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如果你告诉劳里，我决不原谅你！她不该说出去，对吗，妈妈？"梅格焦虑地说道。 'No; never repeat that foolish gossip, and forget it as soon as you can,' said Mrs. March, gravely. 'I was very unwise to let you go among people of whom I know so little - kind, I dare say, but worldly, ill-bred, and full of these vulgar ideas about young people. I am more sorry than I can express for the mischief this visit may have done you, Meg.' " 对，千万不要再重复那种愚昧的闲话，并尽快把它们忘掉，"马奇太太严肃地说，"我让你置身于那些我了解甚少的人们中间，真是很不明智--我敢说，他们心肠不坏，但精于世故，缺乏教养，对年轻人满脑子粗俗念头。我对这次出访可能对你造成的伤害说不出有多么难过，梅格。" 'Don't be sorry, I won't let it hurt me; I'll forget all the bad, and remember only the good; for I did enjoy a great deal, and thank you very much for letting me go. I'll not be sentimental or dissatisfied, Mother; I know I'm a silly little girl, and I'll stay with you till I'm fit to take care of myself. But it is nice to be praised and admired, and I can't help saying I like it,' said Meg, looking half ashamed of the confession. 'That is perfectly natural, and quite harmless, if the liking does not become a passion, and lead one to do foolish or unmaidenly things. Learn to know and value the praise which is worth having, and to excite the admiration of excellent people by being modest as well as pretty, Meg.' “不要难过，我不会因此而受伤害的。我会把坏的全抛诸脑后，只记住好的，因为我确实也玩得很尽兴，很感谢您让我去。我不会因此而伤心，也不会不知足，妈妈。我知道自己是个傻小姑娘，我会留在您身边，直到可以自己照顾自己。不过，让人家夸赞心里真是美滋滋的。我还是忍不住要说我喜欢哩，"梅格说道，对自己的坦白显得有点不好意思。"这十分自然，如果这种喜欢不过分，不会导致你去做傻事或去做女孩子不该做的事情，那就一点都没有害处。要学会认识和珍惜有价值的赞美话，用谦虚和美丽来激发优秀的人们对你的敬意，梅格。" Margaret sat thinking a moment, while Jo stood with her hands behind her, looking both interested and a little perplexed; for it was a new thing to see Meg blushing and talking about admiration, lovers, and things of that sort; and Jo felt as if, during that fortnight, her sister had grown up amazingly, and was drifting away from her into a world where she could not follow. 玛格丽特坐着想了一会，乔则背手而立，专注的神情带着几分迷惑。她看到梅格红着脸谈论爱慕、情人等诸如此类的东西，觉得十分新鲜。乔觉得自己的姐姐似乎在那两个星期里令人惊奇地长大了，从她身边飘走，飘进一个她不能跟随的世界。 'Mother, do you have "plans", as Mrs. Moffat said?' asked Meg, bashfully. " 妈妈，你有没有莫法特太太所说的那类'计划'？"梅格含羞问道。 
有，亲爱的，有很多呢；每个母亲都有自己的计划，但我的恐怕跟莫法特太太所说的有些不同。我会告诉你其中一部分，是到了跟你严肃地谈一谈的时候了，把你小脑袋里的浪漫念头拨到正道上来。你还年轻，梅格，但也不至于不明白我的话。这种话由母亲来跟你们说最合适不过了。乔，也许很快就会轮到你的，也一起来听听我的'计划'吧。如果是好计划，就帮我一起执行。" Jo went and sat on one arm of the chair, looking as if she thought they were about to join in some very solemn affair. Holding a hand of each, and watching the two young faces wistfully, Mrs. March said, in her serious yet cheery way: 乔走过来，坐到椅子扶手上，看上去仿佛她以为她们就要参加到什么极其严肃的事情中去一样。马奇太太执着两个女儿的手，若有所思地望着两张年轻的面庞，语调严肃而轻快地说-- 'I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished, and good; to be admired, loved, and respected; to have a happy youth, to be well and wisely married, and to lead useful, pleasant lives, with as little care and sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send. To be loved and chosen by a good man is the best and sweetest thing which can happen to a woman; and I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience. It is natural to think of it, Meg; right to hope and wait for it, and wise to prepare for it; so that, when the happy time comes, you may feel ready for the duties and worthy of the joy. “我希望我的女儿们美丽善良，多才多艺；受人爱慕，受人敬重；青春幸福，姻缘美满。