书虫二级《阿利格拉之谜》：阿利格拉二

Allegra Two
2．　阿利格拉二

She was pale and beautiful, like the girl in my room. But this was a different girl. This Allegra had long black hair and her eyes were brown.

她很漂亮，肤色有些苍白，很像去我房间的女孩，但却不是同一个人。眼前的这个阿利格拉长着黑色的长发，眼睛是棕色的。

Hallo,' she said.

“你们好。”她问候道。

Was it the same voice? It was soft and sweet but — I wasn't sure!

这是一样的声音吗？同样的轻柔、甜美，可是——我无法确定！

This is Adrian,' said Chiara. 'He says that you went into his room last night, Allegra.'

“这是阿德里安，”基娅拉说，“阿利格拉，他说你昨晚去过他的房间。”

The girl looked at me in surprise.

小女孩吃惊地看着我。

No, Mummy, I wasn't in his room.' She spoke English beautifully, but she couldn't say the letter 'r'!

“没有，妈妈，我没去过他的房间。”她英语说得很好听，但不会说字母“r”！

You see, she doesn't remember,' Chiara said to me. 'I think that she was walking in her sleep again.'

“瞧，她不记得了，”基娅拉对我说，“我想她一定是又梦游了。”

When I went to bed that night, I couldn't sleep. I was waiting for the girl and I was afraid. But after about an hour my eyes closed and I slept. I woke up suddenly when a cold little hand touched my face. The girl's voice spoke softly in my ear.

那天晚上上床以后，我无法入睡，在恐惧之中等待着那个女孩的出现。可是过了一个小时左右，我便支撑不住，睡着了。突然，一只冰冷的小手摸到了我的脸，我惊醒了。耳边响起小女孩轻声的呼唤。

Wake up, Adrian, wake up...'

“醒醒，阿德里安，醒醒……”

I turned on the light. She was there; but was she real? Her skin was like milk, her blond hair was like sunlight in the room. She was wearing the long, white nightdress.

我打开灯，她就站在那儿，可这是真的吗？她的皮肤看上去像牛奶般光滑、白皙，金发如同射入房间里的一道阳光。她依然穿着长长的白色睡裙。

Is she real or is this a dream?' I thought.

“这一切是真的？还是做梦？”我思忖着。

And I touched her face. It was cold, very cold. But it was real.

我用手摸她的脸，冰冷冰冷的，但却是真切的。

Will you take me to Mamà now?' she asked.

“现在你带我去找妈妈好吗？”她问道。

I looked at the window. It was closed. Then I went to the door. It was locked. I began to feel very afraid.

我看了看窗户，是关着的。然后我去检查房门，是锁着的。我开始感到害怕了。

How did you get in here?' I asked.

“你是怎么进来的？”我问她。

You weren't here so I waited for you. I was sleeping behind that curtain.'

“你不在房间里，我只好在这儿等你，我就睡在那个帘子后面。”

She showed me a curtain in a corner of the room. There was another, smaller bed for a child behind it. So she was in the room before I came! But where did she come from, and who was her mother?

她指给我看房间角落里的一道帘子，那后面放着一张孩子的小床。原来我进来之前她就在房间里！可是她从哪儿来？她的妈妈又是谁呢？

Okay, I'll take you to your mother,' I said. 'Where is she?'

“好吧，我带你去找妈妈，”我说，“她在哪儿？”

Suddenly the girl began to speak in Italian. 'She's at Bagno a Ripoli, near Florence.'

这时她忽然改用意大利语说：“她在佛罗伦萨附近的巴尼奥阿里波。”

But we can't go to Florence tonight!' I said. I could understand Italian, but I spoke in English.

“今晚我们可没法去佛罗伦萨！”我说。我能听懂意大利语，但还是用英语回答她。

You must take me!' Allegra said angrily, speaking in English again. 'I want to see my Mamà tonight. I want to see her before I die.' Then she began to cry.

“你一定要带我去！”阿利格拉用英语气呼呼地说，“今晚我就要见到妈妈。我要在死之前见到她。”说完，她哭了起来。

Die! What did she mean?

死！她是什么意思？

Why do you say that?' I said in surprise. 'You're not going to die.'

