雙語讀電影 《愛麗絲夢游仙境-2》第10章 :老姑娘大頭公主打破了王冠！

Bursting out of Horunvendush Day, Alice navigated the Chronosphere back into the rippling sky above the Ocean of Time. The Tempus Fugit, with Time at the wheel, popped out mere seconds later.
Time cranked his machine faster, gaining on her. Alice pulled on a lever, steering the Chronosphereto the left, but Time was too quick.
As he drew level with her, he shouted across the gap.
“You cannot win a race against Time! Give it back. I am merciful,” he wheezed between panting breaths. “But you must give it back!”
Huff?ing and puff?ing, Time had managed to catch up. Alice swung the Chronosphere straight up, then looped behind the Tempus Fugit.
Time’s shoulders slumped, his arms tiring as he looked back at her.
“You don’t know what you’ve done!” he cried desperately.
Alice tugged on a pulley and the Chronosphere suddenly accelerated. Oh, dear, Alice thought. She hadn’t meant to do that. But before she could steer it away, it bumped into the Tempus Fugit. With a tremendous clang, the two machines spun away from each other.
Throwing Alice sideways, the Chronosphere hurtled into the past. The golden sun pattern rippled across the f?loor. In the distance, Alice saw the glint of the Tempus Fugit, plummeting toward a different part of the ocean.
EEEEEEAAARRRROOOOM! The Chronosphere sliced into a day of the past, cutting through the air with a high-pitched shriek. F?inally, the Chronosphere bumped up against a rock and settled to a stop.
Alice glanced around. She was standing on the outskirts of a quaint village that butted up against Tulgey Woods. It was a cozy, whimsical town—much more appealing than the stuffy rectangular homes of London.
“Now where am I?” Alice mused. “And where are the Hightopps?”
Doo doo doo dooooooo! Trumpets blared in the distance. Curious, and with no other ideas as to where to look, Alice headed toward them. As she walked through the town, she saw that it had been decorated for some occasion, but whereas the Horunvendush Day celebration had taken place in a f?ield, that day’s festivities had taken over the streets.
Ahead of her, a stream of people and creatures was f?lowing over a bridge toward a red stone castle. Alice followed it and soon found herself in a gorgeous chamber. Straight ahead, four f?igures sat on a raised platform.
Alice gasped. Mirana and Iracebeth made up half of the party on the stage. Their faces appeared much younger; they looked to be about Alice’s age. Even more surprising, Iracebeth’s head, while still larger than normal, wasn’t quite as gargantuan as when Alice had f?irst met her. Judging by their crowns, the two people sitting with them must be the sisters’ parents—King Oleron and Queen Elsmere. They both smiled pleasantly down at the gathered villagers. The Hightopps, including Hatter, stood on the platform to one side of the royal family. Now all she had to do was stay close and wait for her chance to speak with them.
Alice made her way to the front of the crowd, watching as Zanik Hightopp crossed the stage to Mirana.
All around her, Underlandians clapped loudly as Zanik placed a delicate tiara on Mirana’s head. Mirana, clad all in white, smiled sweetly at everyone. Per usual, Iracebeth’s face was twisted in a scowl.
“And now,” King Oleron announced, “the princess Iracebeth.”
This must be some sort of coronation ceremony for the princesses, Alice thought. Zanik stepped to the side of the platform, where his son held out an oversized hatbox. Reaching in, Zanik carefully lifted an extra-wide tiara. Then he took his place behind Iracebeth and ceremoniously lowered it onto her head.
Except ... it didn’t f?it.
Iracebeth’s head was too large. As Zanik tried adjusting the angle of the tiara, the crowd around Alice murmured and the younger Hatter tried to stif?le a snort of laughter.
“You are making me look foolish!” Iracebeth hissed at Zanik.
If the princess hadn’t been so testy, Alice might have felt sorry for her. Hatter was caught up in the humor of the situation and couldn’t help himself a second time: he giggled as his father struggled with Iracebeth’s gigantic head.
“Get on with it!” Iracebeth burst out.
Doing his best, Zanik shoved the tiara down, but the force of his movement only snapped it in half. Jewels and pearls popped off and rolled down the steps of the platform, clattering loudly in the sudden silence. Several came to rest at Alice’s feet and shimmered up at her.
After a few frozen moments, the assembled Underlandians began to titter.
“Old big ’ead broke her crown!” called someone from the audience.
