- Little Women -

Chapter 01

Playing Pilgrims

梅格、喬、貝思、埃米是馬奇家的四姐妹。圣誕前夕，由于家境貧寒，她們因為沒有禮物過圣誕而悶悶不樂。但是，卻決定每個人為媽媽準備一份禮物。

“Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled* Jo, lying on the rug.*

“We've got Father, Mother, and each other,”said Beth with a smile.

“We haven’t got Father and will not have him for a long time,” said Jo. They thought of Father, far away* where the fighting was.

“You know the reason Mother suggested* not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone,” Meg reminded* them regretfully.* “She thinks we shouldn't spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering* in the army.*”

“I agree not to expect* anything from Mother or you, but I do want to buy some candy for myself...” said Jo, who loved to read.

“I planned to spend mine on new music,*” said Beth with a little sigh.*

“I will get a nice box of drawing pencils,*”said Amy. “I really need them.”

“Let’s each buy what we want and have a little fun,” cried Jo.

“I wish I didn't have to teach those annoying* children all day,” Meg began complaining* again.

“How would you like to be inside* for hours with a nervous* old lady who is never satisfied with anything you do?” said Jo.

“No, washing dishes and cleaning is the worst work,” Beth said quietly as she looked at her rough* hands.

“I don’t believe any of you suffer as I do,” cried Amy. “You don’t have to go to school with snobby* girls that make fun of* you because your father isn't rich!”

“Don’t you wish we had the money that Father lost when we were little?” said Meg, who could remember better times.

Jo immediately* sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle.*

“Don’t, Jo,” cried Amy. “It’s so boyish*!”

“That’s why I do it,” said Jo.

“I detest* rude, boyish girls!” said Amy.

“I hate girly,* whiny* airheads*!” said Jo.

“Really, girls, you are both wrong,” said Meg. “You are old enough to behave* better, Josephine. You should remember that now you are a young lady.”

“I’m not,” cried Jo, pulling her hair down.“I don’t want to grow up and wear long dresses and make up*! I’m disappointed* that I’m not a boy. I’m dying to* go and fight with Father. But I can only stay at home and knit*!”

“Poor Jo!” said Beth, petting* her head gently.* “It’s too bad, but it can’t be helped.”

 “As for you, Amy, you try to act like a lady too much,” said Meg. “All of your big words and worrying is annoying.”

“If Jo is a tomboy* and Amy a snob,* what am I, please?” asked Beth.

“You're a saint* and nothing else,” answered Meg warmly.

The four sisters knitted quietly as the December snow fell outside. It was a comfortable* room, even though the furniture was old. Christmas flowers bloomed* by the windows.

“如果圣誕節(jié)沒有禮物，就不能叫圣誕節(jié)了?！眴烫稍谛〉靥荷瞎緡伒?。

“但我們有父親、母親，還有姐妹們啊?！必愃嘉⑿χf。

“我們沒有父親，而且之后很長一段時間也沒有父親?！眴陶f道。她們想起了遠在前線的父親，那里正在打仗。

“你們知道，媽媽建議今年圣誕節(jié)不送禮物就是因為今年冬天對大家來說都不好?！泵犯癫粺o遺憾地提醒她們。

“她認為我們的男人們在軍隊里受苦受難，我們不應該花錢作樂。”

“我不期望向媽媽或者你要東西，但我的確很想給我自己買些糖果……” 愛讀書的喬說。

“我原計劃花錢買新樂譜?！必愃驾p輕地嘆了口氣說。

“我要買一盒精致的畫筆，”埃米說?！拔艺娴暮苄枰！?/p>

“我們不如各自買點兒自己喜歡的東西高興高興吧。”喬大聲說。

“真希望不用一天到晚都教那些討厭的孩子?！泵犯裼珠_始抱怨了。

“那你覺得和一個從不會對你做的事情感到滿意、神經(jīng)質的老太太待在一起幾個小時，是什么感覺？”喬問道。

“不，洗碗、打掃房子才是最痛苦的事情?！必愃家贿呅÷暤卣f，一邊望著自己粗糙的雙手。

“我想你們沒人受我這份罪，”埃米嚷道。“你們都不用和那些勢利的女孩子一起上學。她們會嘲笑你爸爸沒錢！”

