019 沃姆伍德

旁白 neutral

" Wow!" Perda exclaimed." First City is huge!"

“哇！”佩尔达惊叹道，“第一城好大啊！”

旁白 neutral

Zann hadn't been back to the capital since he and Boz had moved to Swamp Bottom

扎恩自从和博兹搬到沼泽底部后，就再没回过首都。

旁白 neutral

He leaned forward, searching for a glimpse of his old neighborhood

他探身向前，想找寻一眼自己老街区。

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But it was hard to get his bearings from way up in the sky, and before he knew it, the dragons were circling lower and lower

但从高空中很难辨认方向，还没等他反应过来，龙群已经开始盘旋下降，越飞越低。

旁白 neutral

They landed in a clearing outside of town

他们在城外的一片空地上着陆了。

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" This looks like a safe spot for the dragons to rest," Darb said

“这里看起来是个能让龙安全休息的地方，”达尔布说。

旁白 neutral

Zann's legs felt stiff as he jumped down

扎恩跳下来时，双腿感到僵硬。

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The dragons had flown swiftly, but it had taken almost two hours to reach their destination

龙群飞得很快，但还是花了将近两个小时才到达目的地。

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" Now what?" Gliss asked." Does anyone know how to get to the palace?"

“现在怎么办？”格丽丝问道，“有人知道怎么去王宫吗？”

旁白 neutral

Zann reached into his pocket, checking to make sure Boz's diary was still there

扎恩把手伸进口袋，确认博兹的日记还在里面。

旁白 neutral

" I remember my way around well enough," he said." I'll find it."

“我对这一带的路挺熟的，”他说，“我能找到。”

旁白 neutral

They hiked through the woods. As soon as Zann saw the ramshackle buildings at the city limits, he realized where they were

他们穿过树林。扎恩一看到城市边缘那些摇摇欲坠的房屋，就明白了他们身处何地。

旁白 neutral

" This area is called Wormwood," he told the others." It's not the best part of town."

“这片地方叫伍姆伍德，”他告诉其他人，“这里算不上城里最好的地段。”

旁白 neutral

" Really?" Gliss said nervously." What's wrong with it?"

“真的吗？”格丽斯紧张地问，“那里有什么不好的？”

旁白 neutral

" Everyone says it got its name because there's a wormhole near some gnarled old tree here," Zann explained

“大家都说，这名字的由来，是因为这里有棵扭曲的老树，树旁边有一个虫洞，”扎恩解释道。

旁白 neutral

" And that the locals figured out how to use it to bring stuff back from other worlds."

“而且当地人弄明白了怎么利用它从别的世界带东西回来。”

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" I've read about that," Darb said." People say there's a thriving black market here for exotic otherworld pets and stuff."

“我在书上读到过，”达布说，“人们说这里有个很兴旺的黑市，专卖奇异的异世界宠物什么的。”

旁白 neutral

" Sounds cool, but let's remember why we're here, okay?" said Perda

“听起来挺酷，不过我们得记着来这里的目的，好吗？”佩尔达说。

旁白 neutral

" We need to get that diary to the palace."

“我们得把那本日记送到王宫去。”

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Zann knew she was right. Still, he couldn't help watching for the notorious tree as he walked

扎恩知道她说得对。不过，他一边走，还是忍不住留意着那棵恶名在外的树。

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" Is that it?" Darb pointed

“就是那儿吗？”达布指着问。

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Just ahead was a tree so ancient and twisted that it appeared to be carved out of stone

正前方是一棵极其古老、扭曲的树，看起来像是石头雕刻而成。

旁白 neutral

Several huts stood near its massive trunk, their entrances obscured by draped fabric

几间小屋立在它粗壮的树干旁，入口处被垂挂的布料遮掩着。

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An old woman was in front of one of the huts, stirring something in a brass pot

一位老妇人在其中一间小屋前，正搅动着铜锅里的什么东西。

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She stared at Zann and Gliss with dark, sunken eyes

她用那双深陷的、黑洞洞的眼睛盯着扎恩和格丽丝。

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" Beware, my young Red friends," she said, her voice coarse and deep

“小心，我年轻的红发族朋友，”她说，声音粗哑而低沉。

旁白 neutral

" There are trolls all over town looking for your kind."

“城里到处都是巨魔，正在寻找你们的同类。”

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" Oh no!" Gliss squeaked." What if they see us?"

“哦，不！”格丽丝惊叫道，“要是他们看见我们怎么办？”

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" I can help," the woman said." I have scarves to cover your hair and a paste to hide your freckles."

“我能帮忙，”妇人说，“我有围巾可以遮住你们的头发，还有一种药膏能盖住你们的雀斑。”

旁白 neutral

" Really?" Gliss sounded relieved." Thank you!"

“真的吗？”格丽丝听起来松了口气，“谢谢你！”

旁白 neutral

" Not so fast." The woman held up a hand

“慢着。”老妇人抬手制止。

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" I am just a poor merchant and cannot afford to give away my wares

“我只是个穷商人，送不起自己的货物。

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What do you have to offer me in trade?"

你们有什么可以跟我交换的？”

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" Trade?" Zann was confused. Since most people used magic for their daily needs, trading was uncommon except among Voids

“交换？”扎恩很困惑。因为大多数人靠魔法满足日常所需，所以除了虚空者之间，交易并不常见。

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" We have nothing of value," Darb said

“我们没有值钱的东西，”达布说。

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" Perhaps we can pay you for the disguises later."

“也许我们能晚点付报酬，买下这些伪装。”

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" Nothing of value?" The woman had spotted Zing." The fire whistler — is it yours?"

