8第八篇TheMaskedCleaningLadiesSavetheDay《蒙面清洁女工反败为胜》1‘let’stryth
esongoncemore,yourMajesty,’saidBillytheButler.“我们试着把歌再唱
一遍，陛下”男管家比利说。‘Right,’saidQueenNorah.Shesang,‘We’regoingt
owinthecup.We’regoingtowinthecup.Oohahtheaddio,we’r
egoingtowinthecup.Howwasthat?’“好的”诺拉皇后说。她唱道：“我们将要赢得奖杯，我们
将要赢得奖杯，哦啊，再见（意见大利语），我们将要赢得奖杯。怎么样？”‘Muchbetter,yourMajesty,’
sighedBilly.‘Butdotryto…’“好多了，陛下”比利叹了口气说。“不过，一定要试着……”‘Tryt
owhat?’snappedQueenNorah.“试着什么？”诺拉皇后厉声说。‘Well,’saidBilly.
‘Itwouldhelpifyousoundedalittlehappier.’“嗯……”比利说。“如果你的声音听
起来高兴点儿会很有用的。”‘It’sthissong,’saidQueenNorah.‘It’sgotsuchs
illywords.ButourfootballteamisinthecupfinalandIreall
ymustlearnit.’“问题是这首歌”，诺拉皇后说，“歌词写的太没劲了，但是我们的球队进入了决赛，我真的必须学会它”。
KingHarrywalkedin.哈瑞王走了进来。‘Doyouthinkwewillwin,dear?’“你
觉得我们会赢吗？亲爱的”‘Ofcoursewewill,’saidQueenNorah.“我们当然会赢”诺拉皇后说。
‘Yesdear,’saidKingHarry.‘ButtheCarrotCastleteamaresuch
cheats,especiallykingCharles,themanager.’“是的，亲爱的”，哈瑞王说，“只是胡
罗卜城堡队都是十足的骗子，尤其是他们的经理（领队），查尔斯国王”。Atthatmoment,CaptainJonesma
rchedin.‘I’vejusthadamessagefromKingCharlesatCarrotCa
stle.Heisverykeentoknowwhatcolourshirtsourteamwillbe
wearing.’说话间，琼斯上尉大步走了进来。“我刚从胡罗卜城堡队的查尔斯国王那里得到一个消息，他非常想知道我们队穿什么颜色的
球服”‘Green,Ithink,’saidKingHarry.‘Andhislotcanplayinre
d.HasanyoneseenPrincessJane?Iamgoingtorunatrainingse
ssionforherafterbreakfast.’“我想应该是绿色的”哈瑞王说，“他那拔人可以穿红色的，谁见到简公主了
？我准备吃过早饭给她上训练课呢”CaptainJonesgiggled.琼斯上尉咯咯地笑了起来。‘Andwhat’sso
funny?’askedtheKing.‘InmyyoungerdaysIwasknownastheWi
zardoftheDribble.’“有什么好笑的？”哈瑞王问。“我年轻的时候，被称为运球奇才。”‘That,’said
QueenNorah,‘wasbecauseyoucouldn’teatricepuddingwithoutp
uttingmostofitdownyoushirt.’“那个，”诺拉皇后说，“是因为你吃大米布丁把大部分都掉到衬衣上
了。”Therewasacrashofbrokenglassfromthehall.大厅里传来的了打碎玻璃的声
音。‘Sorry,’calledPrincessJane.Shecameincarryingafootball.
