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罕娜一时找不到其他方法来排解自己的兴奋心情，便为远道归来的亲人"装盘上菜"地上了一顿丰盛的早餐；梅格和乔像恪守职责的幼鹳一样喂母亲进餐，一面听她轻声讲述父亲的情况，以及布鲁克先生如何答应留下来照顾父亲，她在回家的路上被暴风雪耽搁了时间，到站的时候，忧心如焚，又冷又累，是劳里充满希望的面孔使她得到了难以言喻的安慰。 What a strange, yet pleasant day that was! so brilliant and gay without, for all the world seemed abroad to welcome the first snow; so quiet and reposeful within, for everyone slept, spent with watching, and a sabbath stillness reigned through the house, while nodding Hannah mounted guard at the door. With a blissful sense of burdens lifted off, Meg and Jo closed their weary eyes, and lay at rest, like storm-beaten boats, safe at anchor in a quiet harbour. Mrs. March would not leave Beth's side, but rested in the big chair, waking often to look at, touch, and brood over her child, like a miser over some recovered treasure. 这一天是多么奇特，多么喜气洋洋！屋外阳光灿烂，到处洋溢着欢声笑语，人们似乎全都走了出来，迎接这场初雪；屋里却无声无息，一片宁静，大家因一夜未眠，此刻全都进入了梦乡，屋子里静得连针尖落地的声音也能听到。罕娜打着瞌睡在门边守护，梅格和乔仿佛卸下了一身重担，也都双双合上疲倦的眼睛躺下来休息，就像两只小船，经过风吹浪打后，终于安全泊进了平静的港湾。马奇太太不愿离开贝思身边，便坐在大椅子上休息，不时醒来看一看、摸一摸自己的孩子，看着贝思发一会儿呆，其神态就像一个重新找回了自己财宝的吝啬鬼。 Laurie, meanwhile, posted off to comfort Amy, and told his story so well that Aunt March actually "sniffed" herself, and never once said, "I told you so". Amy came out so strong on this occasion that I think the good thoughts in the little chapel really began to bear fruit. She dried her tears quickly, restrained her impatience to see her mother, and never even thought of the turquoise ring, when the old lady heartily agreed in Laurie's opinion, that she behaved "like a capital little woman". Even Polly seemed impressed, for he called her "good girl", blessed her buttons, and begged her to 'come and take a walk, dear!' in his most affable tone. She would very gladly have gone out to enjoy the bright wintry weather; but, discovering that Laurie was dropping with sleep in spite of manful efforts to conceal the fact, she persuaded him to rest on the sofa, while she wrote a note to her mother. 同时劳里匆匆赶去安慰艾美，他讲故事讲得十分成功，马奇婶婶听了竟"从鼻子里头笑了一声"，而且没有再说"我早就告诉过你"。艾美这回显得十分坚强，看来她在小教堂里下的功夫开始开花结果了。她很快就把泪水擦干，按捺住要见母亲的急切心情，当劳里说她表现得"像个卓尔不凡的小妇人"，而老太太也由衷地表示赞同时，她竟没有想到那个绿松石戒指，甚至鹦哥也似乎对她大加赞赏，因为它叫她"好姑娘"，请上帝保佑她，并用极其友好的声调求她"来散个步，亲爱的"。她本来很想出去高高兴兴地在阳光明媚的雪地里玩个痛快，但发现劳里尽管男子气地装着没什么，但他的身子困得直往下倒，便劝他在沙发上躺躺，自己则给母亲写封信。 She was a long time about it, and, when she returned, he was stretched out, with both arms under his head, sound asleep, while Aunt March had pulled down the curtains, and sat doing nothing in an unusual fit of benignity. 过了好一会她才把信写完，等她再次来到劳里身边时，劳里头枕双臂，直挺挺地睡得十分香甜。马奇婶婶拉下了窗帘，闲坐在一边，脸上露出一种罕有的慈祥宽厚的神情。 After a while, they began to think he was not going to wake till night, and I'm not sure that he would, had he not been effectually roused by Amy's cry of joy at sight of her mother. There probably were a good many happy little girls in and about the city that day, but it is my private opinion that Amy was the happiest of all, when she sat in her mother's lap and told her trials, receiving consolation and compensation in the shape of approving smiles and fond caresses. They were alone together in the little room, to which her mother did not object when its purpose was explained to her. 过了一会，她们开始想他要睡到晚上才能醒来了，如果不是艾美看见母亲发出的欢叫声把他惊醒，我肯定他会一直睡下去的。那天，城里城外可能有许许多多幸福的小姑娘，但依我看艾美要算是最最幸福的一个，她坐在母亲的膝头上诉说自己是怎样熬过这段日子的，母亲则报以赞赏的微笑和百般爱抚。两人一起来到小教堂，艾美解释了它的来龙去脉，母亲听后并不反对。 