“難道你們就不想擁有我們小時候爸爸失去的那筆錢嗎？”梅格問道，她還能記得過去的好日子。

喬馬上起身，手插在口袋里，開始吹口哨。

“別這樣，喬，”埃米大聲說。“男孩才那樣呢！”

“我就是因為這個才吹的?！眴陶f。

“我討厭粗魯、男孩子氣的女孩！”埃米說。

“我厭惡那些女孩子氣的、牢騷滿腹的、傻乎乎的毛丫頭！”喬說。

“其實，姑娘們，你們都不對，”梅格說?！凹s瑟芬，你已經(jīng)長大了，舉止應該比以前更加得體。你可要記得你現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)是年輕的女士了。”

“我才不是呢，”喬嚷道，把頭發(fā)披散下來?！拔也幌腴L大，不想穿長裙，不想化妝！做不成男孩我真失望。我真的想跟爸爸一起參加戰(zhàn)斗，可我現(xiàn)在只能待在家里做編織的活！”

“可憐的喬！”貝思邊說，邊撫摸著喬的頭?！罢媸遣恍?，但有什么辦法呢？”

“至于你，埃米，你太假裝淑女了，”梅格說?！澳隳切┤A麗的辭藻和焦慮讓人心煩?！?/p>

“如果喬是個假小子，埃米是個假淑女，請問，我是什么樣的人呢？”貝思問。

“你就是個小可愛，再沒別的了?！泵犯裼H切地說。

四姐妹靜靜地織著衣服，屋外十二月的雪花飄落下來。盡管家具有些老舊，但房子卻很舒適。圣誕花在倚窗開放。

Margaret, the oldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty. She had large eyes, soft brown hair, and white hands, of which she was proud. Fifteen-year-old Josephine was very tall, thin, and brown. She reminded people of a young horse, and her sharp, gray eyes seemed to see everything. Her long, thick hair was her one beauty. Elizabeth was a rosy, bright-eyed girl of thirteen. She was shy, timid,*and peaceful.* She seemed to live in a happy world of her own and only spoke to people she loved and trusted. Amy has blue eyes and golden hair curled around her shoulders. Though the youngest, she felt she was very important and she looked down at* people.

The clock struck* six. Mother was coming, and everyone wanted to welcome her. Jo held the slippers near the fire to make them warm for Mother.

“They are quite worn out,*” said Jo.“Mom should get a new pair.”

“I wanted to buy her some,” said Beth.

“No, I will!” cried Amy.

“I’m the oldest,” said Meg.

“I’m the man of the family now that* Father is away,” interrupted* Jo. “I shall buy the slippers.”

“Let’s each get her something for Christmas,” said Beth.

“What will we get?” said Jo.

“I shall give her a nice pair of gloves,” said Meg.

“Army shoes,” cried Jo.

“Some handkerchiefs,*” said Beth.

“I'll get a little bottle of perfume,*”added* Amy. “It's cheap, so I can still buy my pencils.”

“How will we give the things?” asked Meg.

“Let Mommy think we are getting things for ourselves and then surprise her,” said Jo, walking up and down. “We must go shopping tomorrow afternoon, Meg. We have to practice for the play tonight. Come here, Amy, and do the fainting scene.*”

“I don't want to get hurt,” said Amy, who was not a talented* actress.*

“Do it this way,” said Jo. “Hold your hands like this, and cry dramatically*!’”

Amy followed, but her voice did not have the same passion.* Jo sighed deeply,* and Meg laughed. Beth watched the fun with interest. Then things went smoothly.* They all remembered the words and acted as their characters.*

“It’s the best we’ve had yet,*” said Meg, who was playing the dead villain.*

“I don’t see how you can write and act such amazing* things, Jo,” exclaimed* Beth. “You’re like Shakespeare!”

