13 A Telegram

CHAPTER 13 A Telegram The girls were in disagreeable moods on a dull November afternoon. Then Marmee arrived home and Laurie came over, cheering them a little. Laurie asked, "I'm taking Mr. Brooke home. Does anyone want to come for a ride?" Beth and Jo said they'd love to go.

第十三章一封电报在十一月一个沉闷的下午，姑娘们心情很不好。 后来妈妈回家了，罗瑞过来给他们打气。 劳里问：“我要送布鲁克先生回家。 有人想去兜风吗？”贝丝和乔说她们很想去。

"Is there anything I can do for you, Madam Mother?" Laurie asked Mrs. March. Before Marmee could answer, the doorbell rang and Hannah entered the living room with a puzzled look. She said, "It's one of those horrid telegraph things, ma'am." As Mrs. March quickly read it, her face turned white and she fell back into her chair. Laurie ran to get a glass of water as Jo read: "Mrs. March. Your husband is very ill. Come at once. S. Hale, Washington Hospital." Suddenly, the family's whole world had changed. The terrible news shocked everyone. Mrs. March held the girls tightly as she said, "I'll go at once, but it may already be too late!" Sounds of sobbing filled the room. The first to recover, Hannah sat up and said, "No more crying! I'll go get your things ready, ma'am."

“我能为您做些什么吗，妈妈夫人？”罗瑞问马奇太太。 妈妈还没来得及回答，门铃就响了，汉娜一脸困惑地走进客厅。 她说：“这是一种可怕的电报，夫人。” 马奇太太飞快地读着信，脸色变白，倒在椅子上。 罗瑞跑去拿杯水，琼读到：“乔太太。 3月。你丈夫病得很重。 马上来。S.黑尔，华盛顿医院。” 突然间，这个家庭的整个世界都变了。 这可怕的消息使大家震惊。 马奇太太紧紧地抱着两个女儿说：“我马上就去，但可能已经太迟了！”房间里充满了啜泣声。 汉娜第一个醒过来，她坐起来说：“别哭了！我去把您的东西准备好，夫人。”

Marmee said quietly, "She's right, girls. Let's be calm. I need to think." Each girl tried her hardest to be calm. Marmee was still pale, but stood steadily. She thought for a minute and then said, "Where's Laurie?" "Right here," he said, hurrying from the next room. "How can I help?" Marmee said, "Please send a telegram saying I will come at once. The next train to

妈妈平静地说：“她说得对，姑娘们。 让我们冷静下来。我需要思考。” 每个女孩都尽力保持镇静。 妈咪仍然脸色苍白，但却稳稳地站着。 她想了一会儿，然后说：“罗瑞在哪儿？”“就在这儿。”他说着，匆匆从隔壁房间出来。 “我能帮什么忙？”妈妈说：“请发个电报，说我马上就来。 下一班去

Washington leaves early in the morning." Laurie nodded. "Is there anything else? The horses are ready. I can go anywhere or do anything!" He looked ready to fly to the moon if it would help. Marmee replied, "Perhaps you could leave a note at Aunt March's? Jo, hand me a pen and paper." Jo did as she was asked. She felt terribly helpless knowing that the money for the train trip would have to be borrowed from Aunt March. She wished that she could add something of her own. With note in hand, Laurie rushed out the front door and down the street as if his life depended upon it. Soon, Marmee put the girls to work. Beth's job was to fetch old bottles of wine from Mr. Laurence for her father. The elderly gentleman came back with Beth, bringing everything he could

华盛顿一大早就走了。” 劳里点点头。“还有别的吗？” 马准备好了。我可以去任何地方，做任何事！”如果有帮助的话，他似乎准备飞向月球。 妈妈回答说：“也许你可以给马奇婶婶留个便条？” 乔，递给我纸笔。” 琼照办了。想到火车旅行的钱要向马奇姑妈借，她感到非常无助。 她希望自己也能说点什么。 劳里手里拿着纸条，冲出前门，沿街狂奔，仿佛这是他的命悬一线。 很快，妈妈让女孩们开始工作。 贝丝的工作是从劳伦斯先生那里为她父亲取几瓶旧酒。 老先生带着白丝回来了，带着他能带的所有东西

think of for an invalid. He even asked if he could accompany Mrs. March. Knowing that Mr. Laurence was not fit for the long journey, Marmee thanked him and said that she would be fine on her own—even if she didn't feel that way. No one gave it a second thought when Mr. Laurence bid them a hasty good-bye. That is, until Meg answered the door to find Mr. Brooke. "I've come to see if your mother will allow me to escort her to Washington," he said, lowering his lovely brown eyes. Meg smiled warmly. "How kind you are. It will be such a relief for my mother. Thank you so much." Laurie returned with the money from Aunt March. The girls kept as busy as possible under the awful circumstances. They all tried hard not to think about their father and held back their tears. As the afternoon

为一个病人着想。他甚至问他是否可以陪马奇太太。 妈咪知道劳伦斯先生不适合长途旅行，便向他道谢，并说她自己一个人会没事的——尽管她不这么觉得。 当劳伦斯先生匆匆向他们告别时，谁也没有多想。 直到麦格应门发现布鲁克先生。 “我来看看你母亲是否允许我护送她去华盛顿，”他说着，垂下了那双可爱的棕色眼睛。 梅格热情地笑了。“你真好。 这对我妈妈来说是一种解脱。 非常感谢。”劳里拿着马奇姑妈给的钱回来了。 在这种恶劣的环境下，女孩们尽可能地忙碌起来。 他们都努力不去想他们的父亲，强忍着眼泪。 下午的时候

wore on, Meg noticed that Jo was missing. She finally arrived, wearing a peculiar expression, then passed her mother a handful of bills, saying, "Here, that's my contribution." Marmee gasped, "Jo! Where did you get twenty-five dollars?" She answered, "Don't worry, Marmee. I earned it fair and square. I only sold what was mine." Then, Jo took off her hat to reveal that her long, wavy hair was cut short! Marmee cried, "Your hair! Your beautiful hair!" "I've sold it," said Jo. "It'll be good for me. I was becoming far too vain." Amy sighed, "It was your best feature! What made you do it?" She couldn't imagine such a sacrifice. "I was desperate to help Father. That was all I could do."

过了一会儿，麦格注意到琼不见了。 她终于到了，脸上带着一种奇怪的表情，然后递给母亲一把钞票，说：“给，这是我的捐款。” 妈妈喘着气说：“乔！你从哪儿弄来的25美元？”她回答说：“别担心，妈妈。 这是我应得的。 我只卖我的东西。” 然后，乔脱下帽子，露出她长长的卷发被剪短了！妈妈叫道：“你的头发！你美丽的头发！”“我把它卖了，”琼说。 “这对我有好处。我变得太自负了。” 艾米叹了口气，“这是你最好的特征！是什么让你这么做的？”她无法想象这样的牺牲。 “我不顾一切地想帮助父亲。 这就是我所能做的。”