Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR WHAT A SURPRISE! 'This is George's house,' said Peter eagerly, as the chair flew down on to a sloping roof. It was so sloping that they all had to hold on to the nearest chimney. 'Can't we go down with you, Santa?' Santa nodded, so Mollie tried to get into the chimney. But she stuck fast and couldn't go down! Then Peter tried, but he stuck fast too, and so did Binky. Santa Claus laughed softly.

第四章真是个惊喜！“这是乔治的房子。”彼得急切地说，这时椅子飞到了倾斜的屋顶上。 它是如此倾斜，以至于他们都不得不抓住最近的烟囱。 “我们不能和你一起下去吗，圣诞老人？”圣诞老人点点头，所以莫丽试图进入烟囱。 但是她粘得很紧，不能下去！彼得试了试，但他也粘得很紧，宾基也一样。 圣诞老人轻轻地笑了。

'Ah! You don't know my trick! I could never get down some of these narrow chimneys if I didn't use some magic oil to make the chimney slippery! In the old days chimneys were very wide and there was no difficulty, but nowadays the chimneys are narrow and small. Stand back, Binky, and I'll pour a little of my oil down.' Santa Claus tipped a small bottle up, and a few drops fell down the chimney. 'Now try, Mollie,' said Santa. So Mollie tried again, and this time she slid down the chimney quite easily, and crept out of the bottom into George's bedroom!

“啊!你不知道我的把戏！如果我不使用一些神奇的油使烟囱滑的话，我永远无法从这些狭窄的烟囱里下去！过去烟囱很宽，没有什么困难，但现在的烟囱又窄又小。 退后，宾基，我倒一点油下来。”圣诞老人把一个小瓶子倒了起来，有几滴从烟囱里掉了下来。 “现在试试吧，莫丽，”圣诞老人说。 于是莫丽又试了一次，这次她很轻松地从烟囱滑了下来，从底部爬进了乔治的卧室！

It did seem strange! There was George in bed, and he was snoring very gently, so Mollie knew he must be asleep. Then Peter slid down, then Binky, and last of all Santa Claus. 'You can fill George's stocking if you like,' he whispered to Peter. 'You're a friend of George's, aren't you? I know you like him very much.'

看起来确实很奇怪！乔治躺在床上，鼾声很轻，所以莫丽知道他一定睡着了。 然后是彼得，然后是宾基，最后是圣诞老人。 “如果你愿意，你可以把乔治的袜子装满。”他低声对彼得说。 “你是乔治的朋友，是不是？” 我知道你很喜欢他。”

'Yes, he's a fine boy,' said Peter, and he took the books, the fruit, and the box of small motor- cars that Santa gave him. Soon George's stocking was full to the top! 'It's fun playing at being Santa Claus!' said Peter. Then they all crept up the chimney again, but Binky had a dreadful time trying not to sneeze, because the soot got up his nose and tickled it. 'A-tishoo!' he said, when he stood on the roof again, holding firmly to a chimney. 'A-tishoo!' 'Sh!' said Santa in alarm. 'Don't do that!' 'A-tishoo!' said poor Binky. 'I can't help it. A-tishoo!' Santa Claus bundled him into the chair and they all flew off to another house. 'Now this must be the last house you visit with me,'

“是的，他是个好孩子。”彼得说着，拿起了圣诞老人送给他的书、水果和一箱小汽车。 很快乔治的袜子就装满了！“扮圣诞老人真有趣！”彼得说。 然后他们又爬上了烟囱，但宾基好不容易才忍住不打喷嚏，因为烟灰爬上了他的鼻子，把它弄痒了。 “A-tishoo !他说，这时他又站在屋顶上，紧紧抓住一个烟囱。 “A-tishoo !“Sh !圣诞老人惊恐地说。 “别这样！”“A-tishoo !可怜的宾基说。 “我没办法。A-tishoo !”圣诞老人把他塞到椅子上，他们都飞到另一所房子去了。 “现在这一定是你和我最后一次拜访的房子了。”

said Santa Claus, seeing Mollie yawning and rubbing her eyes. 'You must be fresh and lively on Christmas Day, or people will wonder what is the matter with you. You may come down the chimney here, and then I shall fly back to your own house with you, and go on my journey by myself!' The children and Binky were disappointed, but they knew Santa was right. They really were beginning to feel very sleepy. They slipped down the chimney with Santa, and Mollie filled Angela's stocking herself with all kinds of exciting things. Mollie wondered

圣诞老人看见莫丽打着哈欠揉着眼睛说。 “圣诞节那天你必须精神抖擞，精神抖擞，否则人们会怀疑你是怎么回事。 你可以从这里的烟囱下来，然后我就和你一起飞回你自己的家，一个人继续我的旅程！”孩子们和Binky都很失望，但他们知道圣诞老人是对的。 他们真的开始感到很困了。 他们和圣诞老人一起从烟囱里滑了下来，莫丽把安吉拉的袜子装满了各种各样令人兴奋的东西。 莫莉想知道