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她果然没有估错，这位爱调皮捣蛋的小伙子发觉乔有点异样，疑心顿起，立即穷追不舍，乔从此开始受苦受难。他诱哄、贿赂、嘲笑、威胁、责备；装漠不关心，以求出其不意地套出真相；宣称他知道，然后又说他不在乎；最后，凭着这般锲而不舍的劲头，他终于满意地相信此事与梅格和布鲁克先生有关。自家私人教师的秘密竟不让他知道，他心中愤愤不平，于是苦苦思索如何好好地出一口怨气。 Meg meanwhile had apparently forgotten the matter, and was absorbed in preparations for her father's return; but all of a sudden a change seemed to come over her, and, for a day or two, she was quite unlike herself. She started when spoken to, blushed when looked at, was very quiet, and sat over her sewing, with a timid, troubled look on her face. To her mother's inquiries she answered that she was quite well, and Jo's she silenced by begging to be let alone. 梅格此时显然已忘记了此事，一心一意为父亲的归来作准备，但突然，似乎发生了一种变化，有一两天变得跟从前判若两人。听到有人叫她便猛吃一惊，人家望她一眼她便脸红耳赤，整日不言不语，做针线活时独坐一边，羞答答的，心事重重。母亲过问时她回答自己一切正常，乔问她时她便求她别管。 'She feels it in the air - love, I mean - and she's going very fast. She's got most of the symptoms - is twittery and cross, doesn't eat, lies awake, and mopes in corners. I caught her singing that song he gave her, and once she said "John", as you do, and then turned as red as a poppy. Whatever shall we do?' said Jo, looking ready for any measures, however violent. " 她在空气中感受到这种东西--我的意思是，爱--而且她变得很快。那些症状她几乎全得了--颤抖、暴躁、不吃、不睡，背着人愁眉锁眼。我还发现她唱他给她的那首歌，一次她竟然像您一样说'约翰'，然后又转过身去，脸红得像朵罂粟花。我们到底该怎么办？"乔说。看样子她准备采取任何措施，无论这些措施是多么猛烈。 'Nothing but wait. Let her alone, be kind and patient, and Father's coming will settle everything,' replied her mother. " 只有等待。不要干涉她，要和气耐心，等爸爸回来事情就能解决了，"母亲回答。 'Here's a note to you, Meg, all sealed up! How odd! Teddy never seals mine,' said Jo, next day, as she distributed the contents of the little post-office. " 这是你的信，梅格，封得严严实实的。真奇怪！特迪从来不封我的信，"第二天乔分派小邮箱里的邮件时这样说。 
马奇太太和乔正全神贯注地于着自己的事情，突然听到梅格叫了一声，两人抬起头来，只见她盯着那封信，一脸惊恐的神色。 'My child, what is it?' cried her mother, running to her, while Jo tried to take the paper which had done the mischief. " 我的儿，出了什么事？"母亲边叫边跑向女儿，乔则伸手去夺那封惹祸的信。 'It's all a mistake - he didn't send it. Oh, Jo, how could you do it?' and Meg hid her face in her hands, crying as if her heart was quite broken. " 这全是误会--信不是他寄的。噢，乔，你怎能做出这种事情？"梅格双手掩面，痛哭了起来，仿佛心碎了一般。 'Me! I've done nothing! What's she talking about?' cried Jo, bewildered. " 我！我什么也没做！她在说什么？"乔被弄糊涂了，叫道。 Meg's mild eyes kindled with anger as she pulled a crumpled note from her pocket, and threw it at Jo, saying reproachfully: 'You wrote it, and that bad boy helped you. How could you be so rude, so mean, and cruel to us both?' Jo hardly heard her, for she and her mother were reading the note, which was written in a peculiar hand. 梅格温柔的眼睛因愤怒而激动得闪闪发亮，她从衣袋里掏出一张揉皱了的纸条，向乔一把扔去，怒声呵斥："信是你写的，那坏小子帮着你。你们怎能对我这么卑鄙无礼，这么残酷？"乔没有听她说话，她和母亲忙着读这封字迹怪异的信。 
“亲亲玛格丽特--我再也不能控制自己的感情，务必在我归来前知道自己的命运。我还不敢告诉你父母，但我想如果他们知道我们相爱，他们一定会同意。劳伦斯先生将帮我找到一个好职位，而你，我的宝贝，将令我幸福。我求你先别跟你家里人说什么，只请写上一句知心话交劳里转给衷心爱你的约翰。" 'Oh, the little villain! that's the way he meant to pay me for keeping my word to Mother. I'll give him a hearty scolding, and bring him over to beg pardon,' cried Jo, burning to execute immediate justice. But her mother held her back, saying, with a look she seldom wore: 'Stop, Jo, you must clear yourself first. You have played so many pranks, that I am afraid you have had a hand in this.' 'On my word, Mother, I haven't! I never saw that note before, and I don't know anything about it, as true as I live!' said Jo, so earnestly that they believed her. 'If I had taken a part in it I'd have done it better than this, and have written a sensible note. I should think you'd have known Mr. Brooke wouldn't write such stuff as that,' she added, scornfully tossing down the paper. " 噢，这个小坏蛋！我为妈妈保密，他就这样报复我。我去把他痛骂一顿，带他过来求饶，"乔叫道，恨不得立即把真凶缉拿归案。但母亲拦住她，脸上带着一种少见的神情，说道--“站住，乔，你首先得澄清自己。你一向胡闹惯了，我怀疑这事你也有一手。"“我发誓，妈妈，我没有！我从来没看过这封信，更不知道这是怎么一回事，我绝无虚言！"乔说话时神情极其认真，母亲和梅格相信了她。"如果我参与了这事，我会干得更漂亮一些，写一封合情合理的信。我想你们也知道布鲁克先生不会写出这种东西，"她接着说，轻蔑地把信往地下一抛。 'It's like his writing,' faltered Meg, comparing it with the note in her hand. " 但这字像是他写的，"梅格结结巴巴地说，把这封信和手中的一封比较。 'Oh, Meg, you didn't answer it?' cried Mrs. March, quickly. " 哎呀，梅格，你没回信吧？"马奇太太急问。 'Yes, I did!' and Meg hid her face again, overcome with shame. " 我，我回了！"梅格再次掩着脸，羞愧得无地自容。 
