牛津書蟲系列 小婦人 中英雙語 13

13 Laurie makes trouble and Jo makes peace

13 羅瑞惹麻煩瓊平息事端

Laurie quickly realized that Jo was keeping a secret which she refused to tell him,but he guessed the secret was about Meg and Mr Brooke, and was annoyed that his tutor had said nothing.He began to make some private plans of his own.

羅瑞很快意識到，瓊有秘密在瞞著他，她拒絕向他透露，可他猜想那秘密是關(guān)于麥格和布魯克先生的。他也因老師什么都不說而感到有些生氣。他開始制定他自己的計(jì)劃。

Meg,meanwhile,was busy getting things ready for her father's return, but a change suddenly seemed to come over her.For a day or two,she jumped when she was spoken to,and there was a worried look on her face.

與此同時(shí)，麥格忙著為父親的歸來做準(zhǔn)備，可是她似乎突然有了某種變化。有一兩天，一有人跟她說話她就跳起來，臉上帶著焦慮的神色。

Then a letter arrived for her, and a few minutes later Mrs March and Jo saw Meg staring at it with a frightened face.'My child,what is it?'said Mrs March.

然后有封給她的信，幾分鐘以后馬奇太太和瓊看見麥格眼盯著那封信，面露懼色。“我的孩子，那是什么?”馬奇太太問。

'It's a mistake-he didn't send it.Jo, how could you do it?'Meg hid her face in her hands and cried.

“是個(gè)誤會——他沒發(fā)那封信。瓊，你怎么能那樣做?”麥格用手捂住臉哭了。

'Me?I've done nothing,'said Jo.'What's she talking about?'

“我?我什么也沒做呀，”瓊說，“她在說什么?”

Meg pulled another letter from her pocket and threw it at Jo.'You wrote it, and that bad boy helped you. How could you be so cruel and mean to us both?'

麥格從她口袋里抽出另一封信扔給瓊。“是你寫的，那個(gè)壞男孩幫了你。你們怎么能這么無情，對我們倆這么壞?”

Jo and her mother read the letter which had been in Meg's pocket.

瓊和母親讀了那封裝在麥格口袋里的信。

My dearest Meg,I can no longer hide my love for you,and must know your answer before I return.I cannot tellyour parents yet, but I think they will agree if they know that we love one another.Mr Laurence will help me find a good job,and then, my sweet girl, you will make me happy.Say nothing to your family yet, but send a word of hope tome through Laurie.Your loving John.

我最親愛的麥格，我再也不能隱瞞對你的愛，在我回來之前我一定要得到你的答覆。我還不能告訴你的父母，可我想如果他們知道我們相愛的話他們是會同意的。勞倫斯先生會幫我找一份好工作，然后，我心愛的姑娘，你會讓我幸福的。先不要對你父母講，但通過羅瑞給我一句希望的話吧。愛你的約翰。

'That terrible boy!'said Jo.'I'll make him sorry.'

“那個(gè)可惡的男孩!”瓊說，“我會讓他后悔的。”

But her mother said,'Wait,Jo.Are you sure this is nothing to do with you?'

可她母親說：“等等，瓊。你肯定這事與你無關(guān)嗎?”

'I never saw the letter before!'said Jo.'But Mr Brooke wouldn't write stupid things like that.'

“我以前從來也沒見過這封信!”瓊說。“可布魯克先生不會說像這樣的蠢話。”

'It's like his writing,'said Meg unhappily, looking at the second letter in her hand.

“這像他的筆跡，”麥格看著她手上的第二封信。”

'Oh,Meg,you didn't answer it?'said Mrs March.

“噢，麥格，你沒回這封信吧?”馬奇太太問。

'Yes,I did!'cried Meg,hiding her face again.

“不，我回了!”麥格哭著說，又把頭埋進(jìn)雙手里。

'Let me get that wicked boy!'shouted Jo.

“讓我抓住那個(gè)壞男孩!”瓊大喊。

Mrs March sat beside Meg.'Tell me everything.'

馬奇太太坐在麥格耳邊：“把一切都告訴我。”

'Laurie brought the first letter,'said Meg. 'He didn't seem to know anything about it. I was going to tell you, but I remembered how you liked Mr Brooke and thought it would be all right to keep my little secret for a while.Now I can never look him in the face again.'

