经典名著：《小妇人（连载12）》

导读

 

《小妇人》（Little Women）是由美国女作家露易莎·梅·奥尔科特创作的长篇小说，首次出版于1868年。该作是一部以美国南北战争为背景，以19世纪美国新英格兰地区的一个普通家庭四个姐妹之间的生活琐事为蓝本的带有自传色彩的家庭伦理小说。小说受到当时的大思想家爱默生的影响，强调了个人尊严与自立自律的观念；内容平实却细腻，结构单纯而寓意深远，富有强烈的感染力。

 

 

 

 

“We were in the Slough of Despond tonight, and Mother came and pulled us out as Help did in the book. We ought to have our roll of directions, like Christian. What shall we do about that?” asked Jo, delighted with the fancy which lent a little romance to the very dull task of doing her duty.

“我们今晚本来处于'绝望的深渊'，妈妈像书中的'帮助'一样来把我们拉了出去，我们应该像基督教徒一样有几本指导手册。这事怎么办好呢？”乔问，为自己的想像力给沉闷的任务添加了几分浪漫色彩而自鸣得意。

 

“Look under your pillows Christmas morning, and you will find your guidebook,” replied Mrs. March.

“圣诞节一早看看你们的枕下，就会找到指导手册了，”马奇太太说。

 

They talked over the new plan while old Hannah cleared the table, then out came the four little work baskets, and the needles flew as the girls made sheets for Aunt March. It was uninteresting sewing, but tonight no one grumbled. They adopted Jo’s plan of dividing the long seams into four parts, and calling the quarters Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, and in that way got on capitally, especially when they talked about the different countries as they stitched their way through them.

罕娜嬷嬷收拾桌子时，大家开始讨论新计划，然后取出四个装活计的小篮子，姐妹们开始飞针走线，为马奇太太缝制被单。针线活是个沉闷的活儿，不过今天晚上谁也没有抱怨。她们采纳乔的建议，把长长的缝口分为四段，分别称为欧洲、亚洲、非洲和美洲。这样果然缝得快多了。她们一边缝一边谈论针线穿越的不同国家，更觉进展神速。

 

At nine they stopped work, and sang, as usual, before they went to bed. No one but Beth could get much music out of the old piano, but she had a way of softly touching the yellow keys and making a pleasant accompaniment to the simple songs they sang. Meg had a voice like a flute, and she and her mother led the little choir. Amy chirped like a cricket, and Jo wandered through the airs at her own sweet will, always coming out at the wrong place with a croak or a quaver that spoiled the most pensive tune. They had always done this from the time they could lisp……

九点钟的时候大家停下活儿，像平时那样先唱歌再去睡觉。家里有架老掉牙的钢琴，除了贝思，大家都不大会弹。她轻轻触动泛黄的琴键，大家随着悠扬的琴声唱了起来。梅格的嗓音像芦笛一样动听，她和母亲担任这支小演唱队的领唱。

 

Crinkle, crinkle, ‘ittle ‘tar, and it had become a household custom, for the mother was a born singer. The first sound in the morning was her voice as she went about the house singing like a lark, and the last sound at night was the same cheery sound, for the girls never grew too old for that familiar lullaby.

艾美歌声清脆，如蟋蟀的鸣叫，乔则任由歌声在空中飘荡，总是在不适宜的时候冒出个颤音或怪叫声来，把最深沉的曲调给糟蹋掉。打从牙牙学语的时候开始，她们就一直这样唱：小星星，亮晶晶，如今这已成了家里的惯例，因为她们的母亲就是个天生的歌唱家。早上听到的第一个声音就是她在屋子里走动时唱出的云雀般婉转的歌声，晚上，她那轻快的歌声又成了一天的尾声。这支熟识的摇篮曲姑娘们百听不厌。