Observe--ominous Ominous rumblings The ominous rumblings from a once-dormant volcano were a bad omen.

不祥的轰隆声 一座曾一度休眠的火山 不时传来不祥的轰隆隆 声这可是个不好的预兆

The town at its base was immediately declared off-limits and all occupants were evacuated.

火山下面的城市 立刻宣布禁止入内， 所有居民都被转移。

The oligopoly that had failed to control the market of the town became obsolete and one man was put in charge, Mr. Red.

未能控制城市市场 的寡头卖主垄断 已经变得过时，于是 一位叫瑞德先生的 被指定为负责人。

Mr. Red became obsessed with keeping people from returning to town, even when the volcano stopped rumbling.

瑞德先生一心想着阻止 人们返城， 即使火山已经 不再隆隆作响。

He put obstacles up on the road, he made it a criminal offence to be caught there.

他在路上设置起了障碍 并且宣布如果有人 在那里被抓到， 就以犯罪论处。

And he even put people in jail for arguing with him. He said they were there because they had become an obstruction to justice.

他甚至还把同他争论 的人送进监狱， 他说他们之所以蹲监狱 是因为他们妨碍司法。

But no one could ever obtain permission to renew occupancy and former residents began to complain about Mr. Red's obsessive behavior.

但是无人可以获得 批准继续居住在城中， 以前的居民开始抱怨 瑞德先生的过分行为。

They even observed that Mr. Red had increased the occurrence of his own visits back into town.

他们甚至还观察到 瑞德先生自己 返城的事情倒是 发生得越来越多。

That was definitely odd and off-haned comments were made that they should offer Mr. Red an opportunity to retire or be fired.

这相当古怪， 人们不假思索地指出 应给瑞德先生一次机会 让他退休或者走人

The next day everyone gathered their offspring and set out for town together. When they smelled an odd odor on the outside of town, however.

第二天，大家带领着 儿女一齐向城市出发。 然而，人们在城外就闻 到一股奇怪的气味，

Their desire to return was almost off-set. Something strange had happened.

这几乎打消了他们 回城的念头。 城里发生了怪事。

They were all shocked to see the town when they arrived! Women screamed and men broke down and cried.

来到城里，他们被眼前 的城市惊呆了。 女人们尖叫着，男人们 失控地痛哭流涕。

It had been destroyed and not by a volcano. Mr. Red had rebuilt the town in his image.

他们的城市已被摧毁， 却不是因为火山爆发。 瑞德先生按照他的 想像重新修建了城市，

He smiled and welcomed them home! If the police had not been surrounding him he would have been murdered.

他微笑着欢 迎大家归来! 如果没有警察围着他， 他早就被杀死了。

As it turned out, no one ever returned to occupy the town. An eruption destroyed everything the following year.

结果，没有人回到 城里居住。 第二年，一场火山爆发 将一切都毁了，

And Mr. Red was left destitute.

瑞德先生也落了个 穷困潦倒。