11 Castles in the Air

CHAPTER 11 Castles in the Air Laurie was swinging in his hammock on a warm September day. He wondered what his neighbors were doing, but he was too lazy to find out. He hadn't finished his studies, frustrating Mr. Brooke. Instead, he had practiced the piano, upsetting his grandfather. Then Laurie had played a practical joke on one of the maids and got into an argument with the stableman.

第十一章空中楼阁九月里一个温暖的日子，劳里在吊床上荡来荡去。 他想知道他的邻居在做什么，但他懒得去了解。 他还没有完成学业，这让布鲁克很沮丧。 相反，他练习了钢琴，这让他的祖父很不高兴。 然后劳里对一个女仆开了个恶作剧，和马夫吵了起来。

Everyone in the house now seemed angry with him. Thankfully, he fell asleep, and a good nap improved his mood. The sound of voices woke him from a dream where he was having an adventure at sea. He opened his eyes to see the March sisters coming out of their house. They looked odd. Each wore a large hat and carried a shoulder pouch and a tall walking stick. They marched through the garden and up the hill toward the river. Laurie felt slighted that they hadn't invited him. He decided to follow them. He found the girls sitting in a shady nook. Meg was sewing, Amy was drawing pictures, Jo was knitting and reading aloud, and Beth was sorting pinecones. Laurie felt bad about spying, but he was so lonely that he approached them. "May I come in?" he asked. "Or will I

屋子里的每个人现在似乎都在生他的气。 谢天谢地，他睡着了，好好睡了一觉，心情也好了很多。 说话声把他从海上冒险的梦中惊醒。 他睁开眼睛，看见马奇姐妹正从房子里出来。 他们看起来很奇怪。每个人都戴着一顶大帽子，背着一个肩袋和一根高手杖。 他们穿过花园，向山上走去。 他们没有邀请劳里，劳里觉得受到了冷落。 他决定跟随他们。 他发现女孩们坐在阴凉的角落里。 梅格在缝衣服，艾美在画画，琼在织毛衣，大声朗读，贝思在整理松果。 劳里对监视感到不好意思，但他太孤独了，所以他走近了他们。 “我可以进来吗？”他问。 “还是我？”

bother you?" Meg lifted her eyebrows. Jo said, "Of course you can join us. I should have asked you to come, but I didn't know if you'd want to play our girls' games." "I'm sure it'll be fun, but if Meg wants me to go, I will." Meg said, "You may stay as long as you do something. This is our Busy Bee Society. It's against the rules to be idle here." "What should I do?" Jo handed him a book to read aloud while she knit the heel of her sock. When he finished, he asked, "What game are we playing?" Meg asked her sisters, "Should we tell him?" Amy warned, "He'll laugh!" Laurie said, "No, I won't. I promise." Jo explained how they had been trying all year to be good, productive girls. They'd

麻烦你?”梅格扬起眉毛。 乔说：“你当然可以加入我们。 我应该叫你来的，但我不知道你是否想玩我们的女孩游戏。” “我肯定会很有趣，但如果梅格想让我去，我就去。” 麦格说：“只要你做点什么，你就可以留下来。 这是我们的忙碌蜜蜂协会。 在这里无所事事是违反规定的。” “我该怎么办？”琼递给他一本书，让他一边大声朗读，一边织袜子后跟。 玩完后，他问：“我们在玩什么游戏？”麦格问她的姐妹们：“我们应该告诉他吗？”艾米警告说：“他会笑的！”劳里说：“不，我不会。 我保证。”乔解释说，她们一整年都在努力成为优秀、能干的女孩。 他们会

bring their work to this spot, where they felt inspired by the view of the wide, blue river, the green hills, and the silvery white clouds shining like the steeples of a city in the sky. For fun, they'd wear old hats and play pilgrims on the way. Jo sighed, "Wouldn't it be fun if all our 'castles in the air' came true?" Laurie said it would be hard for him to follow just one dream because he had so many different ones. "Which one is your favorite?" Jo asked. "I'll tell you mine if you all tell me yours!" They all agreed. Laurie said emphatically, "I'd live in Germany and become a famous musician. That's my 'castle.'" He turned to Meg. "Your turn." She stated, "I'd like to be mistress of a beautiful house and manage it very well."