“你为什么这么说？”我吃惊地问，“你不会死的。”

Yes, I am. I know, I know! Papà didn't like Mamà and he took me away from her. I didn't see her for a long time. I wanted to see her and she wanted to see me too. Oh, I must see her before I die!'

“不，我会死，我知道，我知道的！爸爸从前不喜欢妈妈，还把我从妈妈身边带走。很长时间我都见不到妈妈。那时我想见妈妈，妈妈也想见我。哦，我一定要在死以前见到她！”

Again I couldn't understand why she spoke in the past. I really couldn't understand anything! Was this all a little girl's fantasy? I decided to ask her some questions.

我又产生了疑虑，为什么她总是谈论“从前”呢？我真是一点儿都不明白。这些会不会只是一个小女孩的幻想呢？我决定向她问问清楚。

Who is your mother? What is her name?'

“你妈妈是谁？她叫什么名字？”

Claire.'

“克莱尔。”

Claire was the English for Chiara. I thought for a second.

克莱尔正是基娅拉的英文说法。我想了一下。

Come with me, Allegra,' I said. 'We'll go downstairs.'

“跟我来，阿利格拉，”我说，“我们下楼去。”

I wanted to show this little girl to Chiara. Then she would know that her daughter wasn't walking in her sleep — and I would know that I wasn't dreaming! I took the girl's cold little hand but she wouldn't come.

我想带这个小女孩去见基娅拉，那样她就会知道她的女儿不是在梦游，而我也可以证明自己不是在做梦了！我拉起女孩冰冷的小手，可是她不愿意去。

No, no!' she cried in Italian again. 'My dear Mamà is at Bagno a Ripoli near Florence. I want to go there.'

“不，不要！”她又用意大利语喊道，“我妈妈是在佛罗伦萨附近的巴尼奥阿里波，我要去那儿。”

I said, 'Wait here, Allegra. I'll go downstairs and bring my friend. She wants to see you. Wait here.'

我说：“在这儿等我，阿利格拉。我去楼下找我的朋友，她想见你。等着我。”

I found Chiara in the long room. She was reading a book in an armchair by the fire. I told her that there was a girl in my room again. She looked surprised and followed me upstairs. We went along the corridor. My door was open and we went into the room. The child wasn't there.

在那间长长的屋子里我找到了基娅拉。她正坐在壁炉旁的椅子上看书。我告诉她有个女孩又去了我的房间。她很惊讶，便跟我一起上楼来。我们穿过走廊，我的房门开着，我们走进房间，那女孩已经不在了。

We looked everywhere but found nothing. The only child in the house was Chiara's daughter.

我们四处察看，但都没有找到那个女孩。这座房子里唯一的孩子就是基娅拉的女儿。

She's sleeping in her bed,' Chiara told me. 'Perhaps you had a dream, Adrian.'

“她正在自己的床上睡觉，”基娅拉对我说，“阿德里安，也许你做了个梦。”

No, it wasn't a dream! There was a girl in my room a few minutes ago. I saw her and talked to her.'

“不，不是梦！就在几分钟前有个女孩在我房间里。我看到她了，还和她说话了。”

Then I told Chiara everything about the girl. When I finished, she said:

然后，我把那女孩的事都告诉了基娅拉。听完以后，她说：

Well, it's very strange. Who is this girl? She isn't my daughter. My Allegra has got black hair and brown eyes. And my husband didn't take her away from me. I know that he wants to take her away, but he can't. Allegra lives with me. You see, I don't love my husband any more, and so he doesn't live here with us. He's in England. But Allegra likes him a lot and I know that she wants to see him.' She was silent for a minute, then said, 'So the child in your room wants to see her mother, and Allegra wants to see her father. It's strange, isn't it? I don't understand it.'

“啊，这的确令人费解。那个女孩是谁呢？她不是我女儿。我的女儿阿利格拉是黑色头发、棕色眼睛，我丈夫也没有把她从我身边带走。我知道他想那么做，但是他不能。阿利格拉和我一起生活。你瞧，我丈夫和我不再相爱，所以他不和我们住在一起，他在英国。但是阿利格拉很爱他，我知道她希望见到他。”她沉默了一会儿，然后接着说：“来你房间的女孩想见妈妈，而阿利格拉想见爸爸。很奇怪，不是吗？我想不明白。”

Next day I went for a walk with Allegra Henderson. The big black dog came with us. We walked down a hill and came to a little river with a bridge. We stood on the bridge while Allegra dropped stones into the water and the dog tried to find them.

