7 Arm Exercises

CHAPTER VII. ARM EXERCISES. Priscilla led Jack and Annie away from the village toward a large field. The Pilgrims and Wampanoag men had already gathered there. Jack could hear the beat of a drum, but he couldn't see what was going on. "'Make haste or we will miss it,' said Priscilla. "'Miss what?' asked Annie. "'Captain Standish is about to lead the men and boys,' said Priscilla. "'They will exercise their arms.'"

第七章 臂膀操练 普莉希拉领着杰克和安妮离开村子，朝一片宽阔的田野走去。清教徒们 和万帕诺亚格族的男人们已经在那儿集合了。杰克听得见鼓声，却 看不清前面正在发生什么。 「快点走，不然我们就赶不上了。」普莉希拉说。 「赶不上什么呀？」安妮问道。 「斯坦迪什上尉马上要带领男人们和男孩们，」普莉希拉说， 「他们要操练臂膀。」

Why do they exercise their arms? Jack wondered. Will they expect me to join in? As he hurried after Priscilla toward the crowd, Jack practiced. He stretched his arms out wide. He made circles in the air. Then he flapped his arms up and down. Priscilla caught sight of him. What are you doing, Jack? she asked. Exercising my arms, he said.

他们为什么要练臂膀呀？杰克心里嘀咕。不会要我也参加吧？ 杰克一边跟着普莉希拉往人群里挤，一边提前练习。他把胳膊伸得直直的。 在空中画圈圈，接着又上下挥动手臂。 普莉希拉正好看到了他的举动。 「杰克，你在做什么呀？」她问道。 「练臂膀呀。」他回答。

Priscilla smiled. Then she started to laugh. She laughed and laughed. So did Jack, but he wasn't sure why. A loud bang came from the field. Jack jumped. He stopped laughing. A puff of smoke rose into the air. As the crowd parted, Jack saw the pilgrim men and boys proudly holding up their long guns. What just happened? said Annie. The men fired their muskets, said Priscilla. On special occasions they liked to show off their arms. Oh, thought Jack. Now I get it. The long guns are muskets, which are also called arms. So exercising arms means firing muskets. Jack blushed. Priscilla must think I'm an idiot, he thought.

普莉希拉先是笑了笑，接着就大笑起来，笑个不停。杰克也跟着笑，不过 他也不知道大家在笑什么。 田野那边突然传来「砰」的一声巨响。杰克吓了一跳，顿时不笑了。一团烟雾 升到了空中。人群散开的时候，杰克看到清教徒男人和男孩们都骄傲地举着 他们的长枪。 「刚才发生什么了？」安妮问道。 「那些人在开火绳枪呀，」普莉希拉说，「遇到特殊的日子，他们就喜欢炫耀」 他们的武器。 哦，杰克恍然大悟。原来如此！长枪就是火绳枪，也被叫做「臂膀」呀。所以 所谓的练臂膀，其实就是开火绳枪的意思。 杰克脸一下子红了。他想，普莉希拉肯定觉得我是个小傻子。

But she just smiled at him fondly. "'I thank thee for making me laugh, Jack,' she said. I have not laughed hard in a long time.' Jack shrugged as if he had meant to make her laugh. "'It is time now to serve our feast,' said Priscilla. I must help with the bread.' "'What can we do?' asked Jack. "'Return to my home,' said Priscilla. Take the turkey off the spit, put it on a platter, and bring it to a table.' "'Oh, great! we get to help with the turkey,' said Annie. I always help with the turkey at home.' "'Good,' said Priscilla. May thou feel my home is thy home today.'

但她只是温柔地对着他笑了笑。 「杰克，谢谢你逗我开心，」她说， 「我好久没有这么畅快地笑过了。」 杰克耸了耸肩，好像他本来就是故意逗她笑的一样。 「现在该准备宴席上菜了，」普莉希拉说， 「我得去帮忙拿面包。」 「我们能做些什么呢？」杰克问道。 「回我家去吧，」普莉希拉说， 「把烤叉上的火鸡拿下来，放到大盘子里，再端到餐桌上去。」 「哇，太棒了！我们可以帮忙处理火鸡哎。」安妮说。 「在家里我经常帮忙弄火鸡呢。」 「太好了，」普莉希拉说， 「今天你们就把我家当成自己家就行。」

Jack was excited, too. He and Annie were about to serve the first turkey at the first Thanksgiving. They ran back to the smoky house and rushed inside. Where's the platter? said Jack, looking around. He saw a flat wooden block. That must be it. Annie picked up the wooden platter. How do we get the turkey on it? she asked. They moved close to the fire and stared at the turkey roasting on the iron rod. That must be the spit, said Jack. The spit sat on iron legs. It had a handle. Jack pushed his glasses into place. I'll lift the spit, he said. Then we'll push the turkey onto the platter. Be careful, said Annie. Jack reached out and wrapped his fingers around the handle of the iron spit.

杰克也特别兴奋。他和安妮就要在第一个感恩节上端上第一只火鸡啦。 他们跑回冒着烟的房子，赶紧冲了进去。 「大盘子在哪呀？」杰克一边四处张望一边说。他看到一块扁平的木盘，肯定就是这个了。 安妮拿起木盘，问道：「我们怎么把火鸡放到盘子上呀？」 他们凑到火堆边，盯着在铁棍上烤得油亮的火鸡。 「那个肯定就是烤叉了，」杰克说。烤叉架在铁架子上，还有个把手。 杰克推了推滑到鼻子上的眼镜。「我来抬烤叉，」他说，「然后我们把火鸡推到盘子里就行。」 「小心点哦。」安妮说。杰克伸出手，一把握住了铁烤叉的把手。

Ow !" he shouted. The handle was super hot. He yanked his hand away and knocked the spit off its legs. The turkey fell into the fire. The grease from the turkey sputtered and popped. The turkey burst into flame. The fire roared. Ah! Yelped Jack and Annie together. They jumped back from the hearth.

「哎哟！」他大叫起来。 把手烫得要命。 他猛地抽回手，不小心把烤叉从架子上撞了下来。 火鸡直接掉到了火堆里。 火鸡上的油滋滋作响，噼里啪啦溅得到处都是。 火鸡一下子烧了起来。 火苗窜得老高。 「啊！」 杰克和安妮一起尖叫起来。 他们赶紧从壁炉边往后跳开。