"Well, Mother, there's something I want to tell you," Rapunzel said cautiously. Mother Gothel started to ramble¹ about their earlier argument, telling Rapunzel that she was wrong and Mother Gothel was right. But Rapunzel remained focused.

 

"Okay," she said. "I've been thinking a lot about what you said earlier, and —"

 

"I hope you're not still talking about the stars," Mother Gothel said impatiently.

 

"Floating lights," Rapunzel said quickly, "and yes ... I'm leading up to that, but —"

 

"Because I really thought we dropped the issue, sweetheart."

 

"No, Mother," Rapunzel said. She needed to say that she had captured a ruffian — all by herself! "I'm just saying, you think I'm not strong enough to handle myself out there, but —"

 

Mother Gothel laughed. "Oh, darling, I know you're not strong enough to handle yourself out there."

 

"But if you'd just listen ...," Rapunzel said, not wanting to quarrel with her, but definitely wanting her to stop talking and pay attention.

 

"Rapunzel, we're done talking about this," Mother Gothel snapped.

 

"Trust me," Rapunzel said, determined² to go on with what she had to say.

 

"Rapunzel —" Mother Gothel was warning her.

 

"I know what I'm —"

 

"Rapunzel!" Mother Gothel shouted. "ENOUGH WITH THE LIGHTS, RAPUNZEL! YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER! EVER!"

 

Mother Gothel stood in the center of the room, her fists clenched³ at her sides. Rapunzel was dumbfounded. All at once she realized that it didn't matter what she did or said. There was no hope that Mother Gothel would ever let her go outside. Rapunzel would be trapped at the top of the tower for the rest of her life.

 

Rapunzel turned and looked longingly⁴ at her mural of lights, then at her closet. Inside that closet was proof that she could handle herself in the outside world. Inside that closet was a ruffian whom she had captured. By herself!

 

Inside that closet was the guide who would take her to see the sparkling lights. Mother Gothel would never have to know about it.

 

Rapunzel made her decision.

 

"All I was going to say, Mother, is that I know what I want for my birthday now."

 

"And what is that?" Mother Gothel asked.

 

"New paint," Rapunzel answered. "The paint made from the white shells you once brought me."

 

"Well, that's a very long trip, Rapunzel. Almost three days' time," Mother Gothel said, shaking her head, trying to dissuade⁵ Rapunzel.

 

But this time, Rapunzel replied in kind. This time, everything was different. This time, Rapunzel knew what she wanted, and she knew exactly how to get it.

 

"I just thought it was a better idea than the stars."

 

Mother Gothel's face brightened a bit. This was what she wanted to hear. "You'll be all right on your own?"

 

"I know I'm safe as long as I'm here," Rapunzel answered.

 

Mother Gothel sighed. She got up, packed some food for her journey, and kissed Rapunzel on the top of the head. "All right, then. I'll be back in three days' time," she said. "I love you very much, dear."

 

"I love you more!" Rapunzel said brightly, and then began helping⁶ Mother Gothel down the tower.

 

"I love you most," Mother Gothel called back.

 

Rapunzel watched from her window until Mother Gothel disappeared into the forest. Then, using her hair, she pulled the closet doors open.

 

The man in the closet was still unconscious. Quickly, Rapunzel sat him on a chair. Then she firmly tied him up with her hair.

 

Rapunzel leaped up to the rafters, held up her pan, and waited, ready for anything. Pascal jumped on the man and tried waking him by slapping his face with his little tail. No response. Pascal looked at Rapunzel. She urged him on. Pascal slapped his tail against the man's cheek again. Still no response.

 

Pascal thought for a moment. Then he slipped his long tongue into the man's ear.

 

"Blll-AHH!" Flynn awoke abruptly⁷. Pascal's tongue was gross and — and it tickled⁸!

 

"Struggling is pointless," Rapunzel said firmly. Then she jumped down from the rafters and faced him.