“羅瑞帶來了第一封信，”麥格說，“他看上去什么都不知道。我本來想告訴你，可我記得你是那么喜歡布魯克先生，就想，讓我自己把這個(gè)小秘密保守一段時(shí)間也沒關(guān)系?，F(xiàn)在我再也不能面對他了。”

'What did you write to him?'asked Mrs March.

“你給他寫了什么?”馬奇太太問。

'I only said that I was too young to do anything,and that I didn't wish to have secrets from you so he must speak to Father.I thanked him for his kindness and said I would be his friend,but nothing more,for a long time.'Mrs March smiled and looked pleased.

“我說我太年輕了，什么都不能做。我說我不希望對你保守秘密，所以他必須要對爸爸講。我感謝他的好意，說我會成為他的朋友，但在很長時(shí)期內(nèi)不會有更進(jìn)一步的關(guān)系。”馬奇太太笑了，看上去很高興。

Jo laughed.'What did he reply to that?'

瓊笑了。“他怎么答覆的?”

'He writes here that he never sent any love letter, and is sorry that my sister Jo should play games with us like this,'said Meg.'It's a very kind letter, but imagine how awful I feel.'

“他在這兒寫道，他從沒發(fā)過什么情書，說他因?yàn)槲颐妹铆倢ξ覀儌z做游戲感到很遺憾，”麥格說，“這是一封好心的信，可想想看我感覺有多糟糕。”

'I don't believe Brooke saw either of those letters,'said Jo.'Laurie wrote them both and he's keeping yours because I won't tell him my secret.'

“我不相信布魯克先生看見過這兩封信的任何一封，”瓊說。“兩封都是羅瑞寫的，他把你的信留下了，因?yàn)槲也桓嬖V他我的秘密。”

'Go and fetch Laurie,Jo,'said Mrs March.'I'll put a stop to all this at once.'

“去把羅瑞找來，瓊，”馬奇太太說，“我要這一切立刻停下來。”

Away ran Jo,and Mrs March gently told Meg Mr Brooke's real feelings.'Now,dear, do you love him enough to wait until he can make a home for you?'

瓊跑了，馬奇太太輕柔地給麥格講了布魯克先生的真實(shí)感覺。“現(xiàn)在，親愛的，你愛他足以到愿意等他給你建個(gè)家嗎?”

'I'm frightened and worried,'answered Meg.'I don't want anything to do with love for a long time-perhaps never.If John doesn't know about all this, don't tell him, and please make Jo and Laurie keep quiet.'

“我又害怕又擔(dān)心，”麥格答道。“我在很長時(shí)間內(nèi)也不想讓任何事與愛有關(guān)——也許永遠(yuǎn)不想。如果約翰不知道這些，就別告訴他，請讓瓊和羅瑞也別說出去。”

Mrs March tried to calm her daughter, but as soon as Meg heard Laurie coming back with Jo, she ran out of the room,and Mrs March saw the boy alone. When Laurie saw Mrs March's angry face,he guessed the reason.Jo waited outside the room as,inside,the voices rose and fell for half an hour.But the girls never knew what was said.

馬奇太太盡力安慰女兒，可當(dāng)麥格一聽到羅瑞正和瓊回來，她就跑出了房間，馬奇太太單獨(dú)見了那男孩。羅瑞一看到馬奇太太憤怒的面容，他就猜到了原因。瓊在房間外面等著，只聽里面的聲音高一聲低一聲地持續(xù)了半個(gè)小時(shí)?？膳儾⒉恢蓝颊f了些什么。

When they were called in,Laurie apologized to Meg,and told her that Mr Brooke knew nothing about either of the two letters.'Please forgive me,Meg,'he said.

當(dāng)她們被叫進(jìn)去以后，羅瑞向麥格道了歉，告訴她布魯克先生根本不知道那兩封信的事。“請饒恕我，麥格，”他說。

'I'll try,'said Meg,'but I didn't think you could be so unkind.'

“我會試試，”麥格說，“可我沒想到你會那么不友好。”

Laurie looked so sorry that Jo wanted to forgive him straight away,but she said nothing and refused even to look at him.When he went away,looking hurt and unhappy,Jo wished she had been more forgiving.She could never stay angry for long,so after a while she hurried over to the big house,taking with her as an excuse one of Mr Laurence's books that she had borrowed.

