Whilst sitting on the cab on the way to the city centre, Gerald quietly observed the movements of Doctor Johnson, whom he noticed to have a strange way of glancing around him all the time, as if afraid of the sudden appearance of someone or something.
傑瑞德坐在計程車上偷偷地觀察強生醫生，他發現那個人有一個奇怪的動作，就是喜歡東張西望，似乎害怕某人或某樣東西會突然出現一般。
Suddenly, Gerald noticed that the cab passed his old home, and he quickly reacted, "Excuse me, sir, please stop the automobile, we've gone past my house!"
突然，傑瑞德注意到計程車已經開過了他以前的家，於是，他趕緊說：「先生，請您停一下車。已經過我家了呀！」
Neither the driver nor Doctor Johnson seemed to have heard him, Gerald was about to jump down from the automobile when Doctor Johnson grabbed his arm harshly and whispered sharply, "Zip it and come with me back to the circus or I'll beat you up."
當他發現司機和強生醫生都似乎沒有聽到他的話時，傑瑞德正準備跳車，突然強生醫生用力地抓住他的手臂，並小聲的說：「把你的嘴閉上，跟我一起回馬戲團，不然就走著瞧！」
Gerald's face turned pale, but he quickly shouted, "Help! Please help me, sir! This man here is trying to kidnap me!"
傑瑞德臉色頓時變得慘白，然而，他趕緊大叫：「救命呀！先生，請救救我！這個男人要綁架我呀！」
Immediately covering Gerald's mouth using his coarse hand, the so-called Doctor Johnson quickly explained to the cab driver, who had stopped the automobile after perceiving such a din, "Oh! He's just my son being naughty again, please do not mind him and drive on. He'll calm down in no time."
所謂的「強生醫生」馬上用手摀住了傑瑞德的嘴，並趕緊與已經把車子停下來的司機說：「噢！他只是我調皮的兒子又在無理取鬧了！別理會他，等會兒他就會冷靜下來的！」
Without warning, Gerald bit the hand of the man, leapt down from the cab and sprinted with all his might back to his old home.
心急了的傑瑞德不顧一切，狠狠地咬了那個男人的手指，從計程車上跳下來，用盡全力衝回家。
After reaching his home, he discovered that the door was not locked. Scared of the man chasing after him and anxious about his family, he pushed open the cumbersome door and tiptoed into the house. It was exactly the same as when he had left it three years ago, except that there were no more furniture to be found. The room was bare, and the wallpapers were beginning to peel off.
回到家後，他才赫然發現門竟没上鎖。害怕壞人會追上，也擔心家人的安危，傑瑞德推開了沈重的大門，墊著腳尖進入屋內。屋裏和他三年前離開時一模一樣，除了屋內完全沒有傢俱以外。整個房間空空蕩蕩的，壁紙也開始剝落了。
Just when he was wondering where his family could have gone, he perceived a small note on a table, the only piece of furniture in the room. After seeing his mother's handwriting, tears immediately swelled up in Gerald's eyes. The date written on the letter was one year ago, and Gerald could see clearly the dried marks of tears that had smudged the ink on the paper.
正當他開始感到疑惑時，他注意到房間裡唯一的傢俱～一張桌子上放著一張紙條。看見是媽媽的筆跡後，他的眼淚不禁流了下來。信上的日期是一年前，也可以清楚看到眼淚滴在紙上，將字弄模糊的痕跡。
"Dear Jerry, I am not sure whether you will read this letter or not, as I have written to you many times but you did not reply. However, in case you come back home and find that I am no longer here, this will be here for you. In fact, yesterday, a general came to our house and announced the tragic news that your father, who had been drafted into the army before you left, had been reported to be missing in action whilst in a cave. Therefore, I have decided to leave this house and move to the countryside to change a new environment. Here is my address if you would like to come and see me.........."
「親愛的傑瑞，我不確定妳是否會讀這封信，因為我寫了好幾封信給你，但你都沒有回。可是，如果你有一天你回來了發現媽媽已經不在這裡了時，至少這封信還會在這裡。其實，昨天，有一個軍官來訪我們家，通知我說你爸爸在軍隊裏進行任務時失蹤了。於是，我決定離開這個會喚起傷心回憶的家，搬去鄉下住，換個新環境。這是我的地址：⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯」
Abruptly, Gerald perceived a small sound coming from behind him, he quickly hid behind the staircase, which had been his favourite place when he used to play hide and seek with his mother in the good old times. After peering out from his hiding place, he was horrified to discover that the stranger had appeared at the door. "Yoohoo, Anderson! Where are you? Don't be afraid! I was only joking to you! Now I am serious! If you don't come out, your mummy's going to be worried!"
突然，傑瑞德聽到身後有聲音，他趕緊躲到樓梯後面，從那裡往外看。他赫然發現出現在門口的竟是那個壞人！「哈嘍，安德森。你在哪兒啊？我剛剛只是跟你開開玩笑兒！現在我就是認真的了～你再不出來媽媽會擔心唷！」
Only after reading the letter from his mother, did he realise that this man was a total fraud. In fact, he was a ruthless ringmaster, who had recently been looking for a little boy, whom he could kidnap to his circus and train him as a clown, so he wouldn't have spend money to hire one.
讀完了媽媽的信，傑瑞德才恍然大悟到這個人根本就是個大騙子。事實上，他是一個馬戲團團長，最近在尋找小男孩，綁架到他的馬戲團去當免佣金的小丑。
Gerald ran upstairs and hid in an empty wardrobe. He could hear his own heart thumping like drums as the sound of the ringmaster 's footsteps got closer and closer.....
傑瑞德跑上樓梯，躱在衣櫥裏。馬戲團團長的腳步聲慢慢逼近⋯⋯
~To be Continued ~
～待續～
No comments:
Post a Comment