，尽管她仍微笑着。

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" But first, as a demonstration of good faith, I'll remove your Shackles."

“但首先，作为诚意的表示，我会解除你的枷锁。”

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She snapped her fingers, and the Shackles disappeared

from Perda's wrists and legs.

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" Thank you," Perda said, rubbing her wrists

“谢谢，”佩尔达揉着手腕说。

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She headed outside, and Zann followed

她向外走去，赞跟了出去。

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" Did you say that just so she'd Unshackle you?"

“你那样说，是为了让她给你解开镣铐吗？”

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Zann asked, a little confused by the way Perda was behaving

赞有些不解地问，对佩尔达的举动感到困惑。

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" Because we definitely don't want to be in the inner circle!"

“因为我们绝对不想加入内圈！”

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" Of course we don't," Perda said, looking sly

“我们当然不想，”佩尔达狡黠地说。

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" But I think we should pretend that we do

“但我觉得我们应该假装想加入。

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That way, maybe we can figure out what Zira's plans are for Terrica

这样，或许我们能弄清齐拉对泰瑞卡有什么计划。

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Then we'll know whether it's safe to leave Mellis here

然后我们就能知道把梅莉斯留在这里是否安全。

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Plus, if Zira thinks we're on her side, she'll probably allow us to free Zing."

另外，如果齐拉认为我们是站在她这边的，她可能就会允许我们释放齐恩。”

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Zann thought about that. He wanted his dragon back

and he wanted to get back to Magica.

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He also wanted to make sure Mellis was safe

他还想确保梅莉丝的安全。

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As usual, Perda had concocted a clever plan

像往常一样，佩尔达想出了一条妙计。

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" I suppose you're right," he said

“我想你说得对，”他说。

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" Also, if we're in the inner circle, we might be able to

get access to the original wormhole.

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Then we won't have to zap all the way to the other wormhole near the mines."

那我们就不用一路传送到矿井附近的另一个虫洞了。”

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They went back inside." Thank you, Zira," Perda said with a bow

他们回到里面。“谢谢你，齐拉，”佩尔达鞠躬说道。

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" We accept your very generous offer to join your inner circle."

“我们接受你非常慷慨的邀请，加入你的内圈。”

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" Wonderful!" Zira said

“太好了！”齐拉说。

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Vilkor looked less enthusiastic

维尔科看起来不太热情。

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" If you keep letting people in, soon everyone in Terrica will

be part of the inner circle," he grumbled.

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Perda ignored him." May we say hello to Mellis now?" she asked politely

佩尔达没理他。“我们现在可以跟梅莉丝打个招呼吗？”她礼貌地问道。

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Zann stepped forward." We also want to see Zing."

赞上前一步。“我们还想见齐恩。”

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When all the adults looked confused, he added," The dragon."

看到所有大人都一脸困惑，他补充道：“那条龙。”

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" Oh, yes, of course." Zira signaled to the goons

“哦，对，当然。”齐拉向手下示意。

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" Bring Mellis out at once and release the dragon."

“马上把梅莉丝带出来，还有放了那条龙。”

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" Are you sure?" One of the goons looked scared

“您确定吗？”一个手下看起来吓坏了，

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" That ungrateful little beast almost burned my hand off

when I fed him this morning!"

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" You heard me," Zira snapped." Go!"

“你听见我说的了，”齐拉厉声说道，“快去！”

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The goons hurried off. Moments later Mellis stepped into the room

手下们匆匆离去。片刻之后，梅莉丝走进了房间。

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Zann and Perda rushed to greet her

赞和佩尔达冲上前去迎接她。

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" You're here!" Mellis exclaimed. She looked pale but unharmed

“你们来了！”梅莉丝喊道。她脸色苍白，但没有受伤。

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" I didn't think I'd ever see you two again."

“我还以为再也见不到你们两个了。”

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Perda hugged her." I'm glad you're safe."

佩尔达拥抱了她。“你平安无事，我就放心了。”

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Zann could tell that Perda wanted to say more

赞看得出佩尔达还想多说些什么。

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But Zira, Vilkor, and several others were watching them

obviously listening to every word they said.