 

“好的，妈妈，我有件事想告诉你。”乐佩谨慎地说。高瑟妈妈开始絮叨早先的争论，告诉乐佩她错了，高瑟妈妈才是对的。但乐佩仍然十分关注这件事。

 

“好的，”她说，“我一直在想你之前所说的话——”

 

“我希望你不是还要谈论星星。”高瑟妈妈不耐烦地说。

 

“飘浮的天灯，”乐佩急忙说，“是的……我正要说，不过——”

 

“因为我真以为我们已经解决这个问题了，亲爱的。”

 

“不，妈妈，”乐佩说。她要说她靠自己抓住了一个痞子！“我只是说，你认为我不够坚强，不能在外面照顾好自己，但是——”

 

高瑟妈妈大笑起来。“噢，亲爱的，我就知道你还不够坚强，不能在外面照顾好自己。”

 

“但是如果你愿意听我说……”乐佩说。她不想吵架，但确实希望她停止说话，集中注意力。

 

“乐佩，这个问题我们已经谈完了。”高瑟妈妈厉声说。

 

“相信我。”乐佩说，决心继续说她必须说的话。

 

“乐佩——”高瑟妈妈告诫她。

 

“我知道我——”

 

“乐佩！”高瑟妈妈大喊，“够了，不要再提天灯，乐佩！你不能离开这座塔！永远！”

 

高瑟妈妈站在房间的中心。她拳头紧握，放在身体两侧。乐佩很慌乱。她一下子意识到，无论她做什么或者说什么都没有用。高瑟妈妈决不会让她出去。她的余生都将被困在 塔顶。

 

乐佩转过身来，渴望地看着她的那幅天灯壁画，然后又看了看她的衣柜。在那个柜子里， 有她可以在外面的世界里照顾好自己的证据。衣橱里面有一个被她俘虏的痞子。靠她自己俘虏的！

 

在那个衣柜里， 有一个可以带她去看那些亮闪闪的天灯的向导。高瑟妈妈永远也不会知道此事。

 

乐佩做了决定。

 

“妈妈，我想说的就是现在我知道我想要什么生日礼物了。”

 

“是什么？”高瑟妈妈问。

 

“新颜料，”乐佩回答，“你有一次给我买的白色贝壳做的颜料。”

 

“嗯，那需要走很长的路，乐佩。近三天的时间，”高瑟妈妈边说边摇头，试图劝阻她。

 

但这一次，乐佩用同样的方式回答。这次，一切都不同。这次，乐佩知道她想要什么，并知道如何得到。

 

“我只是认为这是一个比星星更好的想法。”

 

高瑟妈妈的脸上露出了喜色。这正是她想听的。“你一个人待着没问题吧？”

 

“我知道只要我在这里，就是安全的。”乐佩回答。

 

高瑟妈妈叹了口气。她站了起来，打包了一些食物准备在路上吃，亲吻了乐佩的头顶。“那好吧。我会在三天之内回来，” 她说，“亲爱的，我非常爱你。”

 

“我更爱你！”乐佩高兴地说，然后开始帮助高瑟妈妈下塔。

 

“我最爱你，”高瑟妈妈回应。

 

乐佩一直望着窗外，直到高瑟妈妈消失在树林中。然后，她用头发把衣柜的门拉开。

 

衣柜里的人还在昏迷中。乐佩很快地让他坐在椅子上，然后用头发把他紧紧地绑在椅子上。

 

乐佩跳向房椽，举起锅，等待着，做好了一切准备。帕斯考跳到这名男子身上，试图用小尾巴拍打他的脸来唤醒他。没有反应。帕斯考朝乐佩看了看。她催促他继续。帕斯考再次用尾巴拍打那男子的脸颊。还是没有回应。

 

帕斯考想了一会儿，然后他把长舌头伸进那名男子的耳朵里。

 

“啊！”费林突然醒来。帕斯考的舌头很让人厌恶——它让人发痒！

 

“挣扎没有用。”乐佩坚定地说。这时她从椽木上跳下来，与他面对面。

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