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十分钟后乔涨红着脸跑下楼梯，一望而知刚刚经受了一场磨难。当她看到年轻人时，神情一点也不显得高兴，只点个头便走了过去；但他跟上去，同情地问："刚才是不是很难受？"“有点。"“这么快就好了？"“是，谢天谢地。"“为什么一个人来？"“不想别人知道。"“真是个空前绝后的怪人。你弄出了几个？"乔望着自己的朋友，似乎莫明其妙，接着便笑得乐不可支。 'There are two which I want to have come out, but I must wait a week.' 'What are you laughing at? You are up to some mischief, Jo,' said Laurie, looking mystified. " 我想弄出两个来，但得等上一个星期。"“你笑什么？你在淘气，乔，"劳里说，神情显得迷惑不解。 'So are you. What were you doing, sir, up in that billiard saloon?' 'Begging your pardon, ma'am, it wasn't a billiard saloon, but a gymnasium, and I was taking a lesson in fencing.' 'I'm glad of that.' 'Why?' 'You can teach me, and then when we play Hamlet, you can be Laertes, and we'll make a fine thing of the fencing scene.' " 你也是。你在上面那间桌球室干什么，先生？"“对不起，小姐，那不是桌球室，而是健身房，我刚才在学击剑。"“那我真高兴。"“为什么？"“你可以教我，这样我们演《哈姆雷特》时，你便可以扮累尔提斯，我们演击剑一幕就有好戏做了。” Laurie burst out with a hearty boy's laugh, which made several passers-by smile in spite of themselves. 劳里放声大笑，那由衷的笑声引得几个过路人也不禁笑起来。 'I'll teach you, whether we play Hamlet or not; it's grand fun, and will straighter, you up capitally. But I don't believe that was your reason for saying "I'm glad", in that decided way; was it, now?' " 演不演《哈姆雷特》我都会教你，这种娱乐简直妙不可言，令人精神大振。不过，你刚才说'高兴'说得那么一本正经，我想一定另有原因，对吗，嗯？" 
“对，我真高兴你没有上桌球室，因为我决不希望你去那种地方。你平时去吗？"“不常去。"“我但愿你别去。" 'It's no harm, Jo. I have billiards at home, but it's no fun unless you have good players, so, as I'm fond of it, I come sometimes and have a game with Ned Moffat or some of the other fellows.' 'Oh dear, I'm so sorry, for you'll get to liking it better and better, and will waste time and money, and grow like those dreadful boys. I did hope you'd stay respectable, and be a satisfaction to your friends,' said Jo, shaking her head. “这并无害处，乔，我在家也玩桌球，但如果没有好球手，就不好玩了，因为我喜欢桌球，有时便和内德·莫法特或起他伙伴来比试比试。"“噢，是吗？我真为你感到惋惜，因为你慢慢就会玩上瘾，就会糟蹋时间和金钱，变得跟那些可恶的小子一样。我一直希望你会自尊自爱，不令朋友失望，"乔摇着脑袋说。 'Can't a fellow take a little innocent amusement now and then without losing his respectability?' asked Laurie, looking nettled. " 难道男孩子偶尔玩一下无伤大雅的游戏就丧失尊严了吗？"劳里恼火地问。 'That depends upon how and where he takes it. I don't like Ned and his set, and wish you'd keep out of it. Mother won't let us have him at our house, though he wants to come; and if you grow like him she won't be willing to have us frolic together as we do now.' 'Won't she?' asked Laurie, anxiously. " 那得看他怎么玩和在什么地方玩。我不喜欢内德这帮人，也希望你别粘上他们。妈妈不许我们请他到家玩，虽然他想来，如果你变得像他一样，她便不会让我们再这么一起嬉闹了。"“真的？"劳里焦虑地问。 'No, she can't bear fashionable young men, and she'd shut us all up in bandboxes rather than have us associate with them.' " 当然，她看不惯赶时髦的年青人，她宁愿把我们全都关进硬纸匣里，也不让我们跟他们拉扯上。" 
“哦，她倒不必拿出她的硬纸匣来，我不是赶时髦的那种人，也不想做那种人，但我有时真喜欢没有害处的玩乐，你不喜欢吗？" 'Yes, nobody minds them, so lark away, but don't get wild, will you? or there will be an end of all our good times.' 'I'll be a double-distilled saint.' “喜欢，没有人反对这样的娱乐，你爱玩便玩吧，只是别玩野了心，好吗？不然，我们的好日子就完了。"“我会做个不折不扣的圣人。" 'I can't bear saints; just be a simple, honest, respectable boy, and we'll never desert you. I don't know what I should do if you acted like Mr. King's son; he had plenty of money, but didn't know how to spend it, and got tipsy, and gambled, and ran away, and forged his father's name, I believe, and was altogether horrid.' “我可受不了圣人，就做个其实、正派的好小伙吧，我们便永不离弃你。如果你像金斯先生的儿子那样，我可真不知道该怎么办；他有很多饯，但却不知怎么用，反而酗酒聚赌，离家出逃，还盗用他父亲的名字，可谓劣迹斑斑。" 'You think I'm likely to do the same? Much obliged.' 'No, I don't - oh, dear, no! - but I hear people talking about money being such a temptation, and I sometimes wish you were poor; I shouldn't worry then.' 