那可糟透了！快让我把那可恶的小子带过来教训一顿，让他解释清楚。不把他抓来我决不罢休。"乔又向门口冲去。 'Hush! let me manage this, for it is worse than I thought. Margaret, tell me the whole story,' commanded Mrs. March, sitting down by Meg, yet keeping hold of Jo, lest she should fly off. " 冷静！这事让我来处理，它比我原来想象的更糟。玛格丽特，把这事完完整整地告诉我。"马奇太太一面下令一面在梅格身边坐下，一只手却抓着乔不放，以免她溜脱出去。 'I received the first letter from Laurie, who didn't look as if he knew anything about it,' began Meg, without looking up. 'I was worried at first, and meant to tell you; then I remembered how you liked Mr. Brooke, so I thought you wouldn't mind if I kept my little secret for a few days. I'm so silly that I liked to think no one knew; and, while I was deciding what to say I felt like the girls in books, who have such things to do. 'Forgive me, Mother, I'm paid for my silliness now; I never can look him in the face again.' 'What did you say to him?' asked Mrs. March. " 我从劳里那儿收到第一封信，他看上去似乎对这事一无所知，"梅格低着头说，"我一开始的时候感到惶恐不安，打算告诉您，后来想起你们十分喜欢布鲁克先生，我便想，即使我把这件小小的心事藏上几天，你们也不会怪我的。我真傻，以为这事没有人知道，而当我在考虑怎么回答时，我觉得自己就像书里头那些坠入爱河的女孩子。原谅我，妈妈，我做的傻事现在得到了报应；我再也没脸见他了。"“你跟他说了些什么？"马奇太太问。 'I only said I was too young to do anything about it yet; that I didn't wish to have secrets from you, and he must speak to Father. I was very grateful for his kindness, and would be his friend, but nothing more, for a long while.' " 我只说我年龄尚小，还不适宜谈这种事情，说我不想瞒着你们，他必须跟父亲说。我对他的心意万分感激，愿做他的朋友，但仅此而已，其他以后再说。" Mrs. March smiled, as if pleased, and Jo clapped her hands, exclaiming, with a laugh: 'You are almost equal to Caroline Percy, who was a pattern of prudence! Tell on, Meg. What did he say to that?' 马奇太太听完露出了欣慰的笑容，乔双手一拍，笑着叫道："你可真是个卡罗琳·珀西。她是谨言慎行的楷模哩！往下说，梅格。他对此怎么说？" 
“他回了一封风格完全不同的信，告诉我他从来没有写过什么情信，他很遗憾我那淘气捣蛋的妹妹乔竟这样冒用我们的名字。信中言辞委婉，对我十分敬重，但想想我有多尴尬！" Meg leaned against her mother, looking the image of despair, and Jo tramped about the room, calling Laurie names. All of a sudden, she stopped, caught up the two notes, and, after looking at them closely, said decidedly, 'I don't believe Brooke ever saw either of these letters. Teddy wrote both, and keeps yours to crow over me with, because I wouldn't tell him my secret.' 'Don't have any secrets Jo; tell it to Mother, and keep out of trouble, as I should have done,' said Meg, warningly. 梅格靠在母亲身上，哭得成了个泪人儿，乔急得一面叫着劳里的名字，一面在屋子里团团乱转。忽然，她停下来，拿起两张纸条，细细看了一回，断然说道："我看这两封信没有一封是布鲁克写的，都是特迪写的，他把你的信留着，好向我抖抖威风，因为我不把自己的心事告诉他。"“不要藏什么心事，乔。告诉妈妈，免招灾祸，我本该那么做的，"梅格警告道。 'Bless you, child! Mother told me.' 'That will do, I'll comfort Meg while you go and get Laurie. I shall sift the matter to the bottom, and put a stop to such pranks at once.' " 说得好，梅格！妈妈也这样跟我说过。"“行了，乔。我陪着梅格，你去把劳里找来。我要细细查究此事，立即终止这出恶作剧。” Away ran Jo, and Mrs. March gently told Meg Mr. Brooke's real feelings. 'Now, dear, what are your own? Do you love him enough to wait till lie can make a home for you, or will you keep yourself quite free for the present?' 乔跑出去，马奇太太轻声跟梅格说出布鲁克先生的真实感情。"嗯，亲爱的，你自己的意思呢？你是否爱他？爱得足以等到他有能力为你筑一个爱巢的那一天？或者你宁可暂时无牵无挂、无拘无束？" 'I've been so scared and worried, I don't want to have anything to do with lovers for a long while - perhaps never,' answered Meg, petulantly. 'If John doesn't know anything about this nonsense, don't tell him, and make Jo and Laurie hold their tongues. I won't be deceived and plagued and made a fool of - it's a shame!' “我吃够了担惊受怕的苦头，起码很长一段时间内我都不想跟情呀爱的有什么联系了，也许永远都不，"梅格使着性子说道，"如果约翰不知道这桩荒唐事，那就别告诉他，让乔和劳里闭上嘴。我不想被人蒙在鼓里当傻子耍--这是个耻辱！"
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