雙語(yǔ)譯林·小婦人 第十一章　試驗(yàn) EXPERIMENTS

第十一章　試驗(yàn)

“六月一號(hào)！金家明天就去海邊度假，我沒(méi)事了。整整三個(gè)月的假期，我真是太幸福了！”美格贊嘆道。這天天氣暖和，美格剛剛回到家里，只見(jiàn)喬躺在沙發(fā)上，顯得疲憊不堪，貝絲替她脫下骯臟的靴子，艾美正在榨檸檬汁，為大家提神。

“馬奇姑婆今天也走了，哦，我真是高興呀！”喬說(shuō)，“我本來(lái)怕得要命，就怕她叫我陪著去，要是真的叫我，我倒也沒(méi)辦法。要知道，梅園死氣沉沉，簡(jiǎn)直就像教堂里的墓地，能不去就不去。為把老太太送走，我真忙亂了，每次她開(kāi)口，我都感到害怕。為了早點(diǎn)把她打發(fā)走，我干得特別起勁，顯得特別親熱，可就怕她舍不得和我分開(kāi)。她總算上了馬車，我這才松了口氣。誰(shuí)知最后又嚇了一跳，馬車剛要走，她伸出頭說(shuō)：‘約瑟芬，你能不能——? ’我轉(zhuǎn)身落荒而逃，下面的話也沒(méi)聽(tīng)到，直到轉(zhuǎn)彎處，這顆心才放下來(lái)。”

“可憐的喬，她進(jìn)來(lái)的時(shí)候好像后面有幾只狗熊在追趕。”貝絲邊說(shuō)邊把姐姐的雙腳慈愛(ài)地抱在懷里。

“馬奇姑婆真是個(gè)十足的海蓬子，可不是嗎？”艾美一邊評(píng)論道，一邊挑剔地品嘗混合飲料。

“她是說(shuō)吸血鬼[1]，不是海草。不過(guò)這沒(méi)關(guān)系，反正天熱了，也不必對(duì)用詞太在意。”喬咕噥著說(shuō)。

“整整一個(gè)假期，你們打算怎么過(guò)？”艾美問(wèn)，她機(jī)靈地把話題一轉(zhuǎn)。

“我要睡懶覺(jué)，最好什么都不做。”美格陷坐在搖椅上回答，“一個(gè)冬天了，都是一早就被叫醒，又整天都得替人家干活。我現(xiàn)在要休息，痛痛快快地玩?zhèn)€夠。”

“不行。”喬說(shuō)，“我可不想老是睡覺(jué)。我已經(jīng)搬來(lái)了一大堆書(shū)，要充實(shí)一下這美好時(shí)光，就坐在老蘋(píng)果樹(shù)上讀書(shū)，或者去玩樂(lè)——”

“不要說(shuō)‘玩樂(lè)’! ”艾美懇求道。因?yàn)閱碳m正了“海蓬子”，這回艾美也要奚落一下喬，作為報(bào)復(fù)。

“那就說(shuō)‘玩唱’吧，和勞里一起，那樣總算妥當(dāng)，夠確切了吧，反正他的歌聲婉轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)聽(tīng)。”

“我們別做功課了，貝絲。只是暫時(shí)的，玩?zhèn)€痛快，好好休息，女孩子就應(yīng)該這樣嘛。”艾美提議。

“好吧，我會(huì)的，要是媽媽不反對(duì)。我想學(xué)幾首新歌。我的那幾個(gè)孩子也要重新打扮度暑假，他們沒(méi)有衣服，亂得要命。”

“可以嗎，媽媽？”美格轉(zhuǎn)向馬奇太太問(wèn)。馬奇太太坐在被姑娘們稱為“媽咪角”的地方，正在做縫紉。

“你們可以試著過(guò)一個(gè)禮拜，看看感覺(jué)如何。我想，到禮拜六晚上，你們會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)，光玩不工作其實(shí)和光工作不玩一樣糟糕。”

“噢！天哪！不會(huì)吧！光玩不工作肯定很痛快。”美格得意地說(shuō)。

“現(xiàn)在我提議大家干一杯，我‘朋友和伙伴甘普[2]’就這么說(shuō)過(guò)。祝我們永遠(yuǎn)快樂(lè)，不用干活！”這時(shí)檸檬汁遞了過(guò)來(lái)，喬站起身，手舉杯子高聲祝酒。

她們痛快地一飲而盡。接著試驗(yàn)開(kāi)始了，大家懶洋洋地打發(fā)了那天剩下的時(shí)光。第二天上午，美格到了十點(diǎn)鐘才露面，她一個(gè)人吃早飯，只覺(jué)得真沒(méi)味道。喬沒(méi)有在花瓶里插上鮮花，貝絲也沒(méi)有打掃，艾美的書(shū)扔得到處都是，房間里顯得冷清凌亂。只有“媽咪角”還是跟往常一樣，收拾得整齊舒爽。美格就坐在那里，悠閑地看書(shū)，不停地打著哈欠，憧憬著用自己掙的錢買幾件什么樣的漂亮夏裝。喬和勞里在河面上玩了一上午，下午則爬到蘋(píng)果樹(shù)上讀《茫茫世界》，一邊讀一邊還傷心落淚。貝絲也開(kāi)始了試驗(yàn)，她把布娃娃們居住的大壁櫥都翻了出來(lái)，可干了一半就累了，于是她把這些娃娃們撇在一邊，自顧自地去彈鋼琴了，心里慶幸不用刷碗了。艾美把自己的涼亭整理了一番，穿上最漂亮的白色外衣，梳理了那頭卷曲的秀發(fā)，然后坐在金銀花下面畫(huà)畫(huà)。她一心盼望著有人會(huì)看到，打聽(tīng)這位年輕的畫(huà)家是誰(shuí)。誰(shuí)知道，根本沒(méi)人過(guò)來(lái)，倒有一只好事的大蜘蛛饒有興趣地端詳她的作品。她只好出去散步，卻淋了一場(chǎng)雨，回到家時(shí)成了落湯雞。

