The Hidden Staircase Chapter II Part 3

Cerita sebelumnya Hidden Saircase Chapter II Part 2

Her father, however, glanced at his wrist watch.

 

Ayah Nancy, rupanya, melihat jam di pergelangan tangannya.

 

"Say, young lady, you'd better go dress for that date of yours." He winked.

 

“Baiklah, nona muda, kamu sebaiknya lekas berpakaian untuk kencanmu.” Ayah mengedipkan matanya.

 

"I happen to know that Dirk doesn't like to be kept waiting."

 

“Aku tahu bahwa Dirk tak suka menunggu lama.”

 

"Especially by any of my mysteries."

 

“Khususnya dengan kasusku mana pun.”

 

She laughed and hurried upstairs to  change into a dance dress.

 

Nancy tertawa dan bergegas ke lantai atas untuk berganti pakaian pesta.”

 

Half an hour later Dirk Jackson arrived. Nancy and the red-haired, former high-school tennis champion drove off to pick up another couple and attend an amateur play and dance given by the local Little Theater group.

 

Setengah jam kemudian Dirk Jackson tiba. Nancy dan si rambut merah, mantan juara tenis sekolah menengah atas pergi untuk menjemput pasangan lain dan menghadiri drama amatir dan tarian yang dipersembahkan oleh kelompok lokal teater Little.

 

Nancy thoroughly enjoyed herself and was sorry when the affair ended. With the promise of another date as soon as she returned from Twin Elms, Nancy said good night and waved from her doorway to the departing boy.

 

Nancy benar-benar menikmati dan kecewa ketika kencannya berakhir. Dengan janji kencan di hari lain sekembalinya dari Twin Elms, Nancy berpamitan dan melambai ke arah Dick.

 

As she prepared for bed, she thought of the play, the excellent orchestra, how lucky she was to have Dirk for a date, and what fun it had all been.

 

Selagi beranjak tidur, Nancy membayangkan drama, orkestra yang luar biasa, betapa beruntungnya Nancy bersama Dick sebagai kencannya, dan  betapa menyenangkan itu semua.

 

But then her thoughts turned to Helen Corning and her relatives in the haunted house, Twin Elms. "I can hardly wait for Monday to come," she murmured to herself as she fell a sleep.

 

Tapi pikirannya beralih ke Helen Corning dan saudaranya di rumah berhantu, Twin Elms. “Aku tak sabar segera Senin,” Nancy bergumam selagi tertidur.

 

The following morning she and her father attended church together. Hannah said she was going to a special service that afternoon and therefore would stay at home during the morning.

 

Pagi harinya Nancy dan ayahnya mengunjungi gereja. Kata Hannah dia akan pergi ke kebaktian khusus di siang hari oleh karena itu pagi hari akan di rumah saja.

 

"I'll have a good dinner waiting for you," she announced, as the Drews left.

 

“Aku akan menyiapkan makan malam enak untuk mu,” kata Hannah, bersama kepergian Nancy dan ayahnya.

After the service was over, Mr. Drew said he would like to drive down to the water front and see what progress had been made on the new bridge.

 

Setelah kebaktian selesai, Tuan Drew bilang dia akan berkendara menuju Water Front dan melihat kemajuan pembangunan di jembatan baru.

 

"The railroad is going ahead with construction on the far side of the river," he told Nancy.

 

“Rel kereta api akan mulai pengkonstruksian di sebelah sungai, kata Ayah Nancy.

 

"Is the Wharton property on this side?" Nancy asked.

 

“Apakah itu property milik Wharton di sebelah sini?” Tanya Nancy.

 

"Yes. And I must get to the truth of this mixed-up situation, so that work can be started on this side too.

 

“Ya. Dan Aku harus mencari tahu kebenaran dari kekacauan situasi ini, jadi pembangunan akan dimulai di sebelah sini juga.

 

"Mr. Drew wound among the many streets leading down to the Muskoka River, then took the vehicular bridge across. He turned toward the construction area and presently parked his car.

 

“Tuan Drew memotong beberapa banyak jalan menuju ke arah Sungai Muskoka, kemudian membawa kendaraan melewati jembatan. Dia berbelok menuju area pembangunn dan segera memarkirkan kendaraannya.

 

As he and Nancy stepped from the sedan, he looked ruefully at her pumps.

 

Setelah Nancy dan ayahnya keluar dari mobil, Tuan Drew memandang Nancy dengan menyesal.

 

"It's going to be rough walking down to the waterfront," he said.

"Perhaps you had better wait here."

