Florin sits on a wooden stool at the stage door and studies a map. It is his fifth day as the theatre's door runner. His job is to sign people in and to answer one question: "Where do I go?"
弗洛林坐在后台门口的一张木凳上，研究着一张地图。这是他当剧院门房跑腿员的第五天。他的工作是给人登记签到，并回答一个问题：“我该往哪儿走？”
The theatre is old, and it is not simple. It has three staircases, two trapdoors and a corridor that ends at a brick wall. Florin has drawn his own map, and he checks it every night. He counts steps, he names the doors, and he draws small arrows in green pen.
这家剧院很老，结构也不简单。里面有三道楼梯，两扇活板门，还有一条尽头是砖墙的走廊。弗洛林画了一张自己的地图，每天晚上都要核对一遍。他数步子，给每扇门起名字，还用绿笔画上小小的箭头。
It is half past one, and the children's matinee starts at two. Everything is quiet. The cast arrived an hour ago, and the stage manager is somewhere upstairs, shouting about a missing prop.
现在是一点半，儿童日场演出两点开始。四周很安静。演员们一小时前就到了，舞台监督不知在楼上哪个地方，正为一件找不到的道具大喊大叫。
Then the stage door bangs open. A very large yellow shape squeezes through the frame. It is a duck. It has a round yellow body, orange feet as big as pillows and a long orange beak. A man's face looks out from under the beak, and he is breathing hard.
这时，后台门砰的一声被撞开了。一个非常庞大的黄色身影挤过门框。那是一只鸭子，圆圆的黄色身体，橘色的脚大得像枕头，还有一张长长的橘色嘴巴。一个男人的脸从嘴巴底下探出来，喘得很厉害。
"Good afternoon," says the duck. "I am Arvid. I play the Duck. I am late, and I am famous."
“下午好，”鸭子说，“我是阿尔维德。我演那只鸭子。我迟到了，不过我很有名。”
"Famous for what?" asks Florin.
“有名在哪儿？”弗洛林问。
"For being the Duck," says Arvid. He signs the book with a wing, and the pen goes everywhere. "Do not worry. I know this theatre very well. I performed here twenty years ago, and I remember every corner."
“有名在我就是那只鸭子啊。”阿尔维德说。他用翅膀在登记簿上签字，笔到处乱飞。“别担心。这座剧院我熟得很。二十年前我在这儿演过出，每个角落我都记得。”
Florin says nothing. He has met actors like this before. They always remember the corners, and they always get lost in the corridors.
弗洛林没有说话。这样的演员他以前见过。他们总记得每个角落，却总在走廊里迷路。
Arvid waddles toward the first door. At that exact moment, there is a loud click, followed by a long, low hum. Then every light in the building goes out.
阿尔维德摇摇摆摆地走向第一扇门。就在这一刻，传来响亮的咔哒一声，接着是一阵悠长低沉的嗡嗡声。然后，整栋楼的灯全灭了。
For a few seconds, nothing happens. The dark is complete, thick and soft like a blanket. Somewhere upstairs, someone says a word that is not allowed in a children's show.
有那么几秒钟，什么事也没有发生。黑暗是彻底的，厚厚的，软软的，像一条毯子。楼上的什么地方，有人说了一个儿童演出里不许说的字眼。
"Ah," says Arvid, in a smaller voice. "That is a problem."
“啊，”阿尔维德用更小的声音说，“这可麻烦了。”
Florin reaches under the desk for the emergency torch. It is an old metal one, with a cracked handle and a bulb that has seen better days. He switches it on. A pale yellow circle appears on the floor. It is about the size of a dinner plate, and it flickers as if it is nervous.
弗洛林伸手到桌子底下，摸出应急手电筒。那是一只旧的金属手电，把手裂了，灯泡也早就不行了。他按下开关。地板上出现了一个淡黄色的圆圈。它只有一只餐盘那么大，还一闪一闪的，像是很紧张。
"That is all?" asks Arvid.
“就这样？”阿尔维德问。
"That is all," says Florin. "The new batteries arrive on Thursday."
