7第七篇The?Masked?Cleaning?Ladies?of?Om来自奥姆的蒙面清洁女工1There?was?a?problem?a
t?the?castle.?城堡里发生了一个情况。“I?give?up,”?said?Mrs?Binns,?The?royal?c
leaner,?“there’s?too?much?work?here?for?one?person.”“我不干了”，王室御用清洁
女工冰说道，“这里一个人干得活儿太多了”。?Mrs?Binns?gave?Queen?Norah?the?keys?to?the?
castle?and?left.?把城堡的钥匙给了诺拉王后以后，冰走了。Queen?Norah?told?the?rest?of?
the?royal?family.?诺拉王后将此事告诉王室其他成员。“What?are?we?going?to?do?”?aske
d?the?Princess?Jane.“我们要怎么办？”简公主问道。?“For?a?start?,you?cannot?have
?your?friends?round?here?any?more?.?’?said??Queen?North.?“首先，你不可以
带朋友到这儿来”，诺拉王后说。“Why?not?”?asked?Princess?Jane.?“为什么不可以?”简公主问。“Bec
ause?they?make?too?much?mess.”“因为他们把这儿弄得乱七八糟”。“Perhaps?we?can?all
?try?to?keep?the?castle?tidy,”?said?King?Harry.?“I’m?sure?that?Ca
ptain?Jones?and?Captain?Smith?will?help.?I?can?even?do?a?bit?of?w
ashing?myself.”“也许我们大家可以试着让城堡保持整洁。”哈瑞王说，“我确信琼斯上尉和史密斯上尉会帮忙的，我自己甚至可
以洗点东西。”“What!”?shouted?Queen?Norah.?“People?will?say?that?King?Ha
rry?does?his?own?cleaning!?Never!”“什么！”诺拉王后大叫，“人们将会说哈瑞王自已在打扫！决不行”
。“We?can?put?up?an?advert?for?a?cleaner,”?said?Princess?Jane.?“我们
可以张贴广告来招聘清洁工”，简公主说。“Good?idea,”?said?Queen?Norah.?“Write?an?adver
t?at?once.”“好主意”，诺拉王后说，“马上就写张广告”。Princess?Jane?wrote?a?notice.Sh
e?pinned?it?to?the?castle?door.?简公主就写了一张告示，她把它钉在了城堡门上。The?days?we
nt?by?and?nobody?came?to?ask?about?the?cleaning?job.?The?castle?b
ecame?dirtier?and?dirtier.?There?were?no?more?clean?clothes?and?n
o?more?clean?plates.几天过去了没有任何人前来询问这份清洁工作。城堡变得越来越脏，没有任何干净衣服和任何干净盘子
了。One?morning?Queen?Norah?heard?singing?coming?from?the?kitchen.?
She?popped?her?head?round?the?door.?She?saw?a?shocking?sight.一天早上
诺拉王后听见厨房里传来歌声。她从门边探出头去，看到了令她震惊的一幕。King?Harry?was?at?the?sink?doin
g?the?dishes.?Captain?Smith?was?mopping?the?floor.Captain?Jones?w
as?washing?the?royal?shirts.哈瑞王在洗碗池边上洗盘子。史密斯上尉在拖地板。琼斯上尉在洗王室衬衣。“St
op?this?at?once,?”?cried?Queen?Norah.“马上停下来”，诺拉王后大叫.“These?are?no
t?jobs?for?a?king?and?his?captains.?You?should?be?out?fighting?dr
agons.?”“这可不是国王和他的上尉干的活儿。你们应当去外边与龙作战。”“We’ve?never?seen?any?drago
ns,?dear,”?said?the?King.“我们从未见到过任何龙，亲爱的”，国王说道。“You?have?never?ev
en?looked?for?them,”?said?Queen?Norah.?“可你从未前往寻找过他们”，诺拉王后说。Queen?
