14 Hope and Faith

CHAPTER 14 Hope and Faith No one said much the next morning as they rose earlier than usual to a cold, gray day. They ate a quiet breakfast together. Their faces were grave as they waited for the carriage to take their mother to the station. Instructing the girls not to worry, Mrs. March told them to have hope and keep busy. All four took her advice to heart. They hugged Marmee close one last time before she and

第十四章希望与信念第二天早晨，大家都没说什么话，因为这是一个阴冷的天，大家起得比平常早。 他们一起安静地吃了早餐。 他们在等马车把母亲送到车站时，脸上都是严肃的表情。 马奇太太教导姑娘们不要担心，她告诉她们要抱有希望，保持忙碌。 四个人都把她的建议牢记在心。 他们最后一次紧紧拥抱妈妈，然后她就离开了

Mr. Brooke rode away. When the carriage was quite out of view, the girls went back inside the house, remembering their new motto: "Hope and Keep Busy." Jo and Meg returned to work. Amy and Beth stayed home to help Hannah. They found relief in their routine. News about their father was also a great comfort. Mr. Brooke sent a bulletin each day—and it seemed Father was truly getting better. The days flew by as fat letters were exchanged between their home and the hospital in Washington. The letters became a wonderful lifeline during this difficult time. Ten days had passed since Marmee left for Washington. While the girls were working hard to "hope and keep busy," they also took

布鲁克先生骑马走了。等马车完全看不见了，姑娘们回到屋里，想起了她们的新座右铭：“希望，保持忙碌。” 琼和麦格回去工作了。 艾米和贝思留在家里帮助汉娜。 他们在日常生活中找到了解脱。 关于他们父亲的消息也是一个很大的安慰。 布鲁克先生每天都发来一份简报——父亲似乎真的好起来了。 日子一天天过去，他们的家和华盛顿的医院之间频繁地往来着信件。 在这艰难的时刻，这些信成了我的救命稻草。 妈妈去华盛顿已经十天了。 当女孩们努力工作“希望和保持忙碌”的时候，她们也拿走了

many breaks. That morning, Beth reminded Meg and Jo to go to the Hummels, for Mrs. March had asked them to look after the unfortunate family in her absence. Meg was too tired to go, and Jo was home from Aunt March's nursing a cold. Jo said, "Why don't you go, Beth? The walk would do you good." Beth replied, "My head aches and I'm very tired. I thought one of you would go today." Meg suggested they wait for Amy, but she didn't come home. The older girls promptly forgot about the Hummels, so Beth quietly went out in the chilly air. No one noticed when she got home, either, for she simply walked upstairs to her mother's room and shut herself inside. Jo came into the room and found her little sister looking terrible with red eyes. She exclaimed, "Christopher Columbus! What's

许多优惠。那天早上，白丝提醒麦格和琼去胡梅尔家，因为马奇太太让她们在她不在的时候照看这个不幸的家庭。 麦格太累了，不想去，而琼刚从马奇姑妈那儿回来，感冒了。 琼说：“白丝，你为什么不去呢？ 散散步对你有好处。” 贝丝回答说：“我头疼，而且我很累。 我还以为今天你们中的一个会去呢。” 麦格建议他们等着艾米，但她没有回家。 大一点的姑娘们很快就把胡梅尔一家的事给忘了，于是贝思在寒冷的空气中悄悄地走了出去。 当她回到家时，也没有人注意到，因为她只是上楼到她母亲的房间，把自己关在里面。 琼走进房间，发现她的小妹妹红着眼睛，脸色很难看。 她叫道：“克里斯托弗·哥伦布！是什么

the matter?" Before Jo could come closer, Beth held out her hand and asked, "You've had scarlet fever, haven't you?" Jo responded, "Yes. When Meg did. We were babies. Why?" Through sobs, Beth told Jo that the Hummels' baby had died in her lap. The doctor had said it was scarlet fever, and told Beth to go right home and take the medicine because she also might get ill. Jo hugged her sister close. "No, you can't be. If you get sick, I'll never forgive myself." She felt Beth's forehead and said, "Oh Beth! I'm so afraid you will get sick. You've been over there every day this week." Jo paused for a minute to gather Beth's hands in her own. "We need to call Hannah. She'll know what to do." Hannah told Jo to get the doctor right

此事?”琼还没来得及走近，贝思就伸出手问：“你得过猩红热，是吗？”乔回答说：“是的。 当梅格这样做的时候。我们都是婴儿。 为什么?”白丝啜泣着告诉乔，胡梅尔家的孩子死在了她的腿上。 医生说那是猩红热，并告诉贝丝马上回家吃药，因为她也可能会生病。 琼紧紧地拥抱着妹妹。 “不，你不可能。如果你生病了，我永远不会原谅自己。” 她摸着贝思的额头说：“哦，贝思！我真担心你会生病。 这个星期你每天都在那儿。” 琼停了一会儿，把白丝的手握在自己的手里。 “我们得给汉娜打电话。她知道该怎么做。” 汉娜告诉琼去找个好医生

away. Dr. Bangs came and said that Beth definitely had symptoms of the fever, though it would be a mild case. Everyone decided that Amy, who'd never had the illness, should move in with Aunt March. But it was only after a promise of daily visits from Laurie that Amy agreed to go. Jo would stay home and nurse Beth, because Amy could now attend to their aunt. Amy almost burst into tears in Aunt March's parlor until Laurie pulled Polly the Parrot's tail and made her laugh. Once alone, she reflected, "I don't think I can bear it, but I'll try."

走了。邦斯医生来了，说贝丝确实有发烧的症状，虽然病情很轻。 大家都认为从未得过这种病的艾米应该搬去和马奇姑妈住在一起。 但在劳里答应每天来看望她之后，艾美才同意去。 琼将留在家里照顾白丝，因为艾美现在可以照顾她们的姑妈了。 艾米在马奇姑妈的客厅里几乎要哭出来了，直到罗瑞拉着鹦鹉波莉的尾巴逗她笑。 有一次独自一人，她想：“我想我忍受不了，但我要试试。”