022 家书

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Although the house felt empty and dismal after Mother left

虽然母亲离开后，家里显得空荡而阴沉，

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the girls did their best to remain positive and optimistic about matters, at least most of the time

但女孩们尽量对事情保持积极乐观，至少在大多数时候是这样。

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" If Aunt March makes one nasty remark to me today, I won't tolerate it,"

“如果马奇姑妈今天对我说一句难听的话，我可不会忍气吞声，”

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Jo grumbled as her hand automatically reached back to pull her long hair into a bun;

乔咕哝着，手不自觉地伸到脑后想把长发挽成发髻；

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when she remembered it wasn't there any more, she tugged at her short ends

当她想起头发已经没了时，便揪了揪短短的头发梢。

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" Jo, you must be on your best behavior today since Aunt March may be willing to help Father...," Meg remarked doubtfully

“乔，你今天一定要乖乖的，因为马奇姑妈可能会愿意帮父亲……”梅格半信半疑地说。

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" Aunt March never has and never will help our family until the day she dies," Jo snorted unkindly

“马奇姑妈从来就没帮过我们家，到她死也不会帮的，”乔刻薄地哼了一声。

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" Until who dies?" Beth inquired, walking toward her sisters with something steaming wrapped inside a kitchen towel

“谁死？”贝丝问道，用厨房毛巾包着什么冒热气的东西朝姐妹们走过来。

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Meg glanced sharply at Jo," Never mind, Beth. What have you got there?"

梅格狠狠地瞪了乔一眼，“别管了，贝丝。你拿的是什么？”

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" I thought you might need these," Beth said shyly, as she unwrapped two round ( and slightly burnt ) buns

“我想你们可能需要这个，”贝丝害羞地说，一边打开毛巾，露出两个圆形（还有点烤焦了的）小圆面包。

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" I baked them with old flour as Mother does, but they're not as nice as hers."

“我像妈妈那样用旧面粉烤的，但没有妈妈做得好吃。”

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Not only did the buns warm their hands, but Beth's kindness warmed their hearts even more

小圆面包不仅温暖了她们的双手，贝丝的善意更温暖了她们的心。

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" Thank you, darling," said Meg, gently hugging her close

“谢谢你，亲爱的。”梅格说着，温柔地把她搂入怀中。

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Meg and Jo left the house and as they were about to turn the corner, they looked back as they always did

梅格和乔离开家，正要拐过街角时，她们像往常一样回头望去。

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This time, instead of Mother, Beth stood at the window waving at her sisters

这一次，站在窗口向姐姐们挥手的不是妈妈，而是贝丝。

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" Sweet girl didn't forget," Jo said, wiping a tear from her eye

“好姑娘没忘记。”乔说到，擦了擦眼角的泪水。

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With lighter hearts and steps, the two March sisters proceeded to make their way to work

马奇家的两姐妹继续赶去上班，脚步和心情都轻快了许多。

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The March sisters promised Mother they would write as often as possible to keep her up-to-date on their lives at home

马奇家的姐妹们答应妈妈，会尽量经常写信，让她了解家里的近况。

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For Meg, the best time for her to collect her thoughts was after dinner

对梅格来说，整理思绪的最佳时间是晚饭后。

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My Dearest Mother

我最亲爱的妈妈，

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How happy we were to receive your last letter and to find it containing such good news

收到你上次的来信，发现里面有好消息，我们多么高兴啊，

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that even Laurie shed a tear or two, though he insists something went into his eye

连劳里都掉了一两滴眼泪，尽管他坚持说是眼睛进了什么东西。

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We are so pleased that Father is recovering from his illness with your support and nursing skills to help him. Please send our love to him

父亲在你的支持和悉心照料下正在康复，我们真欣慰。请代我们向他问好。

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The girls are behaving beautifully and cooperating with us so that everything is in order and well taken care of

姑娘们表现得非常好，也很配合我们，一切都井井有条，被照顾得很好。

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Last night Amy decided she wanted to join the army when she was old enough

昨晚艾米决定，等她够年龄了就去参军，

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but this morning she changed her mind and said she would be a better help for the community as a teacher or instructor of some sort

但今天早上她又改主意了，说她当个教师什么的能更好地服务社区。

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Jo unkindly laughed and the two of them exchanged heated words but they made up immediately and are now back to being friends

乔不客气地笑了，两人激烈地吵了几句，但很快就和好了，现在又成了朋友。

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Beth hasn't been practicing the piano as often or as regularly because she feels that more important matters need her attention

贝丝最近不常定时练琴了，因为她觉得有更重要的事情需要她操心，

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and it would be disloyal of her to do what she wants when everyone else is making personal sacrifices

在别人都做出个人牺牲的时候，只顾做自己想做的事，会显得很不忠诚。

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We told her that you and Father both would want her to spend time for herself

我们告诉她，你和父亲都会希望她为自己花点时间，

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but Beth feels that as long as you are away she must take on extra duties to make sure everything runs right

但贝丝觉得只要您不在，她就必须承担额外的职责，确保一切顺利。

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Dearest Mother, we are so grateful to Mr. Brookes, who has been a great strength to you during this time

最亲爱的母亲，我们非常感谢布鲁克斯先生，在这段时间里他给了您很大的力量。

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Please extend our greetings and best wishes to him as well and tell him that we are eternally in his debt

也请转达我们的问候和最美好的祝愿，并告诉他我们永远感激他。

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We love you very much and anxiously await your return

我们非常爱您，焦急地等待您的归来。

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Your loving daughter, Meg

您亲爱的女儿，梅格

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Since Jo was accustomed to waking early to write, she used that time to compose letters to Mother instead