‘Imissedmykick.’“对不起，”简公主说着。她拿着一个足球进来了。“我球踢歪了。”‘Ah,Jane,’sai
dQueenNorah.‘Iwaswatchingyouintrainingyesterday.Youdid
n’tplaywellatall.Don’tforgetyouaretheteamcaptain.SoI
havetoldoneofthebesttrainersinthecountrytogiveyouso
mehelp.’“呃，简……”诺拉皇后说“昨天训练时我就在看着你，你踢的一点儿都不好，别忘了，你是队长，因此我叫了国内最好的教练
来帮你。”KingHarrybluseded.‘I’mnotquitethatgood.’哈瑞王脸红了（以为王后说的
是他）：“我没那么好。”‘Notyou,youtwit,’saidQueenNorah.‘MrGoal.’“说的不
是你，你这蠢货”诺拉皇后说。“格尔先生”。（MrGoal与missedagoal发音接近‘Missedagoal?’s
aidKingHarry.‘Don’tyoumean“scoredagoal”?’“错过了一个进球？”哈瑞王说“你
说的难道不是进了一球？”‘Whatareyoutalkingabout?’criedQueenNorah.‘Tha
t’shisname.MrJasonGoal.He’scomingherethismorning.Imus
tdash.Ihavetotryonmynewfootballfan?soutfit.’“你说的都是什么呀？
”诺拉皇后气得大叫“那是他的名字，杰森.格尔先生，他今天早上就往这儿来了，我得赶紧走了，我得去试试我的足球迷的行头了”TheQ
ueenrushedoff.皇后匆忙离开了。2Thediningroomfellsilent.餐厅陷入一片沉寂。
‘What’sthematter,dear?’saidKingHarry.“怎么了，亲爱的？”哈瑞王问Prince
ss?Jane?let?out?a?great?long?sigh.?简公主长长地叹了一口气。‘Mum’s?right.?I’m?
not?playing?very?well.?I’m?supposed?to?score?goals.?At?the?moment
?I?couldn’t?score?against?a?mouse.’“妈妈说的对，我踢得一点都不好，我本应该进球的。此刻，哪怕跟
老鼠踢，我也进不了球。”‘On?you?head,?Jane,’called?King?Harry?and?he?threw?th
e?ball?at?the?Princess.?She?jumped?at?the?ball.?The?ball?bounced?
off?her?shoulder?into?the?marmalade.“用头顶球”，哈瑞王大喊着把球扔向公主。她跳起接球，球从她
肩膀弹到橘子酱上。‘See?what?I?mean?’?she?said?sadly.?“知道我说的什么意思了吧”简公主难过的说。
‘Never?mind,’?said?King?Harry.‘By?the?time?you’ve?put?your?kit?on
,?Mr?Goal?will?be?here.?You’ll?soon?be?scoring?dozens?of?goals.?
But?now?it’s?time?forus?to?get?to?work.’“不要紧，”哈瑞王说，“等你把球衣穿好，格尔教
练就到了，你很快就能进几十个球了。但是现在，我们得干活了。”King?Harry,?Captain?Smith?and?Capta
in?Jones?loved?doing?housework.?Queen?Norahthought?that?housewo
rk?was?a?job?for?cleaners,?not?captains?and?kings.So?once?a?week
?the?three?men?disguised?themselves?as?the?Masked?Cleaning?Ladies
?of?Om.哈瑞王、史密斯上尉、琼斯上尉都非常爱做家务，诺拉皇后认为那是清洁工，而不是上尉和国王应该干的。因此每星期一次，这三个
人把他们自己伪装成来自奥姆（地名）的戴面具的清洁女工。King?Harry?and?his?two?captains?raced?
out?of?the?dining?room.?Minutes?later,?dusters?in?hands,?and?dres
sed?as?the?famous?cleaning?ladies,?they?were?at?work?tidying?the?
castle.?哈瑞王和他的两个上尉飞奔出餐厅，几分钟以后，他们拿着掸子，装扮成著名的清洁女工，他们干起打扫城堡的活儿。King?
Harry?and?Captain?Jones?were?polishing?the?cannons?when?they?saw?