Norah?was?so?upset?that?she?made?up?her?mind?to?go?on?a?royal?tou
r?that?minute.?‘And?you?three:?don’t?even?think?about?doing?the?c
leaning,’?she?added,?‘You?will?go?on?a?quest?while?I’m?away.’诺拉王后
十分沮丧，立马打定主意进行一次御驾旅行。“你们三个：别妄想再做清洁工作，”她补充道，“我不在的时候你们要继续寻龙行动”。‘A?qu
est?’?said?King?Harry,?he?went?pale,?’A?quest?for?dragons?’“寻龙行动？
”哈瑞王说道，脸色发白，“进行寻龙行动？”‘You?can?look?for?them,?too.’?Said?Queen?Nor
ah.?‘But?the?main?job?is?to?find?a?new?cleaner.’“你们可以去寻龙”，诺拉王后说，“
但主要任务是去寻找一个新的清洁工”。‘What?about?me?’?asked?Princess?Jane.“那我干吗呢？”简公
主问道。You?can?stay?at?home?and?don’t?let?any?burglars?in.Or?your?fr
iends.’“你可以呆在家里，并且别让盗贼和你的朋友们进来。”Queen?Norah?sent?for?her?royal?ca
ses?and?bags?and?began?her?royal?tour.诺拉王后派人去拿她的御用衣箱和手袋，开始皇家旅行。Ki
ng?Harry,?Captain?Jones?and?Captain?Smith?set?off?on?their?quest?
for?a?cleaner.?They?looked?very?unhappy.?哈瑞王，琼斯上尉和史密斯上尉动身去寻找清洁工。他
们看上去非常不开心。Princess?Jane?waved?them?goodbye.简公主和他们挥手告别。‘It’s?not?f
air.’?Sniffed?Princess?Jane.“这不公平”，简公主忿忿不平地说.‘Everyone’s?off?on?
quests?and?tours,?and?I?am?stuck?on?my?own?in?this?smelly?old?cas
tle.’“他们个个都离开去寻找或旅行，我自己一个人被困在这个臭烘烘的旧城堡里。”2Princess?Jane?stuck?out
?her?lip?and?had?a?good?sulk.简公主撅起嘴，生了好半天闷气。She?had?just?finished
?her?sulk?when?there?was?a?knock?on?the?castle?door.她正生闷气，这时城堡大门传
来敲门声。Princess?Jane?opened?the?door.There?stood?three?figures?in?m
asks.简公主打开了门。门口站着三个戴着面具的人。‘We?are?the?Masked?Cleaning?Ladies?of?O
m’?said?one.?“我们是来自奥姆的蒙面清洁女工”其中一个说道。‘We?were?sent?by?your?father,
?King?Harry,’?said?another.“我们是你父亲、哈瑞王派来的，”另一个说。‘That?was?quick.’
?Said?Princess?Jane,?‘Where?is?my?father?’“好快啊”简公主说“那我父亲在哪里？”‘Cha
sing?dragons.’?Said?the?third?masked?figure.“在追捕龙”第三个蒙面人说。‘Why?ar
e?you?masked??’?asked?Princess?Jane.?“为什么你们要戴着面具？”简公主问道。‘We?have?
to?protect?ourselves?from?the?dust.’?Said?one,?‘Can?we?start?’“避免
吸入灰尘”，有人说，“我们可以开始了吗?”All?day?the?Masked?Cleaning?Ladies?scrubbed,
?dusted,?washed?and?polished.?By?evening,?the?castle?sparkled.?一整
天蒙面女工们都在擦洗、除尘、洗涤和抛光。到了晚上，城堡变得锃亮了。‘Now?that?the?castle?is?clean?yo
u?can?take?off?your?masks.’?Said?Princess?Jane.“现在城堡干净了，你们可以取下面具了
。”简公主说‘Oh,?no’?said?one,?‘we?can’t?do?that.’“噢！不！”一个人说：“我们不能这样做”‘
why?not?’?demanded?Princess?Jane.“为什么不？”简公主追问道。‘Er,er,’?said?anot
her,?‘If?we?take?off?our?masks?we?won’t?be?the?Masked?Cleaning?La
dies?of?Om.’“呃，呃??”，另一个人说“如果我们取下面具，那我们将不再是来自奥姆的蒙面女工了。”Princess?Ja
ne?began?to?think?very?hard.?Burglars?often?wore?masks.?Queen?Nor
ah?had?told?her?not?to?let?burglars?into?the?castle.简公主开始苦思冥想，盗贼们
通常带着面具，诺拉王后告诉过她不能让盗贼进到城堡来。The?next?day,?Princess?Jane?set?out?to?
