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乔说不出话，但却真的把他"抓紧"了。这样执着劳里温暖友好的手，她又酸又痛的心舒缓了一些，在她遇到困境的时候可以独立支撑她的上帝之手仿佛也离她更近了些。劳里很想说几句贴心的宽慰话，一时却找不到合适的词语，只是一言不发地站着，无限怜爱地轻轻抚摸着她低下来的脑袋。这种无声的抚慰胜似千言万语。乔感到了这无声的怜爱，在静默之中体会到了这由喜爱加在悲哀中的甜甜的宽慰，心里觉得好受些了，便把眼泪擦干，感激地抬起头来。 'Thank you, Teddy, I'm better now; I don't feel so forlorn, and will try to bear it if it comes.' 'Keep hoping for the best; that will help you, Jo. Soon your mother will be here, and then everything will be right.' 'I'm so glad Father is better; now she won't feel so bad about leaving him. Oh, me! it does seem as if all the troubles came in a heap, and I got the heaviest part on my shoulders,' sighed Jo, spreading her wet handkerchief over her knees to dry. " 谢谢你，特迪，我现在好些了，也没那么绝望了。万一真的发生什么不测，我也会勇敢面对的。"“保持乐观，那会给你力量的，乔。你妈妈很快就会回来，那时一切都会好起来的。"“幸好爸爸病情好转了；这样妈妈回来也不至于放心不下。噢，老天！怎么灾祸来了一个又一个，我身上的担子比?谁的都重。"乔叹了一口气，把她的湿手绢打开，铺在膝头上风干。 'Doesn't Meg pull fair?' asked Laurie, looking indignant. " 难道梅格不和你分担吗？"劳里气愤地问。 'Oh, yes; she tries to, but she can't love Bethy as I do; and she won't miss her as I shall. Beth is my conscience, and I can't give her up. I can't! I can't!' Down went Jo's face into the wet handkerchief, and she cried despairingly; for she had kept up bravely till now, and never shed a tear. Laurie drew his hand across his eyes, but could not speak till he had subdued the choking feeling in his throat and steadied his lips. It might be unmanly, but he couldn't help it, and I'm glad of it. Presently as Jo's sobs quieted, he said hopefully, 'I don't think she will die; she's so good, and we all love her so much, I don't believe God will take her away yet.' 'The good and dear people always do die,' groaned Jo, but she stopped crying, for her friend's words cheered her up, in spite of her own doubts and fears. " 噢，分的，她也努力分担，但她不能像我这样爱贝思，也不会像我那么怀念她。贝思是我的心肝，我不能失去她。我不能！我不能！"乔把脸埋在湿手绢里，失声痛哭，刚才她一直坚强地忍着，没有流一滴泪。劳里用手抹抹眼睛，想说点什么，但只觉得嗓子眼被什么东西堵住了，嘴唇也在不停颤抖。这也许没有男子气，但他忍不住，我对此深感高兴。一会儿，待乔的啜平静了下来，他这才满怀希望地说："我想她不会死的；她这么善良，我们又这么爱她，我不信上帝就这样把她夺走。"“好人总是活不长，"乔咕咕哝哝地说道，不过她止住了哭，因为尽管她心里充满了怀疑和恐惧，但朋友的话却使她精神一振。 'Poor girl, you're worn out. It isn't like you to be forlorn. Stop a bit; I'll hearten you up in a jiffy.' Laurie went off two stairs at a time, and Jo laid her wearied head down on Beth's little brown hood, which no one had thought of moving from the table where she left it. It must have possessed some magic, for the submissive spirit of its gentle owner seemed to enter into Jo; and, when Laurie came running down with a glass of wine, she took it with a smile and said bravely, 'I drink health to my Beth! You are a good doctor, Teddy, and such a comfortable friend; how can I ever pay you?' she added; the kind words had refreshed her troubled mind. " 可怜的姑娘，你是累坏了。你不是这么悲观的人。歇口气儿，我这就让你抖擞起来。"劳里两级并作一级跑上楼去，乔把昏沉沉的脑袋伏在贝思那顶棕色小帽上面。这顶小帽子被主人放在桌子上，一直原封未动。大概它拥有一种魔力，因为乔似乎变得跟它的主人一样柔顺。此时劳里捧着一杯酒跑下楼来，她微笑着接过，坚强地说："我喝--为贝思的身体健康！你是个好医生，特迪，又是个这么善解人意的朋友，我不知道怎样才能报答你？"她又加了一句，这时酒恢复了她的体力，劳里的宽慰话也让她的精神为之一振。 