a?man?walking?towards?the?castle.?哈瑞王和琼斯上尉在擦拭大炮，这时他们看到一个男人朝城堡走来。‘
That?must?be?Mr?Goal,’?said?Captain?Jones.“那一定是格尔先生”，琼斯上尉说Just?as
?Mr?Goal?reached?the?drawbridge?another?man?jumped?out?of?the?bus
hes.?He?began?talking?with?Mr?Goal.?格尔先生刚走到吊桥，另一个男人从灌木丛中跳了出来。他开始和
格尔先生交谈了起来。‘Waitaminute,’saidKingHarry.‘It’sKingCharlesof
CarrotCastle.’“等等”哈瑞王说“是胡罗卜城堡的查尔斯国王”.KingCharlesspoketoMrG
oalandthenwalkedaway.查尔斯国王和格尔先生谈了会儿就走开了。‘Whatdidhewant?’a
skedCaptainJones.“他想要干什么？”琼斯上尉问道‘There’ssomethingfunnygoing
on.We’dbetterkeepaneyeonhim,’saidKingHarry.“这事有些怪怪的。我
们得盯着他点”哈瑞王说.KingHarryandthetwocaptainscleanedaroundtheca
stlefortherestofthemorning.Buttheymadesurethatoneof
themwasalwayswatchingPrincessJaneMrGoal.哈瑞王和和两个上尉在早上的其他时间
，沿着城堡的周围打扫着。但是他们始终确保他们中有一个人一直在盯着简公主和格尔先生。Thethreecleanersstopp
edforacupofteainthekitchen.三个清洁工停下来去厨房喝茶。‘Well,’saidKin
gHarry.‘Theredoesn’tseemtobeanythingfunnygoingon.’“嗯”哈瑞王
说“似乎没有怪事发生”‘IsawthePrincessputtheballinthenetdozensof
times,’saidCaptainJones.“我看到简公主把球踢进球门网几十次”琼斯上尉说。‘Shewashead
ingtheballperfectlywhenIwentby,’saidCaptainSmith.“我从旁边
过的时候，她头顶球顶得好好的”史密斯上尉说。‘There’snothingtoworryabout,’saidKing
Harry.‘Nowperhapswecantacklethegrimeroundthecooker.’“没
什么可担心的”哈瑞王说，“也许，现在我们可以清除灶具旁边的污垢了”。PrincessJanestuckherheadro
undthedoor.简公主从门边伸出头来。‘Howarethingsgoing,dear?’askedKing
Harry.“事情进展的怎么样了，亲爱的”哈瑞王问。‘Brilliantly,’saidPrincessJane.‘I
’veneverplayedbetter.I’vejustpoppedeintosaythatwe’reh
avingonelasttrainingsession.Wewillbeinthelibrary.MrGo
alsaysthathedoesnotwantanyonetocomein.’“棒极了”，简公主说，“我从来没
有踢得这么好过，我顺便过来是要跟你们说一声，我们在进行最后一次训练课，我们将在图书馆上课，格尔先生说他不希望任何人进来。”She
wasgoneinaflash.她一转眼走开了。‘Thatsoundsabitoddtome,’said
CaptainJones.“听上去有点怪怪的”琼斯上尉说。‘Veryodd,’agreedCaptainSmith.“
非常奇怪”史密斯上尉也这么说。‘Ithinkthatit’stimetopolishthebrass,’said
KingHarry.“我觉得是时候去擦铜器了”哈瑞王说。‘Thebrassnexttothelibrary?’s
aidCaptainsSmithandJones.“图书馆旁边的铜器？”琼斯上尉和史密斯上尉问。‘Ofcourse,’
saidKingHarry.“当然了”哈瑞王说道。‘Well,’whisperedKingHarry,‘whatc
anyousee?’“呃”哈瑞王低声地说“你都看到什么了？”CaptainJoneswaspeeringthrough
thekeyhole.琼斯上尉正从钥匙孔里往里窥视。‘Theyaresittingfacingeachother,’
hesaid.“他们正面对面坐着”他说。‘Yes.Yes,’saidKingHarry.“嗯，嗯”哈瑞王说。‘No
wMrGoalisswingingawatchonachain,backwardsandforwards,
’saidCaptainJones.“现在，格尔先生正在来来回回地晃动着怀表，”琼斯上尉说‘He’stellingthe
Princessaboutlast-minutegoals,’saidCaptainSmith.“他在给简公主讲最
后时刻进球的事”史密斯上尉说‘Nohe’snot,’gaspedCaptainJones.‘Heishypnoti
zingPrincessJane.’“不，不是，”琼斯上尉喘着气说“他在给简公主施催眠术”‘Iwonderwhy?’sa
idKingHarry.“我想知道为什么”哈瑞王问‘Tohelpherremembertactics,’said
CaptainSmith.“去帮她记住战术。”史密斯上尉说。‘Istilldon’tlikeit,’saidKin
gHarry.“我还是不喜欢这样”哈瑞王说。3PrincessJanedancedintothekitchen.简
公主手舞足蹈地走进厨房。‘He’sgone.’“他走了”‘Howdoyoufeel?’askedKingHarry.
