‘Jo! Jo! where are you?’ cried Meg, at the foot of the garret stairs.
“哎！乔！乔！你在哪里？”梅格在阁楼楼梯下大叫道。

‘Here!’ answered a husky voice from above; and, running up, Meg found her sister eating apples and crying over the Heir of Redclyffe, wrapped up in a comforter on an old three-legged sofa by the sunny window. —
“在这里！”阁楼上传来一个低沉的声音，梅格跑上去后发现姐姐正坐在一个阳光明媚的窗边，包裹在一条舒服的披肩上，吃着苹果，边吃边流泪，手中握着《红克莱夫的继承人》。 —

This was Jo’s favourite refuge; —
这是乔最喜欢的庇护所， —

and here she loved to retire with half a dozen russets and a nice book, to enjoy the quiet and the society of a pet rat who lived near by, and didn’t mind her a particle. —
她经常在这里退隐，吃上几个苹果，看本好书，享受宁静，和附近一个宠物老鼠做伴，那只老鼠一点也不介意她。 —

As Meg appeared, Scrabble whisked into his hole. —
梅格一露面，老鼠匆匆钻进洞里。 —

Jo shook the tears off her cheeks, and waited to hear the news.
乔擦去脸颊上的泪水，等待着听到新闻。

‘Such fun! only see! a regular note of invitation from Mrs. Gardiner for tomorrow night!’ cried Meg, waving the precious paper, and then proceeding to read it, with girlish delight.
“多么有趣啊！快看！是嘉德莉娜太太的正式邀请函，明晚的小型晚会！”梅格挥舞着这封宝贵的纸条，高兴地说道。接着她开始读起来，满怀少女的喜悦。

’“Mrs. Gardiner would be happy to see Miss March and Miss Josephine at a little party on New Year’s Eve.” Marmee is willing we should go; —
“‘嘉德莉娜太太很高兴邀请玛奇小姐和乔小姐参加除夕之夜的小聚会。’妈妈同意我们去， —

now what shall we wear?’
穿什么好呢？”

‘What’s the use of asking that, when you know we shall wear our poplins because we haven’t got anything else?’ answered Jo, with her mouth full.
“当你知道我们只能穿上我们的斜纹布衣服，还问这个有什么用呢？” 乔嘴里嚼着东西回答道。

‘If I only had a silk!’ sighed Meg. ‘Mother says I may when I’m eighteen, perhaps; but two years is an everlasting time to wait.’
“要是我有一件丝绸衣服就好了！”梅格叹了口气说道。”妈妈说我可能会在十八岁的时候有一件，但还要等上两年，真是漫长的时间。”

‘I’m sure our pops look like silk, and they are nice enough for us. —
“我敢肯定我们的斜纹布看起来像丝绸一样，对我们来说已经足够好了。” —

Yours is as good as new, but I forgot the burn and the tear in mine. —
“你的衣服看起来还像新的一样，但是我忘记了我的上面有个烧洞和撕裂处。” —

Whatever shall I do? the burn shows badly and I can’t take any out.’
“我该怎么办呀？烧洞看起来很明显，我不能把它修掉。”

‘You must sit still all you can, and keep your back out of sight; —
“你要尽量坐直，把背影藏起来； —

the front is all right. —
前面是好的。” —

I shall have a new ribbon for my hair, and Marmee will lend me her little pearl pin, and my new slippers are lovely, and my gloves will do, though they aren’t as nice as I’d like.’
“我会给我的头发买一条新丝带，妈妈会借给我她的小珍珠别针，我的新拖鞋很可爱，虽然我的手套不太理想，但是也差不多。”

‘Mine are spoilt with lemonade, and I can’t get any new ones, so I shall have to go without,’ said Jo, who never troubled herself much about dress.
“我的手套被柠檬水弄坏了，我买不到新的，所以只能不戴了。”乔说道，她对穿衣打扮并不太在意。

‘You must have gloves, or I won’t go,’ cried Meg decidedly, ‘gloves are more important than anything else. —
“你必须有手套，要不我就不去了。”梅格断定地说道，“手套比其他任何东西都更重要。” —

I should be so mortified if you didn’t have them.’
“如果你没有手套，我会很尴尬的。”

‘Then I’ll stay where I am.’
“那我就待在原地。”

‘You can’t ask Mother for new ones, they are so expensive, and you are so careless. —
“你不能向妈妈要新手套，它们太贵了，而且你太粗心了。” —

She said, when you spoilt the others, that she shouldn’t get you any more this winter. —
“当你弄坏了其他的手套，她说这个冬天不会再给你买。” —

Can’t you make them do?’ asked Meg anxiously.
“你不能凑合一下吗？”梅格焦急地问道。

‘I can hold them crumpled up in my hand, so no one will know how stained they are; —
“我可以把它们揉皱放在手里，这样没有人会知道它们有多脏； —

that’s all I can do. —
这是我能做的全部。” —

No, I’ll tell you how we can manage-each wear one good one and carry a bad one; —
“不，我告诉你我们可以怎么办-每人佩戴一只好的手套，再带一只糟糕的手套； —

don’t you see?’
你明白吗？”