“就这样，”弗洛林说，“新电池星期四才到。”
Arvid looks at the tiny circle of light and lets out a long breath. "My entrance is in eleven minutes," he says. "If I am not on stage, forty children will sit in the dark and watch nothing."
阿尔维德看着那个小小的光圈，长长地呼出一口气。“我十一分钟后就要出场，”他说，“要是我不在台上，四十个孩子就会坐在黑暗里，什么也看不到。”
"Then we should go," says Florin.
“那我们该走了。”弗洛林说。
"You know the way?" asks Arvid. He sounds surprised.
“你认得路？”阿尔维德问。他听起来很惊讶。
"I have a map," says Florin. He holds up the paper. "If you follow me, you will be on time."
“我有地图，”弗洛林说着举起那张纸，“你跟着我，就能准时到。”
The two of them step into the corridor. The weak beam shows only a small piece of floor. Florin sees a worn board here, a nail there and the toe of Arvid's huge orange foot. Every time the duck moves, his costume makes a squeaky, rubbery noise. Squeak, squeak, squeak. It sounds like a very large toy.
两个人走进走廊。微弱的光束只照亮一小块地板。弗洛林看见这儿一块磨损的木板，那儿一颗钉子，还有阿尔维德那只巨大的橘色脚尖。鸭子每动一下，他的戏服就发出橡胶摩擦的吱吱声。吱，吱，吱。听起来像一个特别大的玩具。
"Left at the broom," says Florin. He counts under his breath. "Eleven steps. Then a door."
“在扫帚那儿向左，”弗洛林说。他小声数着，“十一步。然后有一扇门。”
"I remember a door here," says Arvid. "It leads to the stage. I am nearly certain."
“我记得这儿有一扇门，”阿尔维德说，“通向舞台。我几乎可以肯定。”
Florin opens it and holds up the torch. Behind the door is a cupboard. It is full of mops, a bucket and a very surprised sign that reads "Do Not Enter."
弗洛林把门打开，举起手电筒。门后是一个储物柜，里面堆满了拖把、一只水桶，还有一块一脸惊讶的牌子，上面写着“禁止入内”。
"This is the cleaning cupboard," says Florin gently.
“这是清洁柜。”弗洛林温和地说。
"They moved it," says Arvid. "In my day, it was a staircase."
“他们给挪了，”阿尔维德说，“我那时候，这儿是楼梯。”
"I think it was always a cupboard," says Florin.
“我觉得它一直是柜子。”弗洛林说。
They close the door and carry on. The corridor bends to the right, then to the left. Arvid walks slightly behind, with his beak pointing at the ceiling. Twice he bumps into a wall. The second time, the beak hits a fire bell. The bell rings for two seconds before Florin catches it.
他们关上门，继续往前走。走廊先向右拐，再向左拐。阿尔维德稍稍落在后面，嘴巴指着天花板。他两次撞到墙上。第二次，嘴巴碰到了一只消防铃。铃响了两秒钟，弗洛林才把它按住。
"Sorry," says Arvid. "I cannot see my feet. The beak is too big."
“对不起，”阿尔维德说，“我看不见自己的脚。这嘴巴太大了。”
"Take it off," suggests Florin.
“把它摘下来吧。”弗洛林建议。
"Never. The Duck cannot be seen without a beak. It would ruin the magic."
“绝对不行。鸭子没有嘴巴不能见人。那会毁掉魔法。”
Florin shrugs. He gives Arvid the map to hold. Then he shines the torch at the wall to find the next arrow. The beam trembles and goes dim. Florin shakes the torch twice, and the light comes back in a worried yellow glow.
弗洛林耸耸肩。他把地图交给阿尔维德拿着，然后用手电照向墙壁，找下一个箭头。光束抖了抖，暗了下去。弗洛林摇了两下手电，光又回来了，是一团忧心忡忡的黄色微光。
"We have seven minutes," says Arvid. He sounds more serious now. "Florin, tell me honestly. Are we lost?"
“我们还有七分钟，”阿尔维德说。他现在听起来严肃多了。“弗洛林，老实告诉我。我们迷路了吗？”
"No," says Florin. "I am nearly sure we are not lost."