“你感觉怎么样？”哈瑞王问。‘Brilliant,’saidPrincessJane.‘Ifeelreadyto
scoreloadsofgoals.’“棒极了”简公主说，“我已经准备好进好多好多球了。”‘Jollygood,’sai
dCaptainSmith.“很好”?史密斯上尉说。‘Imustgoandworkonmypenaltyki
cks,’saidPrincessJane.‘Bytheway,CaptainSmith,Iloveyou
newoverall.’“我得去练习点球了”简公主说，“顺便说一下，史密斯上尉，我很喜欢你的新罩衫”‘Thankyou,P
rincess.’“谢谢你，公主”‘Greenreallysuitsyou,’laughedtheprincessa
ssheranofftothegarden.“绿色非常适合你”她笑着跑向了花园。Thethreecleaners
lookedateachother.三个清洁工面面相觑。‘Green!’theysaidtogether.“绿色！”
他们异口同声地说。‘Butmyoverall’sred,’saidCaptainSmith.“可是我的工装是红色的呀
”史密斯上尉说。‘It’sthatMr.Goal,’roaredCaptainJanes.‘He’shypnoti
zedhertothinkthatredisgreen.’“是格尔先生干的好事”琼斯上尉吼道，“他催眠了她，让她把红
色看成绿色”‘Whydoeshewanthertothinkthat?’askedKingHarry.“为什么
他要她这么想呢”哈瑞王问。‘Because,’gaspedCaptainJanes,’CarrotCastlearep
layinginred.IfthePrincessthinksthatredisgreenshewill
passtotheCarrotCastleteaminsteadofours.’“因为，”琼斯上尉喘着气说，“胡罗
卜城堡队比赛时穿红色球服，如果简公主把红色看成绿色，她就会把球传给胡罗卜城堡队而不是我们自己队。”‘Sothat’swhyK
ingCharleswastalkingtoMr.Goal,’saidKingHarry.“这就是为什么查尔斯
国王要和格尔先生谈话了”哈瑞王说。‘Can’twesnapheroutofit?’askedCaptainSmi
th.‘Can’twethrowabucketofwateroverher?’“我们不能让梦醒过来吗？”史密斯上
尉问.“我们能不能给她泼一桶水？”‘No,’saidKingHarry.?Thatcouldbedangerous.
Ihaveabetteridea.FollowmetoCarrotCastle.’“不行”哈瑞王说“那样太危险
了，我有更好的主意，跟着我到胡罗卜城堡去”TheMaskedCleaningLadiesstoppedoutsidet
hekitchenofCarrotCastle.Mrs.Jumpkinswaspeggingouttheca
rrotCastleredfootballshirts.Thecleaningladiesgotoffthei
rhorses.Theypretendedtolookattheshirts.戴面具的清洁女工们在胡罗卜城堡的厨
房外停了下来。加姆金夫人正在晾晒胡罗卜城堡队的红色球队。清洁女工们从马上下来，假装去看球服。‘Ohdear,’saidKin
gHarry.“哦天呐”哈瑞王说。‘Ohdear,ohdear,’addedCaptainJonesandCa
ptainSmith.“哦天呐，哦天呐，”琼斯上尉和史密斯上尉补充道。‘What’sthematter?’askedMr
s.Jumpkins.“怎么了？”加姆金夫人问。‘Whenareyougoingtowashtheseshirts
?’askedCaptainSmith.“你们准备什么时候洗这些衣服”史密斯上尉问。‘Whatdoyoumean?’