‘Your hands are bigger than mine, and you will stretch my glove dreadfully,’ began Meg, whose gloves were a tender point with her.
“你的手比我的大，你会把我的手套拉得很大。”梅格开始介怀起她的手套了。

‘Then I’ll go without. I don’t care what people say!’ cried Jo, taking up her book.
“那我就不戴了。我不在乎别人说什么！”乔抓起她的书大声说道。

‘You may have it, you may! only don’t stain it, and do behave nicely. Don’t put your hands behind you, or stare, “Christopher Columbus!” will you?’
“你可以拿走，你可以！只是别把它弄脏，举止要文雅。别把手放在背后，也别一直盯着看，听到了『克里斯托弗·哥伦布！』吗？”

‘Don’t worry about me; I’ll be as prim as I can, and not get into any scrapes, if I can help it. —
‘别担心我，我会尽量保持端庄，不会惹麻烦的，如果有可能的话。 —

Now go and answer your note; —
现在去回复你的便条吧； —

and let me finish this splendid story.’
让我完成这个精彩的故事。

So Meg went away to ‘accept with thanks’, look over her dress, and sing blithely as she did up her one real lace frill; —
于是梅格离开了，“谢谢，我很高兴接受”，她检查了自己的裙子，并在整理唯一的真正花边衣领时欢快地唱了起来； —

while Jo finished her story, her four apples, and had a game of romps with Scrabble.
而乔则完成了她的故事，吃完了四个苹果，并与小猫Scrabble玩闹了一会儿。

On New Year’s Eve the parlour was deserted, for the two younger girls played dressing-maids, and the two older were absorbed in the all-important business of ‘getting ready for the party’. —
除夕夜，客厅里空无一人，因为两个年幼的女孩扮演着穿衣女佣，而两个年长的女孩则专注于“为聚会做准备”这个至关重要的事情。 —

Simple as the toilets were, there was a great deal of running up and down, laughing and talking, and at one time a strong smell of burnt hair pervaded the house. —
虽然装扮很简单，但房间里来回奔跑，笑声和谈话不断，有时还传来一股焦臭味。 —

Meg wanted a few curls about her face, and Jo undertook to pinch the papered locks with a pair of hot tongs.
梅格想要在脸上编织几缕卷发，乔拿起一把烫热的烙铁偷偷夹住了卷着纸的头发。

‘Ought they to smoke like that?’ asked Beth, from her perch on the bed.
‘它们应该冒那样的烟吗？’贝丝问道，她坐在床上。

‘It’s the dampness drying,’ replied Jo.
‘那是潮湿正在干燥，’乔回答道。

‘What a queer smell! it’s like burnt feathers,’ observed Amy, smoothing her own pretty curls with a superior air.
“多奇怪的味道！就像烧焦的羽毛一样。”艾米以优越的态度，抚平她自己漂亮的卷发。

‘There, now I’ll take off the papers and you’ll see a cloud of little ringlets,’ said Jo, putting down the tongs.
“好了，现在我要拿掉卷纸，你就会看见一片小小的卷发云。”乔放下烫发夹说道。

She did take off the papers, but no cloud of ringlets appeared, for the hair came with the papers, and the horrified hairdresser laid a row of little scorched bundles on the bureau before her victim.
她确实拿掉了卷纸，但没有出现卷发的云彩，因为头发和纸一起掉了下来，而发型师惊骇地把一排小小的烧焦捆绑物放在受害者的梳妆台上。

‘Oh, oh, oh! what have you done? I’m spoilt! —
“哦，哦，哦！你干了什么？我毁了！我不能出去了！我的头发，哦，我的头发！ —

I can’t go! My hair, oh, my hair!’ wailed Meg, looking with despair at the uneven frizzle on her forehead.
”梅格绝望地看着额头上不均匀的头发乱糟糟地嚎叫起来。 “真倒霉；你不应该让我来做的；我什么事都毁了。”可怜的乔抱怨道，眼含着遗憾的泪水看着那些黑色的烧饼。

‘Just my luck; you shouldn’t have asked me to do it; —
“并没有毁：就把它弄蓬松，然后把丝带系在前额上，看起来就像是最新的时尚风格。 —

I always spoil everything. —
我见过很多女孩这样做。”艾米安慰道。 —

I’m so sorry, but the tongs were too hot, and so I’ve made a mess,’ groaned poor Jo, regarding the black pancakes with tears of regret.
“我很抱歉，但是烫发夹太烫了，所以我弄糟了。”乔愧疚地哀叹着，看着那些黑棉饼眼含遗憾的泪水。

‘It isn’t spoilt: just frizzle it, and tie your ribbon so the ends come on your forehead a bit, and it will look like the last fashion. —
“还没坏：只需要弄蓬松，然后把丝带系在额头上，这样看起来就像是最新时尚。我见过很多女孩这样做。”艾米安慰道。 —

I’ve seen many girls do it so,’ said Amy, consolingly.
“那个发型并没有坏，只是卷发而已，系上你的丝带，让一些发丝落在额头上，看起来就像是最新潮流。我见过很多女孩这样做。”艾米安慰道。

