043 贝丝的秘密

旁白 neutral

Not even the impressive sunrise nor the chattering birds could bring any cheer to the two people standing in silence by the pond

就连壮观的日出和叽叽喳喳的鸟儿，也无法给池塘边沉默站着的两人带来丝毫欢乐。

旁白 neutral

Jo could sense Laurie's pain, and it hurt her to know that she could offer him no comfort

乔能感受到劳里的痛苦，而知道无法给他任何安慰，这让她自己也很伤心。

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Finally Laurie spoke up." Is it because of that old man in New York?"

最后劳里开口了。“是因为纽约的那个老男人吗？”

旁白 neutral

While Jo had been away, she had sent letters to family and friends in which she wrote enthusiastically about episodes with the Professor

乔离开家时，曾给家人和朋友写信，信中她热情地讲述了与教授相处的点点滴滴。

旁白 neutral

" Laurie, you're like a brother to me. You're my best friend

“劳里，你就像我的哥哥。你是我最好的朋友。”

旁白 neutral

Can't you understand that?" Jo tried to explain, carefully avoiding the issue of the Professor because she was not certain herself what her feelings were

“你难道不明白吗？”乔试着解释，小心地避开教授的话题，因为她自己也还不确定自己的感情。

旁白 neutral

" This is unfair, Jo!" Laurie suddenly shouted

“这不公平，乔！”劳里突然喊道。

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" I can't understand it at all! I won't!"

“我完全不能理解！我也不会接受！”

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With that, Laurie stomped off, leaving Jo standing alone watching him disappear into the woods

说完，劳里跺着脚走开了，留下乔独自站着，看着他消失在树林里。

旁白 neutral

Jo remained like that for a while, trying to digest everything that had just happened and what the consequences would be

乔那样站了一会儿，努力消化着刚刚发生的一切，以及会带来什么后果。

旁白 neutral

When she got home, Mother and Father had just left to do some errands in town so Beth was alone

当她到家时，爸爸妈妈刚出门去镇上办事，所以只有贝思在家。

旁白 neutral

Although her younger sister was now nineteen years old, Jo still regarded her as a delicate child

虽然妹妹已经十九岁了，乔仍然把她当成一个需要呵护的孩子。

旁白 neutral

The last thing Jo wanted was for Beth to know what had happened between her and Laurie that morning

乔最不希望的就是让贝思知道早上她和劳里之间发生的事。

旁白 neutral

So, she suggested with forced cheerfulness," Beth, shall we visit Meg and see how the baby is doing?"

于是，她强装欢快地提议："贝思，我们去看看梅格，瞧瞧宝宝怎么样了，好吗？"

旁白 neutral

With arms linked, the sisters set out to visit Meg, who was overjoyed when she saw them walking down the path to her house

姐妹俩手挽手出发去看梅格，梅格看到她们沿着小路朝她家走来时，高兴极了。

旁白 neutral

" Jo! I'm so happy to see you!" she cried

"乔！见到你太开心了！"她喊道。

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Right away, Jo noticed the size of Meg's stomach

乔马上注意到了梅格肚子的大小。

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Resting a hand over it, she spoke to the baby," How is my little niece or nephew doing in there?

她把手轻轻放在上面，对着宝宝说："我的小侄女或小侄子在里面怎么样啊？

旁白 neutral

Is Mommy feeding you lots of yummy things?"

妈妈是不是在喂你吃很多好吃的东西呀？"

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" Oh, Jo," giggled Meg, giving her sister a hug." It's so good to see you."

"哎呦，乔，"梅格咯咯笑着，拥抱了妹妹，"见到你真是太好了。"

旁白 neutral

For the rest of the morning, the three sisters chatted, laughed, suggested possible names for the baby

整个上午剩下的时间里，三姐妹聊着天，笑着，给宝宝起各种可能的名字，

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planned its future, and finally discussed who would be next to have a child

规划宝宝的未来，最后还讨论起下一个生孩子的会是谁。

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" Well, it won't be me," declared Jo." Maybe Beth or Amy."

“反正不会是我，”乔宣布说。“也许是贝思，或者艾美。”

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Beth smiled sadly, then said softly," Maybe Amy."

