028 劳里的恶作剧

旁白 neutral

When Beth opened her eyes her first thought was that she had died and gone to heaven

贝丝睁开眼时，第一个念头就是自己已经死去，升入了天堂。

旁白 neutral

Then she decided she was still dreaming because Mother was standing over her, smiling and calling her name

接着她觉得仍在梦中，因为母亲正俯身看着她，微笑着呼唤她的名字。

旁白 neutral

" No, it can't be real," Beth said to herself

“不，这不可能是真的。”贝丝心想。

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" Mother is with Father. She can't be here with me."

“妈妈和爸爸在一起呢。她不可能在这里陪我。”

旁白 neutral

" Hello, my darling girl," Mother said, stroking her cheek

“你好，我亲爱的女儿。”母亲抚摸着她的脸颊说。

旁白 neutral

Beth tried to speak but didn't have the strength to move her lips, so instead she made a tiny sound in her throat

贝丝想说话，却没力气动嘴唇，只是在喉咙里发出一丝微弱的声音。

旁白 neutral

" I'm here, Beth," Mother said," and so is Jo. She's never left your bedside."

“我在这儿呢，贝丝，”母亲说，“乔也在。她一直没离开过你的床边。”

旁白 neutral

Seeing Jo's weary face, Beth knew she was no longer dreaming

看到乔疲惫的脸庞，贝丝知道这不再是梦了。

旁白 neutral

Holding out a weak hand to Jo, Beth parted her lips and whispered her sister's name

贝丝向乔伸出无力的手，双唇微启，轻声唤着姐姐的名字。

旁白 neutral

Grasping her hand, Jo fell to her knees and cried tears of joy and relief

乔一把抓住她的手，跪倒在地，流下了喜悦与宽慰的泪水。

旁白 neutral

News of Beth's recovery certainly brightened everyone's day

贝丝康复的消息无疑让每个人心情都明朗起来。

旁白 neutral

Jo, in particular, found herself smiling for no reason and doing out-of-the-ordinary things like singing aloud

特别是乔，她发现自己会无缘无故地微笑，还做些不寻常的事，比如大声唱歌。

旁白 neutral

" When should we get Amy?" Meg asked as she and Jo helped Hannah prepare dinner that evening

“我们什么时候去接艾米？”那天晚上，梅格一边和乔帮汉娜准备晚饭，一边问道。

旁白 neutral

Meg seemed to be in an unusually cheerful mood herself, with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes that gave her face a glow

梅格自己似乎也异常愉快，双颊绯红，眼睛发亮，整张脸都焕发光彩。

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" I'll go tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll ask Laurie to come with me,"

“我明天早上去。也许我会叫劳里一起去，”

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said Jo, chopping some carrots and throwing them into the large pot where a special soup was boiling for Beth

乔说，一边切着胡萝卜，一边把它们扔进为贝丝煮特制汤的大锅里。

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Meg nodded dreamily as she crushed some peppers and added them to the soup

梅格出神地点点头，碾碎了些辣椒撒进汤里。

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" You're awfully merry today," teased Jo

“你今天高兴得不寻常呀，”乔打趣道。

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Meg turned away but replied," I'm happy that Beth is better."

梅格转过身，但答道：“贝丝好转了，我高兴。”

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" We all are, but there's something else

“我们都高兴，不过你还有别的心事吧。

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Come, Meg, what are you hiding?" Jo persisted

“说吧，梅格，你在藏什么？”乔不依不饶。

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Meg looked over her shoulder to make sure that Hannah was out of earshot, then, pulling Jo to a corner, she pulled out a note from her apron pocket

梅格回头看了看，确保汉娜听不见，然后把乔拉到角落，从围裙口袋里掏出一张便条。

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" What's this?" whispered Jo, opening the note

“这是什么？”乔小声问着，打开了便条。

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" Just read it, but promise me you won't say a word to Mother or anyone else. It's for your eyes only," said Meg in a hushed voice

“你看了就知道了，但答应我，一个字也别告诉妈妈或任何人。只能你自己看。”梅格压低声音说。

旁白 neutral

As Jo read the short message, her head began to spin and she felt a hot wave of anger rising up

乔读着这封短信，只觉得头开始发晕，一股怒气涌上心头。

旁白 neutral

It was from John Brookes, and the man was confessing his love for Meg

信是约翰·布鲁克斯写的，这人正向梅格表白爱意。

旁白 neutral

" You're too young!" were Jo's first words, practically throwing the note back to Meg