‘Serves me right for trying to be fine. —
“要我如此努力地做好自己，也是活该。 —

I wish I’d let my hair alone,’ cried Meg, petulantly.
真希望我没碰过我的头发。”梅格气愤地说道。

‘So do I, it was so smooth and pretty. —
“我也是这么觉得，它之前是那么顺滑漂亮。 —

But it will soon grow out again,’ said Beth, coming to kiss and comfort the shorn sheep.
但是它很快就会重新长出来的。”贝丝走过来亲吻和安慰那只被剪短的绵羊。

After various lesser mishaps, Meg was finished at last, and by the united exeons of the family, Jo’s hair was got up and her dress on. —
经历了各种小不顺，最后终于弄好了梅格的发型，全家人一起努力着为乔整理发型并穿上她的衣服。 —

They looked very well in their simple suits. —
他们穿着简单的套装看起来非常漂亮。 —

Meg in silvery drab, with a blue velvet snood, lace frills, and the pearl pin; —
梅格穿着银灰色的衣服，戴着蓝色天鹅绒头巾，蕾丝衬边和珍珠别针； —

Jo in maroon, with a stiff, gentlemanly linen collar and a white chrysanthemum or two for her only ornament. —
乔穿着褐红色的衣服，带着一副硬挺的绅士洗白领和几朵白色的菊花作为她唯一的装饰品。 —

Each put on the one nice light glove, and carried one soiled one, and all pronounced the effect ‘quite easy and fine’. —
每个人都戴了一只漂亮的浅色手套，并携带了一只脏兮兮的手套，大家都说效果“非常简单而美好”。 —

Meg’s high-heeled slippers were very tight, and hurt her, though she would not own it, and Jo’s nineteen hairpins all seemed stuck straight into her head, which was not exactly comfortable; —
梅格的高跟拖鞋非常紧，让她受了伤，尽管她不愿承认，乔的十九根发夹似乎都直刺到她的头，不太舒服； —

but, dear me, let us be elegant or die!
但是，天哪，让我们优雅一点，宁愿死！

‘Have a good time, dearies!’ said Mrs. March, as the sisters went daintily down the walk. —
“亲爱的，祝你们玩得愉快！”玛琪太太说着，姐妹们优雅地沿着小路走下去。 —

‘Don’t eat much supper, and come away at eleven, when I send Hannah for you.’ As the gate clashed behind them, a voice cried from a window:
“晚饭不要吃太多，十一点的时候我会派汉娜过来接你们的。”当她们走出大门时，窗户里传来一声呼喊。

‘Girls, girls! have you both got nice pocket-handkerchiefs?’
“姑娘们，姑娘们！你们的手帕都弄得漂亮吗？”

‘Yes, yes, spandy nice, and Meg has cologne on hers,’ cried Jo, adding with a laugh, as they we nt on, ‘I do believe Marmee would ask that if we were all running away - from an earthquake.’
“对，对，非常漂亮，梅格的手帕上还有香水。”乔喊道，又笑着说：“我真相信如果我们全都在逃避地震，玛米会问这个。”

‘It is one of her aristocratic tastes, and quite proper, for a real lady is always known by neat boots, gloves, and handkerchief,’ replied Meg, who had a good many little ‘aristocratic tastes’ of her own.
“这是她的贵族爱好之一，相当得体，因为一个真正的淑女总是以整洁的靴子、手套和手帕来展现。”梅格回答道，她自己也有不少小小的“贵族爱好”。

‘Now don’t forget to keep the bad breadth out of sight, Jo. Is my sash right? and does my hair look very bad?’ said Meg, as she turned from the glass in Mrs. Gardiner’s dressing room, after a prolonged prink.
“乔，别忘了要注意口腔气味。我的腰带系对了吗？头发看起来很糟糕吗？”妮可从加德纳夫人的化妆室的镜子前转过身来，经过漫长的打扮之后说道。

‘I know I shall forget. If you see me doing anything wrong just remind me by a wink, will you?’ returned Jo, giving her collar a twitch and her hair a hasty brush.
“我知道我会忘记的。如果你看到我做错了什么，就用眨眼提醒我好吗？”乔回过头，轻轻扭动了一下她的项圈，匆忙地梳理了一下头发。

‘No, winking isn’t lady-like; —
‘不，眨眼不够淑女风度； —

I’ll lift my eyebrows if anything is wrong, and nod if you are all right. —
如果有什么不对劲，我会抬起眉毛；如果你没事，我会点头。’ —

Now hold your shoulders straight and take short steps, and don’t shake hands if you are introduced to anyone: —
‘现在挺直肩膀，小步走，如果有人向你介绍，不要握手： —

it isn’t the thing.’
这样做是不合适的。’

‘How do you learn all the proper ways? —
‘你是怎么学到所有这些正确的方式的？ —

I never can. Isn’t that music gay?’
我永远学不会。那音乐是不是很欢快？’

Down they went, feeling a trifle timid, for they seldom went to parties, and, informal as this little gathering was, it was an event to them. —
他们走下楼梯，心里略显紧张，因为他们很少参加聚会，尽管这个小聚会很随意，但对他们来说也是个大事。 —

Mrs. Gardiner, a stately old lady, greeted them kindly, and handed them over to the eldest of her six daughters. —
嘉黛娜夫人，一位身材高大的老妇人，亲切地向她们打招呼，并把她们交给了她六个女儿中最大的一个。 —