 

“Akan berat menuruni waterfront, “kata Tuan Drew.

“Mungkin sebaiknya kamu tunggu di sini.”

 

"Oh, I'll be all right," Nancy assured him.

“Oh, aku akan baik-baik saja,” Nancy menyakinkan ayahnya.

 

"I'd like to see what's being done.

“Aku ingin melihat apa saja yang sudah dibangun.”

 

"Various pieces of large machinery stood about on the high ground—a crane, a derrick, and hydraulic shovels.

 

“Berbagai bagian mesin berat berdiri di atas tanah—mesin Derek, menara bor, dan excavator tambang.

 

As the Drews walked toward the river, they passed a large truck. It faced the river and stood at the top of an incline just above two of the four enormous concrete piers which had already been built.

 

Nancy dan ayahnya berjalan menuju sungai, mereka melewati truk besar. Truk itu menghadap sungai dan berada di atas lereng kira-kira di atas dua dari empat konsentrat tiang jembatan besar sekali yang telah selesai dibangun.

 

"I suppose there will be matching piers on the opposite side," Nancy mused, as she and her father reached the riverbank.

 

“Aku kira akan ada tiang jembatan pasangan di sisi seberang sana, “renung Nancy, setibanya Nancy dan ayahnya di tepi sungai.

They paused in the space between the two huge abutments. Mr. Drew glanced from side to side as if he had heard something.

 

Mereka terdiam di ruang antara dua batas. Tuan Drew memandang dari segala arah sepertinya dia mendengar sesuatu.

 

Suddenly Nancy detected a noise behind them. Turning, she was horrified to see that the big truck was moving toward them.

No one was at the wheel and the great vehicle was gathering speed at every moment.

 

Tiba-tiba Nancy mendeteksi suara di belakang mereka. Berbalik, Nancy ngeri melihat truk besar itu berjalan menuju mereka.

Tidak ada siapapun di kemudi dan kendaaran besar itu seketika mempercepat lajunya.

 

"Dad!" she screamed.

“Ayah!” Nancy berteriak.

 

In the brief second of warning, the truck almost seemed to leap toward the water.

Dalam sedetik peringatan, truk itu sepertinya hampir tercebur ke sungai.

 

Nancy and her father, hemmed in by the concrete piers, had no way to escape being run down.

 

Nancy dan ayahnya, terkurung dalam tiang jembatan konsentrat, tak ada jalan lain untuk kabur selain dengan menceburkan diri.

 

"Dive!" Mr. Drew ordered.

“Menyelam!” perintah Tuan Drew.

 

Without hesitation, he and Nancy made running flat dives into the water, and with arms flailing and legs kicking, swam furiously out of harm's way.

Tanpa ragu-ragu, Tuan Drew dan Nancy berlari menyelam turun ke bawh sungai, dan dengan tangan memukul-mukul dan tendangan kaki, menyelam mati-matian menghindari bahaya.

 

The truck thundered into the water and sank immediately up to the cab.

Truk itu bergemuruh menuju sungai dan tenggelam seketika sampai ke tempat kemudi.

 

The Drews turned and came back to the shore.

Nancy dan ayahnya muncul dan kembali ke tepian.

 

"Whew! That was a narrow escape!" the lawyer exclaimed, as he helped his daughter retrieve her pumps which had come off in the oozy bank.

 

“Akhirnya! Itu tadi pelarian yang tipis!” seru Tuan Drew si pengacara, selagi menolong Nancy terlepas dari tempat berair.

 

"And what sights we are!" Nancy remarked.

“Dan lihatlah kita!” sahut Nancy.

 

"Indeed we are," her father agreed, as they trudged up the incline.

“Yah, tentu saja,” ayah Nancy setuju, selagi mereka berjalan susah payah.

 

"I'd like to get hold of the workman who was careless enough to leave that heavy truck on the slope without the brake on properly.

“Aku akan menghubungi pekerja yang telah ceroboh untuk meninggalkan truk berat di lereng tanpa rem yang benar.

 

"Nancy was not so sure that the near accident was the fault of a careless workman. Nathan Comber had warned her that Mr. Drew's life was in danger.

“Nancy tidak yakin bahwa kecelakaan tadi adalah kesalahan pekerja yang ceroboh. Nathan Comber telah memperingatkan Nancy bahwa ayahnya dalam bahaya.

The threat might already have been put into action!

Ancaman itu mungkin saja sudah terjadi!

 

Cerita selanjutnya A Hidden Staircase Chapter III Part 1