英語讀物《神奇樹屋》 第十四冊 Day of the Dragon King 5 The Scholar
"It's a book from our country," said Jack. "Yourbooks are made of bamboo, but ours are made ofpaper. Actually, your country invented paper. Butlater, in the future."The man looked confused.
"Never mind," said Annie. "It's for reading. It's forlearning about faraway places."The man stared at them. Tears filled his eyes.
"'What's wrong?" Annie asked softly.
"I love reading and learning," he said.
"So do I," said Jack.
The man smiled. "You don't understand! I amdressed as a farmer," he said. "But in truth, I am ascholar!""What's a scholar?" said Annie.
"We are great readers, learners, and writers," hesaid. "We have long been the most honored citizens inChina."The scholar's smile faded.
"But now scholars are in danger," he said. "Andmany of us have gone into hiding.""Why?" said Jack.
"The Dragon King is afraid of the power of ourbooks and learning," said the scholar. "He wantspeople to think only what he wants them to think.
Any day he may order the burning of the books!"Annie gasped.
"Does that mean what I think it means?" said Jack.
The scholar nodded.
"All the books in the Imperial Library will beburned," he said.
"That's rotten!" said Annie.
"Indeed it is!" the scholar said quietly.
"Listen, we have a mission to get a book from thatlibrary," said Jack.
"Who are you?" asked the scholar.
"Show him," said Annie.
She reached into her shirt pocket as Jack reachedinto his sack. They brought out the secret librarycards. The letters shimmered in the sunlight.
The scholar's mouth dropped open again. "You areMaster Librarians," he said. "I have never met ones sohonored who were so young."He bowed to show his respect.
"Thank you," said Jack and Annie.
They bowed back to him.
"How can I help you?" asked the scholar.
"We need to go to the Imperial Library and find thisbook," said Jack.
He held out Morgan's bamboo strip to the scholar.
"We will go to the Imperial Library," said thescholar. "As for the story, I know it well. It is a trueone, written not long ago. But I warn you. We will bein great danger.""We know!" said Annie.
The scholar smiled.
"I am happy to be doing something I believe inagain," said the scholar. "Let us go!"They all climbed into the front of the cart. The longline of wall builders was marching in the distance. Asthe oxen started forward, the scholar turned to Jackand Annie. "Where are you from?" he asked.
"Frog Creek, Pennsylvania," said Annie.
"I have never heard of it," said the scholar. "Do theyhave a library there?""Oh, sure, there's a library in every town," saidJack. "In fact, there are probably thousands of librariesin our country.""And millions of books," said Annie. "And no oneburns them.""Right," said Jack. "Everyone gets to go to school tolearn to read them."The scholar stared at him and shook his head.
"It sounds like paradise," he said.
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