find?out?who?the?Masked?Cleaning?Ladies?really?were.第二天，简公主开始了搞清蒙
面女工们到底是谁的行动。The?first?Masked?Cleaning?Lady?was?in?the?kitchen,?st
uffing?a?pile?of?dirty?shirts?into?the?washing?machine.第一个蒙面女工在厨房
，正把一堆脏衬衣塞进洗衣机里。‘Hm,’?she?said,?‘Shall?I?wash?this?tablecloth?on?‘
hot’or?‘very?hot’??“唔”，她说“我该用‘热还是‘极热’来洗这张台布呢？”Princess?Jane?came?
up?behind?her.?She?grabbed?the?tablecloth?and?pulled.?It?over?the
?cleaning?Lady’s?head.简公主出现在她身后。她抓起台布并把它蒙在清洁女工的头上。‘Help!’?mumbled
?the?cleaning?lady,?‘where?am?i?’“救命啊”，女工闷声闷气地喊道，“我在哪里？”The?secon
d?Masked?Cleaning?Lady?was?scrubbing?the?dungeon?floors.第二个蒙面女工正在
擦洗地牢的地板。?‘Excuse?me,’?said?Princess?Jane,?standing?outside?one?of
?the?cells.“打扰一下”，简公主站在一间牢房的外面说道.‘But,?it’s?very?dirty?in?here.’“
这里很脏啊”。‘I?swept?it?only?five?minutes?ago.’?Said?the?second?cleani
ng?lady.?‘Let?me?have?a?look.’“我五分钟前才刚刚打扫过”，第二个女工说。“让我看一下，”She?w
alked?into?the?cell.?她走进了牢房。Princess?Jane?closed?the?door?and?tur
ned?the?key.?简公主关上了门并转动钥匙锁上。The?third?cleaning?lady?was?making?a?
terrific?noise?with?the?vacuum?cleaner.?She?did?not?see?Princess?
Jane?creeping?up?behind?her.?Princess?Jane?grabbed?the?vacuum.?Sh
e?pointed?the?nozzle?at?the?cleaning?lady.第三个清洁女工正在使用吸尘器，发出很大的声响。
她没看见简公主蹑手蹑脚地从背后靠近她。简公主抢过吸尘器，把吸口对准了清洁女工。‘One?false?move.’?Shouted?
Princess?Jane,?’and?I’ll?suck?you?into?the?vacuum,?now,?take?off?
your?mask.’“敢乱动一下”，简公主大叫，“我就把你吸进吸尘器里。现在快拿下你的面具”。Slowly?the?cleani
ng?lady?took?off?her?mask.清洁女工慢慢地除下了她的面具。‘Father!’?cried?Princess
?Jane.“爸爸！”简公主大叫。The?other?two?cleaning?ladies?turned?out?to?be?C
aptain?Smith?and?Captain?Jones.另两个清洁女工原来是史密斯上尉和琼斯上尉。3‘I?think?tha
t?you?had?better?explain.’?Said?Princess?Jane.?“我认为你们最好解释是怎么回事”，简
公主说‘Well,’?said?king?Harry,?we?set?off?on?our?quest.?When?we?reac
hed?the?woods,?we?saw?a?dragon.’“好吧”哈瑞王说，“我们开始寻找，当我们到达一片森林时，我们看见了
一条龙。”‘We?think?we?saw?a?dragon,’?said?Captain?Jones.?“我们想，我们看见了一条
龙”，琼斯上尉说。‘At?least,?we?heard?sth?moving?in?the?woods?and?it?sound
ed?like?a?dragon.’?Said?Captain?Smith.“至少，我们听见了某些东西在森林中移动，并且它听上去像
一条龙”，史密斯上尉说。‘So?we?thought?we?had?better?come?home.’?Said?Captain
?Jones.?“所以我们认为我们最好回家”，琼斯上尉说。‘We?dressed?up?as?cleaners.’?Said?Ca
ptain?Smith.“我们扮成了清洁女工”，史密斯上尉说。‘We?rather?like?doing?housework,’?
said?King?Harry,?‘We?like?the?smell?of?polish.’“我们很喜欢做家务”，哈瑞王说，“我
们喜欢抛光剂的味道”。‘We?like?the?hum?of?the?vacuum?cleaner.’?Said?Captain?
