Chapter 9 Maomao Chapter 9 A Good Meeting That Didn't Hold and a Bad Meeting That Did

That great moment is over. However, none of the invited people came.Because it was precisely those closest to the event who barely noticed the children's parade. So, their efforts were all in vain. The sun was already approaching the main line of the earth, and it was hanging on a sea of ​​purple-red clouds, looking red and big.The red light of the setting sun can only reach the highest point of the ruins of the amphitheater.Hundreds of kids have sat and waited here for hours. Now, their noisy and happy din is no longer heard.One by one sat downcast and silent. The shadow lengthened quickly, and it was going to be dark soon.It was getting colder, and the children began to shiver.In the distance came the church bell, which struck eight times.

At this time, there is no doubt that no one will come again. Some children stood up and walked away quietly.Then a few more went on, and no one said anything, because it was such a disappointment. Later, Paul walked up to Mao Mao and said: "It won't get any result if you wait any longer, Mao Mao, no one will come again now. Goodbye, Mao Mao." He finished and left. Then Franco walked up to Maomao and said: "It's really helpless, we shouldn't rely on those people anymore, we have seen that. I thought they were unreliable, from now on, we don't have to deal with them anymore." They dealt."

After he finished speaking, he left, and the other children followed suit.When it was completely dark, the last of the children lost heart and went home. In the end, only Mao Mao, old Beibo and Jiji were left. After a while, old Beppo, the scavenger, stood up too. "Are you going too?" Maomao asked. "I must go," Beppo replied. "I have a very important job." "In the dark and midnight?" "Yes, except today, they asked me to unload the garbage. I have to go now." "But it's Sunday! You don't have to go!" "Yes, we have to go. They assigned us to do it. They said that today is an exception. If we don't go, we won't be able to finish the work. There are not enough people."

"What a pity!" Mao Mao said, "I would be very happy if you stayed today." "Yes, I also think it's a bit inappropriate to go now," said old Beppo. "Well, see you tomorrow!" He stepped on the squeaking bicycle and disappeared into the night. Gigi whistled softly, and the tune was a sentimental song.The tune is beautiful, Mao Mao listened carefully, and suddenly he stopped playing. "I must go too!" said he. "It's Sunday, and I must go to watch! Didn't I already tell you that I got a new job! I nearly forgot." Mao Mao stared at him with wide eyes, unable to say a word.

Jiji comforted Maomao and said: "Although our plan did not succeed as expected, don't be sad. It wasn't what I had imagined.Still - it was fun after all!This is already amazing! " Seeing that Mao Mao was still silent, he stroked her head affectionately and added: "Don't take things so seriously, Mao Mao. Tomorrow, everything will be different. Let's think of something new and re-program A new story, okay?" "But it's not a story!" Momomo whispered. Gigi stood up and said, "I understand what you mean, let's talk about this issue tomorrow, okay? But now I have to go, it's too late, and you should go to bed."

He went away whistling the sad little tune. So, in this huge wall made of stones, Maomao was left alone.That night, there was not a single star in the sky, and the sky was covered with dark clouds.Suddenly, a strange wind blew up.Although the wind is not strong, it is continuous and cold. It can be said that it is a kind of gray wind. In the far places on the outskirts of the city, huge garbage piles have been piled up.It was a veritable mountain of rubbish, piled up with dirt, broken bricks, cans, old mattresses, plastic sheeting, cardboard, and the like. Those things are things that people in the city throw away every day, and now they are piled there, waiting to be slowly sent to the garbage incinerator.

Old Bepo and his colleagues are busy unloading garbage from large trucks. The trucks are lined up in a long line with their headlights on, waiting to be unloaded.As soon as the big truck in front drove away, the truck behind followed closely, endlessly. "Quick, quick!" someone kept yelling, "Go away, go away! Otherwise, we'll never finish!" Old Beppo shoveled and shoveled till his sweat dripped down and his shirt stuck to him.Near midnight, they finally finished. Old Beppo was already old and his body was not so strong. He was already exhausted and was sitting on the ground on an upturned plastic bucket to rest.

