第十二章（882字）

第12章：营救灰姑娘

Chapter 12: Rescuing Cinderella

1. 皇宫的使者正是国王身边的大臣——

The royal messenger was none other than the Grand Duke himself—

2. 一位身材瘦高、神情庄重的公爵。

a tall, dignified gentleman from the King's court.

3. 他带着随从捧着水晶鞋，

He arrived with an attendant carrying the glass slipper,

4. 来到继母家中，为继姐们依次试鞋。

and began to have the stepsisters try it on one by one.

5. 大姐迫不及待地坐下试穿，

The older stepsister sat down eagerly to try it,

6. 但她的脚又长又大，怎么也塞不进那小巧的水晶鞋。

but her foot was too long and big; it wouldn't fit into the dainty glass slipper.

7. 二姐不甘心，也赶紧上前尝试，

The younger stepsister wouldn't give up and quickly took her turn,

8. 可她的脚又宽又厚，也穿不进去，只好悻悻作罢。

but her foot was wide and thick and wouldn't go in either. She had to give up in frustration.

9. 公爵摇了摇头，对继母说：

The Duke shook his head and said to the stepmother,

10. “看来这两位小姐都不是我们要找的人。”

"It appears neither of these young ladies is the person we are searching for."

11. 继母假装遗憾地叹了口气，

The stepmother feigned disappointment and sighed,

12. 露出勉强的笑容：“真是太可惜了，我们这里再没有其他女孩了。”

forcing a smile. "What a pity. There are no other young girls in this house."

13. 与此同时，在楼上的阁楼房间里，

Meanwhile, upstairs in the attic room,

14. 灰姑娘听到楼下传来的谈话，更加心急如焚。

Cinderella could hear the conversation downstairs and grew even more anxious.

15. 小鸟们从窗户飞进来，围着灰姑娘叽叽喳喳，

Some birds flew in through the window and fluttered around Cinderella,

16. 似乎在说救援马上就到。

chirping as if to say that help was on the way.

17. 果然，灰姑娘的老鼠朋友们正悄悄行动起来。

Indeed, Cinderella's mouse friends were already on the move.

18. 杰克和格斯偷偷溜到继母身边，

Jaq and Gus sneaked over near the stepmother,

19. 瞄准她外套口袋里那把房门钥匙。

and spotted the room key sticking out of her coat pocket.

20. 它们屏住呼吸，

Holding their breath,

21. 合力小心翼翼地把钥匙从口袋里拽了出来。

they worked together to carefully tug the key out of her pocket.

22. 钥匙终于被拖到了地板上！

At last, the key dropped to the floor!

23. 杰克和格斯费力地抬起比自己还大的钥匙，

Jaq and Gus hefted the key, which was bigger than they were,

24. 往楼梯方向运去。

and struggled to carry it toward the stairs.

25. 他们一步一步挪向通往阁楼的楼梯，

They inched their way toward the stairs leading up to the attic,

26. 每走一点都累得满头大汗。

sweating with effort at every step.

27. 眼看就要成功时，

Just as they were about to succeed,

28. 黑猫路西法忽然从阴影中跳了出来，

the black cat Lucifer suddenly jumped out of the shadows,

29. 挡在楼梯口，恶狠狠地盯着小老鼠们。

blocking the stairway, glaring at the mice viciously.

30. 路西法低低地咆哮着，伸出爪子，

Lucifer let out a low growl and stretched out his claws,

31. 不让杰克和格斯通过。

refusing to let Jaq and Gus pass.

32. 小老鼠们护着钥匙，进退两难，

The little mice clung to the key, trapped and at a loss,

33. 双方在楼梯口对峙起来。

as they faced off against the cat at the bottom of the stairs.