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我们来问问他，"劳里向乔耳语，乔点点头，立即问--“槌球比赛你有没有作弊？"“嗯，唔，有那么一点点。"“好！你的故事是不是取自《海狮》？"劳里问。"有些是。" 'Don't you think the English nation perfect in every respect?' asked Sallie. “你是不是认为英国民族完美无瑕？"莎莉问。 'I should be ashamed of myself if I didn't.' " 不这样认为我就惭愧死了。" 'He's a true John Bull. Now, Miss Sallie, You shall have a chance without waiting to draw. I'll harrow up your feelings first by asking if you don't think you are something of a flirt,' said Laurie, as Jo nodded to Fred, as a sign that peace was declared. “真是条不折不扣的约翰牛。好了，莎莉小姐，该轮到你了，不必等抽签。我要问你一个问题，先折磨一下你的感情。你觉得自己是不是有几分卖弄风情？"劳里说。乔则向弗雷德点点头，表示和解。 'You impertinent boy! of course I'm not,' exclaimed Sallie, with an air that proved the contrary. " 好个鲁莽的小伙子！当然不是，"莎莉叫道，那种做作的神态说明事实恰恰相反。 
你最恨什么？"弗雷德问。"蜘蛛和稻米布叮"“你最喜欢什么？"乔问。"跳舞和法国手套。" 'Well, I think Truth is a very silly play; let's have a sensible game of Authors, to refresh our minds,' proposed Jo. “哦，我看'真言'是个无聊透顶的把戏；不如换个有意思的，我们玩'作者'来提神吧，"乔提议。 Ned, Frank, and the little girls joined in this, and while it went on the three elder sat apart talking. Miss Kate took out her sketch again, and Margaret watched her, while Mr. Brooke lay on the grass, with a book which he did not read. 内德、弗兰克和小姑娘们也加入这个游戏，三个年长一点的则坐到另一边闲扯。凯特小姐又拿出她的写生本，梅格看着她画，布鲁克先生则躺在草地上，手里拿着一本书，却又不看。 'How beautifully you do it! I wish I could draw,' said Meg, with mingled admiration and regret in her voice. " 你画得真棒！真希望我也会画，"梅格说道，声音夹杂着仰慕和遗憾。 'Why don't you learn? I should think you had taste and talent for it,' replied Miss Kate, graciously. 'I haven't time.' " 那你为什么不学？我倒认为你有这方面的鉴赏力和才华，"凯特小姐礼貌地回答。"我没有时间。" 
“可能你妈妈希望你别有建树吧，我想，我妈妈也一样，但我悄悄学了几课，把我的才华证明给她看，她便同意我继续学了。你也一样可以跟自己的家庭教师悄悄学啊？"“我没有家庭教师。" 'I forgot; young ladies in America go to school more than with us. Very fine schools they are, too, papa says. You go to a private one, I suppose?' 'I don't go at all; I am a governess myself.' 'Oh, indeed!' said Miss Kate; but she might as well have said, 'Dear me, how dreadful!' for her tone implied it, and something in her face made Meg colour, and wish she had not been so frank. “我倒忘了美国姑娘大多都上学堂，跟我们不一样。爸爸说，这些学校都很气派。我猜你上的是私立学校吧？"“我根本不上学。我自己便是个家庭教师。"“噢，是吗！"凯特小姐说，但她倒不如直说："天啊，真丢人！"因为她的语气分明有这个意思。她脸上的神情使梅格涨红了脸，直懊悔自己刚才太坦诚。 Mr. Brooke looked up, and said quickly, 'Young ladies in America love independence as much as their ancestors did, and are admired and respected for supporting themselves.' 'Oh, yes; of course it's very nice and proper in them to do so. We have many most respectable and worthy young women who do the same, and are employed by the nobility, because, being the daughters of gentlemen, they are both well-bred and accomplished, you know,' said Miss Kate in a patronising tone, that hurt Meg's pride, and made her work seem not only more distasteful, but degrading. 布鲁克先生抬起头，机智地说道："美国姑娘跟她们的祖先一样热爱独立，她们自食其力，并因此而受到敬重。"“噢，不错，她们这样做当然很好、很正当。我们也有不少体面高尚的年轻女士这样做，受雇于贵族阶层。因为，作为绅士的女儿，她们都很有教养和建树，你知道，"凯特小姐用一种居高临下的腔调说道，这话使梅格的自尊心受到了伤害，使她的工作变得不但更加讨厌，而且更加丢人了。 'Did the German song suit, Miss March?' inquired Mr. Brooke, breaking an awkward pause. " 德文歌合你的心意吗，马奇小姐？"布鲁克先生打破令人尴尬的沉默，问道。 'Oh yes; it was very sweet, and I'm much obliged to whoever translated it for me'; and Meg's downcast face brightened as she spoke. " 哦，当然！那支歌优美极了，我十分感激替我翻译的那个人哩。"梅格阴云满布的脸孔在说话时又有了生气。 