“你太年轻了！”乔脱口而出，几乎把便条扔回给梅格。

旁白 neutral

" I'm almost 18," Meg replied in a huff

“我快十八岁了。”梅格气呼呼地回答。

旁白 neutral

" You just turned 17!" Jo argued

“你才刚满十七岁！”乔争辩道。

旁白 neutral

" It doesn't matter. He loves me, Jo," Meg said, brushing aside Jo's concerns

“那不重要。他爱我，乔。”梅格说着，根本没把乔的担忧放在心上。

旁白 neutral

" I think it's scandalous! He's too old for you and besides, why is he sending you a note like that at a time like this?" Jo nearly yelled

“我觉得这太不像话了！他对你来说太老了，而且，在这种时候他为什么给你写这种纸条？”乔几乎是在大喊。

旁白 neutral

" I think it's romantic, and I thought you'd be more supportive and happier for me," Meg said in a hurt voice. Then she added," He's only 24."

“我觉得这很浪漫，我还以为你会更支持我、为我高兴呢，”梅格用受伤的声音说。然后她又加了一句，“他才24岁。”

旁白 neutral

" I'm disgusted with Brookes and with you!" Jo growled at her sister

“我真受不了布鲁克斯，也受不了你！”乔对着姐姐低声吼道。

旁白 neutral

With that, Jo yanked off her apron, stormed out of the house, and bumped into an incoming visitor

说完，乔一把扯下围裙，冲出屋子，正好撞上一位来访的客人。

旁白 neutral

" Do you think we might have telepathic powers, because I was just coming to see you," Laurie said when he realized who had just bumped into him

“你觉得我们是不是有心灵感应啊，因为我正要来找你呢，”劳里意识到是谁撞了他之后说道。

旁白 neutral

" This is no time to joke, Laurie," said Jo, cracking her knuckles loudly

“现在可不是开玩笑的时候，劳里，”乔说着，把手指关节按得嘎嘎响。

旁白 neutral

" All right, then," said Laurie." How's our girl doing?"

“好吧，那么，”劳里说。“我们家那姑娘怎么样了？”

旁白 neutral

" Thank you for asking, Beth is much better. Now, my question is: Are you available to help me get Amy tomorrow?"

“谢谢关心，贝丝好多了。现在，我的问题是：你明天有空帮我去接艾米吗？”

旁白 neutral

Jo asked in a very businesslike manner

乔用一种非常公事公办的语气问道。

旁白 neutral

" I'm at your service anytime, anywhere," Laurie replied, bowing like a servant

“我随时随地听候您的差遣，”劳里回答道，像仆人一样鞠了一躬。

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" Good. We'll leave at 9 a. m. sharp," said Jo, turning around to go back inside

“好。我们上午九点整出发。”乔说着，转身要回屋里。

旁白 neutral

" Wait! How's your other sister doing?" Laurie asked slyly

“等等！你另一个妹妹怎么样了？”劳里狡黠地问。

旁白 neutral

" She's fine. Why?" suddenly Jo noticed something in Laurie's mischievous eyes

“她很好。怎么了？”乔突然注意到了劳里顽皮的眼神。

旁白 neutral

" Theodore Laurence," she said sternly," is there something you want to tell me?"

“西奥多·劳伦斯，”她严厉地说，“你是不是有什么想告诉我？”

旁白 neutral

Laurie covered his mouth and let out a muffled shout, then he said in a low whisper," Did she get a note from Brookes?"

劳里捂着嘴闷声低喊了一下，然后低声耳语道：“她是不是收到了布鲁克的信？”

旁白 neutral

Jo narrowed her eyes and answered," What if she did? What do you know about it?"

乔眯起眼睛回答：“收到了又怎样？你知道些什么？”

旁白 neutral

Laurie slapped his knee and threw back his head, laughing loudly

劳里拍着膝盖，仰头大笑起来。

旁白 neutral

" It was me! I wrote it! Brookes knows nothing about it!" the prankster admitted

“是我！是我写的！布鲁克对此毫不知情！”这个恶作剧者承认了。

旁白 neutral

Jo could not believe her ears but worse yet, she could not believe that Laurie would play such a cruel joke on Meg

乔简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，但更糟的是，她无法相信劳里会对梅格开如此残忍的玩笑。

旁白 neutral

" You... you...," Jo stuttered. She was so angry that she could not even speak

“你……你……”乔结结巴巴。她气得连话都说不出来了。

旁白 neutral

Instead she kicked him in the shins with all her might

相反，她用尽全力踢了他的小腿一下。

旁白 neutral

" Ow! Why did you do that?" Laurie rubbed his sore leg, hopping on the other foot

“嗷！你干嘛踢我？”劳里揉着疼痛的腿，单脚跳着。

旁白 neutral

" What happens when Meg discovers that this was all a big joke?

