“You will have a substitute teacher tomorrow,” Mrs. North told her third-grade class.
「明天你们会有个代课老师，」诺斯太太对她三年级的班说。
“All right!” shouted Nick.
「太好了！」尼克喊。
Mrs. North stared at Nick.
诺斯太太瞪着尼克。
Marvin Redpost looked down at his desk and smiled. Nick Tuffle was Marvin’s best friend. Marvin had two best friends. His other best friend was Stuart Albright.
马文·雷德波斯特低头看着课桌，笑了。尼克·塔弗是马文最好的朋友。马文有两个最好的朋友。他另一个最好的朋友是斯图尔特·奥尔布赖特。
“I will be gone for one week,” said Mrs. North. “I won’t be back until next Thursday. A week from tomorrow.”
「我要离开一个星期，」诺斯太太说，「下周四才回来。从明天算起一周。」
“Hot dog!” exclaimed Nick.
「好耶！」尼克叫起来。
Mrs. North glared at Nick. “I will leave detailed instructions for the substitute,” she warned. “And if any of you misbehave, I will know about it. That means you, Nick.”
诺斯太太瞪着尼克。「我会给代课老师留下详细的说明，」她警告道，「你们谁要是不听话，我会知道。说的就是你，尼克。」
“Hey, why pick on me?” asked Nick.
「嘿，凭什么挑我？」尼克问。
When it was time to go home, Nick and Stuart gathered around Marvin’s desk.
到了放学的时候，尼克和斯图尔特围到马文的课桌旁。
“A substitute for a week!” said Nick, rubbing his hands together. “This is going to be great.”
「代课老师待一个星期！」尼克搓着手说，「这下可要好看了。」
“Let’s pretend we’re each other,” said Stuart. “I’ll be Marvin. Marvin, you be Nick. And Nick, you can be me.”
「我们假装互换身份吧，」斯图尔特说，「我当马文。马文，你当尼克。尼克，你当我。」
“I don’t want to be you,” Nick said to Stuart. “I’ll be Marvin, and you be me.”
「我不想当你，」尼克对斯图尔特说，「我当马文，你当我。」
“I don’t want to be you!” said Stuart.
「我才不想当你！」斯图尔特说。
It made Marvin feel proud that both his friends wanted to be him.
两个朋友都想当他，这让马文觉得很自豪。
On the other hand, he wasn’t sure he wanted either of them to be him.
另一方面，他又不太确定自己是否想让他们中的任何一个来当自己。
“Marvin, may I talk to you for a moment?” asked Mrs. North.
「马文，我能跟你谈一下吗？」诺斯太太问。
“What’d you do?” asked Stuart.
「你干什么了？」斯图尔特问。
Marvin shrugged. He didn’t think he did anything.
马文耸耸肩。他觉得自己什么也没干。
And even if he did, what could Mrs. North do about it? She was going away for a week.
就算他干了什么，诺斯太太又能怎么样？她要离开一个星期。
He walked to her desk.
他走到她的讲台前。
“Do you like dogs?” asked Mrs. North.
「你喜欢狗吗？」诺斯太太问。
“Sure,” he said.
「喜欢，」他说。
“I’m going to need someone to take care of Waldo while I’m away,” said Mrs. North.
「我不在的时候，需要有个人照顾沃尔多，」诺斯太太说。
“Waldo?” asked Marvin.
「沃尔多？」马文问。
“I was going to put him in a kennel,” said Mrs. North. “But he’s such an old dog. It would be so much nicer if he could stay home.”
「我本来打算把他送到寄养所，」诺斯太太说，「但他年纪太大了。要是他能待在家里，那就好得多。」
Marvin could hardly believe his ears.
马文简直不敢相信自己的耳朵。
“I’ll pay you three dollars a day,” said Mrs. North. “Times seven days. That’s twenty-one dollars. Tell you what. I’ll give you a four dollar bonus if there are no problems. Twenty-five dollars.”
「我一天付你三美元，」诺斯太太说，「乘以七天，是二十一美元。这样吧。如果不出问题，我再给你四美元奖金。一共二十五美元。」
Marvin nodded his head. He was too shocked to speak.
马文点了点头。他震惊得说不出话。
“Good,” said Mrs. North. “You want to come to my house now and meet Waldo?”
「好，」诺斯太太说，「你现在想去我家见见沃尔多吗？」
Marvin stared at her. “Okay,” he said.
马文瞪着她。「好，」他说。
“I’ll call your mother,” said Mrs. North. “And I’ve got a few things to finish up. I’ll meet you in the parking lot in twenty minutes.”
「我给你妈妈打个电话，」诺斯太太说，「我还有几件事要收尾。二十分钟后停车场见。」
“Okay.”
「好。」
Stuart and Nick were waiting outside for him.
斯图尔特和尼克在外面等他。
“Did you get in trouble?” asked Nick.
「你挨批了吗？」尼克问。
“No,” said Marvin, still in shock.
「没有，」马文说，还在震惊中。
“You want to play soccer?” asked Stuart.
「你想踢足球吗？」斯图尔特问。
“I can’t,” said Marvin. “I have to meet Mrs. North in the parking lot. She’s going to drive me in her car.”
「不行，」马文说，「我得去停车场见诺斯太太。她要开车载我。」
“Her car!” said Nick.
「她的车！」尼克说。
“To her house,” said Marvin.
「去她家，」马文说。
“Her house!” said Stuart.
「她家！」斯图尔特说。
“She’s going to pay me to take care of her dog while she’s away.”
「她要付钱让我在她不在的时候照顾她的狗。」
His friends stared at him wide-eyed.
他的朋友们瞪大眼睛看着他。
“Three dollars a day. Plus a bonus of four dollars if there are no problems.”
「一天三美元。如果不出问题再加四美元奖金。」
“Twenty-five bucks,” said Stuart. He was good at math.
「二十五美元，」斯图尔特说。他数学很好。
“You are so lucky,” said Nick. “You’re the luckiest kid in the whole world.”
「你太走运了，」尼克说，「你是全世界最走运的小孩。」