Marvin had two best friends, Stuart Albright and Nick Tuffle.
马文有两个最要好的朋友，斯图尔特·奥尔布赖特和尼克·塔弗。
After school they all went to Stuart’s house.
放学后，他们一起去了斯图尔特家。
“Put your dog outside,” said Nick.
"把你家狗弄到外面去，"尼克说。
Nick was brave. He once rode his bike full speed down Suicide Hill. But he was afraid of Fluffy, Stuart’s little white dog.
尼克胆子很大。他曾经骑着自行车全速冲下「自杀坡」。可他就是怕毛毛——斯图尔特家那只小白狗。
Marvin petted Fluffy.
马文摸了摸毛毛。
“Careful, he’s going to bite you,” said Nick.
"小心，它会咬你的，"尼克说。
Fluffy growled at Nick.
毛毛朝他龇牙。
“He’s a good dog,” said Marvin.
"它是条好狗，"马文说。
Fluffy licked Marvin’s fingers.
毛毛舔了舔马文的手指。
Stuart put Fluffy outside.
斯图尔特把毛毛弄到了门外。
“Where’d you get that stupid dog?” asked Nick.
"你从哪儿弄来这么条蠢狗？"尼克问。
“Fluffy’s not stupid,” said Stuart.
"毛毛才不蠢，"斯图尔特说。
“He is too,” said Nick. “He looks like a rat that ran through a cotton candy machine.”
"它就是蠢，"尼克说。"它活像一只从棉花糖机里滚出来的老鼠。"
“We got him at the pound,” said Stuart. “I picked him out myself.”
"我们是在收容所领养它的，"斯图尔特说。"是我自己挑的。"
“Well, you picked the wrong dog,” said Nick.
"那你可挑错狗了，"尼克说。
“I did not!”
"我才没有！"
“Did too.”
"你就是有。"
Marvin was afraid they’d get into a fight. Nick and Stuart were always getting into fights.
马文怕他们打起来。尼克和斯图尔特老是打架。
“I think my parents picked the wrong baby,” Marvin said.
"我觉得我爸妈抱错孩子了，"马文说。
“Huh?” asked Nick.
"啊？"尼克问。
“What?” said Stuart.
"什么？"斯图尔特说。
“At the hospital,” said Marvin. “They took the wrong baby home. They’re not really my parents.”
"在医院里，"马文说。"他们抱错了孩子回家。他们其实不是我的父母。"
He had been thinking about this all day. He didn’t really believe it. He just wanted to keep his best friends from fighting.
这件事他琢磨了一整天。他其实并不真信。他只是想让最要好的两个朋友别再吵了。
“I was kidnapped the day I was born,” said Marvin.
"我出生的那天就被绑架了，"马文说。
“You’re Prince Robert!” exclaimed Stuart.
"你就是罗伯特王子！"斯图尔特惊呼道。
Stuart was smart. It sometimes amazed Marvin how quickly he caught on to things.
斯图尔特很聪明。有时候马文都惊讶于他领悟得有多快。
“Say what?” asked Nick.
"你说什么？"尼克问。
“Marvin’s parents are really the King and Queen of Shampoon,” Stuart explained.
"马文的父母其实就是洗发国的国王和王后，"斯图尔特解释道。
“Wait a second,” said Nick. “Mr. and Mrs. Redpost? No way!”
"等等，"尼克说。"雷德波斯特先生和太太？不可能吧！"
“No,” said Stuart. “Don’t you remember what we read in Current Events? The Prince was kidnapped at birth.”
"没错，"斯图尔特说。"你不记得我们在《时事》上读到的吗？那位王子一出生就被绑架了。"
“So?” said Nick.
"那又怎样？"尼克说。
“So Marvin is really Prince Robert,” said Stuart.
"所以马文其实就是罗伯特王子，"斯图尔特说。
“Say what?” said Nick.
"你说什么？"尼克说。
“I have red hair and blue eyes,” said Marvin. “Everyone else in my family has brown hair and brown eyes. And I’m left-handed. That means I have royal blood.”
"我有红头发和蓝眼睛，"马文说。"我们家其他所有人都是棕头发、棕眼睛。而且我是左撇子。这就说明我身上流着王室的血。"
“Wait a second,” said Nick. “If your parents are the King and Queen of Shampoon, then how did you end up in the hospital here?”
"等等，"尼克说。"如果你的父母是洗发国的国王和王后，那你怎么会跑到这儿的医院里来？"
Marvin thought a moment. He hadn’t figured that part out.
马文想了一会儿。这一点他还没想明白。
“Simple!” said Stuart. “The kidnappers had to hide the baby somewhere. Well, what better place to hide a baby than with a bunch of other babies in a hospital?”
"这还不简单！"斯图尔特说。"绑匪总得把婴儿藏在什么地方。那么，还有什么地方比医院更适合藏婴儿呢？那儿有一大堆别的婴儿！"
“That’s right!” said Marvin.
"对哦！"马文说。
“Or,” said Stuart, “maybe your parents didn’t get you at the hospital. Maybe you’re adopted. They just haven’t told you.”
"或者，"斯图尔特说，"也许你父母不是在医院抱到你的。也许你是被人收养的。他们只是没告诉你。"
“I bet you that’s it!” said Nick. “The kidnappers left you in a garbage bin. Then a policeman found you and took you to an orphanage. And then Mr. and Mrs. Redpost adopted you.”
"我敢打赌就是这么回事！"尼克说。"绑匪把你丢在了垃圾桶里。然后一个警察发现了你，把你送到了孤儿院。后来雷德波斯特先生和太太才收养了你。"
“Or else,” Stuart whispered, “Mr. and Mrs. Redpost might be the kidnappers.”
"要不然，"斯图尔特压低声音说，"雷德波斯特先生和太太说不定就是绑匪。"
“You’ll get to live in a castle!” said Nick. “And you’ll have a hundred servants. You’ll never have to make your bed again.”
"那你就能住进城堡啦！"尼克说。"你还会有一百个仆人。你再也不用自己铺床了。"
Marvin shrugged.
马文耸了耸肩。
“You’ll have so much money,” said Nick. “You could buy anything you want. You walk into a store. You see something you want. You just buy it. You could buy a car!”
"你会有好多好多钱，"尼克说。"你想买什么就买什么。你走进一家店，看见一样你想要的东西，直接买下来就行。你都能买辆车！"
Marvin laughed.
马文笑了。
“I’m too young to drive,” he said.
"我还太小，开不了车，"他说。
“Duh,” said Nick. “No one’s going to give the Prince a ticket! You can do anything. Darn, I wish I had red hair and blue eyes! You’re so lucky, Marvin. Man, some people have all the luck!”
"切，"尼克说。"谁会去给王子开罚单啊！你想干什么都行。唉，我真希望我也有红头发和蓝眼睛！马文，你太走运了。天哪，有的人什么好运都占全了！"
“I’m not lucky,” Marvin reminded him. “I was unlucky to be kidnapped.”
"我可不走运，"马文提醒他。"被绑架可不是什么走运的事。"
“We just have to figure out a way to tell the King,” said Stuart. “And you can’t let your parents know. If they’re the kidnappers, they’ll kill you for sure.”
"我们得想个办法告诉国王，"斯图尔特说。"而且不能让你父母知道。要是他们就是绑匪，肯定会杀了你灭口的。"