相反。我很喜欢它呢，亲爱的。"她把眼光从沾满灰尘的念珠移到翻得卷了毛边的小册子和点缀着长青树花环的漂亮图画上。"当我们身处逆境，烦恼悲伤时，能找个地方清静一下是件大好事。人生的道路充满了坎坷，但只要我们正确寻求帮助，就能克服困难。我想我的小女儿正在领悟这个道理呢。" 'Yes, Mother; and when I go home I mean to have a corner in the big closet to put my books, and the copy of that picture which I've tried to make. The woman's face is not good - it's too beautiful for me to draw - but the baby is done better, and I love it very much. I like to think he was a little child once, for then I don't seem so far away, and that helps me.' “是的，妈妈，回家后我打算在大房间的一角放上我的书和我画的那幅图画的摹本。圣母的面孔画得不好--她太美了，我画不来--但那婴儿还画得不错，我很喜欢它。我喜欢想他也曾经是个小孩，这样我似乎就离'他'更近了，这样一想，心里就好受了。" As Amy pointed to the smiling Christ-child on His mother's knee, Mrs. March saw something on the lifted hand that made her smile. She said nothing, but Amy understood the look, and, after a minute's pause, she added, gravely: 'I wanted to speak to you about this, but I forgot it. Aunt gave me the ring today; she called me to her and kissed me, and put it on my finger, and said I was a credit to her, and she'd like to keep me always. She gave me that funny guard to keep the turquoise on, as it's too big. I'd like to wear them, Mother; can I?' 艾美指指笑着坐在圣母膝上的圣婴，马奇太太看到她举着的手戴着一样东西，不觉微微一笑。她没有说什么，但艾美明白了她的眼神，迟疑了一会后，她郑重其事地说："我原来要把这事告诉你的，但一时忘了。婶婶今天把这个戒指送给我；她叫我走到她跟前。吻了我一下，把它戴在我的手指上，说我替她增了光，她愿意把我永远留在身边。因为绿松石戒指太大，她便把这有趣的护圈给我戴上。我想戴着它们，妈妈，可以吗？" 'They are very pretty, but I think you're rather too young for such ornaments, Amy,' said Mrs. March, looking at the plump little hand, with the band of sky-blue stones on the forefinger, and the quaint guard, formed of two tiny golden hands clasped together. “它们很浇亮，不过我认为你年龄尚小，不大适宜戴这种饰物，艾美。"马奇太太看着那只胖嘟嘟的小手，它的食指上戴着一圈天蓝色宝石和一个由两个金色小箍扣在一起组成的古怪护圈。 'I'll try not to be vain,' said Amy. 'I don't think I like it only because it's so pretty; but I want to wear it as the girl in the story wore her bracelets, to remind me of something.' 'Do you mean Aunt March?' asked her mother, laughing. " 我会努力做到不贪慕虚荣的，"艾美说，"我并不只是因为这枚戒指漂亮才喜欢它，我戴上它是因为它能时刻提醒我一些东西，就像故事里的那女孩戴的手镯一样。"“你是指马奇婶婶吗？"母亲笑着问。 
不是，提醒我不要自私。"艾美的神情十分诚恳，母亲不禁止住了笑，严肃地倾听女儿的小计划。 'I've thought a great deal lately about my "bundle of naughties", and being selfish is the largest one on it; so I'm going to try hard to cure it, if I can. Beth isn't selfish, and that's the reason everyone loves her and feels so bad at the thought of losing her. People wouldn't feel half so bad about me if I was sick, and I don't deserve to have them; but I'd like to be loved and missed by a great many friends, so I'm going to try and be like Beth all I can. I'm apt to forget my resolutions; but if I had something always about me to remind me, I guess I should do better. May I try this way?' " 我最近常常反省自己的'一大堆毛病'，发现其中最大的一项是自私；我要尽最大的努力克服这个缺点。