Meg knew Sallie, and was at her ease very soon; but Jo, who didn’t care much for girls or girlish gossip, stood about, with her back carefully against the wall and felt as much out of place as a colt in a flower-garden. —
梅格认识莎莉，并很快感到自在；但是乔不太在乎女孩子或女性间的闲聊，她站在那里，背靠在墙上，感觉像一匹小马在花园里格格不入。 —

Half a dozen jovial lads were talking about skates in another part of the room, and she longed to go and join them, for skating was one of the joys of her life. —
房间的另一边，有六个兴高采烈的小伙子在谈论着滑冰，她渴望去加入他们，因为滑冰是她生活中的一种乐趣。 —

She telegraphed her wish to Meg, but the eyebrows went up so alarmingly that she dared not stir. —
她向梅格传达了她的愿望，但是梅格吃惊地眉毛一挑，她不敢动。 —

No one came to talk to her, and one by one the group near her dwindled away, till she was left alone. —
没有人来和她交谈，一组又一组的人围在她身旁渐渐离去，直到她独自一人。 —

She could not roam about and amuse herself, for the burnt breadth would show, so she stared at people rather forlornly till the dancing began. —
她不能四处逛逛自娱自乐，因为烧焦的部分会露出来，所以她有点失落地盯着人们看，直到跳舞开始。 —

Meg was asked at once, and the tight slippers tripped about so briskly that none would have guessed the pain their wearer suffered smilingly. —
梅格立刻被邀请，她紧绷的鞋子踏得那么灵活，没有人会猜到她带着微笑承受的痛苦。 —

Jo saw a big red-headed youth approaching her corner, and fearing he meant to engage her, she slipped into a curtained recess, intending to peep and enjoy herself in peace. —
乔看到一个胖头大耳的红头发年轻人走向她所在的角落，害怕他打算找她，她悄悄溜进了一处有帘子遮掩的隐蔽处，打算偷偷窥视并安静地享受自己。 —

Unfortunately, another bashful person had chosen the same refuge; —
不幸的是，另一个害羞的人选择了同样的避难所； —

for, as the curtain fell behind her, she found herself face to face with the ‘Laurence boy’.
因为当帘子落下时，她发现自己面对着“劳伦斯小子”。

‘Dear me, I didn’t know anyone was here!’ stammered Jo, preparing to back out as speedily as she had bounced in.
乔结结巴巴地说：“亲爱的我，我不知道有人在这里！”她准备像弹簧一样迅速后退出去。

But the boy laughed, and said pleasantly, though he looked a little startled:
但是男孩笑了，愉快地说：虽然他看起来有点吃惊。

‘Don’t mind me; stay if you like.’
“不要介意我，如果你愿意，可以留下来。”

‘Shan’t I disturb you?’
“我会打扰你吗？”

‘Not a bit; I only came here because I don’t know many people, and I felt rather strange at first, you know.’
“一点也不；我来这里只是因为我不认识很多人，一开始感到有点奇怪，你知道的。”

‘So did I. Don’t go away, please, unless you’d rather.’ The boy sat down again and looked at his pumps, till Jo said, trying to be polite and easy:
“我也一样。请不要走开，除非你不愿意。”男孩又坐下来，望着自己的鞋子，直到乔试图礼貌而自然地说：

‘I think I’ve had the pleasure of seeing you before; —
“我想我以前见过你；你住在我们旁边， —

you live near us, don’t you?’
对吗？”

‘Next door’; and he looked up and laughed outright, for Jo’s prim manner was rather funny, when he remembered how they had chatted about cricket when he brought the cat home.
“隔壁。”他抬起头大声笑了，因为当他带猫回家时，他们一起聊过板球。

That put Jo at her ease; and she laughed too, as she said, her heartiest way:
这让乔感到放松，她也笑了，她用最热情的方式说：

‘We did have such a good time over your nice Christmas present.’
“我们在你送的漂亮圣诞礼物上玩得很开心。”

‘Grandpa sent it.’
“是爷爷送的。”

‘But you put it into his head, didn’t you, now?’
“但是你是不是给他出了主意？”现在？”

‘How is your cat, Miss March?’ asked the boy, trying to look sober, while his black eyes shone with fun.
“你的猫，March小姐还好吗？”男孩问道，他试图看起来严肃，而他的黑眼睛却闪烁着兴趣。

‘Nicely, thank you, Mr. Laurence; —
“很好，谢谢，Laurence先生； —

but I am not Miss March, I’m only Jo,’ returned the young lady.
但我不是March小姐，我只是Jo。”年轻女士回答道。

‘I’m not Mr. Laurence, I’m only Laurie.’
“我也不是Laurence先生，我只是Laurie。”

‘Laurie Laurence - what an odd name!’
“Laurie Laurence，多么奇怪的名字！”

‘My first name is Theodore, but I don’t like it, for the fellows called me Dora, so I made them say Laurie instead.’
“我的名字是Theodore，但我不喜欢它，因为伙伴们叫我Dora，所以我让他们叫我Laurie。”