第二天，我同阿利格拉·亨德森一起去散步，身后跟着那只大黑狗。我们走下一座小山，来到一条小河旁，河上有一座桥。站在桥上，阿利格拉向水中丢石子，让她的狗去找。

Do you speak Italian, Allegra?' I asked.

“阿利格拉，你会说意大利语吗？”我问。

Oh yes! Listen.' And she spoke fast in Italian.

“会啊，你听。”接着她就快速地讲起意大利语来。

Did you learn it at school?'

“你是在学校学的吗？”

Yes. It's a convent school and the teachers are Italian nuns. Look, Nero has got a stone in his mouth! Isn't he clever? Come here, Nero!'

“是的，是一所女修道院学校，老师都是意大利修女。瞧，尼罗嘴里叼着块石头！它很聪明吧？过来，尼罗！”

Allegra, do you know a place called Bagno a Ripoli?'

“阿利格拉，你知道一个叫巴尼奥阿里波的地方吗？”

No, I don't. Oh, don't shake the water over us, Nero — you bad boy!'

“不知道。哦，别把水甩到我们身上，尼罗，你这个坏家伙！”

Do you know anybody called Claire?'

“你认识叫克莱尔的人吗？”

Yes, of course! That's Mummy's name in English.'

“当然啦！那是妈妈的英文名字。”

Allegra laughed. But she didn't laugh when I asked:

阿利格拉笑起来，但是当听到下一个问题时她的笑容消失了。

Where's your Daddy, Allegra?'

“你爸爸在哪儿，阿利格拉？”

She didn't answer me.

她没有回答。

You're a bad boy, Nero!' she said angrily. 'Give me that stone!'

“你是个坏家伙，尼罗！”她生气地说，“给我那块石头！”

I asked her the question again. This time she answered.

我又问了一遍，这次她回答了。

Mummy says he's in England.'

“妈妈说他在英国。”

Was she sad or angry? I didn't know.

她感到忧伤还是生气？我猜不出来。

Do you want to see him?'

“你想见他吗？”

Yes,' she said. And I saw that she was unhappy. She didn't want to talk about it.

“是的。”她说。我看得出她很不开心，不愿意谈这个。

Why can't you see him?' I asked.

“你为什么不能见他呢？”我问。

Because Mummy says that he wants to take me away from her.'

“因为妈妈说他想把我从妈妈身边带走。”

Would you like to go away with your Daddy?'

“你愿意跟爸爸走吗？”

She looked at me for a second; then suddenly she began to cry.

她盯着我，然后突然哭了起来。

I want to see my Daddy!' she cried, sad and angry at the same time. 'I want to see him before I die! Why doesn't he come?'

“我想见爸爸！”她喊道，既悲伤又愤怒。“我想在我死之前见到他！他为什么不来呢？”

And then she ran away. She ran fast up the hill and Nero ran behind her.

说完她就跑开了。她飞快地向山上跑去，尼罗紧跟在她后面。

My parents liked the villa so we stayed there for a week. But I wanted to go. I was afraid. Every night the blond Allegra came to my room in her long white nightdress, and asked me to take her to her Mamà. When I said no, she was always very angry with me.

我的父母很喜欢这座乡间别墅，所以我们在那儿住了一周。但是我盼着离开，因为我害怕。每天夜里那个金发的阿利格拉都会出现在我房里，依旧穿着她的白色长睡裙，央求我带她去找妈妈。当我拒绝时，她就会变得很生气。

And every day I talked and played with the dark-haired Allegra, Chiara's daughter. I liked her a lot and she liked me. We were good friends. But she was like two different people. Sometimes she spoke to me angrily, like the other Allegra in the night. At other times she was a happy, sweet little girl of five again. I often asked her why she thought that she was going to die. She always answered with the same words: 'I know, I know.'