贝思就不自私，所以大家都爱她，一想到要失去她就那么伤心。如果我病了，大家就远远不会这么伤心，我也不配让他们这样；不过我很希望能有许许多多的朋友爱我、怀念我，所以我要努力向贝思学习。只是我常常忘了自己的决心，如果有什么东西在身边提醒我，我想就会好一点。我这样做行吗？" 'Yes; but I have more faith in the corner of the big closet. Wear your ring, dear, and do your best; I think you will prosper, for the sincere wish to be good is half the battle. Now I must go back to Beth. Keep up your heart, little daughter, and we will soon have you home again.' That evening, while Meg was writing to her father, to report the traveller's safe arrival, Jo slipped upstairs into Beth's room, and, finding her mother in her usual place, stood a minute twisting her fingers in her hair, with a worried gesture and an undecided look. “当然，不过我倒是对你的小册子和祈祷更有信心。戴着戒指吧，亲爱的，尽力而为。我相信你会有长进的，因为决心向善便是成功的一半。现在我得回去看贝思了。振作精神，小女儿，我们很快就会接你回家的。"那天晚上，梅格正在给父亲写信，告知母亲已平安到家，乔悄悄溜上楼，走进贝思的房间。看到坐在老地方的母亲，她用手指揪着头发，呆站了一会，神色焦虑。 'What is it, deary?' asked Mrs. March, holding out her hand, with a face which invited confidence. " 怎么啦，好女儿？"马奇太太问，伸出手来，神情关注，鼓励女儿说出心事。 'I want to tell you something, Mother.' " 我想告诉你一件事，妈妈。" 
“和梅格有关吗？" 'How quickly you guessed! Yes, it's about her, and though it's a little thing, it fidgets me.' 'Beth is asleep; speak low, and tell me all about it. That Moffat hasn't been here, I hope?' asked Mrs. March, rather sharply. “你猜得真快！对，和她有关，虽然这只是一件小事，但它令我烦躁不安。"“贝思睡着了，小点声把事情全告诉我。莫法特那小子没有来过吧，我希望？"马奇太太单刀直入地问道。 'No, I should have shut the door in his face if he had,' said Jo, settling herself on the floor at her mother's feet. 'Last summer Meg left a pair of gloves over at the Laurences', and only one was returned. We forgot all about it, till Teddy told me that Mr. Brooke had it. He kept it in his waistcoat pocket, and once it fell out, and Teddy joked him about it, and Mr. Brooke owned that he liked Meg, but didn't dare say so, she was so young and he so poor. Now, isn't it a dreadful state of things?' 'Do you think Meg cares for him?' asked Mrs. March, with an anxious look. " 没有，如果他来，我一定让他吃闭门羹，"乔说着在地板上挨着母亲脚边坐下来，"去年夏天梅格在劳伦斯家丢了一双手套，后来只还回来一只。我们已经把这事忘了，但一天特迪告诉我另一只在布鲁克先生手里。他把它收在马甲衣袋里，一次它掉了出来，特迪便打趣他，布鲁克先生承认自己喜欢梅格，但不敢说出来，因为她还这样年轻，而自己又这样穷。您看，这不是糟糕透顶了吗？"“你觉得梅格在乎他吗？"马奇太太焦虑地问道。 'Mercy me! I don't know anything about love and such nonsense!' cried Jo, with a funny mixture of interest and contempt. 'In novels, the girls show it by starting and blushing, fainting away, growing thin, and acting like fools. Now Meg does not do anything of the sort; she eats and drinks and sleeps, like a sensible creature; she looks straight in my face when I talk about that man, and only blushes a little bit when Teddy jokes about lovers. I forbid him to do it, but he doesn't mind me as he ought.' " 上帝！我对情呀爱呀这些荒唐事一无所知！"乔叫道，显得既感兴趣又鄙夷，神情十分滑稽，"在小说里，害相思病的姑娘们不是一会吓一惊，一会红了脸，就是昏过去、瘦下去，一举一动都像个傻瓜。但梅格并没有这些举动：她照吃照喝照睡，跟平常没什么两样，我谈起那个男人时，她也正眼望着我，只有当特迪拿那些多情男女开玩笑时，她才红一下脸。我不许他这样做，但他并不怎么听。"
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