“等梅格发现这一切不过是个大玩笑，会怎样？

旁白 neutral

How will this affect her self-esteem and pride?" Jo spat at him

这对她的自尊和骄傲会造成什么影响？”乔冲他怒斥道。

旁白 neutral

" Brookes is in love with her, like I told you," Laurie said, massaging his leg

“布鲁克爱她，我跟你说过的，”劳里边揉腿边说。

旁白 neutral

" I'm just helping the progress of this relationship."

“我只是在帮这段感情推一把。”

旁白 neutral

" You march in there right now," Jo said, pointing toward her house," and apologize to Meg for what you did before it's too late!"

“你现在就给我进去，”乔指着她家的方向说，“趁还来得及，去为你做的事向梅格道歉！”

旁白 neutral

" Why are you really upset, Jo? Are you afraid that John is going to take away your precious sister?" Laurie asked

“你究竟为什么这么生气，乔？你是怕约翰会抢走你宝贝的姐姐吗？”劳里问道。

旁白 neutral

That question got him another hard kick in the other leg

这个问题又换来了另一条腿上重重的一脚。

旁白 neutral

" Ow! You're going to cripple me, Josephine March!" wailed Laurie

“嗷！你会把我踢成瘸子的，约瑟芬·马奇！”劳里哀嚎道。

旁白 neutral

" Apologize to my sister, though I won't be surprised if she never speaks to you again

“向我姐姐道歉，不过就算她再也不理你，我也不会惊讶。”

旁白 neutral

You'd better do it this instant, or else...," Jo paused to form her words carefully,"... or else our friendship ends tonight."

“你最好马上就去，否则……”乔顿了顿，斟酌着措辞，“……否则我们今晚就绝交。”

旁白 neutral

Jo turned her back on Laurie, who was rubbing both shins but staring up at her with a worried expression

乔转过身去，背对着劳里。劳里揉着两条小腿，却一脸担忧地仰头看着她。

旁白 neutral

" Do you mean that, Jo?" he asked quietly

“乔，你是认真的吗？”他轻声问道。

旁白 neutral

Without looking at him, Jo simply replied," Yes."

乔看都不看他，只简单地回答：“是的。”

旁白 neutral

Frightened that Jo would carry out her threat, Laurie immediately went to see Meg and told her of his cruel joke

劳里害怕乔真的说到做到，便立刻去找梅格，坦白了自己那个残忍的玩笑。

旁白 neutral

Meg, being so sweet and ladylike, forgave Laurie and told him that it was not important

梅格温柔又淑女，她原谅了劳里，还说那没什么大不了。

旁白 neutral

In her heart, however, she was crushed

然而，在她心里，她却伤心极了。

旁白 neutral

Mother sensed right away how heartbroken Meg was

母亲立刻察觉到梅格有多么心碎。

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" It's going to be fine, darling," Mother comforted Meg as she lovingly stroked her head

“会好起来的，亲爱的。”母亲一边慈爱地抚摸着梅格的头，一边安慰她。

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" I thought he loved me. I... was so happy," sobbed Meg

“我以为他爱我。我……本来好开心。”梅格抽泣着。

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Mother thought for a moment before she spoke

母亲想了想，才开口说道。

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" Meg, darling, I don't know if I should say this, but both your father and I have grown very fond of John

“梅格，亲爱的，我不知道该不该说，但你父亲和我都非常喜欢约翰。

旁白 neutral

He is a wonderful, kind, intelligent man

他是个优秀、善良又聪明的人。

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One day I'm sure he will make a fine husband."

我相信总有一天他会成为一个好丈夫。”

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" But not for me," wailed Meg

“但不是给我的。”梅格哭喊道。

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" I wouldn't say that," Mother said hesitantly." I know for a fact that he thinks highly of you

“我可不这么说，”母亲犹豫地说，“我确切地知道，他很看重你。

旁白 neutral

He speaks with you in the warmest, most respectful way

他跟你说话时，总是那么温暖，那么尊重。

旁白 neutral

I wonder if perhaps Laurie's joke, bad as it was, may have some truth in it."

我甚至在想，劳里的玩笑虽然恶劣，但说不定有几分是真的呢。”

旁白 neutral

Meg sniffed but lifted her head and asked," Do you think John likes me?"

梅格吸了吸鼻子，抬起头问：“你觉得约翰喜欢我吗？”

旁白 neutral

Mother smiled and replied," How could he not?"

母亲微笑着答道：“他怎么可能不喜欢呢？”