茶點(diǎn)的時(shí)候，她們互相交流各自的感受。大家都有同感，這一天過(guò)得很開(kāi)心，只是顯得異常漫長(zhǎng)。下午，美格去購(gòu)物，買了塊漂亮的藍(lán)色平紋紗，裁下幅面后才發(fā)現(xiàn)，這料子不經(jīng)洗，這次不幸弄得她略有點(diǎn)沒(méi)好氣。喬在劃船時(shí)鼻子上曬破了一層皮，書(shū)讀久了又弄得頭痛腦漲。由于壁櫥弄得亂七八糟，貝絲心里頗有幾分擔(dān)心，而且發(fā)現(xiàn)一次要學(xué)三四首歌也很不容易。艾美淋濕了外衣，深感可惜，因?yàn)榈诙炀褪莿P蒂·布朗的舞會(huì)，現(xiàn)在她像花神麥克弗林賽[3]一樣衣不掩體?？蛇@些都只是小事，她們要母親放心，試驗(yàn)進(jìn)展得很順利。母親笑了笑，什么都沒(méi)說(shuō)，在漢娜的幫助下，把她們丟下的工作做完，把家收拾得舒服安逸，于是家庭機(jī)器又正常運(yùn)作。可說(shuō)來(lái)也怪，這種休息加享樂(lè)的過(guò)程，竟然引發(fā)了一種奇特的、不舒服的狀態(tài)。日子變得越來(lái)越漫長(zhǎng)，大家的脾氣也跟天氣一樣變化無(wú)常，每人都心里沒(méi)著落，而魔鬼撒旦總能為這些無(wú)聊的人找些惡作劇來(lái)做。作為最奢侈的享受，美格把一些針線活拿去讓別人做，可接著卻發(fā)現(xiàn)日子過(guò)得很沉悶，最終又操起裁剪活來(lái)，結(jié)果在按莫法特的樣式翻新衣服時(shí)，把自己的衣服剪壞了。喬整天看書(shū)，直看得兩眼昏花，對(duì)書(shū)厭倦，心情也變得異常煩躁，連一向性情溫和的勞里都跟她吵了一架。她情緒十分低落，只恨自己當(dāng)初沒(méi)有跟馬奇姑婆一起去。貝絲過(guò)得挺好，因?yàn)樗鲜峭涍@幾天光玩不用工作，時(shí)不時(shí)地回到老套套。不過(guò)，有一種莫名的東西還是潛移默化，不時(shí)地?cái)_亂她的那份寧?kù)o。她也顯得有幾分不安，甚至有一次，她竟然推搡了幾下可憐的布娃娃喬安娜，罵她是個(gè)“丑八怪”。艾美的境況最糟糕，因?yàn)樗娴馁Y源不多，姐姐們丟下她，讓她自己玩，自己照顧自己。本來(lái)她還以為自己是個(gè)多才多藝、舉足輕重的小人物，可現(xiàn)在很快就發(fā)現(xiàn)，其實(shí)自己卻是個(gè)沉重的負(fù)擔(dān)。她不喜歡布娃娃，童話又太幼稚，人總不能老是畫(huà)畫(huà)。茶會(huì)算不了什么，野餐也不過(guò)如此，除非組織得很好。“要么能有間漂亮的房子，里面有很多美麗的女孩，要么去旅行，這樣的夏天才會(huì)開(kāi)心。可在家里和三個(gè)自私自利的姐姐守在一起，還要再加上個(gè)大男孩，波阿斯也會(huì)受不了的。”這位亂用《圣經(jīng)》典故[4]的小姐抱怨道。這幾天她沉浸于充滿快樂(lè)、煩惱和煩悶的生活。

沒(méi)人愿意承認(rèn)自己對(duì)試驗(yàn)已感到厭倦，可到了禮拜五晚上，人人都暗自高興，一個(gè)禮拜馬上就要熬到頭了。富有幽默感的馬奇太太希望加深姑娘們對(duì)這個(gè)教訓(xùn)的印象，決定以適當(dāng)?shù)姆绞浇Y(jié)束這次試驗(yàn)。于是，她給漢娜放了一天假，以讓姑娘們充分領(lǐng)略光玩樂(lè)的后果。

禮拜六早上，她們起床就發(fā)現(xiàn)，廚房里沒(méi)有生火，餐廳里沒(méi)做好早餐，連母親的蹤影都瞧不見(jiàn)。

“天哪！出什么事了？”喬大叫，沮喪地四下張望。

美格跑上樓，很快又回來(lái)了，顯得一臉輕松，不過(guò)十分困惑，又有點(diǎn)慚愧。

“媽媽沒(méi)生病，只是覺(jué)得很累，她想靜靜地在房里待一天，讓我們好自為之。真的有點(diǎn)怪，媽媽以前可不是這樣的。她說(shuō)了，這個(gè)禮拜她過(guò)得很累，所以我們不要抱怨，還是自己照顧自己吧。”

“那太簡(jiǎn)單了，我就喜歡這樣。我正想找點(diǎn)事干——就是換個(gè)玩法，是吧？”喬馬上就接茬兒。

其實(shí)，她們眼下是要找點(diǎn)事做，要好好調(diào)劑一下。因此都起勁承擔(dān)起來(lái)，可不久她們就認(rèn)識(shí)到漢娜說(shuō)得沒(méi)錯(cuò)：“做家務(wù)可不是鬧著玩的。”貯藏柜里有許多食品，貝絲和艾美擺桌子，美格和喬做早餐，一邊做一邊還納悶，為什么用人們都說(shuō)家務(wù)難做。

“我還是給媽媽拿點(diǎn)上去，盡管她吩咐我們不用管她，說(shuō)她會(huì)照顧自己的。”美格說(shuō)。她站在廚具后面指揮，儼然一副主婦的樣子。

趁大家還沒(méi)開(kāi)吃，她們先裝滿一個(gè)盤(pán)子，然后連同廚師的問(wèn)候一起送上樓去。雖然茶煮得又苦又澀，煎蛋燒焦了，餅干也沾上了點(diǎn)點(diǎn)蘇打粉，不過(guò)馬奇太太還是接過(guò)她的那份早餐，并連聲道謝。等喬走了以后，她對(duì)著餐盤(pán)會(huì)心地笑了。

“可憐的小家伙們，恐怕今天會(huì)過(guò)得很難受喲。不過(guò)，她們不會(huì)遭罪，這畢竟對(duì)她們有好處。”說(shuō)著，她拿出自己早已準(zhǔn)備的美味，把難吃的早餐扔掉，免得她們傷心——這是母親的小小把戲，令她們感激萬(wàn)分。

樓下怨聲載道，大廚師面對(duì)失敗深感委屈。“沒(méi)關(guān)系，午飯我來(lái)做。我當(dāng)仆人，你當(dāng)主人，動(dòng)口不動(dòng)手，盡管陪客人，發(fā)號(hào)施令就是了。”喬說(shuō)，其實(shí)她對(duì)做飯燒菜的事比美格懂得還少。