“没有值钱的东西？”老妇人注意到了Zing。“那个喷火的小家伙——是你们的吗？”

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" Yes," Zann said." But he's not for trade at any price!"

“是的，”扎恩说，“但它绝不交换，什么价钱都不行！”

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" A shame." Her eyes lingered on the dragon

“真可惜。”她的目光停留在龙身上。

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" Then I'm afraid I cannot help you."

“那么恐怕我帮不了你们。”

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" Please!" Perda stepped forward." If you only knew why we've come here, you'd — "

“求你了！”佩尔达走上前去。“如果你知道我们来这里的原因，你就会——”

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" Never mind," Zann interrupted quickly

“算了。”扎恩迅速打断了她。

旁白 neutral

Even though the woman had warned them about the trolls, there was something about her that Zann didn't quite trust

尽管老妇人提醒过他们当心巨魔，扎恩还是觉得她身上有某种不太对劲的地方。

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" We'll figure out another way to disguise ourselves."

“我们自己再想个伪装的办法。”

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The old woman shrugged." Good luck to you then."

老妇人耸耸肩。“那就祝你们好运吧。”

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She turned her attention back to her pot

她把注意力又转回到了自己的锅上。

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Darb and the girls were already moving on, but Zann hesitated

达布和两个女孩已经继续往前走了，扎恩却犹豫了一下。

旁白 neutral

" So is it true?" he asked the woman." About the wormhole, I mean

“那么，那是真的吗？”他问老妇人。“我是说，关于虫洞的传闻。

旁白 neutral

Is there really a passage to other worlds near this tree?"

这棵树附近真的有一条通往其他世界的通道吗？”

旁白 neutral

" I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied

“我完全不知道你在说什么。”她回答道。

旁白 neutral

" Though I could try to find out. For a price, of course."

“不过我可以试着去打听。当然，得付出点代价。”

旁白 neutral

Zann frowned, suddenly certain that she knew much more about the wormhole than she was admitting

扎恩皱起眉头，突然确定她知道的虫洞内情远比承认的多。

旁白 neutral

" I'd ask my parents," he blurted out angrily," but they disappeared through a wormhole much like this one four years ago!"

“我倒是想问我父母，”他气愤地脱口而出，“可他们四年前就是穿过一个很像这样的虫洞消失的！”

旁白 neutral

He bit his lip, wishing he hadn't said that out loud

他咬住嘴唇，真希望没把这话说出口。

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Now the woman was studying his face curiously, a hint of recognition in her eyes. Or was that his imagination?

现在那女人正好奇地端详他的脸，眼中有一丝认出的神情。还是说那是他的想象？

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" Wait here," she commanded

“在这儿等着。”她命令道。

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She disappeared into her hut. Soon she was back, pressing a wad of fabric and a small glass vial into Zann's hands

她走进小屋不见了。很快她又出来了，把一团布料和一个小玻璃瓶塞进扎恩手里。

旁白 neutral

" Take these," she said." It's my gift to you as... as a visitor to Wormwood."

“拿着这些，”她说，“这是我送你的礼物，作为……作为来虫木的访客。”

旁白 neutral

She handed the items to Zann and then went back to stirring her pot

她把东西递给扎恩，然后又回去搅她的锅。

旁白 neutral

" Zann?" Perda called." What are you doing?"

“扎恩？”佩尔达喊道，“你在做什么？”

旁白 neutral

" That woman just gave me these." He hurried over to his friends and unfurled a couple of long, gauzy scarves while Gliss grabbed the vial and examined it

“那女人刚给了我这个。”他匆匆走到朋友们身边，展开几条长长的薄纱围巾，格莉丝则抓过瓶子查看。

旁白 neutral

" It's the disguise stuff!" she exclaimed." Why'd the woman change her mind?"

“是伪装用的东西！”她惊叫道，“那女人怎么改变主意了？”

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" Who knows, but I'm glad she did," Perda said

“谁知道呢，不过我挺高兴她改了。”佩尔达说。

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" I'll help you with your scarf, Zann."

“我帮你系围巾，扎恩。”

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While Perda fussed with Zann's hair, Gliss covered her freckles with the liquid from the vial

佩尔达忙着弄扎恩的头发，格莉丝则用瓶里的液体盖住了她的雀斑。

旁白 neutral

The whole time Zann couldn't help staring at the woman

自始至终扎恩都忍不住盯着那女人看。

旁白 neutral

What had it meant, that glimmer of recognition he'd seen after mentioning his parents?

他提到父母后看到的那丝认出之意，意味着什么？

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Could she possibly know something about what had happened to them?

她有没有可能知道他们遭遇了什么？

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" There!" Perda finished Zann's disguise." Now nobody will know you're a Red."

“好了！”佩尔达完成了扎恩的伪装，“现在没人会知道你是红发人了。”

旁白 neutral

" How do I look?" Gliss asked

“我看起来怎么样？”格莉丝问。

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Zann barely heard them. He wanted to walk over and demand to know what the woman knew

扎恩几乎没听见她们说话。他想走过去，逼问那女人到底知道什么。

旁白 neutral

But no matter how much he wanted to do that, he knew he couldn't

可不管他多想这么做，他知道自己不能。

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Not right now. Boz, his friends, and possibly all of Magica were relying on him

现在不行。波兹、他的朋友们，甚至可能整个魔奇卡都指望着他。

旁白 neutral

" Let's get moving," he said." It's still a long walk to the palace."

“我们走吧，”他说，“去王宫还有很长一段路。”