Days after Radcliffe’s unsettling visit, Eliza noticed a change in Mr. Finch. He was quieter than usual, and the locked cabinet seemed to hold a weight heavier than before.
One evening, after finishing her duties, Eliza decided to confront him.
“Mr. Finch,” she began hesitantly, “I need to know the truth about the clock. What is it really?”
He studied her for a long moment, his piercing blue eyes searching hers. Finally, he sighed and gestured for her to follow him.
He led her past the workshop and through a hidden door she had never noticed before. Beyond it was a narrow staircase spiraling downward. The air grew colder as they descended, and Eliza’s heart pounded with anticipation.
At the bottom, they entered a dimly lit room lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes, maps, and strange mechanical parts. In the center stood a large table, and on it lay another clock—similar to the one in the cabinet but far more intricate. Its face shimmered faintly, as though alive.
“This,” Finch said, gesturing to the clock, “is the first of its kind. It’s a temporal key.”
“A key to what?” Eliza asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“To other worlds,” Finch replied, his tone grave. “It’s part of an ancient network designed to connect realms. But it’s incomplete without the one upstairs—the guardian clock.”
Eliza’s head spun. “And Radcliffe? What does he want with it?”
Finch’s jaw tightened. “He’s part of a group that wants to exploit the clocks. They believe they can use them to control time itself.”
Eliza felt a chill run down her spine. “What can I do to help?”
Finch looked at her with a mixture of pride and worry. “If you truly want to help, you’ll need to learn everything I can teach you—and be ready for what’s to come.”
Key Words:
unsettling - 令人不安的
hesitate - 犹豫
spiral - 螺旋形的
descend - 下行
anticipation - 期待
intricate - 复杂的
shimmer - 闪烁
temporal - 时间的
realms - 领域
exploit - 利用
中文全文翻译：
在拉德克里夫令人不安的拜访后几天，伊莱莎注意到芬奇先生的变化。他比平时更加沉默，而那上锁的柜子似乎承载了更大的秘密。
一天晚上，完成所有工作后，伊莱莎鼓起勇气决定向芬奇先生询问真相。
“芬奇先生，”她犹豫着开口，“我需要知道关于那个钟的真相。它究竟是什么？”
芬奇先生盯着她看了很久，他锐利的蓝眼睛似乎在探究她的意图。最终，他叹了口气，示意她跟上来。
他带她穿过工作间，进入了一扇她从未注意到的隐藏门。门后是一条狭窄的螺旋楼梯向下延伸。随着他们下行，空气逐渐变冷，伊莱莎的心因期待而狂跳。
楼梯尽头，他们进入了一间昏暗的房间，四周的架子上摆满了古老的书籍、地图和奇怪的机械部件。房间中央的桌子上放着另一座钟——它和柜子里的那座相似，但更加复杂。它的表面微微闪烁，仿佛有生命一般。
“这是……”芬奇先生指着那座钟说，“它是第一种类型的钟。它是一把时间钥匙。”
“一把钥匙……通向什么？”伊莱莎几乎用耳语般的声音问道。
“通向其他世界，”芬奇先生严肃地回答，“它是一个古老网络的一部分，设计用来连接不同的领域。但如果没有楼上的那座守护者之钟，它就是不完整的。”
伊莱莎的脑袋一阵晕眩。“那拉德克里夫呢？他想用它做什么？”
芬奇的下巴紧绷。“他属于一个试图利用这些钟的组织。他们认为可以用钟来控制时间本身。”
一阵寒意顺着伊莱莎的脊背爬上。“我能做什么来帮忙？”
芬奇带着一丝骄傲和担忧看着她。“如果你真的想帮忙，你需要学会我能教你的所有东西——并准备好面对接下来的事情。”
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原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter One 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter Two 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter Three: A New Challenge 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter Four: A Betrayal 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter Six: The Rescue Mission 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter Seven: A New Strategy 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter 8: A Difficult Decision 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter 9: A New Era 原创小说 |《玉刃》The Jade Blade Chapter 10: Li Mei's Legacy Book 2 原创小说 | Chapter 1: The Mysterious Letter 原创小说 | Chapter 2: The First Clue 原创小说 | Chapter 3: The Ancient Oak Tree 原创小说 | Chapter 4: The Flowery Path 原创小说 | Chapter 5: The Hidden Treasure Book 3 原创小说 | Chapter 1: The Enchanted Garden 原创小说 | Chapter 2: The Hidden Door 原创小说 | Chapter 3: The Guardian of the Garden 原创小说 | Chapter 4: The Trials of the Garden 原创小说 | Chapter 5: The Return Home Book 4 原创小说 | Chapter 5: The True Treasure
Book 5
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: The Return Home
Book 6
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: The Return of the King
Book 7
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: Love in Full Bloom
Book 8
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: A New Chapter
Book 9
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: Finding Her Place
Book 10
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: Back in the Game
Book 11
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: The Secret of Room 207
Book 12
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: More Than Friends
Book 13
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: A New Chapter
Book 14
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: A New Member
Book 15
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: A Timeless Memory
Book 16
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: The Choice
Book 17
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: The Moonlit Path
Book 18
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: A New Horizon
Book 19
读英文微小说，习得英语词汇 | Chapter 5: A Legacy of Love
Book 20