'Do you worry about me, Jo?' “你以为我也会做出这种事？过奖了！"“不，不是--噢，哎呀，不是的！--但我听人说金钱是个蛊惑人心的魔鬼，有时我真希望你没有钱财，那我就不必担心了。"“你担心我吗，乔？" 'A little, when you look moody or discontented, as you sometimes do; for you've got such a strong will, if you once get started wrong, I'm afraid it would be hard to stop you.' Laurie walked in silence for a few minutes, and Jo watched him, wishing she had held her tongue, for his eyes looked angry though his lips still smiled as if at her warnings. “你有时显得情绪低落，内心不满，这时我便有点儿担心；因为你个性极强，如果一旦走上歪路，我恐怕很难阻挡你。"劳里一言不发，默默而行。乔望着他，暗恨自己快嘴快舌没有遮拦，因为虽然他的嘴唇依旧挂着微笑，似乎在嘲笑她的忠告，一双眼睛却分明含着怒意。 
你是不是打算一路上给我训话？"过了好一会儿他问。"当然不是。为什么？" 'Because, if you are, I'll take a bus; if you are not, I'd like to walk with you, and tell you something very interesting.' 'I won't preach any more, and I'd like to hear the news immensely.' 'Very well, then; come on. It's a secret, and if I tell you, you must tell me yours.' 'I haven't got any,' began Jo, but stopped suddenly, remembering that she had. “如果是，我就乘公共汽车回家；如果不是，我就和你一块步行，并告诉你一件顶顶有趣的新闻。"“那我不再说教了，我很想听听你的新闻。"“那很好，不过，这是个秘密，如果我告诉你，你得把你的告诉我。"“我没有什么秘密。"乔一语未毕，又猛然住了口，想起自己还真有一个。 'You know you have you can't hide anything; so up and 'fess, or I won't tell,' cried Laurie. " 你知道自己有的--你什么也藏不住，还是乖乖说出来吧，不然我就不说，"劳里叫道。 'Is your secret a nice one?' " 你的那个是好消息吗？" 'Oh, isn't it! all about people you know, and such fun! You ought to hear it, and I've been aching to tell it this long time. Come, you begin.' 'You'll not say anything about it at home, will you?' 'Not a word.' 'And you won't tease me in private?' 'I never tease.' “噢，怎么不是！都和你认识的人有关，简直妙不可言！你应该听听，我憋了好久了，一直想讲出来。来吧，你先开始。"“你在家一个字也不能提，好吗？"“只字不提。"“你不会私下取笑我？"“我从来不取笑人。" 
“不，你取笑的，你什么都可以从人家嘴里套出来。我不知你是怎么做的，但你天生是个哄人的专家。"“谢谢了，请说吧。"“嗯，我把两篇故事交给了一位报社编辑，他下个星期就答复我，"乔向她的密友耳语道。 'Hurrah for Miss March, the celebrated American authoress!' cried Laurie, throwing up his hat and catching it again, to the great delight of two ducks, four cats, five hens, and half a dozen Irish children; for they were out of the city now. " 好一个马奇小姐，著名的美国女作家！"劳里叫道，把自己的帽子向空中一抛，然后接祝这时他们已走到城郊，两只鸭、四头猫、五只鸡和六个爱尔兰小童见状全都大乐不已。 'Hush! It won't come to anything, I dare say; but I couldn't rest till I had tried, and I said nothing about it, because I didn't want anyone else to be disappointed.' 'It won't fail. Why, Jo, your stories are works of Shakespeare, compared to half the rubbish that is published every day. Won't it be fun to see them in print; and shan't we feel proud of our authoress?' Jo's eyes sparkled, for it is always pleasant to be believed in; and a friend's praise is always sweeter than a dozen newspaper puffs. " 小声！我敢说这不会有什么结果，但我总要试一试才会甘心。我不想让其他人失望，所以只字未提。"“你一定得偿所愿。嘿，乔，现在每天出笼的文章有半数是垃圾，跟它们一比，你的故事堪称是莎士比亚的大作。看到你的大作印在报上该多有意思！我们怎能不为我们的女作家而感到自豪？"乔眼睛闪闪发亮。劳里相信她，她心里感到甜丝丝的，而朋友的赞扬总是比一打报上吹捧自己的文章还要动听。 'Where's your secret? Play fair, Teddy, or I'll never believe you again,' she said, trying to extinguish the brilliant hopes that blazed up at a word of encouragement. " 你的秘密呢？公平交易，特迪，否则我再不会相信你的，"她说，试图把因劳里的鼓励而燃起的巨大希望打消掉。 'I may get into a scrape for telling; but I didn't promise not to, so I will, for I never feel easy in my mind till I've told you any plummy bit of news I get. I know where Meg's glove is.' " 我说出来或者会尴尬，但我并没说要保密，所以我要说，但凡我知道一星半点好消息，如果不告诉你心里就不会舒坦。我知道梅格的手套在哪儿。" 
“仅此而已？"乔失望地说。劳里点点头，高深莫测地眨眨眼睛。蛊“已经足够了，我说出来后你自然会明白。"“那么，请说吧。"劳里俯下身，在乔耳边悄悄说了几个字，乔神色随即变得十分古怪。她诧异万分地呆站着，忿忿地瞪了他一会儿，又继续往前走，厉声问道："你怎么知道的？"“看到的。"“在哪？"“口袋。"“一直都是？"“对，是不是很浪漫？"“不，叫人恶心。"“你不喜欢吗？"“当然不喜欢。这种事荒唐透顶，是不允许的。啊呀！梅格会怎么说？"
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