因为乔习惯早起写作，她就利用那段时间给母亲写信。

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To My Precious Mother

致我亲爱的母亲，

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I always knew Father was a brave fighter and each day he will grow stronger and healthier with your support and love

我一直知道父亲是个勇敢的战士，在您的支持和关爱下，他会一天天变得更加健壮和健康。

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We are very lonely without you, Mother, but I must say, the girls have been perfect angels

母亲，没有您我们很孤单，但我必须说，女孩们都是完美的天使。

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Meg watches over us like a mother hen ( that's her new nickname, though I don't think she cares for it much )

梅格像母鸡一样照看我们（那是她的新绰号，不过我觉得她不太喜欢），

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so Beth, Amy, and I, like meek chicks, obey her every word

所以贝丝、艾米和我，像温顺的小鸡一样，对她言听计从。

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Yesterday I nearly ended my friendship with Laurie because basically he called me a liar

昨天我差点和劳里绝交，因为他基本上就是说我是个骗子

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( though he didn't use those words exactly, it was what he implied )

（虽然他没用这个词，但他就是这个意思）。

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He said I agreed to go somewhere with him and I told him I did no such thing

他说我答应和他去个地方，我说我根本没答应过。

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Then we said some harsh words to each other and stomped off angrily

然后我们说了些难听的话，气冲冲地跺着脚走开了。

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Then I remembered what you said about controlling my temper and I felt bad so I decided to apologize to Laurie, even though I still think I am right

这时我想起你说的要控制脾气，心里就不好受了，所以决定向劳里道歉，尽管我仍然觉得自己是对的。

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But there he was, standing in front of our door, looking like a lost puppy

可他就站在我家门口，看起来像只迷路的小狗。

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We both said sorry and are now best friends once again

我们都道了歉，现在又是最好的朋友了。

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I'm getting accustomed to my new hair and others seem to be as well

我渐渐习惯了我的新发型，别人似乎也习惯了。

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I even heard old Mrs. Kemper say that the boyish cut suits me and I took it as a compliment

我甚至听到肯珀老太太说，这男孩样的短发很适合我，我就当是夸奖了。

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Give my love to Father and greetings to Mr. Brookes

替我向爸爸致以爱意，并向布鲁克斯先生问好。

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All my love to you, Mother, until I write again

把我全部的爱都献给您，妈妈，等我下次再写信来。

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Yours forever, Jo

永远爱您的，乔

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The two younger sisters wrote their letters whenever they felt like it, so theirs were shorter and more frequent than Meg's and Jo's

两个妹妹想写就写，所以她们的信比梅格和乔的更短也更频繁。

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Dear Mother

亲爱的妈妈：

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I am sending some pressed pansies from the garden, as I am hoping that it will remind Father of home

随信附上一些园子里压好的三色堇，希望这能让爸爸想起家来。

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I have also included a short note from the Hummels, though I wrote down what Mrs. Hummel said since her English is still quite poor

我还附上了一封胡梅尔家的短信，不过是我代笔的，因为胡梅尔太太的英语还很不好。

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The children all seem to be well. They miss you almost as much as I do

孩子们似乎都很好。他们想念您的程度，几乎和我一样多。

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Please give Father a kiss from his Beth

请替我，他的贝丝，给爸爸一个吻。

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I love you, Mother dearest. Little Beth

我爱您，最亲爱的妈妈。小贝丝

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My Loving Mother, You will be happy to know that I am doing my lessons faithfully

我亲爱的妈妈，您知道了一定会高兴的，我正认真地做着功课。

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Jo was so cross with me the other day because I forgot ( I really did ) to write my essay

乔前一天对我很恼火，因为我忘了（我真的忘了）写我的作文。

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But today she seemed pleased with what I showed her. I'm back with oils now

但今天她看到我给她看的东西时，似乎挺满意的。我现在又画起油画来了。

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I find that clay doesn't allow me to express my emotions as clearly as oils do

我发现黏土不像油画那样，能让我清晰地表达我的情感。

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I've inserted a picture I completed just this morning

我插了一张画，是今天早上刚完成的。

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Please tell Father it is drawn with love

请告诉爸爸，这幅画是带着爱画的。

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I am thinking about cutting my hair like Jo's

我在考虑像乔那样把头发剪短。

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I rather like that carefree style and feel that it would go well with my natural curls. What do you think, Mother?

我挺喜欢那种随性风格，感觉会和我的天生卷发很配。您觉得呢，妈妈？

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Mr. Laurence visits us daily and every other day we are invited to dine at the mansion

劳伦斯先生每天都会来看我们，而且每隔一天，我们就会被邀请到大宅去吃饭。

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His cook has excellent taste and prepares for us cuisine from the continent ( which is Europe, in case you didn't know )

他的厨师品味极佳，会为我们准备来自大陆（也就是欧洲，怕您不知道）的佳肴。

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Just the other day she prepared a French meal for us

就在前几天，她还为我们做了一顿法餐。

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Mother, it was heaven. One day I must go over and learn her art

妈妈，那简直是人间天堂。改天我一定要去跟她学学这门手艺。

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Oh, it sounds like Jo is back home

哦，听着像是乔回家了。

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I'd better get back to my lessons or else..

我最好还是回去做功课，不然…

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Please give my love to Father

请把我的爱带给爸爸。

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Affectionately, Amy

爱您的，艾米

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Whenever or wherever the girls wrote their letters was up to them

姑娘们不论何时何地写信，都由她们自己决定。

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When they received a letter from Mother, however, the sisters gathered closely together to listen and find comfort in Mother's loving words

然而，当收到妈妈的来信时，姐妹们总会紧紧聚在一起聆听，从妈妈充满爱意的话语中寻求慰藉，

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which helped them to have hope, joy, and faith for the future

这些话语帮助她们对未来抱有希望、快乐和信念。