(单词翻译:单击)
Chapter 7 The Home Under the Ground
第七章 地下的家
One of the first things Peter did next day was to measure Wendy and John and Michael for hollow trees.
彼得做的第一件事是给温迪、约翰和迈克尔量身材，好给他们几个找合适的空心树。
Hook, you remember, had sneered at the boys for thinking they needed a tree apiece, but this was ignorance,
你也许还记得，胡克曾经嘲笑孩子们每人有一株空心树；其实，糊涂的是他。
for unless your tree fitted you it was difficult to go up and down, and no two of the boys were quite the same size.
因为，除非那株树适合你的身材，上下是很困难的；而孩子的身材没有两个是相同的。
Once you fitted, you drew in your breath at the top, and down you went at exactly the right speed,
树要是合适，下去时，你只需要吸一口气，就能不快不慢地往下滑；
while to ascend you drew in and let out alternately, and so wriggled up.
上来时，你只需要交替着一呼一吸，就能蠕动着爬上来。
Of course, when you have mastered the action you are able to do these things without thinking of them, and nothing can be more graceful.
当然，你熟悉了这套动作后，就能不假思索地上下自如，姿态真是再优美不过了。
But you simply must fit, and Peter measures you for your tree as carefully as for a suit of clothes:
不过，身材和树洞大小得合适才行，所以彼得量你的身材，就像给你量一身衣裳一样仔细。
the only difference being that the clothes are made to fit you, while you have to be made to fit the tree.
唯一不同的地方是，衣裳是按照你的身材剪裁的；而树呢，必须用你的身体去适应。
Usually it is done quite easily, as by your wearing too many garments or too few,
通常这是很容易做到的，你可以多穿或少穿衣裳；
but if you are bumpy in awkward places or the only available tree is an odd shape, Peter does some things to you, and after that you fit.
但是，如果你身上某些不灵便的部位太臃肿，或者那株唯一能找到的树长得奇形怪状，彼得就在你身上想想办法，然后就合适了。
Once you fit, great care must be taken to go on fitting, and this,
一旦合适了，就得格外小心，保持这种合适的状态。
as Wendy was to discover to her delight, keeps a whole family in perfect condition.
后来，温迪高兴地发现，由于这个原因，全家人才维持着良好的身体状况。
Wendy and Michael fitted their trees at the first try, but John had to be altered a little.
温迪和迈克尔第一次试就合适了，但是，约翰需要更换一两棵树。
After a few days' practice they could go up and down as gaily as buckets in a well.
练了几天以后，他们就能像井里的水桶一样上下自如了。
And how ardently they grew to love their home under the ground; especially Wendy.
他们渐渐地都热烈地爱上了这个地下的家，特别是温迪。