As the laughter grew, Iracebeth’s hands curled into f?ists and her cheeks f?lushed. Alice could see the tears brimming in the princess’s eyes and she felt a twinge of sympathy.
“Silence!” Iracebeth bellowed. “The next person who laughs will never laugh again!” Alice’s sympathy was quashed. That sounded like the Red Queen Alice knew—irrational and cutthroat.
“Iracebeth, please!” her mother interjected. “How could you ever stop people from laughing?”
“Put a bag on her head!” someone else teased.
“If you can f?ind one that would f?it,” another voice added.
The room exploded in laughter and Iracebeth shot to her feet, her whole body shaking in rage.
“Off with their tongues,” she screamed. “Off with their ears! Off with their ... heads! Off with their heads!” F?linging her arm forward, she pointed menacingly at the villagers.
Alice had heard the threat before, many times, but clearly the crowd hadn’t. The Underlandians fell into a stunned silence.
With a frown, King Oleron rose from his throne. “Iracebeth, enough!” he snapped.
The princess froze, her arm still outstretched, but she continued to glare at the crowd as her father approached.
Gently but f?irmly, the king took Iracebeth’s arm and lowered it back to her side. Alice could see disappointment in his eyes as he addressed his daughter. “Iracebeth of Witzend. I had always hoped you would one day show the necessary qualities to become the queen you were born to be. I now realize, with a heavy heart, that day will never come.”
“But, Father—” Iracebeth’s voice cracked.
The king shook his head and faced the crowd. “People of Witzend, upon our passing, I hereby decree that my crown shall pass ... to the princess Mirana.”
In her seat, Mirana jolted in surprise, and the Underlandians f?luttered at the announcement. As Iracebeth processed his words, her expression went from hurt to shocked and furious.
“But I’m the eldest! It’s not fair!” she cried.
“You’re dismissed,” King Oleron said. He kep this eyes averted, as though his oldest daughter weren’t there.
Iracebeth lashed out. “You always loved her best!”
“That’s not true, Iracebeth,” Queen Elsmere began, but the princess was too angry to listen.
“I hate you,” Iracebeth spat. “I hate you all!”
Right there in front of Alice’s eyes, Iracebeth’s head began to expand, as though it were a balloon f?illing with air. Iracebeth grabbed her skull with her hands, then hurriedly stalked toward a stair well next to the platform. Noticing the Hightopps, she paused.
“Zanik Hightopp,” she said, her voice loaded with bitterness. “I will never forget what you and your family have done to me this day. Never.”
Mirana rushed over and grabbed hold of her sister’s arm.
“Iracebeth, please,” Mirana said.
Iracebeth jerked away. “I’m not talking to you,” she cried. “This is your fault. Everything is your fault!”
Mirana hurried after her sister as Iracebeth stomped out of the room. The king and queen exchanged troubled looks and also retreated.
The coronation over, Underlandians began to funnel out of the castle. Alice pushed forward in the opposite direction, determined to reach the Hightopps. As she drew closer, she saw Zanik round on his son, his lips pressed together in a frown.
Hatter blinked innocently at him. “All I did was laugh, Father,” he said. He held up his hands. “Her head is rather ... voluminous! I couldn’t help it.”
“You cost the princess her crown,” Zanik replied.
“Do you know what this means for us?”
“Why am I never good enough for you?” Hatter asked.
“Why are you always such a disappointment to me?” Zanik said at the same time.
Hatter pulled back, quiet for a moment, and Alice found she was holding her breath. She knew what a parent’s disapproval felt like.
“There,” Hatter f?inally said, his voice surprisingly measured. “You’ve said it. Well, if I’m such a disappointment, I don’t suppose you’ll be sorry if I leave home.”
“Tarrant, no!” his mother cried, rushing to stand between the men. “Please, Zanik, tell him to stay. Zanik!”
Zanik’s mouth pulled into a f?lat line as his wife clung to Tarrant’s sleeve. “If he is to be a hatter worthy of the Hightopp name, he must be sane, sober, disciplined, prudent, punctual, punctilious.” He paused, regarding his son. “Everything he is now not!”
Alice winced on her friend’s behalf. Zanik was wrong! She’d never met a better or more creative hatter than Tarrant. But the Hatter’s lips only trembled slightly. He stiffened his back and gently disengaged from his mother’s grip. With a quick nod, he whirled and marched out of the castle.

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