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“你不能告诉任何人，请注意。"“我并没许诺。"“你早就明白的，而我也相信你。"“嗯，我目前不会说出去，但我恶心死了，宁愿你没告诉我。"“我以为你会高兴呢。"“高兴别人来把梅格夺走？想得真美！"“等到也有人来把你夺走时，你心里就会好受一点了。"“我倒要看看谁敢，"乔恶狠狠地叫道。"我也一样！"想到这种情景，劳里抿着嘴暗笑。 'I don't think secrets agree with me; I feel rumpled up in my mind since you told me that,' said Jo, rather ungratefully. " 我认为悄悄话和我的性格格格不入，听了你的话后我脑蛊子里乱糟糟的，"乔有点忘恩负义地说。 'Race down this hill with me, and you'll be all right,' suggested Laurie." 跟我一起冲下这个山坡，你就没事了，"劳里建议。 No one was in sight; the smooth road sloped invitingly before her; and finding the temptation irresistible, Jo darted away, soon leaving hat and comb behind her, and scattering hairpins as she ran. Laurie reached the goal first, and was quite satisfied with the success of his treatment; for his Atalanta came panting up, with flying hair, bright eyes, ruddy cheeks, and no signs of dissatisfaction in her face. 路上不见行人，平滑倾斜的公路诱惑地摆在她面前，使她不可抗拒，乔于是直冲而下，不一会便把帽子和梳子跌掉了，发夹也落了一地，劳里先跑到目标，为自己成功地理好了情绪而感到十分满意，只见他的阿特兰特气喘吁吁，乱发齐飞，眼睛闪闪发亮，双颊绯红，脸上的不快之色早已消失得干干净净了。 'I wish I was a horse; then I could run for miles in this splendid air, and not lose my breath. It was capital; but see what a guy it's made me. Go, pick up my things, like a cherub as you are,' said Jo, dropping down under a maple-tree which was carpeting the bank with crimson leaves. " 我真想变一匹马儿，那我就可以沐浴在这清新的空气中尽情驰骋而不用气喘吁吁了。这么跑步真是太棒了，但看我弄成了什么样子。去，把我的东西捡起来，就像小天使一样，你本来就是嘛，"乔说着坐到河岸边一棵挂满绯红叶子的枫树下面。 
劳里慢悠悠地去收拾丢落的东西，乔束起辫子，只望这当儿千万不要有人走过，撞见她这副狼狈样子，但一个人恰恰走过来，此人不是别人，正是梅格。她出门拜访朋友，穿着一身整齐的节日服装，更显得一派淑女的风韵。 'What in the world are you doing here?' she asked, regarding her dishevelled sister with well-bred surprise. " 你究竟在这里干什么？"她问，惊讶而不失风度地望着头发蓬乱的妹妹。 'Getting leaves,' meekly answered Jo, sorting the rosy handful she had just swept up. " 捡树叶，"乔温顺地回答，一面挑选刚刚拢来的一捧红叶。 'And hairpins,' added Laurie, throwing half a dozen into Jo's lap. 'They grow on this road, Meg; so do combs and brown straw hats.' 'You have been running, Jo; how could you? When will you be stopping such romping ways?' said Meg, reprovingly, as she settled her cuffs, and smoothed her hair, with which the wind had taken liberties. " 还有发夹，”劳里接过话头，把半打发夹丢到乔膝上，蛊“这条路长了发夹，梅格，还长了梳子和棕色的草帽。"“你刚刚跑步来，乔。你怎么能这样？你什么时候才不再胡闹？"梅格责备道，一面理理袖口，又把被风吹起的头发抚平。 'Never till I'm stiff and old, and have to use a crutch. Don't try to make me grow up before my time, Meg: it's hard enough to have you change all of a sudden; let me be a little girl as long as I can.' " 等我老得走不动了，不得不用上拐杖，那时再说吧。别使劲催我提早长人，梅格，看到你一下子变了个人已经够难受了，就让我做个小姑娘吧，能做多久是多久。" 