“不消多久我自会向你讨债，不过今晚我想送你一样比酒更能让你心里暖和的东西，"劳里边说边望着她笑，脸上情不自禁地露出得意之色。"什么东西？"乔惊讶地问，暂时忘记了痛苦。 'I telegraphed to your mother yesterday, and Brooke answered she'd come at once, and she'll be here tonight, and everything will be all right. Aren't you glad I did it?' Laurie spoke very fast, and turned red and excited all in a minute, for he had kept his plot a secret, for fear of disappointing the girls or harming Beth. Jo grew quite white, flew out of her chair, and the moment he stopped speaking she electrified him by throwing her arms round his neck, and crying out, with a joyful cry, 'Oh, Laurie! Oh, Mother! I am so glad!' She did not weep again, but laughed hysterically, and trembled and clung to her friend as if she was a little bewildered by the sudden news. " 我昨天给你妈妈发了一封电报，布鲁克回电说马上回来，今天晚上就能到家，那时一切都好办了。我这样做你喜欢吗？"劳里说得很快，脸色转眼间便因激动而变得通红。由于担心会令姑娘们失望和伤了贝思的心，他一直守着这个秘密。乔脸色发白地从座椅中一跃而起，待他一住口便直扑过去，用双臂搂紧他的膀子，高兴地又叫又喊："啊，劳里！啊，妈妈！我高兴死了！"她不再啜泣，而是歇斯底里地笑起来，一面颤抖一面搂紧她的朋友，仿佛被这突如起来的消息弄得意乱神迷。 Laurie, though decidedly amazed, behaved with great presence of mind; he patted her back soothingly and, finding that she was recovering, followed it up by a bashful kiss or two, which brought Jo round at once. Holding on to the banisters, she put him gently away, saying breathlessly, 'Oh, don't! I didn't mean to; it was dreadful of me; but you were such a dear to go and do it in spite of Hannah that I couldn't help flying at you. Tell me all about it, and don't give me wine again; it makes me act so stupidly.' 劳里大吃了一惊，却表现得相当镇定；他轻轻拍着她的背脊，见她正逐渐恢复过来，便腼腆地在她脸上吻了一两下。乔刹那间如梦方醒。她扶着楼梯扶手，把他轻轻推开，气喘吁吁地说："噢，别这样！我刚才昏了头，不是故意要扑向你，你这么听话，竟然不顾罕娜的反对给妈妈发电报，所以我忍不祝把事情经过告诉我吧，别再给我酒喝了，它令我胡作非为。" 'I don't mind,' laughed Laurie, as he settled his tie. 'Why, you see I got fidgety, and so did grandpa. We thought Hannah was overdoing the authority business, and your mother ought to know. She'd never forgive us if Beth - well, if anything happened, you know. So I got grandpa. to say it was high time we did something, and off I pelted to the office yesterday, for the doctor looked sober, and Hannah 'most took my head off when I proposed a telegram. I never can bear to be "lorded" over, so that settled my mind, and I did it. Your mother will come, I know, and the late train is in at 2 a.m. I shall go for her, and you've only got to bottle up your rapture, and keep Beth quiet, till that blessed lady gets here.' 'Laurie, you're an angel! How shall I ever thank you?' 'Fly at me again; I rather like it,' said Laurie, looking mischievous - a thing he had not done for a fortnight. “这我倒不介意，"劳里笑道，一面理好领带，"是这样，你知道我和爷爷都十分焦急，我们认为罕娜僭越职权，而你妈妈应该知道这事。如果贝思--如果一旦出了事，她永远都不会原谅我们。所以我让爸爸说出该采取行动这话，昨天便飞快赶到邮局，你也知道医生神色严峻，而罕娜一听说发电报就几乎要拧下我的脑袋。我一向不能忍受被人'管制'，于是打定主意，把电报发了。你妈妈就要回来，我知道火车凌晨两点到站，我去接，你只需收敛一下你的狂喜之情，安顿好贝思，专候佳音。"“劳里，你是个天使！我该如何谢你？"“扑向我吧；我真喜欢那样，"劳里调皮地说。他足足两个星期没有露出这种神色了。 'No, thank you. I'll do it by proxy, when your grandpa comes. Don't tease, but go home and rest, for you'll be up half the night. Bless you, Teddy, bless you!' Jo had backed into a corner; and, as she finished her speech, she vanished precipitately into the kitchen, where she sat down upon a dresser, and told the assembled cats, that she was 'happy, oh, so happy!' while Laurie departed, feeling that he had made rather a neat thing of it. " 不，谢谢了。我会找个人代理，等你爷爷来再说吧。别取笑我了，回家休息去吧，你半夜还要起来呢。上帝保佑你，特迪，保佑你！"乔退到一角，话方说完便仓促冲进厨房，消失了身影。她坐在食具柜上告诉那群猫儿她"高兴，呵，真高兴！"此时劳里离开了，觉得自己把事情干得相当利索。 