贝思忧伤地笑了笑，轻轻地说：“大概是艾美吧。”

旁白 neutral

On their way to Meg's house, it was clear that Beth was moving much more slowly than usual, as if each step she took was painful

在去梅格家的路上，明显看出贝思走得比平时慢得多，仿佛每走一步都很痛苦。

旁白 neutral

Jo had mistakenly thought Beth's sadness was due to her lovesick feelings for Laurie, but after seeing the physical change in Beth

乔曾误以为贝思的忧伤是因为对劳里的相思之情，但在看到贝思身体上的变化后，

旁白 neutral

Jo realized that it was something more

乔意识到事情没那么简单。

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On their way home from Meg's, Jo gently brought up the subject

从梅格家回家的路上，乔温和地提起了这件事。

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" Beth?" she began." Is there something wrong? If there is, you must tell me."

“贝思？”她开口说。“是不是有什么事不对劲？要是有什么，你一定得告诉我。”

旁白 neutral

Beth took Jo's hand and squeezed it with the little strength she had." Yes, Jo, there is something wrong."

贝思握住乔的手，用她仅剩的一点力气捏了捏。“是的，乔，是有点不对劲。”

旁白 neutral

While Beth was thinking of how to tell Jo her secret

正当贝思思考着怎样把秘密告诉乔的时候，

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Laurie was pouring out his soul to his grandfather, who patiently listened to the heartbreaking story

劳里正向祖父倾诉衷肠，老人耐心地听着这段令人心碎的故事。

旁白 neutral

" I'm sorry Jo does not return your affections," Mr. Laurence said after Laurie fell into silence

“我很难过，乔没有回应你的感情，”等劳里陷入沉默后，劳伦斯先生说道。

旁白 neutral

Even Mr. Laurence was devastated at Jo's rejection of his grandson, because all these years he had secretly hoped the two would marry

就连劳伦斯先生也为孙子被乔拒绝而伤心不已，因为这些年来，他一直暗自盼望着两人能结成连理。

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" But you must respect her decision, dear boy," he continued

“但你必须尊重她的决定，好孩子，”他继续说道。

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" I can't, Grandfather. I can't imagine my life without her," Laurie said in a distressed voice

“我做不到，祖父。我无法想象没有她的生活，”劳里用痛苦的声音说道。

旁白 neutral

Mr. Laurence thought for a moment then suggested," Perhaps, it would be best for everyone if you left for a while, took a trip somewhere

劳伦斯先生想了想，然后建议道：“也许，你暂时离开一段时间，出去旅行一趟，对大家都好。

旁白 neutral

You can have time to deal with your emotions, and so can Jo."

你会有时间整理自己的情绪，乔也一样。”

旁白 neutral

Laurie didn't want to leave but after much persuasion, he reluctantly agreed that some time away would do him good

劳里本来不想走，但在祖父再三劝说下，他勉强同意离开一段时间对自己有好处。

旁白 neutral

On the street below, Beth, having thought of different ways to explain herself

在楼下的大街上，贝思想出了好几种不同的解释方式，

旁白 neutral

finally decided that the straightforward approach would be the best." Jo, I'm dying."

最终决定，直接说出才是最好的方式。“乔，我快要死了。”

旁白 neutral

Stunned, Jo stopped in her tracks, her body stiffening and her head throbbing painfully

乔惊愕地停下脚步，身体僵住了，头部阵阵刺痛。

旁白 neutral

" What? How do you know, Beth?" she managed to ask

“什么？你是怎么知道的，贝思？”她勉强问道。

旁白 neutral

" I've known for some time, Jo," Beth said calmly." And I've come to accept it."

“我早就知道了，乔，”贝思平静地说，“而且我已经接受了。”

旁白 neutral

Shaking her head wildly, Jo cried," No, Beth, you must be mistaken

乔拼命摇头，喊道：“不，贝思，你一定弄错了。

旁白 neutral

You can't die! Has Dr. Bangs diagnosed you?"

你不能死！班斯医生给你诊断过了吗？”

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Suddenly becoming the older sister, Beth shook Jo's shoulder gently and said in a clear strong voice

贝思突然变得像个姐姐，轻轻摇了摇乔的肩膀，用清晰而坚定的声音说，

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" Dr. Bangs already knows, and there's nothing that can be done

“班斯医生已经知道了，而且已经无能为力了。

旁白 neutral

We must all face reality, and you must get on with your lives."

我们都必须面对现实，你必须继续过好自己的生活。”

旁白 neutral

" I can't lose you, Beth. Please don't say that," Jo wept openly, not caring if people stared at her or not

“我不能失去你，贝思。请别那么说，”乔失声痛哭，不管别人是否盯着她看。

旁白 neutral

Beth took Jo's hand and began walking again as she comforted her sister

贝丝握住乔的手，再次迈开脚步，一边走一边安慰着姐姐。

旁白 neutral

" I'm not afraid, Jo. In a way, I'm glad because I won't have to suffer anymore

“我不害怕，乔。从某种程度上说，我还挺高兴的，因为我再也不用受苦了。

旁白 neutral

It's been so painful, Jo, and I don't want to hurt any longer."