你不会念德文吗？"凯特小姐惊讶地问。 'Not very well. My father, who taught me, is away, and I don't get on very fast alone, for I've no one to correct my pronunciation.' " 念得不大好。我父亲原来教我，但现在不在家，我独个儿进展不快，因为没有人纠正我的发音。" 'Try a little now; here is Schiller's Mary Stuart, an a tutor who loves to teach,' and Mr. Brooke laid his book on her lap, with an inviting smile. “不如现在就念一点；这里有一本席勒的《玛丽·斯图亚特》，还有一位愿意教你的家庭老师。"布鲁克先生把他的书放在她膝上，向她粲然一笑。 'It's so hard, I'm afraid to try,' said Meg, grateful, but bashful in the presence of the accomplished young lady beside her. " 这本书太难，我不敢试，"梅格说道。她十分感激，但在一位多才多艺的年轻女士面前又感到很不好意思。 'I'll read a bit to encourage you'; and Miss Kate read one of the most beautiful passages in a perfectly correct but perfectly expressionless manner. " 我先读几句来鼓励你，"凯特小姐说着把最优美的其中一段朗诵一遍，读得一字不差，但却毫无表情，十分呆板。 
布鲁克先生听完后不置评论，凯特小姐把书交回梅格，梅格天真地说道："我想这是诗歌。"“有些是。读读这段吧。"布鲁克先生把书翻到可怜的玛丽的挽歌一页，嘴角挂着一丝罕见的微笑。 Meg, obediently following the long grass blade which her new tutor used to point with, read slowly and timidly, unconsciously making poetry of the hard words by the soft intonation of her musical voice. Down the page went the green guide, and presently forgetting her listener in the beauty of the sad scene Meg read as if alone, giving a little touch of tragedy to the words of the unhappy queen. If she had seen the brown eyes then, she would have stopped short; but she never looked up, and the lesson was not spoiled for her. 梅格顺着她的新教师用来指点的长草叶羞涩地慢慢读下去。她的声调悦耳轻柔，那些生涩难读的字句不知不觉全变得如诗如歌。绿草叶一路指下去，把梅格带到悲泣哀怨的境界，她旋即忘掉了自己的听众，旁若无人地往下读，读到不幸的女王说的话时，声调带了一点哽咽。假使她当时看到了那对棕色眼睛，她一定会突然停下；但她没有抬头，这堂课于是得以圆满结束。 'Very well indeed!' said Mr. Brooke, as she paused, quite ignoring her many mistakes, and looking as if he did, indeed, 'love to teach'. " 精彩之极！"布鲁克先生待她停下来的时候说道。其实她读错了不少单词，但他忽略不提，俨然一副"愿意教"的模样。 Miss Kate put up her glass, and having taken a survey of the little tableau before her, shut her sketch-book, saying, with condescension: 'You've a nice accent, and in time will be a clever reader. I advise you to learn, for German is a valuable accomplishment to teachers. I must look after Grace, she is romping'; and Miss Kate strolled away adding to herself, with a shrug, 'I didn't come to chaperone a governess, though she is young and pretty. What odd people these Yankees are; I'm afraid Laurie will be quite spoilt among them.' 凯特小姐带上眼镜，把眼前的小场面研究了一回，然后合上写生本，屈尊说道："你的口音挺漂亮，日后可以做个伶俐的朗诵者。我建议你学一学，因为德语对于教师来说是一种很有价值的建树。我得去照看格莱丝，她在乱蹦乱跳呢。"凯蒂小姐说着慢慢走开了。又自言自语地耸耸肩。"我不可是来陪一个女家庭教师的，虽然她确实年轻貌美。这些美国佬真是怪人；劳里跟她们一起兴许会学坏了哩。" 'I forgot that English people rather turn up their noses at governesses, and don't treat them as we do,' said Meg, looking after the retreating figure with an annoyed expression. 'Tutors, also, have rather a hard time of it there, as I know to my sorrow. There's no place like America for us workers, Miss Margaret', and Mr. Brooke looked so contented and cheerful, that Meg was ashamed to lament her hard lot. 'I'm glad I live in it, then. I don't like my work, but I get a good deal of satisfaction out of it after all, so I won't complain; I only wish I liked teaching as you do.' 'I think you would if you had Laurie for a pupil. I shall be very sorry to lose him next year,' said Mr. Brooke, busily punching holes in the turf. “我忘了英国人瞧不起女家庭教师，不像我们那样对待她们，"梅格望着凯特小姐远去的身影懊恼地说道。"可悲的是，据我所知，男家庭教师在那边日子也不好过。对于我们这行来说，再没有比美国更好的地方了，玛格丽特小姐。"布鲁克先生的样子显得如此满足如此快乐，梅格也不好意思再哀叹自己命苦了。"那我真高兴我生活在美国。我不喜欢我的工作，不过我还是从中得到很大的满足，所以我不会抱怨；我只希望我能像你一样喜欢教书。"“如果你有劳里这样的学生，我想你就会喜欢的。可惜我明年就要失去他了，"布鲁克先生边说边在草坪上猛劲戳洞。 
“上大学，是吗？"梅格嘴里这样问，眼睛却在说："那你自己呢？"“是的，该上大学了，因为他已准备好了；他一走，我就参军。部队需要我。"“我真高兴！"梅格叫道，"我也认为每个年青人都应该有这个心愿，虽然留在家里的母亲和姐妹们会感到难过。"她说着伤心起来。 'I have neither, and very few friends, to care whether I live or die,' said Mr. Brooke, rather bitterly, as he absently put the dead rose in the hole he had made and covered it up, like a little grave. " 我没有母亲姐妹，在乎我死活的朋友也寥寥无几，"布鲁克先生有点苦涩地说道。他心不在焉地把蔫玫瑰放到戳好的洞里，把它像座小坟墓似地用土盖上。
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