“没有，”弗洛林说，“我几乎可以肯定我们没有迷路。”
"Nearly?"
“几乎？”
"My map has a mistake on the second floor," Florin admits. "I drew the stairs on the wrong side. I found out on Tuesday."
“我的地图在二楼有个错误，”弗洛林承认道，“我把楼梯画到了错的一边。星期二才发现的。”
Arvid stops. The costume squeaks one last time and goes quiet. For a long moment, the only sound is the hum of the dark.
阿尔维德停了下来。戏服最后吱了一声，安静了。好一会儿，唯一的声响就是黑暗的嗡嗡声。
"Then we do it the other way round," says Arvid. "You tell me where the mistake is, and I tell you where I think the stairs should be. Between us, we find them."
“那我们就反着来，”阿尔维德说，“你告诉我错在哪儿，我告诉你我觉得楼梯该在哪儿。我们俩凑一凑，就能找到。”
"That could work," says Florin.
“这也许行得通。”弗洛林说。
"Of course it could. I am an actor. I am very good at pretending that I know the answer."
“当然行得通。我是演员。我特别擅长假装自己知道答案。”
Florin laughs, and the torch shakes in his hand. Together they climb the stairs, one step at a time. Arvid holds the rail, and Florin lights the way. At the top, the corridor opens into a space that smells of dust and paint. Ropes hang down from the ceiling like long, thin vines.
弗洛林笑了，手里的手电筒也跟着抖。他们一起往楼上走，一次一步。阿尔维德扶着扶手，弗洛林照着路。到了顶上，走廊通向一个有灰尘和油漆味的空间。绳索从天花板上垂下来，像又细又长的藤蔓。
"This is the wings," whispers Florin. "The stage is straight ahead."
“这是侧幕，”弗洛林小声说，“舞台就在正前方。”
Through a gap in the curtain, they can see the empty boards. There is a murmur of voices from the audience, impatient and high, like a flock of birds. A tiny voice asks loudly if the show has been cancelled.
透过幕布的一道缝，他们看见了空荡荡的木地板。观众席传来一片嗡嗡的说话声，急躁而尖细，像一群鸟。一个细小的声音大声问演出是不是取消了。
"Three minutes," says Arvid. He looks at the torch, and then at Florin, and his voice becomes soft. "Thank you. I came in here like a man who owns the building. You are the one who really knows it."
“还有三分钟，”阿尔维德说。他看看手电筒，又看看弗洛林，声音变得轻柔。“谢谢你。我进来的时候，像个自以为这栋楼归他所有的人。真正了解这里的，是你。”
"I only know where the mistakes are," says Florin.
“我只知道错误在哪儿。”弗洛林说。
"That is the best way to know a place," says Arvid.
“这是了解一个地方最好的方式。”阿尔维德说。
At that moment, a worker shouts from the corridor, and the lights hum back on, all at once. The stage glows white and gold. The audience cheers, and somebody at the back starts to clap in time.
就在这时，走廊里一个工人大喊了一声，灯嗡的一下全亮了。舞台一片白金色的光辉。观众欢呼起来，后排有人开始打着节拍鼓掌。
Arvid stands very tall. He straightens his beak, and he pats Florin on the shoulder with a large yellow wing. "Wish me luck," he whispers.
阿尔维德挺直了身子。他摆正嘴巴，用一只大大的黄色翅膀拍了拍弗洛林的肩膀。“祝我好运吧。”他小声说。
"Break a leg," says Florin.
“祝你摔断一条腿。”弗洛林说。
"Never say that to a duck," says Arvid, with a grin. "I only have two."
“千万别对鸭子说这个，”阿尔维德咧嘴一笑，“我只有两条。”
Then he steps through the curtain. Florin stands in the wings with the weak little torch. He listens to the sudden hush of forty children. For one second, the whole theatre waits.
然后他从幕布后走了出去。弗洛林站在侧幕里，握着那只微弱的小手电筒。他听着四十个孩子突然安静下来。有那么一秒钟，整座剧院都在等待。
"Quack," says Arvid.
“嘎。”阿尔维德说。