瑪格麗特愉快地接受了這份熱心幫助，于是退到了客廳。她把垃圾掃到沙發(fā)下面，把百葉窗拉上，省去了撣塵的麻煩，很快便把客廳整理好了。喬對(duì)她的辦事能耐十分自信，還想彌合吵架造成的裂痕，她馬上寫(xiě)了一張紙條，放入家庭郵局，邀請(qǐng)勞里過(guò)府來(lái)吃午飯。

“最好先弄清楚拿什么請(qǐng)客，再考慮請(qǐng)人家吃飯。”美格得知此事后說(shuō)。這一舉動(dòng)雖然好客，可不免有點(diǎn)倉(cāng)促。

“哦，有腌牛肉，還有很多土豆。我再去買些蘆筍，買只龍蝦。‘換個(gè)口味’，漢娜就是這么說(shuō)的。我們可以買些生菜做色拉，雖然我不知道怎么做，可書(shū)上有烹飪指南的。我要用牛奶凍和草莓做甜點(diǎn)，要是你想高雅一點(diǎn)的話，還可以煮上咖啡。”

“不要做這么多，喬，你做的只有姜餅和糖蜜還湊合著能吃。這個(gè)餐會(huì)我是不會(huì)插手的，既然你自己請(qǐng)了勞里，就由你來(lái)招待他好了。”

“什么都不要你做，只要你對(duì)他客氣些，做布丁時(shí)幫一把就夠了。萬(wàn)一我搞糊涂了，麻煩指點(diǎn)一下，行嗎？”喬嘴上說(shuō)著，心里可受到了傷害。

“行，可我也懂得不多，只有面包和一些小吃還行。最好先請(qǐng)媽媽批準(zhǔn)，再去買東西。”美格謹(jǐn)慎地回答。

“那當(dāng)然啰，我又不是傻瓜。”喬說(shuō)著走開(kāi)了。她怒火中燒，竟然有人懷疑她的能耐。

“你們想做什么就買什么，不用來(lái)打擾我，午飯我出去吃，家里的事就管不到了。”喬來(lái)征求意見(jiàn)時(shí)，馬奇太太說(shuō)，“向來(lái)都不愛(ài)做家務(wù)，今天我放假，讀讀書(shū)、寫(xiě)點(diǎn)東西、串串門(mén)，落得自己娛樂(lè)娛樂(lè)。”

看到一向忙碌的母親一反常態(tài)，一早就悠閑地坐在搖椅上看書(shū)，喬感到好像發(fā)生了什么異常的自然現(xiàn)象，即使日食、地震，甚至火山爆發(fā)，也不會(huì)令她覺(jué)得更奇怪。

“怎么回事，一切都亂套了。”她邊想邊走下樓梯，“貝絲正在那里哭，這證明家里肯定出現(xiàn)了什么麻煩。要是艾美在搗鬼，我一定要揍她幾下。”

喬感覺(jué)自己不自在，匆匆走進(jìn)客廳，看到貝絲正對(duì)著金絲雀皮普哭泣。只見(jiàn)它躺在籠子里死了，小爪子可憐地往外伸出，仿佛在乞求食物。它是餓死的。

“都是我的錯(cuò)——我把它給忘了——谷子一粒不剩，水也一滴沒(méi)有。皮普噢！噢，皮普！我怎么能對(duì)你這么狠？”貝絲哭道，把可憐的小鳥(niǎo)放在手里，試圖把它救醒。

喬瞄瞄小鳥(niǎo)半開(kāi)的眼睛，摸摸它的心臟，發(fā)現(xiàn)它早已僵硬冰冷，于是提出用自己的多米諾骨牌盒來(lái)裝殮。

“放在爐里烘，或者會(huì)暖和蘇醒過(guò)來(lái)的。”艾美滿懷希望地說(shuō)。

“它是餓壞的。既然已經(jīng)死了，就不要再去烤。我要給它做一件壽衣，葬在園子里。以后再不養(yǎng)鳥(niǎo)了，再不了，皮普！我不配養(yǎng)的。”貝絲低聲哭訴著，雙手捧著寵鳥(niǎo)坐在地板上。

“葬禮今天下午舉行，我們都參加。好了，別哭了，貝絲。這事很可惜，但這禮拜事情全都亂了套，皮普便是這個(gè)試驗(yàn)的最大受害者。給它做好壽衣，放在我的盒子里。宴會(huì)后，我們舉行一個(gè)隆重的小葬禮。”喬開(kāi)始感到，自己仿佛承攬了大量的工作。

喬留下別人安慰貝絲，自己來(lái)到廚房。里面一片狼藉，令人一看就灰心喪氣。穿上一件寬大的圍裙，她開(kāi)始工作了。她把碗碟摞起來(lái)，剛準(zhǔn)備洗就發(fā)現(xiàn)火滅了。

“真是前途光明！”喬咕噥著，砰地一下打開(kāi)爐門(mén)，用力地捅煤渣。

爐火捅旺了以后，她想趁著正在燒水這會(huì)兒去一趟菜場(chǎng)。一走路，精神又振奮起來(lái)，她買了一些便宜貨，返家途中心里得意，有一只幼小的龍蝦、一些老蘆筍，還有兩盒酸草莓。等到她收拾停當(dāng)，午飯時(shí)間到了，爐子也燒紅了。漢娜留下了一盤(pán)等著發(fā)酵的面包。美格老早就著手發(fā)面包，放在爐子上再發(fā)一遍，然后就忘了?，F(xiàn)在，美格在客廳里招待薩莉·加德納，突然門(mén)飛開(kāi)了，進(jìn)來(lái)一個(gè)人，渾身沾滿面粉和煤屑，頭發(fā)蓬亂，紅著臉尖叫道：

“我說(shuō)，面包脹到盤(pán)子外面是不是發(fā)酵夠了？”

