兒童英語讀物《神奇樹屋》 第三冊 Mummies in the Morning 07

7卷軸

杰克把權(quán)杖和他的筆記本、鉛筆一起放進(jìn)了背包。

他和安妮跟著幽靈王后向金字塔的深處走去，來到了一段階梯跟前。

“階梯!”杰克和安妮喊道。

幽靈王后飄忽地上了階梯。

杰克和安妮跟在后面。

幽靈王后又飄著穿過一扇木門。

杰克和安妮使勁推門，門緩緩地開了。

他們跟著走進(jìn)了一個陰冷而通風(fēng)的房間。

可是突然幽靈王后不見了。

昏暗的火把光照著這個巨大的房間。房間的天花板很高。一邊放著一堆桌椅和樂器。

在房間的另一邊有一條小木船。

“船!”杰克喊道。

“在哈特比王后的金字塔里的船有什么用呢?”安妮問。

“也許是用來把她度到來世去的吧。”杰克說。

杰克和安妮說著向木船走去，他們一起往里看著。

木船里裝了很多東西。金盤子、彩杯、鑲滿珠寶的酒杯、編織籃、鑲著藍(lán)寶石的寶器，還有小木雕。

“看!”杰克說。

他把手伸進(jìn)船里，拿出了一個黏土做的罐子。

“罐子!”安妮說。

杰克往罐子里看了看。

“里面有東西。”他說。

“是什么?”安妮問。

杰克的手在罐子里摸索著。

“感覺好像是一塊大餐巾。”杰克說。

“一塊折起的布。”安妮嚷著。

杰克把手伸進(jìn)罐子拿出了這塊折起的布，這塊布卷在一根看上去很古老的卷軸上。

杰克慢慢地展開卷軸。

上面寫滿了各種奇妙的象形文字。

“是死亡之書!”安妮小聲說，“我們找到了，找到她要的書了。”

“哦，天啊。”杰克的手指在紙面上滑過，感覺那紙張已經(jīng)是相當(dāng)陳舊了。

“哈特比王后!”安妮喊道，“我們找到了，找到你的死亡之書了。”

可是四周只有一片沉寂。

“哈特比王后!”

這時，房間另一側(cè)的一扇門吱吱呀呀地開了。

“在那里。”安妮說，“可能她在那里。”

杰克的心怦怦地跳著。一股冷風(fēng)從開著的門里吹了過來。

“來啊。”安妮說。

“等等——”

“別等了。”安妮說，“她為這本書已經(jīng)等了一千年了，別讓她再等了。”

杰克把古老的卷軸放進(jìn)了背包，然后和安妮一起慢慢地穿過透著涼風(fēng)的房間。

他們來到那扇開著的門跟前，安妮率先走了進(jìn)去。

“快點，杰克!”她說。

杰克跟著進(jìn)去了。

除了一個長條形的金色箱子外，這間房幾乎是空的。箱子打開著，蓋子就放在地板上。

“哈特比王后?”安妮叫道。

還是一片寂靜。

“我們找到了。”安妮說，“你要的死亡之書。”

可是還是沒有幽靈王后的蹤影。

金色的箱子閃閃發(fā)光。

杰克幾乎無法呼吸了。“咱們把卷軸放在地板上就走吧。”他說。

“不。我覺得我們應(yīng)該把它放在那里面。”安妮說著指了指那個金色箱子。

“不。”杰克說。

“別怕。”安妮說，“來吧。”

安妮抓著杰克的胳膊。他們一起往房間里面走，一直走到金色箱子旁。

他們在箱子面前停了下來，并往箱子里看去。

7 The Scroll

Jack put the scepter and his notebook and pencil into his pack.

He and Annie followed the ghost-queen. Deeper into the pyramid. Until they came to some stairs.

“The STAIRS!” said Jack and Annie.

The ghost-queen floated up the stairs.

Jack and Annie followed.

The ghost-queen floated right through a wooden door.

Jack and Annie pushed on the door. It opened slowly.

They stepped into a cold， drafty room.

The ghost-queen was nowhere in sight.

Dim torchlight lit the huge room. It had a very high ceiling. On one side was a pile of tables， chairs， and musical instruments.

On the other side of the room was a small wooden boat.

“The BOAT!” said Jack.

“What’s it doing inside Queen Hutepi’s pyramid?” asked Annie.

“Maybe it’s supposed to carry her to the Next Life，” said Jack.

He and Annie went over to the boat. They looked inside it.

The boat was filled with many things.Gold plates. Painted cups. Jeweled goblets. Woven baskets. Jewelry with blue stones. Small wooden statues.

“Look!” said Jack.

He reached into the boat and lifted out a clay jug.

“The JUG!” said Annie.

Jack looked inside the jug.

“Something’s in here，” he said.

“What is it?” asked Annie.

Jack felt down inside the jug.

“It feels like a big napkin，” he said.

“The FOLDED CLOTH!” said Annie.

Jack reached into the jug and pulled out the folded cloth. It was wrapped around an ancient-looking scroll.

Jack slowly unrolled the scroll.

It was covered with wonderful hieroglyphs.

“The Book of the Dead!” whispered Annie.“We found it. We found her book.”

“Oh， man.” Jack traced his finger over the scroll. It felt like very old paper.

“Queen Hutepi!” called Annie. “We have it!We found your Book of the Dead!”

Silence.

“Queen Hutepi!”

Then another door on the other side of the chamber creaked open.

“In there，” said Annie.“Maybe she’s in there.”

Jack’s heart was pounding. Cold air was coming through the open doorway.

“Come on，” said Annie.

“Wait—”

“No，” said Annie. “She’s waited a thousand years for her book. Don’t make her wait anymore.”

Jack put the ancient scroll into his backpack.Then he and Annie slowly started to cross the drafty room.

They came to the open door. Annie went through first.

“Hurry， Jack!” she said.

Jack stepped into the other room.

It was nearly bare. Except for a long gold box. The box was open. The cover was on the floor.

“Queen Hutepi?” called Annie.

Silence.

“We found it，” said Annie. “Your Book of the Dead.”

There was still no sign of the ghost-queen.

The gold box glowed.

Jack could barely breathe.“Let’s leave the scroll on the floor.And go，” he said.

“No.I think we should leave it in there，” said Annie. She pointed to the gold box.

“No，” said Jack.

“Don’t be afraid，” said Annie.“Come on.”

Annie took Jack by the arm.They walked together. Across the room. To the glowing gold box.

They stopped in front of the box.And they peered inside.