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Zann felt frustrated. How were they supposed to figure

out what to do if they couldn't speak freely?

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Meanwhile Perda touched a strand of Mellis' reddish-brown hair

这时，佩尔达轻轻碰了碰梅莉丝一缕红褐色的头发。

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" Your hair looks so pretty today," she said in a cheerful voice

“你今天头发看起来真漂亮，”她用轻快的语气说。

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" Oh! I figured out a new way to braid my hair yesterday. I'd love to show you!

“哦！我昨天发现了编辫子的新方法。真想给你看看！

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Yours would look even prettier that way!"

你的头发那样编会更漂亮的！”

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Zann blinked in surprise." What is Perda talking about?"

he thought. "She didn't braid her hair yesterday."

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But Mellis was smiling." You're so sweet, Perda! Your hair

is so much prettier than mine!

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But I'd love to have you braid it. I could braid yours, too

so we would match!" She looked around.

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" We could sit right here and do it, and you can tell me all

about the different hairstyles where you come from."

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Vilkor laughed." Ugh, please don't!" He waved his hands

维尔科笑了。“呃，千万别！”他摆了摆手。

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" I can't stand to listen to that sort of silliness."

“我可受不了听那种无聊事。”

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Zira looked less amused." I agree. The adult members of

the inner circle have serious business to discuss.

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You three are too young to appreciate it."

你们三个太小，还不懂这些。”

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Zann opened his mouth to protest

赞张开嘴想抗议。

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But a warning look from Perda made him change

his mind and shut his mouth.

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" Perhaps you're right, Zira," Perda said with a giggle

“也许你说得对，齐拉。”佩尔达咯咯笑着说。

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" I'm so tired from doing all that magic that I can't think straight!

“我用了那么多魔法，累得脑子都转不动了！

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I'd love to lie down and let Mellis braid my hair, so I don't have

to think about all this grown-up stuff for a while."

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" Begone then," Zira said, rolling her eyes." You may retire to Mellis' chamber."

“那走吧。”齐拉翻了个白眼说，“你们可以回梅莉丝的房间休息。”

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Mellis led Zann and Perda to a small room in one of the house's new towers

梅莉丝领着赞和佩尔达来到了房子新塔楼里的一个小房间。

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Before they entered, Mellis looked around to make sure that

no goons were close enough to hear them.

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" Perda, that was a good idea to trick Zira into letting us be alone."

“佩尔达，骗齐拉让我们单独相处，真是个好主意。”

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Perda smiled." Thanks. I'm glad you caught on quickly and helped convince her

佩尔达笑了。“谢谢。我很高兴你很快就明白了，还帮我一起说服她。

旁白 neutral

Now tell us what's been going on here since we left."

现在告诉我们，我们离开后这里都发生了什么。”

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Zann felt sheepish. So that was why Perda had been talking and acting so weird!

赞感到不好意思。原来佩尔达说话做事那么古怪，就是这个原因！

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She was trying to get the three of them some privacy

她是为了给他们三个人争取点私人空间。

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" I should have known," he thought, shooting Perda an admiring look

“我早该知道的。”他心想，向佩尔达投去钦佩的目光。

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Whispering, Mellis told Zann and Perda that she'd been trapped

in Zira's mansion ever since Perda had zapped away.

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This was the first time she'd been allowed to see anyone other

than Zira and the goons guarding her door.

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" I was relieved to see Uncle Vilkor out there just now," she said

“刚才看到维尔科叔叔在外面，我松了口气。”她说。

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" I was worried for his safety. I don't think Zira intends to share

power with anyone, no matter what she says."

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Zann nodded. Before he could say anything, he suddenly felt

an intense, searing heat strike his entire body.

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" Aaah!" he cried, spinning around

“啊！”他大叫一声，转过身去。

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Suddenly his terror and pain turned to joy." Zing!"

突然，恐惧和痛苦变成了喜悦。“齐恩！”