薩莉大笑起來(lái)，美格則點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭，眉頭揚(yáng)得老高，那個(gè)鬼影子見(jiàn)狀立刻就消失了，馬上去把發(fā)酸的面包放入烤爐。貝絲正坐在一旁縫壽衣，心愛(ài)的小鳥(niǎo)靜靜地躺在骨牌盒里。馬奇太太四處打量了一番，對(duì)貝絲安慰了幾句，然后就出門(mén)了。隨著母親灰色的帽子在拐彎處消失，姑娘們心中頓生一種孤立無(wú)援的異樣感覺(jué)。沒(méi)過(guò)幾分鐘，克羅克小姐出現(xiàn)了，說(shuō)是來(lái)吃午飯的，她們徹底絕望了。這位小姐是位面黃肌瘦的老姑娘，長(zhǎng)著尖尖的鼻梁和一雙好奇的眼睛。她不會(huì)放過(guò)任何瑣事，看到什么都會(huì)說(shuō)長(zhǎng)道短一番。姑娘們都不喜歡她，可母親關(guān)照過(guò)要善待她，就是因?yàn)榭肆_克小姐又老又窮，也沒(méi)幾個(gè)朋友。美格為她搬來(lái)安樂(lè)椅，勉力招呼她，而克羅克小姐則問(wèn)這問(wèn)那，指手畫(huà)腳，還閑扯她的那些熟人的事情。

那天早上，喬弄得精疲力竭、焦頭爛額，真是難以言表。不僅如此，她做的午餐還成了一個(gè)十足的笑柄。由于不敢再向人討教，她只能孤軍奮戰(zhàn)，這才發(fā)現(xiàn)，要當(dāng)廚師，光憑力氣和愿望是不夠的。她把蘆筍煮了一個(gè)小時(shí)，卻傷心地發(fā)現(xiàn)蘆筍頭煮沒(méi)了，中間那段卻硬得要命。面包烤得焦黑，由于做色拉調(diào)料做得她大為惱火，她索性就撒手不管，直到最后，她終于相信自己烤的面包沒(méi)法吃。龍蝦不知怎的變成了猩紅色的謎團(tuán)，她敲開(kāi)蝦殼，然后剝開(kāi)，一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)蝦肉掉到一堆生菜葉子中間，消失得無(wú)影無(wú)蹤。蘆筍不能擱得太久，所以土豆要快點(diǎn)煮，結(jié)果煮得半生不熟。牛奶凍結(jié)塊了，草莓是被店家巧妙地摞好的，其實(shí)沒(méi)有看上去那么熟。

“好吧，要是肚子餓的話，可以吃牛肉，有面包夾黃油。只是整整一個(gè)上午的工夫花下去，毫無(wú)結(jié)果，真是丟臉。”喬心里想，她比平時(shí)遲了半個(gè)小時(shí)才打響了開(kāi)飯的鈴。她又熱又累，垂頭喪氣地站在一旁，審視這頓為勞里和克羅克小姐準(zhǔn)備的美餐。要知道，一個(gè)是吃慣了各種美味佳肴的；而另一個(gè)專愛(ài)挑人毛病的克羅克小姐，她會(huì)記下一切失誤，能把這一切廣為傳播。

菜肴一一嘗過(guò)后，就被冷落了，可憐的喬真想鉆到桌子底下去。這時(shí)，艾美咯咯直笑，美格滿臉愁容，克羅克小姐撅起嘴，勞里拼命地又說(shuō)又笑，想搞活宴會(huì)的氣氛。喬的拿手本領(lǐng)是水果，糖加得恰到好處，再拌上一罐濃味的奶油。當(dāng)漂亮的玻璃盤(pán)一一擺上時(shí)，大家彬彬有禮地看著漂在奶油大海上的玫瑰紅小島，她發(fā)熱的臉頰才稍微冷卻了一點(diǎn)，并深深地舒了口氣。克羅克小姐第一個(gè)品嘗，只見(jiàn)她面容歪曲，慌忙喝水。喬看到水果在挑剔的叉子搗鼓下可悲地縮小，心想可能不夠，于是她起先還不敢吃。她瞥了一眼勞里，見(jiàn)他正在勇敢地吃著，不過(guò)嘴微微皺起，眼睛盯著自己的盤(pán)子。艾美向來(lái)喜歡精制的食品，舀了滿滿一匙，噎住了，用餐巾捂著臉，猛地逃離了餐桌。

“噢，怎么啦？”喬高聲問(wèn)道，聲音有點(diǎn)顫抖。

“放糖變成了放鹽，奶油是酸的。”美格回答，一邊還打了個(gè)災(zāi)難性的手勢(shì)。

喬痛苦地叫了一聲，一下就癱倒在椅子上，這才記起廚桌上有兩個(gè)盒子，自己拿起一個(gè)就倉(cāng)促地往草莓上倒，而牛奶又忘了冷藏。她的臉色霎時(shí)變得通紅，幾乎要哭出來(lái)。這時(shí)，她與勞里的目光相遇了，他在勇敢地大嚼鹽漬草莓，眼睛里還裝出開(kāi)心的樣子。她突然覺(jué)得，這件事是多么的滑稽，于是大笑起來(lái)，直笑得眼淚都淌下來(lái)。其他人也都笑得前仰后合，連被姑娘們稱作“牢騷鬼”的老姑娘也不例外。大家黃油加面包、吃著橄欖，有說(shuō)有笑，這頓不幸的午餐開(kāi)心地結(jié)束了。

“我現(xiàn)在沒(méi)有心思收拾，先舉行小鳥(niǎo)葬禮吧，讓自己冷靜下來(lái)。”喬看到大家站起來(lái)便說(shuō)道?？肆_克小姐一心趕著要在下一個(gè)朋友的餐桌邊編派這個(gè)新故事，便向大家告辭。

為了貝絲，他們?nèi)检o默下來(lái)了。勞里在樹(shù)林的蕨草下面挖了個(gè)墓穴，小皮普被安放在里頭，它那柔情萬(wàn)丈的女主人哭得成了個(gè)淚人兒。墓穴蓋上苔蘚，上立一塊石碑，碑上掛一個(gè)用紫羅蘭和繁縷編成的花環(huán)，并刻了墓志銘。銘文是喬一面做飯一面想出來(lái)的：

墓主皮普·馬奇，

卒于六月七日；

一身寵愛(ài)，故主傷心，

小鳥(niǎo)小鳥(niǎo)，永垂不朽！

小鳥(niǎo)的葬禮結(jié)束后，貝絲回到房間，心情十分沉重，還在想著龍蝦。但她卻找不到休息的地方，幾張床都沒(méi)有整理。她把枕頭拍松，又把東西收拾了一番，悲傷的心才覺(jué)得舒坦些。美格幫助喬收拾殘羹剩飯，花了半個(gè)下午才干完。她們已經(jīng)勞累不堪，決定晚餐就喝清茶，再吃點(diǎn)烤面包就打發(fā)了。勞里帶著艾美去乘馬車，他確實(shí)干了件善事，因?yàn)榘莱粤怂崮逃托那椴缓?。下午，馬奇太太回家時(shí)，看到三個(gè)姐姐都在努力干活。她看了一眼壁櫥，心里就明白，試驗(yàn)已經(jīng)部分成功了。