‘I hate my name, too - so sentimental! —
“我也讨厌我的名字，太过多愁善感了！ —

I wish everyone would say Jo, instead of Josephine. —
我希望每个人都叫我Jo，而不是Josephine。 —

How did you make the boys stop calling you Dora?’
你是怎么让男孩们不再叫你Dora的？”

‘I thrashed ‘em.’
“我揍了他们。”

‘I can’t thrash Aunt March, so I suppose I shall have to bear it’; —
“我不能揍阿姨March，所以我想我只能忍受了。 —

and Jo resigned herself with a sigh.
”Jo叹了口气，妥协了。

‘Do you like parties?’ she asked in a moment.
“你喜欢参加派对吗？”她随口问道。

‘Sometimes; you see I’ve been abroad a good many years, and haven’t been in company enough yet to know how you do things here.’
“有时候，你看，我在国外待了很多年，还没有参加过足够多的社交活动，不太了解这里的做法。”

‘Abroad!’ cried Jo. ‘Oh, tell me about it! —
“国外！”Jo喊道。“哦，告诉我一些吧！ —

I love dearly to hear people describe their travels.’
我非常喜欢听人们描述他们的旅行。”

Laurie didn’t seem to know where to begin; —
劳瑞似乎不知道从何处开始； —

but Jo’s eager questions soon set him going, and he told her how he had been at school in Vevey, where the boys never wore hats, and had a fleet of boats on the lake, and for holiday fun went walking trips about Switzerland with their teachers.
但乔的热切问题很快让他滔滔不绝地讲述了他在韦维上学的经历，那里的男孩从不戴帽子，在湖上有一支船队，而且在假期他们还会和老师一起去瑞士徒步旅行。

‘Don’t I wish I’d been there!’ cried Jo. ‘Did you go to Paris?’
“我真希望我也去过那儿！”乔叫道，“你去了巴黎吗？”

‘We spent last winter there.’
“我们去年冬天去过那里。”

‘Can you talk French?’
“你会讲法语吗？”

‘We were not allowed to speak anything else at Vevey.’
“在韦维，我们只允许说法语。”

‘Do say some! I can read it, but can’t pronounce.’
“来说一些吧！我会读，但是发音不好。”

‘Quel nom a cette jeune demoiselle en les pantoufles jolies?’ said Laurie, good-naturedly.
“Quel nom a cette jeune demoiselle en les pantoufles jolies？”劳瑞友好地说道。

‘How nicely you do it! Let me see - you said, “Who is the young lady in the pretty slippers,” didn’t you?’
“你说的是 ― ‘谁是那个穿着漂亮拖鞋的年轻小姐’，对吗？”

‘Oui, mademoiselle.’
“Oui, mademoiselle.”

‘It’s my sister Margaret, and you knew it was! Do you think she is pretty?’
“那就是我姐姐玛格丽特，你知道的！你觉得她漂亮吗？”

‘Yes; she makes me think of the German girls, she looks so fresh and quiet.’
“是的，她让我想起德国女孩，看起来那么新鲜和安静。”

Jo quite glowed with pleasure at this boyish praise of her sister, and stored it up to repeat to Meg.
乔听到这个对她姐姐的男孩的赞美，感到非常高兴，她记住了并打算告诉梅格。

Both peeped and criticized and chatted, till they felt like old acquaintances. —
他们互相窥视、批评和闲聊，直到觉得彼此都像老朋友。 —

Laurie’s bashfulness soon wore off; —
劳里的害羞很快消失了； —

for Jo’s gentlemanly demeanour amused and set him at his ease, and Jo was her merry self again, because her dress was forgotten, and nobody lifted their eyebrows at her.
乔的绅士风度逗乐了他，使他感到放松，乔也恢复了她快乐的自我，因为大家都忘记了她的衣着，也没有人对她举起眉毛；

She liked the ‘Laurence boy’ better than ever, and took several good looks at him, so that she might describe him to the girls; —
她比以往更喜欢“劳伦斯小伙子”，多次好好打量着他，这样她就可以向女孩们描述他； —

for they had no brothers, very few male cousins, and boys were almost unknown creatures to them.
因为她们没有兄弟，只有很少的堂兄弟，男孩对她们来说几乎是陌生的生物；

‘Curly black hair; brown skin; big, black eyes; —
“卷曲的黑发，褐色的皮肤，大大的黑眼睛， —

handsome nose; fine teeth; —
英俊的鼻子，漂亮的牙齿， —

small hands and feet; —
小巧的手脚； —

taller than I am, very polite for a boy, and altogether jolly. Wonder how old he is?’
比我高，对一个男孩来说很有礼貌，总的来说很愉快。不知道他几岁了？”

It was on the tip of Jo’s tongue to ask; —
乔忍不住要问； —

but she checked herself in time, and with unusual tact, tried to find out in a roundabout way.
但她及时地控制住了自己，并以非同寻常的机智尝试用迂回的方式了解答案；

‘I suppose you are going to college soon? —
“我猜你很快就要上大学了吧？ —

I see you pegging away at your books - no, I mean studying hard’; —
看到你埋头苦读的样子——不，我是说刻苦学习。” —

and Jo blushed at the dreadful ‘pegging’ which had escaped her.
然后乔因为自己难以忍受的“钉住”这个词而红了脸。