把他们的作品带到这个地方，在那里，宽阔的蓝色河流、绿色的山丘和银白色的云，像天空中城市的尖塔一样闪闪发光，让他们感到灵感。 为了好玩，他们会戴着旧帽子，在路上扮演朝圣者。 乔叹了口气：“如果我们所有的‘空中楼阁’都成真了，那不是很有趣吗？”劳里说，对他来说，只追求一个梦想很难，因为他有很多不同的梦想。 “你最喜欢哪一个？”乔问。 “如果你们都告诉我你们的，我就告诉你们我的！”他们都同意了。 劳里强调说：“我会住在德国，成为一名著名的音乐家。 那是我的城堡。’”他转向麦格。 “你的。”她说：“我想做一所漂亮房子的女主人，把它管理得很好。”

Laurie teased, "With a wonderful husband?" Meg blushed. Jo said bluntly, "Your castle wouldn't be perfect without a good husband and little angels for children, and you know it!" Meg retorted, "Well, you'd have nothing but horses, pens and ink, and novels in yours!" Jo smiled. "Exactly! I'd write and become as famous from my stories as Laurie would be from his music." Beth quietly noted, "My dream is to stay home with Mother and Father and help take care of the family." Laurie asked, "Is that all?" "Yes," Beth said, "now that I've got my little piano, that's all I need." Amy piped up, "My dream is to move to Rome and become a great artist."

劳里揶揄道：“和一个很棒的丈夫？”梅格脸红了。 乔直截了当地说：“如果没有一个好丈夫和孩子们的小天使，你的城堡就不完美，你知道的！”梅格反驳道：“那你家里除了马、笔、墨水和小说什么也没有了！”乔笑了。 “完全正确!我写的故事让我出名，就像劳里的音乐让我出名一样。” 贝思平静地说：“我的梦想是呆在家里和爸爸妈妈在一起，帮助照顾家人。” 劳里问：“就这些吗？”“是的，”贝思说，“现在我有了我的小钢琴，这就是我所需要的。” 艾米尖声说：“我的梦想是搬到罗马，成为一名伟大的艺术家。”

Laurie said thoughtfully, "We're an ambitious group. Each wants to be rich and famous, except for Beth. I wonder if we'll all succeed." Jo said, "I've got the key to my castle, but whether I can unlock it is another story." "Me too," Laurie sighed. Amy held up her pencil. "And here's my key!" Meg said softly, "I haven't got any." Laurie responded, "Oh, yes you do. You have your pretty face." This caused Meg to blush again. "Wait and see," he said, "if it doesn't bring you something worthwhile." Jo suggested, "Let's meet here in ten years and see how well we've done." Everyone said this was indeed a fine plan. Laurie remarked thoughtfully, "I hope I've done something to be proud of by then, but I'm so lazy."

劳里若有所思地说：“我们是一个雄心勃勃的团队。 每个人都想发财成名，除了贝丝。 我想知道我们是否都能成功。” 乔说：“我有城堡的钥匙，但能否打开它就是另一回事了。” “我也是。”罗瑞叹了口气。艾米举起她的铅笔。 “这是我的钥匙！”麦格轻声说：“我没有。” 劳里回答说：“哦，你知道。 你有一张漂亮的脸。” 这使梅格又脸红了。 “等着瞧吧，”他说，“如果它不能给你带来什么有价值的东西。” 乔建议说：“我们十年后在这里见面，看看我们做得怎么样。” 大家都说这确实是个好计划。 劳里若有所思地说：“我希望到那时我已经做了一些值得骄傲的事情，但是我太懒了。”