這些家庭主婦還沒(méi)來(lái)得及休息，又有幾個(gè)人來(lái)拜訪。一陣混亂，才準(zhǔn)備好招待他們，接著沏茶，做各種跑腿的瑣事。一兩件非做不可的針線活已經(jīng)不能再拖了。夜幕降臨，一切都沉寂下來(lái)，外面起露水了，姑娘們一個(gè)個(gè)都聚集在走廊上，六月的玫瑰露出了美麗的花蕾。大家都坐下來(lái)，不是呻吟就是嘆息，仿佛都筋疲力盡、心事重重。

“這一天真可怕！”喬照例還是第一個(gè)開(kāi)口。

“好像比平時(shí)短一點(diǎn)，可很難熬。”美格說(shuō)。

“一點(diǎn)都沒(méi)個(gè)家的樣子。”艾美接著說(shuō)。

“沒(méi)有媽咪和小皮普，不可能像家。”貝絲嘆息道，滿懷深情地瞥了一眼頭上空蕩蕩的鳥(niǎo)籠。

“媽媽來(lái)了，乖乖，如果你想要的話，明天可以再養(yǎng)一只。”

馬奇太太說(shuō)著來(lái)到她們中間?？吹贸鰜?lái)，她的假日似乎也愉快不了多少。

“女兒們，對(duì)試驗(yàn)滿意嗎？還想再這樣過(guò)一個(gè)禮拜嗎？”她問(wèn)。這時(shí)貝絲湊到母親跟前，其他姐妹也圍了過(guò)來(lái)，臉上發(fā)亮，就像朵朵鮮花轉(zhuǎn)向了太陽(yáng)。

“我不想。”喬堅(jiān)定地高聲嚷道。

“我也不想。”其他人都附和道。

“那么，你們認(rèn)為，承擔(dān)一些責(zé)任，活著為別人考慮一點(diǎn)，這樣更好些，是不是？”

“閑逛玩樂(lè)可沒(méi)什么好處。”喬說(shuō)著點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭，“我已經(jīng)厭煩了，想馬上找點(diǎn)事情做。”

“假如學(xué)會(huì)燒家常菜，這本領(lǐng)可有用啦，主婦少了它可不行。”馬奇太太說(shuō)。這時(shí)，她想起了喬一手操辦的午餐會(huì)，暗暗地發(fā)笑。她已經(jīng)碰到過(guò)克羅克小姐，聽(tīng)她說(shuō)了有關(guān)的情況。

“媽媽，你出去了，什么事都不管，就為了看看我們會(huì)怎么樣，是不是??？”美格大聲問(wèn)道。她心存疑竇已經(jīng)有一整天了。

“對(duì)，我想讓你們看到，只有每個(gè)人都做好本分工作，大家才能過(guò)得舒服。平時(shí)是我和漢娜替你們做，你們的日子才過(guò)得蠻舒坦。不過(guò)我總覺(jué)得，你們不會(huì)開(kāi)心，也不會(huì)領(lǐng)情。所以我想給你們一個(gè)小小的教訓(xùn)，讓你們知道，如果每個(gè)人都只顧著自己，事情會(huì)怎樣結(jié)局。只有互相幫襯，做好日常工作，才能享受休閑的快樂(lè)；只有大家容忍克制，我們才會(huì)覺(jué)得家里舒服、可愛(ài)。你們說(shuō)是不是這樣？”

“是的，媽媽，我們就是這么想的！”姑娘們齊聲喊道。

“那么我就建議你們，再一次挑起自己的小負(fù)擔(dān)。雖然有時(shí)擔(dān)子顯得很沉重，但對(duì)我們有好處，學(xué)會(huì)了挑法，擔(dān)子也就輕松了。工作是好東西，人人都有份兒，有益身心健康，免得我們無(wú)聊，干壞事。比起金錢和時(shí)裝，工作更能給我們一種能力感和獨(dú)立感。”

“我們會(huì)像工蜂一樣工作，并且熱愛(ài)工作，看著吧！”喬說(shuō)，“我要把做飯當(dāng)作我的假日任務(wù)來(lái)學(xué)，下一次宴會(huì)一定會(huì)成功。”

“我要幫爸爸做一件襯衣，不用您操勞，媽咪。我能做到的，也愿意這樣做，雖然我并不喜歡針線活；這樣做比成天講究自己的衣著更有好處，事實(shí)上我的衣著也已經(jīng)很不錯(cuò)了。”美格說(shuō)。

“我要每天做功課，不再花這么多時(shí)間彈琴和玩洋娃娃。我天性愚笨，應(yīng)該多用功，而不是玩。”貝絲下定了決心。艾美則學(xué)姐姐們的樣子大聲宣布：“我要學(xué)會(huì)縫紐扣和區(qū)分各種詞類。”

“很好！這樣的話，我對(duì)這個(gè)試驗(yàn)十分滿意，看來(lái)我們也不用再試了。不過(guò)，不要走另一個(gè)極端，像奴隸那樣過(guò)度勞累。要?jiǎng)谝萁Y(jié)合，讓每一天都過(guò)得既開(kāi)心又有收獲，證明自己懂得時(shí)間的寶貴，能充分利用它。那樣的話，年輕時(shí)就會(huì)快樂(lè)無(wú)比，老來(lái)也不會(huì)有太多的遺憾，哪怕貧窮，生活也會(huì)變得豐富多彩，充滿成功。”

“我們一定記住，媽媽！”她們確實(shí)也記住了。

* * *

[1]英語(yǔ)中海蓬子samphire和吸血鬼vampire的讀音相近，這里屬艾美的誤讀。

[2]Gamp是英國(guó)作家狄更斯小說(shuō)《馬丁·瞿述偉》中的人物，手持大布傘。

[3]神仙，其雕像一絲不掛。

[4]波阿斯的確是《圣經(jīng)》中的人物，但是與艾美此處要表達(dá)的情緒無(wú)關(guān)，所以她只是在亂用典故。

CHAPTER 11 EXPERIMENTS

“THE FIRST OF June! The Kings are off to the seashore tomorrow, and I'm free. Three months' vacation—how I shall enjoy it! ” exclaimed Meg, coming home one warm day to find Jo laid upon the sofa in an unusual state of exhaustion, while Beth took off her dusty boots, and Amy made lemonade for the refreshment of the whole party.

