023 阶下囚！

旁白 neutral

" Let us out!" Zann pounded on the door

“放我们出去！”Zann 猛敲着门。

旁白 neutral

" You can't hold us prisoner — we didn't do anything wrong!"

“你不能囚禁我们——我们什么也没做错！”

旁白 neutral

Zing sensed the frustration in his master's voice

Zing 感知到主人声音里的沮丧。

旁白 neutral

Leaping forward, the dragon tried to burn a hole in the door

向前一跃，龙试图在门上烧出一个洞。

旁白 neutral

Suddenly — zap! Zing disappeared!

突然——唰！Zing 消失了！

旁白 neutral

" No!" Darb cried." What happened to Zing?"

“不！”Darb 喊道。“Zing 怎么了？”

旁白 neutral

" It's okay," Yog called from out in the hallway." I'll look after him."

“没关系，”Yog 从走廊外喊道。“我会照顾他。”

旁白 neutral

" Let us out!" Gliss cried

“放我们出去！”Gliss 喊道。

旁白 neutral

The only answer was the sound of footsteps hurrying away

唯一的回答是匆忙离去的脚步声。

旁白 neutral

Perda kicked the door." This is horrible!" she exclaimed

Perda 踢了一下门。“太可怕了！”她喊道。

旁白 neutral

" I know." Zann clenched his fists." I say we test that Shield spell

“我知道。”赞恩握紧拳头，“我提议，我们来试试那个护盾咒。

旁白 neutral

I bet if we all focus our energy together, we can beat the spell."

我敢打赌，如果我们集中所有人的能量，就能打破那个咒语。”

旁白 neutral

" No!" Gliss looked alarmed." If we use magic, Morb will know exactly where we are! He got into the palace before."

“不行！”格丽丝一脸惊慌，“如果我们使用魔法，莫布马上就会知道我们在哪！他之前就闯进过宫殿。”

旁白 neutral

Darb nodded." Besides, that Shield spell was probably installed by skilled Magic Masters."

达布点点头，“而且，那个护盾咒很可能是技艺高超的魔法大师设下的。”

旁白 neutral

" And we're just a bunch of kids," Perda added." It's not worth the risk."

“而我们只是一群孩子，”珀达补充道，“不值得冒这个险。”

旁白 neutral

Zann frowned, ready to argue, but he realized his friends were right

赞恩皱起眉头，正准备争辩，但他意识到朋友们是对的。

旁白 neutral

" Okay," he said." But zapping can't be the only way to get out of a room

“好吧，”他说，“但瞬移不可能是离开房间的唯一办法。

旁白 neutral

Let's see if we can figure out another way to escape."

我们看看能不能想出别的逃脱方法。”

旁白 neutral

" What's the point?" Gliss sighed." Like Perda said, we're just a bunch of kids

“有什么意义呢？”格丽丝叹了口气，“就像珀达说的，我们只是一群孩子。

旁白 neutral

We can't possibly beat someone as powerful as Morb."

我们不可能打败像莫布那么强大的对手。”

旁白 neutral

" We can't do anything while we're trapped in here," Zann said

"我们被困在这里什么也做不了，"赞说。

旁白 neutral

" If the people at the palace don't want to help us, we need to find someone who will

"既然王宫里的人不愿意帮我们，我们就得找愿意帮忙的人。

旁白 neutral

I still remember where a few of Boz's powerful Magic Master friends live, including his best friend, Teplo

我还记得伯兹几位厉害的魔法大师朋友住在哪里，包括他最好的朋友泰普洛。

旁白 neutral

Maybe some of them have managed to avoid being caught by the trolls

也许他们中有人设法躲过了巨魔的抓捕。

旁白 neutral

If we find Boz's friends and tell them what we've learned, they might know what to do."

如果我们找到伯兹的朋友，告诉他们我们了解到的情况，他们可能知道该怎么做。"

旁白 neutral

Perda looked hopeful." That sounds like a good plan," she said

佩尔达显得充满希望。"这听起来是个好计划，"她说。

旁白 neutral

" It's too bad that Slib took Boz's diary though. We might need it."

"不过斯利布拿走了伯兹的日记，这可不太好。我们可能会需要它。"

旁白 neutral

Zann shrugged." I remember most of what was in there

赞耸耸肩。"里面大部分内容我都记得。

旁白 neutral

Come on. Let's figure out how to escape."

来吧，我们想办法逃出去。"

旁白 neutral

The kids spent the next few minutes searching for an exit

接下来的几分钟，孩子们四处寻找出口。

旁白 neutral

First they tested the main door. But it was thick, solid wood, and the lock was strong

他们先试了试正门。但门是厚实的实木做的，锁也很牢固。

旁白 neutral

There were only two other doors in the room, and they just led to the bedrooms

房间里只有另外两扇门，而且只通向卧室。

旁白 neutral

The windows behind the elegant curtains were crisscrossed with strong iron bars

雅致窗帘后面的窗户上，纵横交错地钉着坚固的铁条。

旁白 neutral

And the air vents were too small to offer escape

通风口又太小，根本没法用来逃跑。

旁白 neutral

" It's no use," Perda said at last." We're trapped."

“没用的，”珀达最后说道，“我们被困住了。”

旁白 neutral

Gliss collapsed onto a velvet sofa." At least we're trapped in a nice place

格丽丝瘫倒在天鹅绒沙发上。“至少我们被困在一个不错的地方。

旁白 neutral

Probably a lot nicer than wherever Morb is keeping his prisoners."

