目 录 上一节 下一节 
那就一起走吧，嗨！为什么不呢？你给父亲一个惊喜，我给布鲁克一个突然袭击。这个玩笑妙不可言；干吧，乔。我们留一封平安信，然后立即出发。我有足够的钱；这样做对你也有益无害，因为你是去看父亲。"乔似乎就要点头了，因为这个计划虽然轻率，却正适合她的性格。她早已厌倦了的禁闭式的护理生活，渴望改变一下环境，想到父亲，想到新奇、有趣、充满魅力的军营和医院，想到自由自在的生活，她不禁意乱神迷。她憧憬地向窗外望去，一双眼睛闪闪发亮，但她的眼光落到了对面的老屋上面，她摇摇头，伤心地作出了决定。 'If I was a boy, we'd run away together, and have a capital time; but as I'm a miserable girl, I must be proper, and stop at home. Don't tempt me, Teddy, it's a crazy plan.' 'That's the fun of it,' began Laurie, who had got a wilful fit on him, and was possessed to break out of bounds in some way. " 假如我是个男孩子，我们就可以一起出走，玩个痛痛快快；但我是个可怜的女孩子，只能规规矩矩守在家里。别引诱我了，特迪，这是个疯狂的计划。"“这正是乐趣之所在，"劳里说。他天生任性固执，一时冲动之下，竟然一心要做出出格的事情。 'Hold your tongue!' cried Jo, covering her ears. ' "Prunes and prisms" are my doom, and I may as well make up my mind to it. I came here to moralise, not to hear about things that make me skip to think of.' 'I know Meg would wet-blanket such a proposal, but I thought you had more spirit,' began Laurie, insinuatingly. " 别说了！"乔捂着耳朵叫道，"'恪守妇道'就是我的命运。我还是认命吧。我是来感化你的，不是来听你教唆我。"“我知道梅格一定会败我的兴，但我以为你更有胆略呢。"劳里用激将法。 'Bad boy, be quiet! Sit down and think of your own sins, don't go making me add to mine. If I get grandpa to apologize for the shaking, will you give up running away?' asked Jo, seriously. " 坏小子，住嘴吧！坐下好好反思自己的罪过，别撺掇得我也罪孽深重。如果我让你爷爷来向你赔个不是，你就不走了吧？"乔严肃地问。 'Yes, but you won't do it,' answered Laurie, who wished to 'make up', but felt that his outraged dignity must be appeased first. " 嗯，但你办不到，"劳里答道，他愿意和解，但觉得必须先平息心头的一股怨气。 
如果我能对付小的，就能对付老的，"乔一面走一面喃喃自语，劳里则留在原地，双手托着头，弯腰看铁路图。 'Come in!' and Mr. Laurence's gruff voice sounded gruffer than ever, as Jo tapped at his door. " 进来！"乔敲门时，劳伦斯先生的声音听起来越发硬邦邦的。 'It's only me, sir, come to return a book,' she said, blandly, as she entered. " 是我，先生，来还书，"乔走进门，温和地说道。 'Want any more?' asked the old gentleman, looking grim and vexed, but trying not to show it. " 还要再借吗？"老人脸色十分难看，却尽量装得若无起事。 'Yes, please. I like old Sam so well, I think I'll try the second volume,' returned Jo, hoping to propitiate him by accepting a second dose of Boswell's Johnson as he had recommended that lively work. “要的。我迷上了老萨姆，想读读第二部，"乔答道，希望藉再借一本鲍斯威尔的《约翰生》来平息老人的心头之怒，因为他以前推荐过这本生动传神的著作。 
他把踏梯推到放约翰生文学的书架前，拧紧的浓眉舒展了一些。乔跳上去，坐在踏梯顶上，假装找书，心里却在盘算怎样开口最好，才能提及她来访的危险的目的。劳伦斯先生似乎猜到了她的心事，他在屋子里快步兜了几圈，然后转头看着她，突然发问，吓得乔把《拉塞勒斯》掉到了地上。 'What has that boy been about? Don't try to shield him. I know he has been in mischief by the way he acted when he came home. I can't get a word from him; and when I threatened to shake the truth out of him he bolted upstairs, and locked himself into his room.' 'He did do wrong, but we forgave him, and all promised not to say a word to anyone,' began Jo, reluctantly. " 那小子干了什么？别护着他。看他回家后神不守舍的样子，我就知道他惹了祸。但他一个字也不说，我摇他的领口，想吓他说出真话，地却逃上楼，把自己反锁在房间里。"“他是做错了事，但我们已经原谅了他，而且一致许诺不跟别人说，"乔犹犹豫豫地开口说。 'That won't do; he shall not shelter himself behind a promise from you softhearted girls. If he's done anything amiss, he shall confess, beg pardon, and be punished. Out with it, Jo! I won't be kept in the dark.' Mr. Laurence looked so alarming, and spoke so sharply, that Jo would gladly have run away, if she could, but she was perched aloft on the steps, and he stood at the foot, a lion in the path, so she had to stay and brave it out. " 那不行，不能因为你们姑娘们心肠软，他便可以逍遥法外。如果他干了坏事，就应该承认道歉，并受到惩罚。说出来吧，乔，我不想被蒙在鼓里。"劳伦斯先生形容可怖，声调严厉，乔真想拔腿就跑，但她正坐在高高的踏梯上，而他就站在脚下，俨如一只挡道的狮子，她只好原地不动，鼓足勇气开了口。 'Indeed, sir, I cannot tell; Mother forbade it. Laurie has confessed, asked pardon, and been punished quite enough. We don't keep silence to shield him, but someone else, and it will make more trouble if you interfere. Please don't; it was partly my fault, but it's all right now; so let's forget it, and talk about the Rambler, or something pleasant.' " 真的，先生，我不能说。