snappedMrs.Jumpkins.‘I’mjustputtingthemouttodry.’“你什么意思
？”加姆金夫人不耐烦地说道，“我正在把它们晒干”‘Youcallthisclean?’saidCaptainJone
s.“你说这干净？”琼斯上尉说。‘YesIdo,’saidMrs.Jumpkins.“就是。”?加姆金夫人说。‘It
’sthedungeonforyouthen,’saidKingHarry.“那么你该被关进土牢。”哈瑞王说。‘
Dungeon?’saidMrs.Jumpkins.’What’sthedungeongottodowithm
e?’“土牢?”加姆金夫人说。“土牢和我有什么关系啊？”‘That’swherethelastwasherwomanen
dedup,’saidCaptainSmith.‘Andshehandedinshirtscleanerth
anthis.’“那是上一个洗衣女工最后待的地方。”史密斯上尉说。“并且她交上去的衣服比你洗的还干净呢。”‘Ohmy,’mo
anedMrs.Jumpkins.‘Ihaven’tgothetimetodothemagain.The
teamareplayinginthecupfinalthisafternoon.’“我的天哪，”加姆金夫人呻吟道
。“我可没时间再洗一遍了，球队今天下午就要进行决赛了。”‘Leaveittous,’saidKingHarry.‘W
ecanwash,dryandirontheseshirtsinhalfanhour.’“交给我们吧。”哈瑞
王说，“我们可以在半个小时内洗净、晾干、熨烫好它”HalfanhourlatertheKinghandedapar
celtoMrs.Jumpkins.半小时后，国王递给加姆金夫人一个包裹。‘Thereyouare.Alldone.
Nowwhateveryoudo,don’ttakethekitoutofthebaguntilthe
teamarereadytoplay.Thentheshirtswilllookperfect.’“给你。一
切完毕。不管你做什么，在球队准备好比赛前不要泄密，那时，球服看上去完美极了。”Thetworoyalfamiliestoo
ktheirplacessidebysideinroyalbox.QueenNorahlookedamaz
inginhernewfootballfan’soutfit.Sheevenhadahatinthes
hapeofafootballpitch.两个王室在御用包厢里并排就座。诺拉皇后穿着球迷服看上去棒极了。她甚至戴了顶足球场
形状的帽子。Thecrowdcheeredasthetwoteamsranoutontothepitch.
两队跑向球场时，观众欢呼起来。PrincessJane’steamwasinredandCarrotCastle
wasingreen.简公主的球队穿红色球服，胡罗卜城堡队穿绿色球服。‘Waitaminute,’gaspedKing
Charles.‘Theteamshavegotthewrongshirts.CarrotCastleare
supposedtobeinred.’“等等，”查尔斯国王说，“球队穿错衬衣了，胡罗卜城堡队应该穿红色的”‘Surely
,’saidKingHarry,‘itdoesn’tmatterwhatcolourstheyplayin?
Theymustbedifferentcolours,that’sall。’“当然，”哈瑞王说，“他们穿什么颜色的衣服参加比赛有什么关系？他们只要颜色不同就行了。”KingCharlesputhisheadinhishandsandgroaned.查尔斯国王双手抱着头嘟嚷着。‘Sixnil.Sixnil.Sixnil,’chantedQueenNorah.‘Ohwelldone!’“六比零，六比零，六比零”诺拉皇后反复的吟唱喊道，“干得漂亮！”‘Wearesoproudofyou,Jane,’laughedKingHarry.‘Scoringallsixgoals.’“我们都为你骄傲，简”哈瑞王说“你踢进了所有的六个球”‘It’sallthankstoMr.Goal,mytrainer,’saidJane.‘Imustshowhimthecup.’“这都要感谢格尔先生，我的教练”简说。“我必须让他看一下奖杯”‘Nottoddy,’saidQueenNorah.‘Itisfartoodirty.Nobodycanseethecupuntilthosecleaningladieshavegivenitaproperpolish.’“今天不行，”诺拉皇后说，“他实在太脏了，得先让清洁女工好好地把它擦一擦，才能展示给人们看”‘Yesdear,’saidKingHarry.‘I’ll-Imean-they’llseetoitnexttimetheycome.’“好的，亲爱的”哈瑞王说，“我会，我是说，他们下次来的时候会看到它”。整理不易且看且珍惜且看且珍惜整理不易且看且珍惜整理不易且看且珍惜<7/7> |
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