这真的太痛苦了，乔，我不想再疼下去了。”

旁白 neutral

Jo could not speak, because she was weeping so hard that she started to hiccup

乔说不出话来，因为她哭得太厉害，开始打起了嗝。

旁白 neutral

" Let's go home, Jo," Beth said gently, leading her devastated sister back down the familiar road

“我们回家吧，乔，”贝丝温柔地说着，领着心碎的姐姐沿着熟悉的路往回走。

旁白 neutral

That night, Jo sat upstairs in her sanctuary looking out into the dark, seeing clear images of their childhood reflected in the moonlight

那天晚上，乔坐在楼上她的小天地里，望向窗外的黑暗，在月光中清晰地看到了她们童年时的景象。

旁白 neutral

So many happy memories filled her mind as she laughed, then cried, remembering precious moments from long ago

无数的快乐回忆充满了她的脑海，想起那些很久以前的珍贵时刻，她先是笑了，然后又哭了。

旁白 neutral

Mother found Jo sitting there like that the next morning

第二天早上，母亲发现乔就那么坐在那里。

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" Jo? May I come in?" Mother called softly from the door

“乔？我能进来吗？”母亲在门口轻声唤道。

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Jo turned to her and stretched out her arms, desperately needing to feel the warmth of Mother's love

乔转向她，伸出双臂，极度渴望感受到母亲爱的温暖。

旁白 neutral

" Beth told you," Mother said simply as she tightly embraced her inconsolable daughter

“贝丝告诉你了，”母亲一边简单地说道，一边紧紧拥抱着她悲伤不已的女儿。

旁白 neutral

" Why Beth? She's done nothing bad in her life. Why not me?" Jo asked

“为什么是贝丝？她这辈子没做过任何坏事。为什么不是我？”乔问道。

旁白 neutral

" I know it's hard to accept, Jo, but we must try to make Beth as happy and comfortable as we can before — " her mother choked

“我知道这很难接受，乔，但是在……之前，我们必须尽力让贝丝过得开心、舒适——”母亲哽咽了，

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" before she goes. For her sake, we must be strong."

“在她离开之前。为了她，我们必须坚强起来。”

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" I'll try," sniffed Jo." But I'll never understand why this is happening."

“我会努力的，”乔抽泣着说，“但我永远也搞不明白为什么会发生这种事。”

旁白 neutral

" Now wipe your tears, my darling. Laurie is downstairs and he says it's urgent that he see you," Mother said, using her apron to dry Jo's eyes

“现在擦干眼泪，我亲爱的。劳里在楼下，他说有急事要见你，”母亲说着，用自己的围裙给乔擦干了眼睛。

旁白 neutral

Laurie was the last person Jo wanted to talk to at that moment, but she felt she had to see him since she had broken his heart only the day before

劳里是乔此刻最不想交谈的人，但她觉得必须见他，因为就在前一天，她刚刚伤了他的心。

旁白 neutral

When she got downstairs, Laurie didn't turn around to greet her as usual

当她下楼时，劳里并没有像往常那样转过身来迎接她。

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Dressed in his overcoat and gloves, he spoke up when he sensed Jo's presence behind him." I've come to say good-bye, Jo."

他穿好了大衣，戴着手套，感觉到乔就在身后时便开了口：“我是来道别的，乔。”

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" Where are you going?" she asked carefully

“你要去哪里？”她小心地问。

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Perhaps it was something in her voice that made Laurie turn around and face her

也许是她声音里的某种东西，让劳里转过身来面对她。

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" My God, Jo, are you all right?" he cried when he saw the state she was in

“我的天，乔，你没事吧？”看到她这副模样，他叫了起来。

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" I'm fine, Laurie," she lied

“我没事，劳里，”她撒谎道。

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" I'm going to Europe for a while," he said

“我要去欧洲待一阵子，”他说。

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Nodding, Jo said," Say hello to Amy if you see her."

乔点了点头，说：“如果你见到艾米，代我向她问好。”

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" I doubt it, but if I do, I will," Laurie said, moving toward her to hug her

“不太可能，但如果见到了，我会的，”劳里说着，向她走去，想要拥抱她。

旁白 neutral

Then changing his mind, he stormed out the door

然后他改变了主意，猛地冲出门去。