“Aunt March went today, for which, oh, be joyful! ” said Jo. “I was mortally afraid she'd ask me to go with her; if she had, I should have felt as if I ought to do it, but Plumfield is about as gay as a churchyard, you know, and I'd rather be excused. We had a flurry getting the old lady off, and I had a fright every time she spoke to me, for I was in such a hurry to be through that I was uncommonly helpful and sweet, and feared she'd find it impossible to part from me. I quaked till she was fairly in the carriage, and had a final fright, for as it drove off, she popped out her head, saying,‘Josyphine, won't you—? ' I didn't hear any more, for I basely turned and fled. I did actually run, and whisked round the corner where I felt safe.”

“Poor old Jo! She came in looking as if bears were after her, ” said Beth, as she cuddled her sister's feet with a motherly air.

“Aunt March is a regular samphire, is she not? ” observed Amy, tasting her mixture critically.

“She means vampire,not seaweed,but it doesn't matter.It's too warm to be particular about one's parts of speech, ” murmured Jo.

“What shall you do all your vacation? ” asked Amy, changing the subject with tact.

“I shall lie abed late, and do nothing, ” replied Meg, from the depths of the rocking chair. “I've been routed up early all winter and had to spend my days working for other people, so now I'm going to rest and revel to my heart's content.”

“No, ” said Jo, “that dozy way wouldn't suit me. I've laid in a heap of books, and I'm going to improve my shining hours reading on my perch in the old apple tree, when I'm not having l—”

“Don't say ‘larks! '” implored Amy, as a return snub for the “samphire”correction.

“I'll say ‘nightingales, ' then, with Laurie. That's proper and appropriate, since he's a warbler.”

“Don't let us do any lessons, Beth, for a while, but play all the time and rest, as the girls mean to, ” proposed Amy.

“Well, I will, if Mother doesn't mind. I want to learn some new songs, and my children need fitting up for the summer. They are dreadfully out of order and really suffering for clothes.”

“May we, Mother? ” asked Meg, turning to Mrs. March, who sat sewing in what they called “Marmee's corner”.

“You may try your experiment for a week and see how you like it. I think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as all work and no play.”

“Oh, dear, no! It will be delicious, I'm sure, ” said Meg complacently.

“I now propose a toast, as my ‘friend and pardner, Sairy Gamp, ' says. Fun forever, and no grubbing! ” cried Jo, rising, glass in hand, as the lemonade went round.

They all drank it merrily, and began the experiment by lounging for the rest of the day. Next morning, Meg did not appear till ten o'clock.Her solitary breakfast did not taste good, and the room seemed lonely and untidy, for Jo had not filled the vases, Beth had not dusted, and Amy's books lay scattered about. Nothing was neat and pleasant but “Marmee's corner”, which looked as usual. And there Meg sat, to “rest and read, ”which meant to yawn and imagine what pretty summer dresses she would get with her salary. Jo spent the morning on the river with Laurie and the afternoon reading and crying over The Wide,Wide World,up in the apple tree. Beth began by rummaging everything out of the big closet where her family resided, but getting tired before half done, she left her establishment topsy-turvy and went to her music, rejoicing that she had no dishes to wash. Amy arranged her bower, put on her best white frock, smoothed her curls, and sat down to draw under the honeysuckle, hoping someone would see and inquire who the young artist was. As no one appeared but an inquisitive daddy-longlegs, who examined her work with interest, she went to walk, got caught in a shower, and came home dripping.

At teatime they compared notes, and all agreed that it had been a delightful, though unusually long day. Meg, who went shopping in the afternoon and got a “sweet blue muslin”, had discovered, after she had cut the breadths off, that it wouldn't wash, which mishap made her slightly cross. Jo had burned the skin off her nose boating, and got a raging headache by reading too long. Beth was worried by the confusion of her closet and the difficulty of learning three or four songs at once, and Amy deeply regretted the damage done her frock, for Katy Brown's party was to be the next day and now like Flora McFlimsey, she had “nothing to wear.” But these were mere trifles, and they assured their mother that the experiment was working finely. She smiled, said nothing, and with Hannah's help did their neglected work, keeping home pleasant and the domestic machinery running smoothly. It was astonishing what a peculiar and uncomfortable state of things was produced by the “resting and reveling” process. The days kept getting longer and longer, the weather was unusually variable and so were tempers; an unsettled feeling possessed everyone, and Satan found plenty of mischief for the idle hands to do. As the height of luxury, Meg put out some of her sewing, and then found time hang so heavily, that she fell to snipping and spoiling her clothes in her attempts to furbish them up a la Moffat. Jo read till her eyes gave out and she was sick of books, got so fidgety that even good-natured Laurie had a quarrel with her, and so reduced in spirits that she desperately wished she had gone with Aunt March. Beth got on pretty well, for she was constantly forgetting that it was to be all play and no work,and fell back into her old ways now and then. But something in the air affected her, and more than once her tranquility was much disturbed—so much so that on one occasion she actually shook poor dear Joanna and told her she was “a fright”. Amy fared worst of all, for her resources were small, and when her sisters left her to amuse herself, she soon found that accomplished and important little self a great burden. She didn't like dolls, fairy tales were childish, and one couldn't draw all the time. Tea parties didn't amount to much, neither did picnics, unless very well conducted. “If one could have a fine house, full of nice girls, or go traveling, the summer would be delightful, but to stay at home with three selfish sisters and a grown-up boy was enough to try the patience of a Boaz, ” complained Miss Malaprop, after several days devoted to pleasure, fretting, and ennui.

No one would own that they were tired of the experiment, but by Friday night each acknowledged to herself that she was glad the week was nearly done. Hoping to impress the lesson more deeply, Mrs. March, who had a good deal of humor, resolved to finish off the trial in an appropriate manner, so she gave Hannah a holiday and let the girls enjoy the full effect of the play system.

When they got up on Saturday morning, there was no fire in the kitchen, no breakfast in the dining room, and no mother anywhere to be seen.

“Mercy on us! What has happened? ” cried Jo, staring about her in dismay.

Meg ran upstairs and soon came back again, looking relieved but rather bewildered, and a little ashamed.

“Mother isn't sick, only very tired, and she says she is going to stay quietly in her room all day and let us do the best we can. It's a very queer thing for her to do, she doesn't act a bit like herself. But she says it has been a hard week for her, so we mustn't grumble but take care of ourselves.”