"Hello, Beppo," one of his colleagues called, "we're going home, will you come with us?" "Wait a minute," said old Beppo, his hand on his aching chest. "Are you unwell, old man?" asked another colleague. "It's nothing." Old Beipo replied, "You guys go first, I'll rest for a while." "Very well then," they said aloud, "good-bye! " They are all gone.Around Old Beppo, there was silence.Only the rats scurry about in the rubbish, making crickety, sometimes squeaking noises.Old Beppo propped his head on his hands, and after a while, he fell asleep.

Suddenly, he was woken up by a gust of cold wind.He didn't know how long he slept.At this time, he raised his head to look, and all sleepiness disappeared immediately. It turned out that there were many Mr. Gray standing on that huge garbage mountain. They were all wearing straight suits, stiff top hats on their heads, lead gray briefcases in their hands, and gray thin cigars in their mouths.They were all silent, staring motionless at the top of the rubbish heap.There was a table for judges, and behind the table were three gray mr. For the first instant old Beppo felt a fright that they would find him.Without thinking about it, he knew clearly that he couldn't stay here.

However, he quickly noticed that those gray gentlemen all looked up at the judgment table as if attracted by some kind of magic.Maybe they didn't see him at all, maybe they just dumped him there as trash.Anyway, thought old Beppo, at any rate, it was time to make no noise. "Bring attorney No. BLM/553/C to the Supreme Court!" The Mr. Gray in the middle behind the desk was the first to break the silence. Mr. Gray below kept repeating his orders, like an echo from afar.Then, a path cleared among the people, and a Mr. Gray walked slowly up to the top of the rubbish heap.The only thing that stood out was that his gray face had grown almost pale.

