《神奇树屋》 第三十三册 Carnival at Candlelight 08 Home by Day

　　Jack 1 could hear the flapping of wings and the soundof steady breathing. The lion flew in circles above thewhirlpool. Then he soared in a great arc up throughthe sky.



"We're going back now!" cried Annie.



Jack lowered his head. He buried his face again inthe lion's shaggy, wet mane. He didn't look up. Hewas too tired to think as he gave him- self over to thelion's wondrous 2 powers of flight. The lion carried Jackand Annie back through the dawn. As they glidedover the calm sea, the105waters sparkled with light from the rising sun.



By the time the lion reached the skies over Venice,darkness had turned to day. Shades of lavenderglowed above the city's towers, domes 3, and spires 4.



Venice was veiled in a soft pink light.



The lion flew to Saint Mark's Square. He glidedtoward the clock tower, moving more and moreslowly. Finally, he landed softly, like a cat, on theterrace of the tower.



Jack took a deep breath and stroked the lion'sgolden mane. Then he and Annie climbed off thelion's back. Jack's legs felt wobbly. He clutched thelion for a moment to get his balance.



The lion let out a low growl 5. He turned his hugehead and licked Jack's hand. His rough tongue feltlike sandpaper. Jack laughed.



Annie laughed, too, as the lion licked her. "Youwere magnificent," she said.



"Yeah," said Jack. "That was a great ride."106The lion let out a long purr. Then he pulled awayfrom the two of them and padded to the edge of theterrace.



The lion gave Jack and Annie one last look over hisshoulder. Then he leapt over the terrace railing andlanded silently on the ledge 6 below.



Looking over the railing, Jack and Annie watchedthe living lion become a statue again. In an instant,his shaggy mane, golden back, powerful legs, tuftedtail, and feathered wings all turned to carved graystone.



"Oh," said Jack sadly. He missed the living lionhiding inside the stone statue.



A thunderingBONG!



made Jack and Annie107jump. Beside them, the two bronze men werestriking their gigantic bell. They struck it six times.



"It's six in the morning," said Annie. "We were gonea long time.""Yeah," said Jack.



"Hey, look at the angel weather vane now," saidAnnie.



Jack looked up at the gold angel on top of thewatchtower. The weather vane was turning in thewind. It suddenly stopped and pointed 7 toward thewest.



"Remember the last lines from Merlin's letter?" saidAnnie. She recited them from memory:



Anangel of gold will showyouthe wayTo the sea by night, and home by day.



"I guess now that Venice is safe, the angelistelling us it's time to go home," said Jack. "Yep,"said Annie.



Jack picked up his backpack, and he and Annieheaded down the stairs of the tower.



108When they reached the bottom, they stepped out ofthe darkness into the bright morning light.



Only a few puddles 8 of water dotted the square.



Carnival 9 had ended. The people in costumes had allgone home. A flock of pigeons fluttered noisily aboutthe cobblestones, picking at orange peels, squashedgrapes, torn ribbons, and feathers. There was no signof the flood except for some patches of seaweed.



Jack turned and looked up at the clock tower. Themorning sun cast a rosy 10 light over the lion's stonebody. The lion stood with pride and dignity, watchingover Saint Mark's Square, his great powers a secret toeveryone but Jack and Annie.



"Thanks again," said Annie to the lion.



"Yeah, thanks," whispered Jack. Then he sighed,exhausted. "Home?" he said. Annie nodded.



As Jack and Annie headed across the square, twosweepers were cleaning up the remains 11 of Carnival.



109"Oh, wow!" cried Annie. She ran toward thesweepers. Just as they were about to scoop 12 up a pileof trash, she snatched something from the ground.



Annie ran back to Jack. "Look!" she said, and heldup Teddy and Kathleen's book of magic rhymes.



"Oh, great!" said Jack. He took the little book fromher. It was damp from the floodwaters, but all thewriting was as clear as ever.



"We have eight rhymes left," said Jack, "for our nextthree journeys." He dropped the rhyme book into hisbackpack.



As Jack and Annie left Saint Mark's Square, theysaw Venice starting to wake up--ordinary, everydayVenice, not the Venice of Carnival. Men, women, andchildren were opening stalls and putting out goods tosell. Cobblers were sitting at their workbenches, andcats were stretching in the chilly 13 sunlight. The oldman was walking his fat little dog, Rosa. He waved110at Jack and Annie, and they waved back.



"No one knows Venice was almost destroyed by aflood last night," said Jack.



"And no one knows we helped save her," saidAnnie. "They just think we're a couple of raggedclowns."Jack smiled. He'd forgotten they were still wearingtheir Carnival costumes. Now their clown suits weredirty, torn, and soaking wet. Their hats were gone.



And somewhere, in the floodwaters or on the flight toNeptune, Jack's slippers 15 had lost their bows.



"How will we get back to the tree house now?"asked Annie.



"I don't know," said Jack. "I guess we'll have to finda boat to take us there."As they scanned the waterfront, Jack saw a boysitting at the edge of the water on a small stool. Theboy was painting.



"Hey, isn't that Lorenzo Tiepolo?" said Jack. He andAnnie hurried over to the boy.



111"Hi, Lorenzo!" said Annie.



Lorenzo glanced up and smiled. "Hello, Annie andJack," he said.



Jack and Annie looked at Lorenzo's painting. Itshowed pink light shimmering 16 on blue water. "That'sbeautiful," said Annie.



"It is only the background," said Lorenzo. Hesquinted at the canal. "Soon I will add gondolas 17 andpeople. Then, probably, I will add something not realat all, something from my imagination.""Hey, guess what! We saw Neptune 14 last night," saidAnnie.



"You did?" said Lorenzo.



"We found him far out at sea," said Jack. "He lookedjust like he looks in your dad's painting.""We rode to him on the back of the flying lion onthe clock tower," said Annie.



Lorenzo nodded. "I am glad Neptune still lives inthe deep sea," he said. "And I am glad one of our lionsstill flies. Many people believe all the magic has leftour world."112"The magic will never leave," said Annie, "not ifpainters like you and your clad keep painting."Lorenzo looked thoughtful. Then he picked up hissmall canvas and handed it to Jack. "You and Annietake this and finish it," he said. "Paint what you sawon your visit to Venice.""Really?" said Jack. "Are you sure?""Yes," said Lorenzo. "You and Annie have the gift ofimagination. Use it to make something magical."113"We will," said Annie.



"Thanks," said Jack. "We'll start painting as soon aswe get home.""Hey, Jack!" said Annie. She pointed at a gondoladocked nearby. It looked like the same boat that hadbrought them to Carnival the night before. Insidewere the same two people: the gondolier and theperson with the lantern. Their114candle had gone out, but they were both stillwearing black cloaks, white gloves, and masks withbird beaks 18.



"Maybe they can take us back to the tree house,"said Jack.



"Excuse me," Annie called. "Can you give us a rideback to the island?" Annie pointed across the water.



The gondolier nodded.



"Great!" said Annie. "Bye, Lorenzo! Thanks!" Andshe and Jack hurried to the landing where thegondola waited for them.