“That's easy enough, and I like the idea, I'm aching for something to do—that is, some new amusement, you know, ” added Jo quickly.

In fact it was an immense relief to them all to have a little work,and they took hold with a will, but soon realized the truth of Hannah's saying,“Housekeeping ain't no joke.” There was plenty of food in the larder, and while Beth and Amy set the table, Meg and Jo got breakfast, wondering as they did why servants ever talked about hard work.

“I shall take some up to Mother, though she said we were not to think of her, for she'd take care of herself, ” said Meg, who presided and felt quite matronly behind the teapot.

So a tray was fitted out before anyone began, and taken up with the cook's compliments. The boiled tea was very bitter, the omelet scorched, and the biscuits speckled with saleratus, but Mrs. March received her repast with thanks and laughed heartily over it after Jo was gone.

“Poor little souls, they will have a hard time, I'm afraid, but they won't suffer, and it will do them good, ” she said, producing the more palatable viands with which she had provided herself, and disposing of the bad breakfast, so that their feelings might not be hurt—a motherly little deception for which they were grateful.

Many were the complaints below, and great the chagrin of the head cook at her failures. “Never mind, I'll get the dinner and be servant, you be mistress, keep your hands nice, see company, and give orders, ” said Jo, who knew still less than Meg about culinary affairs.

This obliging offer was gladly accepted, and Margaret retired to the parlor, which she hastily put in order by whisking the litter under the sofa and shutting the blinds to save the trouble of dusting. Jo, with perfect faith in her own powers and a friendly desire to make up the quarrel, immediately put a note in the office, inviting Laurie to dinner.

“You'd better see what you have got before you think of having company, ” said Meg, when informed of the hospitable but rash act.

“Oh, there's corned beef and plenty of potatoes, and I shall get some asparagus and a lobster, ‘for a relish, ' as Hannah says. We'll have lettuce and make a salad. I don't know how, but the book tells. I'll have blancmange and strawberries for dessert, and coffee too, if you want to be elegant.”

“Don't try too many messes, Jo, for you can't make anything but gingerbread and molasses candy fit to eat. I wash my hands of the dinner party, and since you have asked Laurie on your own responsibility, you may just take care of him.”

“I don't want you to do anything but be civil to him and help to the pudding. You'll give me your advice if I get in a muddle, won't you? ”asked Jo, rather hurt.

“Yes, but I don't know much, except about bread and a few trifles. You had better ask Mother's leave before you order anything, ” returned Meg prudently.

“Of course I shall. I'm not a fool.” And Jo went off in a huff at the doubts expressed of her powers.

“Get what you like, and don't disturb me. I'm going out to dinner and can't worry about things at home, ” said Mrs. March, when Jo spoke to her.“I never enjoyed housekeeping, and I'm going to take a vacation today, and read, write, go visiting, and amuse myself.”

The unusual spectacle of her busy mother rocking comfortably and reading early in the morning made Jo feel as if some unnatural phenomenon had occurred, for an eclipse, an earthquake, or a volcanic eruption would hardly have seemed stranger.

“Everything is out of sorts, somehow, ” she said to herself, going downstairs. “There's Beth crying, that's a sure sign that something is wrong in this family. If Amy is bothering, I'll shake her.”

Feeling very much out of sorts herself, Jo hurried into the parlor to find Beth sobbing over Pip, the canary, who lay dead in the cage with his little claws pathetically extended, as if imploring the food for want of which he had died.

“It's all my fault—I forgot him—there isn't a seed or a drop left. Oh, Pip! Oh, Pip! How could I be so cruel to you? ” cried Beth, taking the poor thing in her hands and trying to restore him.

Jo peeped into his half-open eye, felt his little heart, and finding him stiff and cold, shook her head, and offered her domino box for a coffin.

“Put him in the oven, and maybe he will get warm and revive, ” said Amy hopefully.

“He's been starved, and he shan't be baked now he's dead. I'll make him a shroud, and he shall be buried in the garden, and I'll never have another bird, never, my Pip! for I am too bad to own one, ” murmured Beth, sitting on the floor with her pet folded in her hands.

“The funeral shall be this afternoon, and we will all go. Now, don't cry, Beth. It's a pity, but nothing goes right this week, and Pip has had the worst of the experiment. Make the shroud, and lay him in my box, and after the dinner party, we'll have a nice little funeral, ” said Jo, beginning to feel as if she had undertaken a good deal.

Leaving the others to console Beth, she departed to the kitchen, which was in a most discouraging state of confusion. Putting on a big apron, she fell to work and got the dishes piled up ready for washing, when she discovered that the fire was out.

“Here's a sweet prospect! ” muttered Jo, slamming the stove door open, and poking vigorously among the cinders.

Having rekindled the fire, she thought she would go to market while the water heated. The walk revived her spirits, and flattering herself that she had made good bargains, she trudged home again, after buying a very young lobster, some very old asparagus, and two boxes of acid strawberries. By the time she got cleared up, the dinner arrived and the stove was red-hot. Hannah had left a pan of bread to rise, Meg had worked it up early, set it on the hearth for a second rising, and forgotten it. Meg was entertaining Sallie Gardiner in the parlor, when the door flew open and a floury, crocky, flushed, and disheveled figure appeared, demanding tartly—

“I say, isn't bread ‘riz' enough when it runs over the pans? ”

Sallie began to laugh, but Meg nodded and lifted her eyebrows as high as they would go, which caused the apparition to vanish and put the sour bread into the oven without further delay. Mrs. March went out, after peeping here and there to see how matters went, also saying a word of comfort to Beth, who sat making a winding sheet, while the dear departed lay in state in the domino box. A strange sense of helplessness fell upon the girls as the gray bonnet vanished round the corner, and despair seized them when a few minutes later Miss Crocker appeared, and said she'd come to dinner. Now this lady was a thin, yellow spinster, with a sharp nose and inquisitive eyes, who saw everything and gossiped about all she saw. They disliked her, but had been taught to be kind to her, simply because she was old and poor and had few friends. So Meg gave her the easy chair and tried to entertain her, while she asked questions, criticized everything, and told stories of the people whom she knew.

Language cannot describe the anxieties, experiences, and exertions which Jo underwent that morning, and the dinner she served up became a standing joke. Fearing to ask any more advice, she did her best alone, and discovered that something more than energy and good will is necessary to make a cook. She boiled the asparagus for an hour and was grieved to find the heads cooked off and the stalks harder than ever. The bread burned black; for the salad dressing so aggravated her that she could not make it fit to eat. The lobster was a scarlet mystery to her, but she hammered and poked till it was unshelled and its meager proportions concealed in a grove of lettuce leaves. The potatoes had to be hurried, not to keep the asparagus waiting, and were not done at the last. The blancmange was lumpy, and the strawberries not as ripe as they looked, having been skilfully “deaconed.”