大概比莫布关押其他囚犯的地方要好得多。”

旁白 neutral

Morb waved a hand to light another torch on the wall of the large, gloomy underground room

莫布一挥手，点亮了这间阴森空旷地下室里墙上另一支火把。

旁白 neutral

It was dark, and the ancient texts were difficult to read

四周很暗，那些古老的文字很难辨认。

旁白 neutral

He leaned closer to the dusty old book, studying the scrawled lines on the page

他凑近那本布满灰尘的旧书，仔细研究着书页上潦草的字迹。

旁白 neutral

Then he glanced across the room at his newest contraption: a menacing creation built of bones, wire, and other various objects

然后，他瞥向房间另一头，看向自己最新发明的装置——一个用骨头、金属丝等各种物件拼凑而成的凶险造物。

旁白 neutral

It hadn't been easy to get some of those things, even with his new power

即便有了新的力量，要弄到其中一些东西也并不容易。

旁白 neutral

But the magical device was almost ready

但这台魔法装置已经差不多准备好了。

旁白 neutral

A few more items, a touch of magical energy, and all of Magica would be forced to bow before him

只需再添几样东西，注入一丝魔力，整个魔法大陆都将被迫臣服于他。

旁白 neutral

Hearing footsteps, he turned. The old woman had arrived

听到脚步声，他转过身。那个老妇人已经到了。

旁白 neutral

Morb's amber eyes went immediately to the large, lumpy sack she was holding

莫布琥珀色的眼睛立刻盯向她手中那个鼓鼓囊囊的大袋子。

旁白 neutral

" You're late. Are those the paralyzer pythons from Fardark?"

“你迟到了。那些是法达克的麻痹蟒蛇吗？”

旁白 neutral

" Yes." She lifted the writhing, hissing sack

“是的。”她举起那个扭动不止、嘶嘶作响的袋子。

旁白 neutral

" Acquiring them involved great trouble and risk."

“弄到它们可费了好大周折，冒了很大风险。”

旁白 neutral

" Give them to me," he ordered, striding forward and grabbing the sack

“给我。”他命令道，大步上前，一把抓过袋子。

旁白 neutral

She stared at him." What need do you have for such creatures?" she asked

她盯着他。"你要这种生物做什么？"她问道。

旁白 neutral

" Their magic is unpredictable and can be deadly."

"它们的魔法难以预测，而且可能致命。"

旁白 neutral

" Don't question me." Morb tossed the sack into a corner

"别质疑我。"莫布把袋子扔到角落。

旁白 neutral

He would add the pythons to his contraption after the woman left

等这女人走后，他就会把蟒蛇加进他的装置里。

旁白 neutral

He didn't want anyone else to know how the thing was constructed, least of all an old busybody like her

他不想让任何人知道这东西是怎么造的，尤其不想让她这种多管闲事的老太婆知道。

旁白 neutral

She was still frowning." I've done all you asked of me," she said

她依然皱着眉头。"你要我做的我都做了，"她说。

旁白 neutral

" My debt to you is repaid twice over. This will be the last time I help you."

"我欠你的情已经加倍还了。这是我最后一次帮你。"

旁白 neutral

" Not so fast," Morb said." I still need a few things that only you can get."

"别急着走，"莫布说。"我还需要几样只有你才能弄到的东西。"

旁白 neutral

Glaring at him, she stretched to her full height." And if I refuse?"

她瞪着他，挺直了身子。"要是我不答应呢？"

旁白 neutral

Morb shrugged." If you refuse, I will be forced to tell everyone your unpleasant secrets." He smirked

莫布耸耸肩。"你要是拒绝，我就只好把你不光彩的秘密全都说出去。"他露出了得意的冷笑。

旁白 neutral

" Besides, if you wish to remain in Magica, you shouldn't anger me, Wyssa

"再说了，维萨，你要是想继续待在魔法界，就不该惹我生气。"

旁白 neutral

My power grows with every passing day."

"我的力量与日俱增。"

旁白 neutral

To demonstrate, he touched his fingers lightly together

为了示范，他轻轻碰了碰手指。

旁白 neutral

Sparks flew everywhere from the slight friction, bouncing off the walls and turning the room into a fireworks display

微小的摩擦便让火花四溅，从墙上弹开，把房间变得像放烟花一样。

旁白 neutral

The old woman ducked as a spark lit her skirt on fire

一个火星点燃了她的裙子，老妇人赶紧躲闪。

旁白 neutral

Morb smiled as he felt energy surge through him

莫布感受到能量在体内涌动，露出了微笑。

旁白 neutral

Capturing Boz and some of the other Magic Masters had given him a taste of true power

抓住伯兹和其他几名魔法大师，让他尝到了真正力量的滋味。

旁白 neutral

The king and queen had increased his strength even more

国王和王后又让他变得更强了。

旁白 neutral

" Impressive display, Morb." The old woman calmly touched the flames on her dress to put them out

"很精彩的表演，莫布。"老妇人镇定地用手拍灭裙子上的火苗。

旁白 neutral

" But don't forget that the power you steal through the leeches is temporary."

"不过别忘了，你靠吸血虫偷来的力量只是暂时的。"

旁白 neutral

Morb's eyes shifted toward his contraption

莫布的目光转向了他的装置。

旁白 neutral

True, the leeches couldn't keep him strong forever

的确，吸血虫无法让他永远强大下去。

旁白 neutral

But soon he wouldn't need their temporary magic anymore

但很快，他就不再需要它们那暂时的魔法了。

旁白 neutral

Suddenly he couldn't wait to get back to work on his project

突然之间，他迫不及待地想回去继续他的计划。

旁白 neutral

It was time to finish it and seize his destiny

是时候把它完成，并抓住属于他的命运了。

旁白 neutral

The trolls would just have to manage without him for the next day or two

接下来一两天，就让那些巨怪自己想办法吧。

旁白 neutral

" It is time for you to go, old woman," he told Wyssa." I have much to do."

"你该走了，老太婆，"他对维萨说。"我还有很多事要做。"