羅瑞看上去非常后悔，瓊很想直接就饒恕他，可她什么話也沒說，甚至拒絕看他。當(dāng)他離開時(shí)，他看上去受到了傷害，并且非常不開心，瓊希望自己更仁慈一些。她從來不會生很長時(shí)間的氣，于是過了會兒她就借口借過勞倫斯先生一本書，急匆匆趕到那座大房子里去。

'Is Mr Laurence in?'Jo asked a servant.

“勞倫斯先生在嗎?”瓊問一個(gè)仆人道。

'Yes,miss, but you can't see him,'said the servant.'Why?Is he ill?'said Jo.

“是的，小姐，可你不能見他，”仆人說。“為什么?他病了嗎?”瓊說。

'No,miss,but he's been arguing with Mr Laurie.''Where's Laurie?'said Jo.

“不是，小姐，可他剛跟羅瑞生過氣。”“羅瑞在哪兒?”瓊問。

'He's shut in his room,and he won't come out.''I'll go and see what's the matter,'said Jo.'I'm not afraid of either of them.'

“他關(guān)在自己房間里不出來。”“我要去看看是怎么回事，”瓊說，“他們倆我誰也不怕。”

She went upstairs and knocked on Laurie's door.

他走上樓敲了敲羅瑞的門。

'Stop that!' shouted Laurie.

“別敲了!”羅瑞喊道。

Jo immediately knocked again and the door flew open.She stepped inside before Laurie could stop her.'I've come to say that I forgive you,'she said,'and I won't stay angry with you.'

瓊馬上又敲，門一下子開了。沒等羅瑞制止她，她就邁進(jìn)了房間。“我來向你說我原諒你了，”她說，“我不生你的氣了。”

'Oh,'said Laurie.'Thank you.'

“噢，”羅瑞說。“謝謝你。”

'What's wrong?'she said, seeing his unhappy face.'I wouldn't tell Grandfather why your mother wanted to see me, because I promised her not to tell anyone,' he said.'But then Grandfather tried to shake the truth out of me,so I came up here and shut myself in.' “怎么了?”她問。她發(fā)覺了他不高興的神色。“我不告訴祖父你母親為什么叫我去，因?yàn)槲掖饝?yīng)她不告訴任何人，”他說，“可是祖父搖晃我，非要知道真相不可，我就跑上來把自己關(guān)起來了。”

'I expect he's sorry he did that,'said Jo.'Go down and say you're sorry.I'll help you.'

“我想他后悔那么干了，”瓊說。“下樓去說你很抱歉。我會幫你的。”

'No,I won't!'said Laurie angrily.'I was sorry about Meg,and I asked her to forgive me,but I won't do it again when I'm not the one who is wrong.He ought to believe me when I say I can't tell him something.I don't like being shaken like that,and I won't go down until he apologizes.'

“不，我不!”羅瑞生氣地說，“我的確對麥格很抱歉，我請她饒恕我，可如果不是我做錯(cuò)了事，我就不會再道歉。當(dāng)我告訴他我不能說出一些事時(shí)他應(yīng)該相信我。我不喜歡被那樣搖晃，如果他不道歉我就不下樓。”

'Listen,if I get your grandfather to apologize for shaking you,will you go down?'said Jo.

“聽著，如果我讓你祖父為搖晃了你而道歉，你會下樓嗎?”瓊問道。

'Yes, but you won't do it,'answered Laurie.

“是的，可你做不到，”羅瑞答道。

'If I can manage the young one,then I can manage the old one,'Jo said to herself as she went downstairs.

“如果我能制服小的，我就能制服老的，”下樓的時(shí)候瓊自言自語。

'Come in!'said Mr Laurence, when she knocked on his door.

“進(jìn)來!”當(dāng)她敲門時(shí)，勞倫斯先生說。

'It's me, sir,' said Jo.'I'm returning a book.''Do you want any more?'said the old man, looking annoyed but trying not to show it.

“是我，先生，”瓊說，“我來還一本書。”“你還要嗎?”老先生說，他看上去有些生氣，但盡力不顯露出來。

'Yes,please,'said Jo.And she pretended to look for an-other book while Mr Laurence stared at her crossly.