Jones.?“我们喜欢吸尘器的嗡嗡声”，琼斯上尉说。‘We?like?the?feel?of?soap?flakes.’?Sai
d?Captain?Smith.?“我们喜欢肥皂片的手感”，史密斯上尉说。‘And?it’s?much?less?dangerou
s?than?fighting?dragons.’?Added?King?Harry.?“并且它比起与龙作战来危险小多了”，哈瑞王
补充道。‘Dragons?are?very?rare.’?Said?Captain?Jones.?‘It’s?not?fair?t
o?hunt?them.’“龙很罕见”，琼斯上尉说，“猎杀他们是不公平的”。?‘Hm,’?said?Princess?Jane.?
’it?seems?to?me?that?you?three?have?been?telling?lies,?Father,?yo
u?have?always?told?me?to?tell?the?truth.’“唔”，简公主说，“这在我看来你们三个说谎了。爸
爸，你总是告诉我要说真话”‘I’m?very?sorry,’?said?King?Harry.?“我很抱歉”，哈瑞王说。‘What
?will?the?Queen?say??She’ll?find?out?that?you?haven’t?found?any?c
leaners?or?fought?any?dragons.’?Said?Princess?Jane?’she?will?send
?you?on?a?year’s?dragon?quest.’“王后会怎么说？她将会发现你们没有找到任何清洁工或与任何龙做过战。”
简公主说，“她将让你们一年都去寻找龙”。King?Harry,?Captain?Smith?and?Captain?Jones?w
ent?pale.?哈瑞王，史密斯上尉和琼斯上尉的脸都发白了。?’Please?don’t?tell,’?they?begged,
?“千万别说出去”，他们央求道，‘I?won’t?tell?if?…’?said?Princess?Jane.“我将不会说出去，如
果??”，简公主说。‘If?what?’“如果什么？”‘If?my?friends?can?come?round?to?play.
’“如果我的朋友们可以过来玩”。‘Agreed.’?Said?King?Harry.?“一言为定”，哈瑞王说。The?next?d
ay,?Queen?Norah?came?back?from?her?royal?tour.?She?was?very?pleas
ed?to?find?the?castle?neat?and?tidy.?第二天，诺拉王后结束皇家旅行回来了。她很高兴地看到城堡整
洁又干净。‘So’?she?said,?‘the?quest?was?a?success,?who?did?you?find?’“
这么看来”，她说道，“寻找成功了，你们找到谁啦？”‘We?found?three?cleaners.’?Said?King?Har
ry.?“我们找到了三个清洁工”，哈瑞王说。‘They?wear?masks’?said?Captain?Jones.?“他们都戴
面具”，琼斯上尉说。‘And?they?can?only?come?on?Mondays’?said?Captain?Smith.
?“并且他们只能在周一来”，史密斯上尉说。‘why’s?that?’?asked?Queen?Norah.?“为什么只能在周一”，
诺拉王后问道。‘Theyarehavinglotsoftroublewithdagons,’saidPrinces
sJane.‘Fatherandthecaptainsaregoingtofightthedragonsev
eryMondaywhilethethecleanerscomandtidythecastle.’“他们深受龙
的困扰”，简公主说，“父亲和上尉们准备每周一在清洁工来打扫城堡的时候去与龙战斗”。‘Harry,’saidQueenNorah
,’Iamsoproudofyou.’“哈利”，诺拉王后说，“我为你感到自豪”。‘Now?that?we?have?pr
oper?cleaners.’?Said?King?Harry.?‘Don’t?you?think?that?Jane’s?friends?can?come?here?again?’“既然我们有正规的清洁工了”，哈瑞王说，“你不认为简的朋友们又可以来这里了吗？”Queen?Norah?was?so?pleased?to?be?in?a?nice?clean?castle?that?she?agreed?at?once.诺拉皇后对于漂亮干净的城堡很满意，于是马上同意了。Every?Monday?Queen?Norah?waves?goodbye?to?king?Harry?and?his?two?captains?as?they?set?off?to?fight?dragons.?Princess?Jane’s?friends?come?to?play.?Later,?the?masked?cleaning?ladies?of?om?arrive?to?clean?the?castle.?So?everybody?is?happy.每个星期一诺拉王后都挥手和哈瑞王王和他的两个上尉告别，让他们出发去与龙作战。公主简的朋友们过来玩。然后，奥姆的蒙面清洁女工会过来打扫城堡，从此人人都很开心。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<6/6> |
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