Laurie smiled, but didn’t seem shocked, and answered, with a shrug:
劳里微笑了一下，但并没有表现出震惊，他耸了耸肩膀回答道。

‘Not for a year or two; I won’t go before seventeen, anyway.’
“得等一两年了，反正我至少到了十七岁才去。”

‘Aren’t you but fifteen?’ asked Jo, looking at the tall lad, whom she had imagined seventeen already.
“你才十五岁呢？”乔问道，看着这个高个子的男孩，她本以为他已经十七岁了。

‘Sixteen, next month.’
“下个月就满十六岁了。”

‘How I wish I was going to college! —
“我多希望我也能上大学！ —

You don’t look as if you liked it.’
你看起来好像不喜欢上学。”

‘I hate it! Nothing but grinding or skylarking. —
“我讨厌上学！只会死读书或者胡闹。 —

And I don’t like the way fellows do either in this country.’
而且我也不喜欢这个国家的小伙子们的方式。”

‘What do you like?’
“那你喜欢什么呢？”

‘To live in Italy, and to enjoy myself in my own way.’
“住在意大利，按照我自己的方式享受生活。”

Jo wanted very much to ask what his own way was: —
乔非常想问他的方式是什么，但是当他皱起乌黑的眉毛时，她觉得有点威胁， —

but his black brows looked rather threatening as he knit them; —
所以她转移话题，一边脚踩着拍子说道：“隔壁房间里有一架很棒的钢琴，你为什么不去试试呢？” —

so she changed the subject by saying, as her foot kept time, ‘That’s a splendid piano in the next room. —
“如果你也来的话。”他回答道，带着一种殷勤的小鞠躬。 —

Why don’t you go and try it?’
“如果你也去的话。”他回答道，带着一种殷勤的小鞠躬。

‘If you will come too,’ he answered, with a gallant little bow.
“如果你也去的话。”他回答道，带着一种殷勤的小鞠躬。

‘I can’t; for I told Meg I wouldn’t, because——’ There Jo stopped, and looked undecided whether to tell or to laugh. —
“我不能做，因为我告诉Meg我不会的，因为——” 她停下来，犹豫着是告诉还是笑。 —

‘Because what?’ asked Laurie, curiously.
“因为什么？” 好奇地问道劳瑞。

‘You won’t tell?’
“你不会告诉别人吧？”

‘Never!’
“决不！”

‘Well, I have a bad trick of standing before the fire, and so I burn my frocks, and I scorched this one; —
“嗯，我有个坏毛病，就是总喜欢站在火炉前面，结果把我的裙子烧坏了，这条裙子是修补过的，但还是能看出来，梅格说让我保持安静，这样没人会注意到。如果你想笑，那就笑吧；我知道这很搞笑。” —

and though it’s nicely mended, it shows, and Meg told me to keep still, so no one would see it. —
“不要在意这些。 —

You may laugh, if you want to; —
请跟我来。” —

it is funny, I know.’ But Laurie didn’t laugh; he only looked down a minute, and the expression of his face puzzled Jo, when he said very gently: —
“谢谢你。我很乐意去，只希望我也有两只整洁的手套，就像你搭配的那双漂亮的珍珠色手套一样。” —

‘Never mind that. Please come.’
当音乐停下来的时候，他们坐下来，劳瑞正在讲述海德堡的一次学生节庆活动，这时梅格过来找她的妹妹。

Jo thanked him, and gladly went, wishing she had two neat gloves, when she saw the nice, pearl-coloured ones her partner wore.
她招了招手，乔心不甘情不愿地跟着她走进了旁边的一间房间，发现她正坐在沙发上抱着脚，脸色苍白。

When the music stopped, they sat down; —
“我扭伤了脚踝。 —

and Laurie was in the midst of an account of a students’ festival at Heidelberg, when Meg appeared in search of her sister. —
那该死的高跟鞋滑了一下，让我扭到了。” —

She beckoned, and Jo reluctantly followed her into a side room, where she found her on a sofa, holding her foot, and looking pale. —
Jo thanked him, and gladly went, wishing she had two neat gloves, when she saw the nice, pearl-coloured ones her partner wore. —

‘I’ve sprained my ankle. That stupid high heel turned, and gave me a sad wrench. —
“我扭伤了脚踝。那该死的高跟鞋滑了一下，让我扭到了。” —

It aches so I can hardly stand, and I don’t know how I’m ever going to get home,’ she said, rocking to and fro in pain.
“这痛得我几乎站不住了，我不知道怎么回家，”她说着，痛苦地前后晃动着。

‘I knew you’d hurt your feet with those silly shoes. —
“我知道你会因为那双傻鞋子而受伤的。很抱歉。 —

I’m sorry. —
” —

But I don’t see what you can do, except get a carriage, or stay here all night,’ answered Jo, softly rubbing the poor ankle as she spoke.
“但除了坐马车，或者在这里过夜，我真不知道还能做什么。”乔轻轻地揉着那可怜的脚踝说道。

‘I can’t have a carriage, without its costing ever so much.’
“我没有马车，而且那要花很多钱。”