“是的，”瓊說。當(dāng)勞倫斯先生生氣地盯著她時(shí)她假裝在找另一本書。

'What's that boy been doing?'he asked suddenly.'He won't tell me.'

“那孩子干了什么?”他突然問。“他不告訴我。”

'He did do something wrong and we forgave him,'said Jo,'but we all promised not to say a word to anyone.''He must not hide behind a promise from you soft-hearted girls,'said the old gentleman.'Tell me,Jo.'

“他確實(shí)做了件錯(cuò)事，我們原諒了他，”瓊說，“可我們都發(fā)誓不把這件事對任何人講。”“他不能因?yàn)榇饝?yīng)了你們這些心軟的女孩子而隱瞞真相，”老先生說。“告訴我，瓊。”

'I can't,sir, because Mother has ordered me not to,'said Jo.'And if I tell you,it will make trouble for someone else,not Laurie.'

“我不能，先生，因?yàn)閶寢屆钗也粶?zhǔn)說，”瓊說。“如果我告訴了你，就會給別的人帶來麻煩，而不是羅瑞。”

This seemed to calm the old man.'Then I'll forgive him,'he said after a moment.'He's a difficult boy and hard to manage,you know.'

這話看起來讓老人放心了。“那我就原諒他，”他過了片刻說道，“他是個(gè)很難纏的孩子，很難駕馭，你知道的。”

'So am I,'said Jo,'but a kind word always helps.'

“我也是，”瓊說。“可一句好話總是會有幫助的。”

'You think I'm not kind to him?'he said sharply.

“你認(rèn)為我對他不好嗎?”他尖刻地說。

'Too kind,very often,'said Jo,a little afraid,'but just a bit quick to be angry with him sometimes.'

“常常是太好了，”瓊說，她有點(diǎn)害怕，“可有時(shí)太容易跟他生氣。”

The old gentleman looked a little ashamed.'You're right, I am.Although I love the boy, I find it hard to be patient with him sometimes.Bring him down and tell him it's all right. I'm sorry I shook him.'

老先生看上去有點(diǎn)羞愧。“你是對的。我是那樣。雖然我愛那孩子，可有時(shí)我發(fā)現(xiàn)很難對他有耐心。把他帶下來，告訴他沒事了，我很抱歉搖晃了他。”

'Why not write him an apology,sir?'said Jo.'He says he won't come down until he's got one.'

“為什么不給他寫個(gè)條子道歉呢，先生?”瓊說。“他說只有收到了道歉信他才會下來。”

Mr Laurence gave her another sharp look,but then smiled and put on his glasses.'Here, give me a bit of paper,' he said.

勞倫斯先生又尖刻地看了她一眼，可然后就笑了，戴上了他的眼鏡。“來，給我張紙，”他說。

The words were written and Jo kissed the old man's cheek.Then she went upstairs and put the letter under Laurie's door.But he came out before she was gone.

紙條寫好了，瓊吻了老人的臉頰，然后她跑上樓把信放到羅瑞的門下?？伤€沒等她走開就出來了。

'Well done,Jo,'he said.'Did he shout at you?'

“干得好，瓊，”他說。“他對你叫嚷了嗎?”

'No,he was quite calm,'said Jo.'Now, go and eat your dinner.You'll both feel better after it.'“不，他很平靜，”瓊說。“現(xiàn)在去吃飯吧。然后你們倆都會感覺好些。”

Everyone thought the matter was ended,but although others forgot it,Meg remembered.She never talked about Laurie's tutor but she thought of him often and dreamed her dreams.And once,when Jo was looking for something in her sister's desk,she found a bit of paper with'Mrs John Brooke written on it over and over again.

每個(gè)人都認(rèn)為這件事情已經(jīng)結(jié)束了，可雖然其他人都忘了，麥格還記得。她從不談起羅瑞的老師，可她常想起他，做她自己的夢。有一次，瓊到她姐姐桌子里找東西，她發(fā)現(xiàn)一小張紙上一遍一遍地寫著“約翰·布魯克太太”。

'Oh, dear!'said Jo.

“噢，天哪!”瓊說。