―歡迎選擇真實的世界

第第頁―歡迎選擇真實的世界尼爾?蓋曼（NeilGaiman）1960年出生于英國漢普郡樸次茅斯的一個東歐猶太移民家庭。他從小在教會學校受教育，20世紀70年代上大學，80年代投身新聞業(yè)，90年代開始小說創(chuàng)作，是當代英美文壇最重要的科幻小說家和奇幻文學作家之一，代表作有《無有鄉(xiāng)》（Neverwhere）、《星塵》（Stardust）、《美國眾神》（AmericanGods）等，先后獲得了奇幻文學獎、星云獎、雨果獎等一系列科幻小說與奇幻小說的最高獎項?！犊ㄌ}蘭》（Coraline，也譯為《鬼媽媽》）出版于2002年，獲得了當年的布拉姆?斯托克獎以及2003年的雨果獎最佳中篇小說獎。2009年，該小說被改編為同名動畫長片，獲得了奧斯卡以及金球獎最佳動畫片提名。

Excerpts1）

Coralinewentthroughthedoor.

Shewonderedwhattheemptyflatwouldbelike―ifthatwaswherethecorridorled.

Coralinewalkeddownthecorridoruneasily.Therewassomethingveryfamiliaraboutit.

Thecarpetbeneathherfeetwasthesamecarpettheyhadintheirflat.Thewallpaperwasthesamewallpapertheyhad.Thepicturehanginginthehallwasthesamethattheyhadhangingintheirhallwayathome.

Sheknewwhereshewas：Shewasinherownhome.Shehadn’tleft.

Sheshookherhead，confused.

Shestaredatthepicturehangingonthewall：No，itwasn’texactlythesame.Thepicturetheyhadintheirownhallwayshowedaboyinold-fashionedclothesstaringatsomebubbles.Butnowtheexpressiononhisfacewasdifferent―hewaslookingatthebubblesasifhewasplanningtodosomethingverynastyindeedtothem.Andtherewassomethingpeculiarabouthiseyes.

Coralinestaredathiseyes，tryingtoworkoutwhatexactlywasdifferent.

Shealmosthaditwhensomebodysaid，“Coraline？”

Itsoundedlikehermother.Coralinewentintothekitchen，wherethevoicehadcomefrom.AwomanstoodinthekitchenwithherbacktoCoraline.ShelookedalittlelikeCoraline’smother.Only...

Onlyherskinwaswhiteaspaper.

Onlyshewastallerandthinner.

Onlyherfingersweretoolong，andtheyneverstoppedmoving，andherdark-redfingernailswerecurvedandsharp.

“Coraline？”thewomansaid.“Isthatyou？”

Andthensheturnedround.Hereyeswerebigblackbuttons.

“Lunchtime，Coraline，”saidthewoman.

“Whoareyou？”askedCoraline.

“I’myourothermother，”saidthewoman.“Goandtellyourotherfatherthatlunchisready.”Sheopenedthedooroftheoven.SuddenlyCoralinerealisedhowhungryshewas.Itsmelledwonderful.“Well，goon.”

Coralinewentdownthehall，towhereherfather’sstudywas.Sheopenedthedoor.Therewasamaninthere，sittingatthekeyboard，withhisbacktoher.“Hello，”saidCoraline.“I―Imean，shesaidtosaythatlunchisready.”

Themanturnedround.

Hiseyeswerebuttons―bigandblackandshiny.

“Hello，Coraline，”hesaid.“I’mstarving.”

Hegotupandwentwithherintothekitchen.TheysatatthekitchentableandCoraline’sothermotherbroughtthemlunch.Ahuge，golden-brownroastedchicken，friedpotatoes，tinygreenpeas.Coralineshovelledthefoodintohermouth.Ittastedwonderful.

“We’vebeenwaitingforyouforalongtime，”saidCoraline’sotherfather.

“Forme？”

“Yes，”saidtheothermother.“Itwasn’tthesameherewithoutyou.Butweknewyou’darriveoneday，andthenwecouldbeaproperfamily.Wouldyoulikesomemorechicken？”

ItwasthebestchickenthatCoralinehadevereaten.Hermothersometimesmadechicken，butitwasalwaysoutofpackets，orfrozen，andwasverydry，anditnevertastedofanything.WhenCoraline’sfathercookedchickenheboughtrealchicken，buthedidstrangethingstoit，likestewingitinwine，orstuffingitwithprunes2），orbakingitinpastry3），andCoralinewouldalwaysrefusetotouchitonprinciple.

Shetooksomemorechicken.

“Ididn’tknowIhadanothermother，”saidCoralinecautiously.

“Ofcourseyoudo.Everyonedoes，”saidtheothermother，herblack-buttoneyesgleaming.“AfterlunchIthoughtyoumightliketoplayinyourroomwiththerats.”

“Therats？”

“Fromupstairs.”

Coralinehadneverseenarat，exceptontelevision.Shewasquitelookingforwardtoit.Thiswasturningouttobeaveryinterestingdayafterall.

Afterlunchherotherparentsdidthewashing-up，andCoralinewentdownthehalltoherotherbedroom.

Itwasdifferentfromherbedroomathome.Forastartitwaspaintedinanoff-puttingshadeofgreenandapeculiarshadeofpink.

Coralinedecidedthatshewouldn’twanttohavetosleepinthere；butthatthecolourschemewasanawfullotmoreinterestingthantheoneinherownbedroom.

Therewereallsortsofremarkablethingsinthereshe’dneverseenbefore：wind-upangelsthatflutteredaroundthebedroomlikestartledsparrows；bookswithpicturesthatwrithedandcrawledandshimmered；littledinosaurskullsthatchatteredtheirteethasshepassed.Awho