妈妈不许说。劳里已经坦白承认了，道了歉，并受到了重罚。我们不说出来并非要护他，而是要护另外一个人，如果你干预，那只会徒添麻烦。请你不要管吧；我也有部分责任，不过现在没事了；我们还是把它忘掉，谈谈《漫游者》或什么令人愉快的东西吧。" 'Hang the Rambler! come down and give me your word that this harum-scarum boy of mine hasn't done anything ungrateful or impertinent. If he has, after all your kindness to him, I'll thrash him with my own hands.' The threat sounded awful, but did not alarm Jo, for she knew the irascible old gentleman would never lift a finger against his grandson, whatever he might say to the contrary. She obediently descended, and made as light of the prank as she could without betraying Meg or forgetting the truth. “去他的《漫游者》！下来向我保证我那冒冒失失的小子没有做出什么忘恩负义、鲁莽无礼的事情。如果他做了，居然对你们恩将仇报，那我就亲手揍扁他。"此话虽然说得十分严重，却并没有吓倒乔，因为她知道这个脾气暴躁的老绅士绝不会动他的孙子一个指头的，他说的话要反过来听。她依言走下踏梯，把恶作剧尽量轻描淡写地复述一遍，既不把梅格牵涉进去，也不背离事实。 
唔--啊--好吧，如果那小子是因为守诺言才不说，而不是因为执拗，我就原谅他。这家伙是个牛脾气，很难管祝"劳伦斯先生边说边把头发搔得像被大风吹过一样，紧锁的眉头也舒展开来。 'So am I; but a kind word will govern me when all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't,' said Jo, trying to say a kind word for her friend, who seemed to get out of one scrape only to fall into another. " 我也一样，一意孤行起来就像脱僵的野马，怎样拉也拉不住，不过，一句好话却能化解我。"乔想替她倒霉的朋友说句好话，而她的朋友却好像接二连三地又陷入了困境。 'You think I'm not kind to him, hey?' was the sharp answer. " 你以为我待他不好吗，嗯？"老人敏锐地问。 'Oh, dear, no, sir; you are rather too kind sometimes, and then just a trifle hasty when he tries your patience. Don't you think you are?' Jo was determined to have it out now, and tried to look quite placid, though she quaked a little after her bold speech. To her great relief and surprise, the old gentleman only threw his spectacles on to the table, with a rattle, and exclaimed frankly: 'You're right, girl, I am! I love the boy, but he tries my patience past bearing, and I don't know how it will end, if we go on so.' " 噢，哎呀，不是的，先生，其实您有时对他甚至还太宠爱了一点儿，而当他淘气捣蛋时，您又稍微心急了一点儿。您看是不是这样？"乔决定这回把心里话全倒出来，她壮着胆子说完，激动得微微颤抖，但却努力装得十分镇静。出乎意料的是--这也令她舒了一口气--老人只是把自己的眼镜啪的一声扔到桌子上，坦诚地叫道--“你说得对，姑娘，我就是这样！我爱这孩子，但他把我折磨得受不了啦，如果这样下去，我不知道会有什么结果。" 'I'll tell you, he'll run away.' Jo was sorry for that speech the minute it was made; she meant to warn him that Laurie would not bear much restraint, and hoped he would be more forbearing with the lad. “我告诉您，他要离家出走。"话方说出乔便后悔了；她其实是想警告他劳里不能忍受太严格的管制，希望地对小伙子能更宽容一点。 
劳伦斯先生红润的脸膛霎时变了颜色，他坐下来，焦虑不安地扫了一眼挂在桌子上方的一幅美男子图像。那是劳里的父亲，他年轻时离家出走，违背老人的旨意结了婚。乔相信他又在追悔痛苦的往事，直希望自己刚才闭着嘴巴。 'He won't do it unless he is very much worried, and only threatens it sometimes, when he gets tired of studying. I often think I should like to, especially since my hair was cut; so, if you ever miss us, you may advertise for two boys, and look among the ships bound for India.' She laughed as she spoke, and Mr. Laurence looked relieved, evidently taking the whole thing as a joke. " 除非是逼急了他才会这样做，书读倦了的时候他也会这样恫吓两句。我也常有这个念头呢，尤其是在剪了头发之后，所以如果您想我们了，不妨发个寻人广告，并在开往印度的轮船上查查有没有两个小伙子。"她说着笑起来，劳伦斯先生舒了一口气，显然把这当作是一个玩笑。 'You hussy, how dare you talk in that way? Where's your respect for me, and your proper bringing up? Bless the boys and girls! What torments they are; yet we can't do without them,' he said, pinching her cheeks good-humouredly. 'Go and bring that boy down to his dinner, tell him it's all right, and advise him not to put on tragedy airs with his grandfather. I won't bear it.' " 你这莽撞鬼，怎敢这样说话？你眼里头还有没有我，这样没有规矩？这些姑娘小伙子啊！他们真会折磨人，但没有他们我们又活不下去，"他说着愉快地拧拧她的脸颊，"去，把那小子带来吃饭，告诉他没事了，劝他别在他爷爷面前装得愁眉苦脸的，我受不了。"
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