而在白天，我总是和黑发的阿利格拉——基娅拉的女儿——一同聊天、玩耍。我很喜欢她，她也喜欢我。我们成了好朋友。但是，阿利格拉表现得就像两个截然不同的人一样。有时她会带着怒气跟我说话，就像在夜里现身的那个阿利格拉；有时她又重新成为一个快乐可爱的5岁女孩。我常常问她为什么认为自己会死，她每次的回答都是相同的：“我知道，我就是知道。”

During that week's holiday I began to feel love for Allegra Henderson. But there was the other Allegra who came at night. Who was she? I didn't believe in ghosts, but I was beginning to think that she was a ghost.

在那一周的时间里，我同阿利格拉·亨德森的感情愈来愈深，同时也为另外那个在夜里出现的阿利格拉所困扰。她到底是谁呢？我不相信有幽灵，却禁不住开始觉得她就是个幽灵。

The day before we left, I wrote some notes:

在离开的前一天，我做了些记录：

ALLEGRA HENDERSON

阿利格拉·亨德森：

— 5 years old. Tall, black hair, brown eyes, pale.

·5岁，高个儿，黑发，棕色的眼睛，皮肤苍白。

— Speaks English and Italian,but can't say 'r'.

·会说英语和意大利语，但是不会发字母“r”的音。

— Mother's name Chiara. Calls her 'Mummy'.

·妈妈的名字是基娅拉，称妈妈为“Mummy”。

— Wants to see her father, who lives in England.

·爸爸住在英国，想要见爸爸。

— Thinks she is going to die.

·认为自己要死了。

ALLEGRA THE GHOST

幽灵阿利格拉：

— 5 years old. Tall, blond hair, blue eyes, pale.

·5岁，高个儿，金发，蓝色的眼睛，皮肤苍白。

— Speaks English and Italian, but can't say 'r'.

·会说英语和意大利语，但是不会发字母“r”的音。

— Mother's name Claire and lives at Bagno a Ripoli near Florence. Calls her 'Mamà'.

·妈妈的名字是克莱尔，住在佛罗伦萨附近的巴尼奥阿里波，称妈妈为“Mamà”。

— Wants to see her mother, but her father says no.

·想要见妈妈，但爸爸不允许。

— Thinks she is going to die.

·认为自己要死了。

I read these notes lots of times, but they didn't help me. Then I saw that I didn't know anything about the ghost Allegra's father. So I decided to ask her that night, which was our last night at the villa. I didn't sleep much that night; I waited and waited. But she didn't come. No, she didn't come and I was angry! I felt sure that her father was important.

我反复地看这些笔记，却无法从中理出头绪。不过，我发现自己对幽灵阿利格拉的爸爸一无所知，于是决定当晚问问她。这是我们在别墅的最后一夜，我几乎没怎么合眼，一直等着她。但是她没有来。是的，她没有出现，这让我非常恼火。我确信她的爸爸是个关键人物。

Next morning we said goodbye to the Hendersons. When I said goodbye to Allegra, I felt sad. She was sad too, and she gave me a kiss.

第二天上午，我们向亨德森一家辞行。同阿利格拉告别时，我有些难过，她也很伤心，还亲了我一下。

I hope that one day you will see your Daddy,' I said to her. 'Then you'll be happy.'

“希望有一天你能见到爸爸，”我对她说，“那样你就会开心了。”

Oh no,' she answered in a strange voice. 'Papà is dead now. He was a famous lord and he took me away from my Mamà. But he's dead now.'

“哦，不，”她说，声音很奇怪，“爸爸已经死了。过去他是很有名的勋爵，他把我从妈妈身边带走。但现在他已经死了。”

We were all very surprised.

我们都惊呆了。

What are you saying, Allegra?' Chiara said. 'Your father isn't a lord and he isn't dead! What a strange fantasy!'

“你在说什么啊，阿利格拉？”基娅拉说，“你爸爸不是勋爵，他也没有死！真是胡言乱语！”

But Allegra only smiled; a sad smile. And that was the last time I saw her.

但是，阿利格拉没作声，只是笑了，是忧伤的笑。那是我最后一次见到她。