雙語讀電影 《魔發(fā)奇緣》第20章 :她不知道究竟是什么在觸碰她的記憶

Before long, Rapunzel and Flynn reached the kingdom’s gates. Pascal rode atop Maximus’s head, grasping his ears and using them as reins. The little chameleon felt as if it was the biggest day of his life, too! As they approached a bridge and a group of palace guards, Flynn worried that he might be recognized and arrested. But Maximus was determined to take care of everything.

Hoping Rapunzel would notice his cleverness, Maximus spied a boy up ahead holding an armful of small kingdom flags. Rapunzel stared at the flags. There was something familiar about the purple background with the golden sun at its center. But she couldn’t quite figure out what it was that was tickling her memory.

Maximus went into action, hoisting the boy into Flynn’s arms. With a mass of flags shielding Flynn’s face, they easily walked past the guards. Maximus glanced proudly at Rapunzel.

“Good morning!” Rapunzel cheerfully greeted the guards.

And then, all at once, Rapunzel was inside the village. She could hardly contain her excitement. People crowded the streets, talking and shopping, hanging out their laundry and busily doing other chores and errands. Everywhere she looked, she saw the bustle of life and laughter. It was absolutely enchanting.

She could smell cakes and breads baking. Up ahead, she saw beautiful fabrics and baskets hanging in market stalls.

Rapunzel hurried forward. She wanted to absorb it all!

“Whoa!” she cried out, nearly falling flat on the ground. Flynn and Maximus were instantly by her side. People were stepping on her hair! Trying to move through a crowd with seventy feet of hair was definitely a new experience — and also a bit of a problem.

Rapunzel spotted a solution nearby. A group of girls were braiding one another’s hair. As soon as they saw Rapunzel, their eyes grew wide. They rushed to touch her magnificent hair. Then they began to braid ... and braid ... and braid.

When they proudly finished, Rapunzel’s hair was elegantly bundled down her back, the end of the braid well above her ankles.

“Thank you,” Rapunzel told the girls as she moved on with Flynn and Maximus. Giggling, the girls looked at Flynn’s hair, too. They had secretly braided it with pretty bows!

Rapunzel raced into a dress shop and tried on a cream-colored gown. It felt so soft and velvety that she couldn’t help twirling happily around. Flynn took one look and his heart almost stopped. Rapunzel was stunning.

They bought a dozen pastries, covered with pink icing. Rapunzel had never tasted anything so delicious! The sweet sugar melted on her tongue as she ate them all! Poor Flynn hardly got a bite, but he did enjoy watching Rapunzel.

They stopped in a bookstore. Rapunzel had seen only three books in her life — the three books that Mother Gothel had allowed into the tower. Rapunzel looked at the bookstore shelves filled with hundreds of books and eagerly began trying to read them all. She could not believe how much she was learning and experiencing! Flynn was right next to her the whole time, pulling books from the shelves, gathering them on the floor, sitting beside her as she tried to take them all in.

Suddenly the town crier called out from a stage at the center of the village: “It is time, good people! Gather around! Yes, come, gather around! Today we dance to celebrate our lost princess. It is a dance of hope, where partners start together, separate, and return to one another. Just as one day our princess will return to us.”

As the man spoke, a mosaic depicting the King and Queen caught Rapunzel’s eye. She couldn’t help gazing at the picture of the royal couple holding their baby — a portrait from the time just before the Princess was stolen from them. For some reason, Rapunzel felt mesmerized by the emerald-green eyes of the Queen and the little lost princess wearing the crown. The Queen looked almost exactly like Rapunzel.

Suddenly the town crier said, “Let the dance begin!” Flynn and Rapunzel were caught up in the dancing crowd as everyone moved around the village square.

Flynn twirled Rapunzel in time to the music. They separated and danced with other partners. Then they came together again — and their eyes locked. And just when Rapunzel thought it couldn’t be more magical, the town crier shouted, “To the boats!”

The entire, wonderful day had passed, and now night was falling. It was time to release the lanterns.