愿上帝垂爱，使她们尽量无忧无虑，过一种愉快而有意义的生活。被一个好男人爱上并选为妻子是一个女人一生最大的幸福，我热切希望我的姑娘们可以体会到这种美丽的经历。考虑这种事情是很自然的事，梅格，期望和等待也是对的，而明智之举是做好准备，这样，当幸福时刻到来时，你才会觉得自己已准备好承担责任，无愧于这种幸福。 My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world - marry rich men merely because they are rich, or have splendid houses, which are not homes because love is wanting. Money is a needful and precious thing - and, when well used, a noble thing - but I never want you to think of it as the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace.' 'Poor girls don't stand any chance, Belle says, unless they put themselves forward,' sighed Meg. 'Then we'll be old maids,' said Jo, stoutly. 我的好女儿，我对你们寄予厚望，但并不是要你们急冲乱撞--仅仅因为有钱人豪门华宅，出手阔绰，便嫁给他们，这些豪宅并不是家，因为里头没有爱情。金钱是必要而且宝贵的东西--如果用之有道，还是一种高贵的东西--但我决不希望你们把它看作是首要的东西或唯一的奋斗目标。我宁愿你们成为拥有爱情、幸福美满的穷人家的妻子，也不愿你们做没有自尊、没有安宁的皇后。"“贝儿说，如果不主动出击，穷人家的姑娘就永远不会有机会，"梅格叹息说。"那我们就做老处女好了，"乔坚决地说。 'Right, Jo; better be happy old maids than unhappy wives or unmaidenly girls, running about to find husbands,' said Mrs. March, decidedly. 'Don't be troubled, Meg; poverty seldom daunts a sincere lover. Some of the best and most honoured women I know were poor girls, but so love-worthy that they were not allowed to be old maids. Leave these things to time. Make this home happy, so that you may be fit for homes of your own if they are offered you, and contented here if they are not. One thing remember, my girls; Mother is always ready to be your confidante, Father to be your friend; and both of us trust and hope that our daughters, whether married or single, will be the pride and comfort of our lives.' " 说得好，乔，宁愿做快乐的老处女，也不做伤心的太太或不正经的女孩子，四处乱跑找丈夫，"马奇太太用坚定的口吻说，"不要烦恼，梅格，一个情到深处的恋人是不会轻易被贫穷吓倒的。我所知道的一些最优秀、最高贵的女士原来也是出身寒门，但爱神并没有遗忘这些可爱的女士们。耐心等待吧；让我们的家充满幸福，这样，当你们自己有一个家的时候，才可以承担起责任，如果没有，便在这里知足常乐地过一生。好孩子，记住：妈妈随时随刻都是你们倾诉闺中心事的知己，爸爸是你们的朋友；无论人们结婚还是独身，我们都希望自己的女儿能够成为我们生活中的骄傲和安慰。" 
“我们一定能！妈妈，一定！"姐妹俩真诚地异口同声叫道。马奇太太说毕和她们道了晚安。 As spring came on, a new set of amusements became the fashion, and the lengthening days gave long afternoons for work and play of all sorts. The garden had to be put in order, and each sister had a quarter of the little plot to do what she liked with. Hannah used to say, 'I'd know which each of them gardings belonged to, ef I see 'em in Chiny'; and so she might, for the girls' tastes differed as much as their characters. Meg's had roses and heliotrope, myrtle, and a little orange tree in it. Jo's bed was never alike two seasons, for she was always trying experiments; this year it was to be a plantation of sunflowers, the seeds of which cheerful and aspiring plant were to feed 'Aunt Cockle-top' and her family of chicks. Beth had old-fashioned, fragrant flowers in her garden - sweet peas and mignonette, larkspur, pinks, pansies, and southernwood, with chickweed for the bird, and catnip for the pussies. Amy had a bower in hers - rather small and earwiggy, but very pretty to look at - with honeysuckles and morning-glories hanging their coloured horns and bells in graceful wreaths all over it; tall white lilies, delicate ferns, and as many brilliant, picturesque plants as would consent to blossom there. 