“Not quite,” replied Jo modestly.* “I do think The Witches Curse, an ‘Operatic Tragedy’* is fun, but I’d like to try Macbeth.”

“I’m glad to find you so happy, my girls,”said a cheery* voice at the door. The woman at the door was not elegantly* dressed, but she was noble-looking.*

“Has anyone called, Beth?” she said.“How is your cold, Meg? Jo, you look tired to death.* Come and kiss me.”

Mrs. March took off her wet clothes and put on her warm slippers. She sat down and Amy sat in her lap. Meg set the tea table, and Jo clumsily* brought wood to the fireplace. Beth finished some chores* while Amy gave directions* to everyone.

“I’ve got a treat for you after supper,”their mother said.

“A letter from Father!” they cried.

“I think it was wonderful of Father to go as a preacher* because he is too old to be a soldier,” said Meg warmly.

“I wish I could go as a drummer or a nurse,” said Jo, “so I could be near him and help him.”

“When will he come home, Mommy?”asked Beth.

“Not for many months, dear,” said Mrs. March. “Now come and hear the letter.”

瑪格麗特，四個孩子中最大的一個，十六歲了，非常漂亮。她長著大大的眼睛，柔軟的棕色頭發(fā)，還有白皙的雙手，這是最讓她驕傲的了。十五歲的約瑟芬身材高瘦，有著棕色皮膚。她能讓人想起小馬，她犀利的、灰色的眼睛似乎能看出所有東西。她長長的、密密的頭發(fā)是她的一個迷人之處。伊麗莎白是一個樂觀的、長著明亮眼睛的女孩，十三歲了。她有點兒害羞，有點兒膽小，總是很安靜。她好像生活在自己快樂的世界里，只和自己愛和信任的人說話。埃米的眼睛是藍色的，金色的卷發(fā)披在肩上。雖然是最小的一個，但她覺得自己很重要并且會看不起別人。

鐘敲了六下。媽媽就要回來了，每個孩子都想迎接她。喬把拖鞋放在火邊，給媽媽把鞋烤暖和。

“拖鞋已經(jīng)很破舊了，”喬說。“媽媽應該買一雙新的?！?/p>

“我想給她買，”貝思說。

“不，我來買！”埃米喊道。

“我是老大，”梅格說。

“既然爸爸不在，我就是這個家里的男人，”喬打斷梅格說?！拔襾碣I這雙拖鞋?！?/p>

“咱們每個人都給她買個圣誕禮物吧，”貝思說。

“我們應該買什么呢？”喬說。

“我要給媽媽買一副漂亮的手套，”梅格說。

“我要買軍鞋，”喬大喊道。

“我買手帕，”貝思說。

“我想買一小瓶香水，”埃米補充說?！跋闼毁F，這樣我還能買些鉛筆?！?/p>

“那我們怎么才能把禮物送出去呢？”梅格問道。

“讓媽媽以為我們給自己買東西，然后給她一個驚喜，”喬一邊說一邊來回地走著?！拔覀兠魈煜挛绮拍苋ベI，梅格。我們今晚要練習節(jié)目。埃米，來，你演暈倒那一幕?！?/p>

“我才不想受傷呢，”埃米說，她在表演方面沒什么天賦。

“就這樣，”喬說?！鞍咽诌@樣放，然后使勁兒哭！”

埃米照做了，但她的聲音沒那么有激情。喬深深地嘆了一口氣。梅格笑了。貝思津津有味地看著。后來排練進行得很順利。大家都能記得臺詞并且都能進入各自的角色。

“這是我們排練得最好的一次了，”梅格說，她正扮演死了的惡棍。

“我真沒想到你能寫得這么好而且演得也這么棒，喬，”貝思驚嘆道?！澳愫喼笔巧勘葋喸偈?！”

