《神奇树屋》 第三十七册 Dragon of the Red Dawn 10 Journey of a Thousand Miles

　　Jack¹ couldn't speak.

"Our passports?" said Annie. "They -- um -- theygot destroyed in a fire-on the other side of the GreatBridge."The samurai narrowed his eyes. "Your passportsburned?"he said. "Why were you on the other side of theGreat Bridge?""We were with Master Basho," said Jack.

"Master Basho?" said the samurai.

"Yes," said Annie. "We are students of his.""Ah!" The samurai's expression brightened.

107"So you study poetry with Master Basho?""Yes," said Annie. "Would you like to hear somepoems?"Oh, no!

thought Jack.

Not again!

"Yes, please," said the samurai.

"No problem." Annie thought for a moment andthen said: "Here's a simple little poem." She recited:

Rain falls outside,But the tiny cricket on the hearthIs dry tonight.

The samurai nodded. "Hmm," he said. "Yes. Verysimple, but very lovely.""Thank you," said Annie.

The man turned to Jack. Jack could hardly breathe.

His mind was blank. He looked to Annie for help. ButAnnie just smiled, waiting to hear his poem.

Jack cleared his throat. He tried to stay calm. Heclosed his eyes and let his mind roam108over their visit to Japan. He opened his eyes. Helooked up at the cloudless sky and said:

The sun is shining,The day is hot.

But moonlightAnd cool breezesStill fill my heart,Left over from last night.

"Whoa!" whispered Annie. "Good!""Yes, very good!" said the samurai. He looked at thesky. "The moonlight, the cool breeze," he mused², "leftover³ from the night. Very good. Master Basho hastaught you well!"The samurai strolled away, shaking his head andmurmuring to himself. He let out a happy laugh, as ifdelighted with the day.

Jack couldn't believe it. They were free! "Hurry, let'sgo," he said. "Before someoneelsesees us!"Jack and Annie ran to the rope ladder and109started up. As soon as they climbed inside the treehouse, Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book. He founda picture of the Frog Creek⁴ woods. "As the famoussamurai once said, `A journey of a thousand milesbegins with one step,"' said Jack.

"Or onesentence,"said Annie.

"Right," said Jack. He pointed⁵ at the picture. "I wishwe could go home."Annie gasped⁶. "Wait a minute!" she said. "We forgotour mission!""What?" said Jack.

But the wind started to blow.

The tree house started to spin.

It spun⁷ faster and faster.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

***The early-morning air was cold.

Jack and Annie were back in Frog Creek,110wearing their own clothes. Jack's burlap bag was abackpack again. He looked inside to make sure theWand of Dianthus was there. It was. And Basho'sfrog poem was there, too.

"I can't believe it!" said Annie. "We didn't look for asecret of happiness for Merlin. How could we forgetthat?""Oh, man," said Jack. "We were so busy worryingabout the samurai and putting out the fire that weforgot our mission.""What will Morgan say?" said Annie. "We'veneverforgotten a mission before! And this one was themost important we've ever had! To help save Merlin!"Annie was near tears.

"Wait, wait. Calm down," said Jack. "Let's think aminute. Maybe we actually found a secret ofhappiness. Maybe we just don't know we found it.""You mean, like-were weextrahappy at any time?" asked Annie.

"Yeah, sort of," said Jack. "Were we?"111"I don't know, were you?" said Annie.

"I think a few times ... ," said Jack.

"Like when?" said Annie.

"Like when we were crossing the Great Bridge withBasho, I felt sort of happy then," said Jack.

"Me too," said Annie. "And I was pretty happyeating sushi.""Yeah, but I got scared when I saw the samuraiwatching me," said Jack.

"What about the sumo-wrestling match?" askedAnnie.

"That was fun," said Jack. "But I don't know if itreally made mehappy.""Riding the dragon and putting out the fire?" saidAnnie.

"That was great," said Jack. "But I was too worriedabout saving the city to be happy.""Making up poems for the samurai?" said Annie.

"Too nervous," said Jack.

112"Well, when were youpurelyhappy?" said Annie.

"I think it was when ..." Jack stopped. He felt sillysaying what he was about to say.

"Go ahead," said Annie.

"I think it was when I was lying on the mat inBasho's house," said Jack, "and I touched that littlepatch of moonlight on the floor and I listened to thebanana leaves in the wind.""Oh, yes!" said Annie. "Before we fell asleep, and Iheard the cricket and I felt like I was a cricket myselfgoing to sleep in a cozy⁸ place.""Yeah, like that," said Jack.

"It's like what Basho said about finding beauty inthe small things of nature," said Annie, "like his poemabout that frog splashing in the water.""I think that's it!" said Jack. "A secret of happiness ispaying really close attention to the small things innature."113"Wow," said Annie. "I think that's a great secret toshare with Merlin.""It is," said Jack, "and Basho's poem will help Merlinunderstand.""Right," said Annie.

"Let's go," said Jack.

Annie climbed down the rope ladder. Jack put hispack on his back and followed her.

As Jack and Annie started through the chilly⁹ woodstogether, Jack noticed things he hadn't seen before.

He saw tiny blue wildflowers sprouting¹⁰ up from thewinter-weary ground.

He saw fresh anthills in the dirt.

He saw leaf buds on twigs¹¹ and green moss¹² on arock, bright in the March sunlight.

"I feel like I'm seeing spring for the first time," saidJack.

"Me too," said Annie.

"Not just for the first time this year," said Jack. "Butfor the first time in my whole life." "Me too," said Annie.

Jack felt happy,reallyhappy, as he and Annie headed for home in thesparkling morning light.

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 mused   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• \"I wonder if I shall ever see them again, \"he mused. “我不知道是否还可以再见到他们，”他沉思自问。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Where are we going from here?\" mused one of Rutherford's guests. 卢瑟福的一位客人忍不住说道：‘我们这是在干什么？” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

3 leftover   

n.剩货，残留物，剩饭；adj.残余的

参考例句：

• These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
• Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。

4 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

8 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

9 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

10 sprouting   

v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出

参考例句：

• new leaves sprouting from the trees 树上长出的新叶
• They were putting fresh earth around sprouting potato stalks. 他们在往绽出新芽的土豆秧周围培新土。 来自名作英译部分

11 twigs   

细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
• Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。

12 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。