冬去春来，一套新游戏又盛行起来了，春日渐长，下午也有了更多的时间进行劳作和嬉戏。院子也该打理了，四姐妹各有一小块地皮，可以按自己的心思料理。罕娜常说："只要我从烟囱一看，就知道哪块地是属于谁的。"她说得不错，因为姐妹们的趣味就像她们的性格一样，各出一辙。梅格的地里种了玫瑰、长春花，还有一棵小橙树。乔喜欢做实验，园圃里每季都必定换个新花样；今年种的是蓬勃向上的向日葵，葵花子送给科克尔托婶婶和她的小鸡吃。贝思的园子则是老花样，种着各式芬芳扑鼻的鲜花--甜蜿豆、木犀草、飞燕草、石竹、三色堇、香蒿，还有给小鸟吃的繁缕。艾美的园子弄了个小花荫，虽然弯弯扭扭，倒也十分好看，上面攀满了一圈圈色彩斑斓的忍冬花和牵牛花，一朵朵、一串串，煞为雅致，还有高高的白百合，娇嫩的草蕨等奇葩异草，临风盛开，争奇斗妍。 Gardening, walks, rows on the river, and flower-hunts employed the fine days; and for rainy ones they had house diversions, some old, some new - all more or less original. One of these was the 'P.C.'; for, as secret societies were the fashion, it was thought proper to have one; and, as all of the girls admired Dickens, they called themselves the Pickwick Club. With a few interruptions, they had kept this up for a year, and met every Saturday evening in the big garret, on which occasions the ceremonies were as follows: Three chairs were arranged in a row before a table, on which was a lamp, also four white badges, with a big "P.C." in different colours on each, and the weekly newspaper, called The Pickwick Portfolio, to which all contributed something; while Jo, who revelled in pens and ink, was the editor. At seven o'clock the four members ascended to the club room, tied their badges round their heads, and took their seats with great solemnity. Meg, as the eldest, was Samuel Pickwick; Jo, being of a literary turn, Augustus Snodgrass; Beth, because she was round and rosy, Tracy Tupman; and Amy, who was always trying to do what she couldn't, was Nathaniel Winkle. Pickwick, the president, read the paper, which was filled with original tales, poetry, local news, funny advertisements, and hints, in which they good-naturedly reminded each other of their faults and shortcomings. On one occasion Mr. Pickwick put on a pair of spectacles without any glasses, rapped upon the table, hemmed, and, having stared hard at Mr. Snodgrass, who was tilting back in his chair till he arranged himself properly, began to read: THE PICKWICK PORTFOLIO MAY 20, 18-- Poet's Corner. ANNIVERSARY ODE. 天气晴朗时，她们或是浇花培土、散步、到河中划艇，或是出去采花，下雨时则呆在家里玩游戏--一些是旧游戏，一些是新游戏--全都颇具创意。其中一种叫做"匹克威克社"，因为时下流行建神秘社团，她们认为也该建一个；又因姐妹们都崇拜狄更斯，便把社命名为"匹克威克社"。虽然偶有几次中断，但这个社坚持了足足一年。每到星期六晚上，她们便来到大阁楼会合，举行社团仪式，平时三张椅子并排摆在一张桌子前面，桌上摆着一盏灯和四个白色会徽，上面各印着不同颜色的"匹克威克"几个大字，还摆着一份名为《匹克威克文逊的周报。四姐妹都是这份社报的撰稿人，编辑大人是酷爱舞文弄墨的乔。七点正，四位社员登上阁楼，把会徽绑在头上，庄严坐下。梅格最大，号称塞缪尔·匹克威克；富有文学才情的乔号为奥古斯都·斯诺格拉斯，胖乎乎、肤色红润的贝思号称特雷西·托曼；做事总是不自量力的艾美号纳撒尼尔·温克尔。主席匹克威克宣读社报。报纸里头写满了匠心独运的故事、诗歌、当地新闻、有趣的广告，以及对各人缺点的好意提示。这天，匹克威克先生戴上一副没有镜片的眼镜，敲一下桌子，清清嗓子，使劲瞪一眼斜靠在椅子上的斯诺格拉斯先生，等他坐正了，这才开始读：“匹克威克文选"１８-，５，２０-诗人角-周年纪念颂今晚，我们再次相聚在匹克威克大堂。 As the President finished reading the paper (which I beg leave to assure my readers is a bona fide copy of one written by bona fide girls once upon a time), a round of applause followed and then Mr. Snodgrass rose to make a proposition. 主席读完报（请读者相信，这是当年一班ｂｏｎａeｉｄｅ的女孩子ｂｏｎａeｉｄｅ写出的报纸），社员发出一轮掌声，接着斯诺格拉斯先生气身提议。
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