“還不算，”喬謙虛地回答道?！拔艺娴挠X得《女巫的咒語》，一個‘歌劇似的悲劇’挺有意思的，不過我想演《麥克白》?！?/p>

“看到你們這么快樂我真高興，孩子們，”門口傳來一個愉快的聲音。進來的這位女士雖然衣著并不華麗，但儀態(tài)高貴。

“有人來過嗎， 貝思？”她問道?！澳愕母忻霸趺礃恿?，梅格？喬，你看起來累極了。過來親親我?！?/p>

馬奇夫人脫下濕衣服，穿上溫暖的拖鞋。她坐下來，埃米坐在媽媽的腿上，梅格收拾茶幾，喬笨笨地把柴火搬到壁爐。貝思做了一些瑣事，而埃米則給每個人發(fā)號施令。

“晚餐后，我有好東西給你們，”她們的媽媽說。

“有爸爸的來信了！”她們大聲叫道。

“我想爸爸能做隨軍牧師，這真的是太好了，他年紀大了，不能當兵了，”梅格熱切地說。

“我希望我能做個鼓手或者護士，”喬說，“這樣我就能在他身邊幫他了?！?/p>

“他什么時候才能回來呢，媽媽？”貝思問。

“沒幾個月就回來了，親愛的，”馬奇夫人說?！昂昧?，都過來聽聽信上說些什么吧?！?/p>

They all gathered* around the fire. He wrote about the life at war hopefully and cheerfully. Finally, he sent them love and best wishes.

“Tell them I think of them every day. A year seems like a very long time to wait, but remind them that while we wait we should work and not waste* the days. I know they will be good little women that will make me proud.”

Everybody cried at that part. Amy promised not to be selfish.*

“We all will,” said Meg.

“I'll try to be a proper* woman,” said Jo, thinking it was harder to stay at home than to fight as a soldier in the South.

“Do you remember how you used to play when you were little girls?” said Mrs. March. “You always collected many things and pretended* you were making a new city.”

“The most interesting part was fighting the lions and the goblins,*” said Jo.

“I don’t remember much about it,” said Amy, who was only twelve. “If I weren't too old for such things, I’d like to play it again.”

“We are never too old for this, my dear,”said her mother. “In our real lives, we must journey* and struggle* to make good things. Each of you has something that you struggle with.”

“I envy* girls with nice pianos, and I'm scared of* everyone,” whispered* Beth.

“Let us do it,” said Meg thoughtfully.*

They all began to do the sewing* work, which was boring, but no one complained. At nine, they stopped work and sang. Beth played the old piano skillfully.*

她們圍坐在爐火旁。父親在信中寫了戰(zhàn)爭中的生活，其中洋溢著希望和喜悅之情。最后，他還給孩子們送去了他的愛和最美好的祝福。

“告訴孩子們我每天都在想著她們。要等待一年，這似乎是很長一段時間，但要提醒孩子們：在等待的時候，我們應該工作而不是虛度時光。我知道她們會成為讓我驕傲的小婦人?！?/p>

讀到這時，每個人都哭了。埃米許諾她再也不自私了。

“我們都會是讓爸爸驕傲的小婦人，”梅格說。

“我要努力做個舉止得體的小婦人，”喬說，現(xiàn)在她覺得待在家里比在南方當兵打仗還難。

“還記得小時候你怎么玩嗎？”馬奇夫人問道。“你總在收集東西，假裝你要建一座新的城市?！?/p>

“最有趣的部分就是與獅子和小妖精打架，”喬說。

“我不記得那么多了，”十二歲的埃米說?！耙皇情L大了，不太適合做這些事情，我還想再玩一次。”

“我們永遠都沒過做這件事的年齡，我親愛的孩子，”媽媽說?！拔覀儽仨氁獮槊篮玫氖虑楸疾ā⑴?。你們每個人都有需要努力的事情。”

“我羨慕那些有好鋼琴的女孩們，我害怕所有人，”貝思小聲說。

“咱們開始行動吧，”梅格若有所思地說。

她們開始做針線活，雖然有些無聊，但沒有人抱怨。九點鐘的時候，她們停下手中的活開始唱歌。貝思嫻熟地彈奏著那架老鋼琴。