I daresay I can’t get one at all; —
“我敢说我根本就不可能找到一辆， —

for most people come in their own, and it’s a long way to the stable, and no one to lend.’
大多数人都是用自己的车来的，而且那个马厩离这里很远，也没有人可以借给我们。”

‘I’ll go.’
“我去吧。”

‘No, indeed! It’s past nine, and dark as Egypt. I can’t stop here, for the house is full. —
“不，真的不行！已经过了九点了，天黑得像埃及一样。我不能留在这里，因为屋子里满满的都是人。 —

Sallie has some girls staying with her. —
莎莉那边住了一些女孩。 —

I’ll rest till Hannah comes, and then do the best I can.’
我会等汉娜来的时候休息一下，然后尽力解决。”

‘I’ll ask Laurie; he will go,’ said Jo, looking relieved as the idea occurred to her.
“我问问劳里，他会去的。”乔松了口气，当这个主意出现在她脑海中时。

‘Mercy, no! Don’t ask or tell anyone. Get me my rubbers, and put these slippers with our things. —
“千万别问或告诉任何人。帮我拿下我的橡胶鞋，然后将这些拖鞋放到我们的东西里。 —

As soon as supper is over, watch for Hannah, and tell me the minute she comes.’
晚饭一吃完，就看汉娜来了，告诉我她一到。”

‘They are going out to supper now. —
“他们现在出去吃晚餐了。 —

I’ll stay with you; I’d rather.’
我会和你待在一起；我宁愿这样。”

‘No, dear, run along, and bring me some coffee. —
“不，亲爱的，去帮我拿些咖啡来。 —

I’m so tired, I can’t stir!’
我太累了，动不了！”

So Meg reclined, with rubbers well hidden, and Jo went blundering away to the dining room, which she found after going into a china-closet, and opening the door of a room where old Mr. Gardiner was taking a little private refreshment. —
梅格靠在椅子上，橡胶鞋子藏得好好的。乔进误闯了一个瓷器间，然后又打开了一个老嘉德纳正在私下休息的房间的门，最终找到了餐厅。 —

Making a dart at the table, she secured the coffee, which she immediately spilt, making the front of her dress as bad as the back.
一抢到桌子前，她拿到了咖啡，但立刻将其洒了出来，让她的裙子前面和后面都变得糟糕。

‘Oh, dear, what a blunderbuss I am!’ exclaimed Jo, finishing Meg’s glove by scrubbing her gown with it.
“哎呀，我多么粗心！”乔叹了口气，用梅格的手套把自己的裙子擦了擦。

‘Can I help you?’ said a friendly voice; —
“需要帮忙吗？”一个友善的声音说道， —

and there was Laurie, with a full cup in one hand, and a plate of ice in the other.
劳里手中拿着一杯满满的咖啡，另一只手拿着一盘冰。

‘I was trying to get something for Meg, who is very tired, and someone shook me; —
“我想帮梅格弄点东西，她很累，然后有人一摇晃我，结果我就变成了这个样子。”乔一脸沮丧地看着被咖啡染色的裙子和手套。 —

and here I am, in a nice state,’ answered Jo, glancing dismally from the stained skirt to the coffee-coloured glove.
“那我可以帮忙嘛？”劳里说着，一手拿着一杯咖啡，另一手拿着一盘冰。

‘Too bad! I was looking for someone to give this to. —
‘太可惜了！我正在找一个人把这东西给他。 —

May I take it to your sister?’
我可以拿去给你姐姐吗？’

‘Oh, thank you! I’ll show you where she is. —
‘哦，谢谢！我带你去找她。 —

I don’t offer to take it myself, for I should only get into another scrape if I did.’
我自己不敢拿，因为我只会再惹麻烦。’

Jo led the way; and, as if used to waiting on ladies, Laurie drew up a little table, brought a second instalment of coffee and ice for Jo, and was so obliging that even particular Meg pronounced him a ‘nice boy’. —
乔带路；劳瑞则帮忙摆了个小桌子，给乔倒了第二杯咖啡和冰块，他是如此乐意帮忙，以至于连挑剔的梅格都称他为“好孩子”。 —

They had a merry time over the bonbons and mottoes, and were in the midst of a quiet game of ‘Buzz’, with two or three other young people who had strayed in, when Hannah appeared. —
他们在糖果和箴言之间度过了愉快的时光，当几个闲逛的年轻人加入他们安静地玩“嗡嗡声”游戏时，汉娜出现了。 —

Meg forgot her foot, and rose so quickly that she was forced to catch hold of Jo, with an exclamation of pain.
梅格忘记了脚，起身太快，只能抓住乔，痛苦地叫了一声。

‘Hush! Don’t say anything,’ she whispered, adding aloud, ‘It’s nothing. —
‘嘘！别说什么，’她低声说，大声补充道，’没什么。我只是稍微扭了一下脚’; 她一瘸一拐地上楼换衣服。 —

I turned my foot a little, that’s all’; —
请勿代我打开门才说话， —

and limped upstairs to put her things on.
她叫喊道，并走出房间上楼去。

Hannah scolded, Meg cried, and Jo was at her wit’s end, till she decided to take things into her own hands. —
汉娜责骂了，梅格哭了，乔无奈至极，决定自己解决问题。 —