Finally, he stood in front of the judgment table. "Are you Agent BLM/553/C?" asked the Mr. Gray sitting in the middle. "yes." "Since when have you worked for Time Savings Bank?" "From the time I was formed." "It goes without saying, less nonsense! When were you formed?" "Eleven years, three months, six days, eight hours and thirty-two minutes ago—to be precise, eighteen seconds should be added to this moment." Strangely enough, old Beppo could hear their conversation very lightly and at a great distance. "Do you know," the gray gentleman in the middle continued to ask, "today there are quite a few children parading around in this city with all kinds of placards, and they even have a huge plan to put the whole All the people in the city are invited to come to them and tell them about our situation." "I know." The interrogated agent replied. "How do you explain," the judge continued angrily, "why all those children know about us and our actions?" "I don't understand it myself," replied the attorney interrogated, "but, if I'm allowed to comment on the matter, I would advise the Supreme Court not to make it more serious than it really is, a group of isolated Helpless child's play, there's nothing else worth mentioning! Also, I ask the court to consider that we managed to sabotage their planned rally by simply not giving people time to attend the rally , in order to pass... "Mr. Defendant! The judge sitting in the middle interrupted him sharply, "Do you know where you are now?" " The agent looked a little dejected. "I know." He said, his voice very soft. The judge continued: "You are not standing in a human court, but in front of your own kind. You know you can't fool us, why do you still do it?" "This is—professional habit." The defendant said gruffly. "Whether the children's actions should be taken seriously," said the judge, "is best left to the judgment of the Executive Committee. Even so, Mr. Defendant, you are well aware that nothing is more important to our work than these children." It's dangerous." "I know." The defendant admitted, his voice even quieter. "Children are our natural enemies," the judge explained. "If there were no children, humanity would have been under our control long ago. It is harder for kids to save time than it is for everyone else to save time.So one of our tough laws is that the child comes last.Are you aware of this law, Mr. Defendant? " "Yes, Monsieur President," he said, panting. "However, we have definite evidence," continued the judge, "that one of us talked to a child, and to whom we confided our secret. You may know, Mr. Defendant, who that man was among us." ?” "It's me," said agent BLM/553/C weakly. "Then why do you violate our strictest laws?" Mr. Judge wanted to ask. "Because of that child," pleaded the defendant, "and because of her influence over other people to make our work difficult, I have done my best to bargain for Time Savings Bank." "We are not interested in your intentions," replied the judge coldly. "We are only interested in the results. Mr. Defendant, what you have done has not only bought us no time, but has revealed our most important secrets." to the child. Do you admit it, Mr. Defendant?" "I admit it." The defendant lowered his head and replied in a voice that was almost inaudible. "Do you admit your guilt?" "Admittedly, when I asked the Supreme Court for clemency, I was completely mesmerized at the time. The way the kid was being listened to made me tell everything. I can't explain it myself. But I swear it's true." "We are not interested in your pleas for pardon. The conditions of probation do not apply to us. Our laws cannot be changed, and no exceptions are allowed. But we want to know in particular the noteworthy boy, and what is his name?" ?” "Maomao. "Is it a boy or a girl?" "girl." "Where does she live?" "She lived in the ruins of the amphitheater." "Good." The judge entered all this in a little book, and then he went on, "Now, you may be sure, Mr. Defendant, that child will never harm us again, and we will do everything we can to deal with her. .May we bring you consolation when we sentence you to death and carry them out immediately. " The defendant began to shiver. The three judges behind the trial table bent over, discussed in whispers for a while, and nodded to each other. Then, the judge in the middle announced loudly to the defendant: "This court unanimously passed the judgment on the agent No. BLM/553/C. After ascertaining the truth, the defendant was confirmed guilty of treason. The criminal himself confessed. provided that the accused shall be punished by immediate deprivation of all time." "Forgive me! Forgive me!" cried the defendant, but two other gray gentlemen standing beside him had snatched his leaden briefcase and cigars. Then, a strange phenomenon appeared.The moment condemned Mr. Gray loses his cigar, he begins to become more and more transparent, and his voice grows weaker.And so he stood there, his face in his hands, gradually vanishing into nothingness.Finally, it disappeared like a few gray snowflakes rolled up by a gust of wind. Then, the judge and the bystanders left silently, their figures swallowed by the darkness, only the gray wind blowing on the desolate garbage heap. Old Beppo, the scavenger, still sat where he had been, without moving a muscle.He stared at the place where the defendant had disappeared. He felt as if he had been frozen into ice just now, and now he was slowly starting to melt again.Now that he saw Mr. Gray with his own eyes, he no longer had any doubts about their existence. At the same time as midnight struck on a distant clock tower, Little Momo was still sitting on the ruins of the amphitheater. She was waiting, but she could not say what she was waiting for.However, she seemed to feel that she should continue to wait, so she could not make up her mind to go to sleep.Suddenly, she felt something lightly touching her bare feet.Because it was very dark, she had to bend down.It turned out to be a big tortoise with its head held up, with a strange smile on its mouth, looking directly at Maomao.Its dark, quick-witted eyes were shining kindly, as if it had something to say. Mao Mao bent her whole body down and scratched its chin with her fingers. "Hey, what's your name? Little turtle, it's great that you came to see me. What can you do for me?" Mao Mao found a few shimmering characters suddenly appeared on the turtle's carapace, which looked like they were made of jigsaw puzzles.She didn't know if she didn't notice it, or it just appeared.Anyway, she slowly deciphered the meaning of those words: "Follow me!" Mao Mao sat up straight in surprise: "Are you referring to me?" However, the tortoise had already crawled forward, climbed a few steps, stopped again, and looked back at Mao Mao. "It really means me!" Maomao said to herself, then she stood up and followed the little turtle. "Come on!" she whispered, "I'll follow you." Mao Mao followed the tortoise, taking small steps. The tortoise crawled very slowly, climbed out of the stone wall of the ruined amphitheater, and crawled towards the city.