“Well, they can eat beef and bread and butter, if they are hungry, only it's mortifying to have to spend your whole morning for nothing, ” thought Jo, as she rang the bell half an hour later than usual, and stood, hot, tired, and dispirited, surveying the feast spread before Laurie, accustomed to all sorts of elegance, and Miss Crocker, whose tattling tongue would report them far and wide.

Poor Jo would gladly have gone under the table, as one thing after another was tasted and left, while Amy giggled, Meg looked distressed, Miss Crocker pursed her lips, and Laurie talked and laughed with all his might to give a cheerful tone to the festive scene. Jo's one strong point was the fruit, for she had sugared it well, and had a pitcher of rich cream to eat with it. Her hot cheeks cooled a trifle, and she drew a long breath as the pretty glass plates went round, and everyone looked graciously at the little rosy islands floating in a sea of cream. Miss Crocker tasted first, made a wry face, and drank some water hastily. Jo, who refused, thinking there might not be enough, for they dwindled sadly after the picking over, glanced at Laurie, but he was eating away manfully, though there was a slight pucker about his mouth and he kept his eye fixed on his plate. Amy, who was fond of delicate fare, took a heaping spoonful, choked, hid her face in her napkin, and left the table precipitately.

“Oh, what is it? ” exclaimed Jo, trembling.

“Salt instead of sugar, and the cream is sour, ” replied Meg with a tragic gesture.

Jo uttered a groan and fell back in her chair, remembering that she had given a last hasty powdering to the berries out of one of the two boxes on the kitchen table, and had neglected to put the milk in the refrigerator. She turned scarlet and was on the verge of crying, when she met Laurie's eyes, which would look merry in spite of his heroic efforts. The comical side of the affair suddenly struck her, and she laughed till the tears ran down her cheeks. So did everyone else, even “Croaker”, as the girls called the old lady, and the unfortunate dinner ended gaily, with bread and butter, olives and fun.

“I haven't strength of mind enough to clear up now, so we will sober ourselves with a funeral, ” said Jo, as they rose, and Miss Crocker made ready to go, being eager to tell the new story at another friend's dinner table.

They did sober themselves for Beth's sake. Laurie dug a grave under the ferns in the grove, little Pip was laid in, with many tears by his tender-hearted mistress, and covered with moss, while a wreath of violets and chickweed was hung on the stone which bore his epitaph, composed by Jo while she struggled with the dinner.

Here lies Pip March,

Who died the 7th of June;

Loved and lamented sore,

And not forgotten soon.

At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Beth retired to her room, overcome with emotion and lobster; but there was no place of repose, for the beds were not made, and she found her grief much assuaged by beating up the pillows and putting things in order. Meg helped Jo clear away the remains of the feast, which took half the afternoon and left them so tired that they agreed to be contented with tea and toast for supper. Laurie took Amy to drive, which was a deed of charity, for the sour cream seemed to have had a bad effect upon her temper. Mrs. March came home to find the three older girls hard at work in the middle of the afternoon, and a glance at the closet gave her an idea of the success of one part of the experiment.

Before the housewives could rest, several people called, and there was a scramble to get ready to see them. Then tea must be got, errands done, and one or two necessary bits of sewing neglected until the last minute. As twilight fell, dewy and still, one by one they gathered on the porch where the June roses were budding beautifully, and each groaned or sighed as she sat down, as if tired or troubled.

“What a dreadful day this has been! ” began Jo, usually the first to speak.

“It has seemed shorter than usual, but so uncomfortable, ” said Meg.

“Not a bit like home, ” added Amy.

“It can't seem so without Marmee and little Pip, ” sighed Beth, glancing with full eyes at the empty cage above her head.

“Here's Mother, dear, and you shall have another bird tomorrow, if you want it.”

As she spoke, Mrs. March came and took her place among them,looking as if her holiday had not been much pleasanter than theirs.

“Are you satisfied with your experiment, girls, or do you want another week of it? ” she asked, as Beth nestled up to her and the rest turned toward her with brightening faces, as flowers turn toward the sun.

“I don't! ” cried Jo decidedly.

“Nor I, ” echoed the others.

“You think then, that it is better to have a few duties and live a little for others, do you? ”

“Lounging and larking doesn't pay, ” observed Jo, shaking her head.“I'm tired of it and mean to go to work at something right off.”

“Suppose you learn plain cooking. That's a useful accomplishment, which no woman should be without, ” said Mrs. March, laughing inaudibly at the recollection of Jo's dinner party, for she had met Miss Crocker and heard her account of it.

“Mother, did you go away and let everything be, just to see how we'd get on? ” cried Meg, who had had suspicions all day.

“Yes, I wanted you to see how the comfort of all depends on each doing her share faithfully. While Hannah and I did your work, you got on pretty well, though I don't think you were very happy or amiable. So I thought, as a little lesson, I would show you what happens when everyone thinks only of herself. Don't you feel that it is pleasanter to help one another, to have daily duties which make leisure sweet when it comes, and to bear and forbear, that home may be comfortable and lovely to us all? ”

“We do, Mother, we do! ” cried the girls.

“Then let me advise you to take up your little burdens again, for though they seem heavy sometimes, they are good for us, and lighten as we learn to carry them. Work is wholesome, and there is plenty for everyone. It keeps us from ennui and mischief, is good for health and spirits, and gives us a sense of power and independence better than money or fashion.”

“We'll work like bees, and love it too, see if we don't, ” said Jo. “I'll learn plain cooking for my holiday task, and the next dinner party I have shall be a success.”

“I'll make the set of shirts for father, instead of letting you do it, Marmee. I can and I will, though I'm not fond of sewing. That will be better than fussing over my own things, which are plenty nice enough as they are.” said Meg.

“I'll do my lessons every day, and not spend so much time with my music and dolls. I am a stupid thing, and ought to be studying, not playing, ”was Beth's resolution, while Amy followed their example by heroically declaring, “I shall learn to make buttonholes, and attend to my parts of speech.”

“Very good! Then I am quite satisfied with the experiment, and fancy that we shall not have to repeat it, only don't go to the other extreme and delve like slaves. Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty.”

“We'll remember, Mother! ” And they did.