Slipping out, she ran down, and, finding a servant, asked if he could get her a carriage. —
她悄悄溜出去，跑下楼，找到一个仆人，问他能否给她弄辆马车。 —

It happened to be a hired waiter, who knew nothing about the neighbourhood; —
这个仆人是个临时雇佣的，对周围不了解。 —

and Jo was looking round for help, when Laurie, who had heard what she said, came up, and offered his grandfather’s carriage, which had just come for him, he said.
而乔正在四处寻找帮助时，劳里听到了她的话，走了过来，提供了他祖父的马车，他说他刚刚接回来。

‘It’s so early! You can’t mean to go yet?’ began Jo, looking relieved, but hesitating to accept the offer.
“这么早！你不会是真的要走吧？”乔开始感到宽慰，但犹豫是否接受这个提议。

‘I always go early - I do, truly! —
“我总是很早走——真心的！ —

Please let me take you home. It’s all on my way, you know, and it rains, they say.’
请让我送你回家。这正好在我路上，而且他们说要下雨。”

That settled it; and, telling him of Meg’s mishap, Jo gratefully accepted, and rushed up to bring down the rest of the party. —
这样说定了；乔非常感激地接受了他的提议，并赶忙跑上去把其他人叫下来。 —

Hannah hated rain as much as a cat does; —
汉娜像猫一样讨厌雨， —

so she made no trouble, and they rolled away in the luxurious close carriage, feeling very festive and elegant. —
所以她没有烦恼，他们在豪华的密闭马车里离开了，感到非常喜庆和优雅。 —

Laurie went on the box; so Meg could keep her foot up, and the girls talked over their party in freedom.
劳里坐在箱子上；所以梅格可以抬着脚，女孩们尽情地讨论着他们的聚会。

‘I had a capital time. Did you?’ asked Jo, rumpling up her hair, and making herself comfortable.
“我玩得很开心。你呢？”乔问道，她抓起自己的头发，使自己感到舒适。

‘Yes, till I hurt myself. Sallies friend, Annie Moffat, took a fancy to me, and asked me to come and spend a week with her when Sallie does. —
“是的，直到我受伤为止。莎莉的朋友安妮·莫法特对我很感兴趣，她邀请我在莎莉来的时候来和她一起度过一个星期。 —

She is going in the spring, when the opera comes; —
她打算在春天去，就在歌剧演出的时候； —

and it will be perfectly splendid, if Mother only lets me go,’ answered Meg, cheering up at the thought.
如果妈妈能让我去，那将是完美的。”梅格想到这个心情振奋。

‘I saw you with the red-headed man I ran away from.
“我看到你和那个红发男人在一起。我从他那里逃跑了。”

Was he nice?’
他人不错吗？”

‘Oh, very! His hair is auburn, not red; and he is very polite.’
“哦，非常好！他的头发是褐色的，不是红色的；他非常有礼貌。”

‘He looked like a grasshopper in a fit. —
“他像一只发疯的蚱蜢。 —

Laurie and I couldn’t help laughing. —
劳瑞和我忍不住笑了。你听到我们了吗？ —

Did you hear us?’
”

‘No; but it was very rude. —
“没有，但那样很无礼。 —

What were you about all that time, hidden away there?’
你们都在那里做什么，藏在那里？”

Jo told her adventures, and, by the time she had finished, they were at home. —
乔讲述了她的冒险故事，在她讲完的时候，他们已经回到家了。 —

With many thanks, they said ‘Good night’, and crept in, hoping to disturb no one; —
他们说着“晚安”，悄悄进去，希望不会吵到任何人。 —

but the instant their door creaked, two little night-caps bobbed up, and two sleepy but eager voices cried out:
但是当他们的门吱呀一声开了，两顶小小的夜帽立刻冒出来，两个困倦但兴奋的声音喊道：

‘Tell about the party! tell about the party’ With what Meg called “a great want of manners”, Jo had saved some bonbons for the little girls; —
“说说派对的事！说说派对的事！” 约瑟夫在梅格眼中的“礼仪大欠缺”之后，留下一些糖果给小女孩们。 —

and they soon subsided, after hearing the most thrilling events of the evening. —
在听完晚上最激动人心的事件后，她们很快就平静下来了。 —

‘I declare, it really seems like being a fine young lady to come home from the party in a carriage, and sit in my dressing-gown with a maid to wait on me,’ said Meg, as Jo bound up her foot with arnica, and brushed her hair.
“我发誓，从派对上坐着马车回家，换上睡袍，有个女仆伺候着我，真的好像成为一个漂亮的年轻女士。” 梅格说着，约瑟夫用艾尼卡草处理她的脚，梳理她的头发。

‘I don’t believe fine young ladies enjoy themselves a bit more than we do, in spite of our burnt hair, old gowns, one glove apiece, and tight slippers that sprain our ankles when we are silly enough to wear them.’ And I think Jo was quite right.
‘我不相信美丽的年轻女士们玩得比我们开心，尽管我们烫伤了头发，穿着旧礼服，每人只有一只手套，还有那些紧绷的高跟鞋，在我们傻乎乎地穿着它们时扭伤了脚踝。’ 而且我认为乔是完全正确的。