我从来没见过这么好管闲事的家伙，不过我原谅他，希望马奇太太马上就来，"当乔宣布好消息时，罕娜松了一口气，说道。 Meg had a quiet rapture, and then brooded over the letter, while Jo set the sickroom in order, and Hannah 'knocked up a couple of pies in case of company unexpected'. A breath of fresh air seemed to blow through the house, and something better than sunshine brightened the quiet rooms. Everything appeared to feel the hopeful change; Beth's bird began to chirp again, and a half-blown rose was discovered on Amy's bush in the window, and fires seemed to burn with unusual cheeriness; and every time the girls met, their pale faces broke into smiles as they hugged one another, whispering encouragingly, 'Mother's coming, dear! Mother's coming!' Everyone rejoiced but Beth; she lay in that heavy stupor, alike unconscious of hope and joy, doubt and anger. It was a piteous sight - the once rosy face so changed and vacant, the once busy hands so weak and wasted, the once smiling lips quite dumb, and the once pretty, well-kept hair scattered rough and tangled on the pillow. 梅格不露声色地狂喜一番，然后对信沉思；乔整理病房，罕娜则在"赶快做两个饼，免得还有什么人会一起来"。屋子里仿佛吹过了一阵清风，寂静的房间也被什么比阳光还要明亮的东西照得亮堂起来。每种事情都好像感觉到了这充满希望的变化；贝思的小鸟开始重新鸣唱，艾美的花丛里发现了一朵半开的玫瑰；炉火也燃烧得特别欢畅；梅格和乔每次碰面，苍白的脸上都绽出笑容，她们紧紧拥抱，悄声鼓励："妈妈就要回来了，亲爱的！妈妈就要回来了！"大家都欢欣鼓舞，只有贝思昏迷不醒，躺在床上，无知无觉，无喜无忧。她的形容令人心碎--原来红润的脸庞变得没有一点血色，原来灵巧的双手瘦得只剩下皮包骨头，原来微笑的双唇几乎找不到气息，原来漂亮整齐的头发零乱不堪地散落在枕头上。 All day she lay so, only rousing now and then to mutter, 'Water!' with lips so parched they could hardly shape the word; all day Jo and Meg hovered over her, watching, waiting, hoping, and trusting in God and Mother; and all day the snow fell, the bitter wind raged, and the hours dragged slowly by. But night came at last; and every time the clock struck, the sisters, still sitting on either side of the bed, looked at each other with brightening eyes, for each hour brought help nearer. The doctor had been in to say that some change, for better or worse, would probably take place about midnight, at which time he would return. 整整一天她都这么躺着，只是偶尔醒来才含混不清地说一声："水！"由于唇干舌燥，声音几乎发不出来；乔和梅格整天都在她身边侍候，照看着、等待着、盼望着，相信上帝和母亲能创造奇迹；整整一天大雪纷飞，狂风怒吼，时间过得特别缓慢。最后，黑夜终于降临。姐妹俩仍然各坐在床的一边，每当时钟敲响便互相交换一下眼色，眼睛闪闪发亮，因为时钟每响一下，希望就拉近一步。医生来过，说大约午夜时分病情就可见分晓，或是好转，或是恶化，他届时再来看视。 Hannah, quite worn out, lay down on the sofa at the bed's foot, and fell fast asleep; Mr. Laurence marched to and fro in the parlour, feeling that he would rather face a rebel battery than Mrs. March's anxious countenance as she entered; Laurie lay on the rug, pretending to rest, but staring into the fire with the thoughtful look which made his black eyes beautifully soft and clear. 疲倦不堪的罕娜倒在床脚边的沙发上，呼呼大睡；劳伦斯先生在客厅里踱来踱去，他宁愿面对一个造反的炮兵连，也不愿看到马奇太太进来时焦不安的神色；劳里躺在地毯上，佯作休息，其实是在盯着火苗想心事，那若有所思的神情使他的黑眼睛显得清澈温柔，异常漂亮。 The girls never forgot that night, for no sleep came to them, as they kept their watch with that dreadful sense of powerlessness which comes to us in hours like those. 姐妹两人永远不会忘记那个晚上，她们全无睡意地守候着，深深感受到我们在这种时刻都会感受到的无能为力的痛苦。 
如果上帝赐给贝思一条生路，我一定不再抱怨，"梅格虔诚低语。
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