乔边说边埋下头，让红叶遮住自己那轻轻抖动的双唇。她最近感觉到玛格丽特正迅速长成一个女人，姐妹分离是一定的事情，但劳里的秘密使这一天变得似乎近在眼前，她心中十分恐惧。劳里看到她满脸悲泣，为了分散梅格的注意力，赶紧问："你刚才上哪儿去来，穿得这么漂亮。" 'At the Gardiners', and Sallie has been telling me all about Belle Moffat's wedding. It was very splendid, and they have gone to spend the winter in Paris. Just think how delightful that must be!' 'Do you envy her, Meg?' said Laurie. “加德纳家。莎莉跟我谈了贝儿·莫法特的婚礼。婚礼极尽奢华，一对新人已去巴黎过冬了。想想那该有多么浪漫！"“你是不是嫉妒她，梅格？"劳里问。 'I'm afraid I do.' 'I'm glad of it,' muttered Jo, tying on her hat with a jerk. 'Why?' asked Meg, looking surprised. " 恐怕是吧。"“谢天谢地！"乔咕哝道，把帽子猛地一拉戴上。"为什么？"梅格奇怪地问。 'Because if you care much about riches, you will never go and marry a poor man,' said Jo, frowning at Laurie, who was mutely warning her to mind what she said. " 因为如果你看重金钱，就绝不会去嫁一个穷人，"乔说。劳里赶紧示意她说话小心，她却不悦地对他皱皱眉头。 'I shall never "go and marry" anyone,' observed Meg, walking on with great dignity, while the others followed, laughing, whispering, skipping stones, and 'behaving like children', as Meg said to herself, though she might have been tempted to join them if she had not had her best dress on. " 我不会'去嫁'什么人，"梅格说罢昂然而去。乔和劳里跟在后面，一面笑一面窃窃私语，还向河中投掷石头。"表现得就像一对小孩子，"梅格心里这样说，不过如果不是穿着最漂亮的衣服，她可能也忍不住和他们一起闹了。 
此后的一段日子里，乔行为古怪，令姐妹们个个摸不着蛊头脑。但逢邮递员一按门铃，她便冲到门前，每当见到布鲁克先生，她就粗声粗气，常常坐在一边愁眉苦脸地望着梅格，一会跳起来摇摇她，然后又莫明其妙地亲她一下；劳里和她常常互相打暗号，并谈论什么"展翼鹰"。姐妹们终于断言这对人物全都失了魂儿。在乔从窗子跳出去后的第二个星期六，梅格坐在窗边做针线活，看到劳里满园子追逐乔，最后在艾美的花荫下把乔捉住了，不免心生反感。她看不到两人在里头干什么，只听到一阵尖笑声，随后听到一阵咕咕哝哝的低语声和一声响亮的拍击报纸声。 'What shall we do with that girl? She never will behave like a young lady,' sighed Meg, as she watched the race with a disapproving face. " 我们真拿这姑娘没办法，她就是不肯像个淑女一样文文静静。"梅格一面不悦地望着两人赛跑，一面叹息。 'I hope she won't; she is so funny and dear as she is,' said Beth, who had never betrayed that she was a little hurt at Jo's having secrets with anyone but her. " 我倒希望她不肯；她现在这样多风趣可爱，"贝思说。看到乔与别人而不是和自己分享秘密，她心里有点不受用，但却绝不表露出来。 'It's very trying, but we can never make her commy la fo,' added Amy, who sat making some new frills for herself, with her curls tied up in a very becoming was - two agreeable things, which made her feel unusually elegant and ladylike. " 她这样令人十分难堪，但我们从来都不能使她规矩下来，"艾美接着说。她坐在那里为自己制一些新饰边，一头鬈发漂漂亮亮地扎成两股，十分好看，令她自觉优雅无比，仪态万千。 In a few minutes Jo bounced in, laid herself on the sofa, and affected to read. 几分钟后乔冲进来，一头躺在沙发上，假装看报。 
你看到什么有趣的文章吗？"梅格屈尊问道。 'Nothing but a story; won't amount to much, I guess,' returned Jo, carefully keeping the name of the paper out of sight. “一则故事而已；并非什么大作，我想，"乔答，小心翼翼地不让大家看到报纸的名字。 'You'd better read it aloud; that will amuse us and keep you out of mischief,' said Amy, in her most grown-up tone. " 你最好把它读出来；这样我们大家高兴，你也不至于胡闹，"艾美用一副大人的腔调说。 'What's the name?' asked Beth, wondering why Jo kept her face behind the sheet. " 故事是什么题目？"贝思问，一面奇怪乔为什么把脸藏蛊在报纸后面。 'The Rival Painters.' 'That sounds well; read it,' said Meg. " 《画家争雄》。"“挺好听的；念出来吧，"梅格说。 
乔重重地咳了一下，吸了一口长气，开始很快地往下念。故事优美浪漫，而且不乏哀婉动人之处，因为到最后大多数角色都死掉了。姐妹们听得津津有味。 'I like that about the splendid picture,' was Amy's approving remark, as Jo paused. " 我喜欢有关漂亮图画的那一节，"乔停下来时艾美满意地说。 'I prefer the lovering part. Viola and Angelo are two of our favourite names; isn't that queer?' said Meg, wiping her eyes, for the 'lovering part' was tragical. " 我更喜欢爱情那一节。维奥拉和安吉洛是我最喜欢的两个名字，你们说怪不怪？"梅格擦着眼睛说，因为"爱情那一节"十分凄婉。 'Who wrote it?' asked Beth, who had caught a glimpse of Jo's face. " 谁写的？"贝思问。她瞥见了乔的脸色。
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