名著精讀:《小婦人》第四章:負擔 第6節

Jo's ambition was to do something very splendid. What it was, she had no idea as yet, but left it for time to tell her, and meanwhile, found her greatest affliction in the fact that she couldn't read, run, and ride as much as she liked. A quick temper, sharp tongue, and restless spirit were always getting her into scrapes, and her life was a series of ups and downs, which were both comic and pathetic. But the training she received at Aunt March's was just what she needed, and the thought that she was doing something to support herself made her happy in spite of the perpetual "Josy-phine!"

喬的理想是做一番宏偉的事業，但這番事業究竟是什麼她卻一直毫無頭緒，也並不急於知道；她覺得自己最大的痛苦是不能盡興讀書、跑步和騎馬。她是個急性子，言語尖刻，內心躁動不安，經常把自己推入困境，因此她的生活經歷悲喜交集，甜酸苦辣，五味俱全。不過，她在馬奇嬸嬸家裏受到的鍛鍊正是她所需要的，而一想到這樣工作可以自立，她就無比高興，即使是馬奇嬸嬸那沒完沒了的"約瑟--芬！”也變得微不足道了。

Beth was too bashful to go to school. It had been tried, but she suffered so much that it was given up, and she did her lessons at home with her father. Even when he went away, and her mother was called to devote her skill and energy to Soldiers' Aid Societies, Beth went faithfully on by herself and did the best she could. She was a housewifely little creature, and helped Hannah keep home neat and comfortable for the workers, never thinking of any reward but to be loved. Long, quiet days she spent, not lonely nor idle, for her little world was peopled with imaginary friends, and she was by nature a busy bee.

貝思因性格太羞怯而沒有上學；她也曾進過學堂，但感到極度痛苦，只得輟學在家，跟着父親讀書。父親走後，母親也被派去爲"戰士援助會"服務，貝思仍忠實不移，堅持儘自己的最大努力自學。她是個賢妻良母型的小姑娘，幫罕娜爲工人們把家裏打理得整潔舒適，從不乞求報償，只要被人愛着便心滿意足。她靜悄悄地度過漫漫長日，從不孤獨，從不懶散，因爲她的小天地不乏虛構出來的朋友，而她天生就是個勤勞的小蜜蜂。

There were six dolls to be taken up and dressed every morning, for Beth was a child still and loved her pets as well as ever. Not one whole or handsome one among them, all were outcasts till Beth took them in, for when her sisters outgrew these idols, they passed to her because Amy would have nothing old or ugly. Beth cherished them all the more tenderly for that very reason, and set up a hospital for infirm dolls. No pins were ever stuck into their cotton vitals, no harsh words or blows were ever given them, no neglect ever saddened the heart of the most repulsive, but all were fed and clothed, nursed and caressed with an affection which never failed.

每天一早貝思都要給六個玩具寶寶穿衣裝扮，因爲她還是個孩子，仍然喜歡寵物。她的小寶貝原來都是棄兒，個個殘缺不全，都是兩個姐姐長大後不要而傳給她的，因爲這樣又舊又醜的東西艾美是不會要的。正因爲如此，貝思對它們呵護有加，專爲這些搖搖擺擺的小寶貝設了間醫院。她給這些布娃娃一絲不苟地打針，給它們餵飯、穿衣、護理，從不打罵它們，並不忘奉上深情的一吻，即使是最醜陋的玩偶也不會被忽略。

One forlorn fragment of dollanity had belonged to Jo and, having led a tempestuous life, was left a wreck in the rag bag, from which dreary poorhouse it was rescued by Beth and taken to her refuge. Having no top to its head, she tied on a neat little cap, and as both arms and legs were gone, she hid these deficiencies by folding it in a blanket and devoting her best bed to this chronic invalid. If anyone had known the care lavished on that dolly, I think it would have touched their hearts, even while they laughed. She brought it bits of bouquets, she read to it, took it out to breathe fresh air, hidden under her coat, she sang it lullabies and never went to bed without kissing its dirty face and whispering tenderly, "I hope you'll have a good night, my poor dear."

一個殘缺不堪的"寶寶”原是喬的舊物，經過暴風驟雨的生活洗禮後，四肢不全，五官不整，被棄置在一個破袋子裏頭，貝思把它從那破舊的包袱裏解救出來放到她的避難所。因爲頭頂不見了，她便紮上一頂雅緻的小帽，四肢沒有了，便把它裹在毯子裏，把缺陷掩蓋起來，並把最好的牀讓給這位長期病員。如果有人知道她是如何細緻入微地照料這個玩具娃娃，我想他們即使發笑，也一定會深受感動。她給它送花、讀書，把它裹在她的大衣裏，帶它出去呼吸新鮮空氣，給它唱搖籃曲，睡覺前總要吻吻那髒臉孔，並柔聲細語：“祝你晚安，可憐的寶貝。”

ndid['splendid] adj. 極好的，輝煌的，壯觀的，傑出的

Their weeding was a splendid affair.
他們的婚禮富麗堂皇。

iction n. 痛苦，苦惱，苦難

I have great sympathy for people in affliction.
我對那些受苦受難的人們充滿同情。

and downs 高低，起伏，盛衰，成敗

He stuck by her through all life's ups and downs.
他對她始終不渝，同甘共苦。

ful adj. 害羞的

He because of bashful but low head.
他因羞愧而低下了頭。

ewifely['li] adj. 主婦們的，節儉的

inary adj. 想象的，虛構的

All the characters in this book are imaginary.
這本書中的人物都是虛構的。

ast['autkæst] n. 被驅逐的人 adj. 被逐出的，被遺棄的，無家可歸的

The outcast boy was brought up by the government.
這個被遺棄的孩子是由政府撫養大的。

row vt. 過大而不適於，長得比 ... 快(或大、高)

By the time he is ten, he has outgrown his older brother.
他十歲的時候就已經長得比他哥哥高了。

rm adj. 弱的，虛弱的，柔弱的

She's old and infirm and has to keep to the house.
她因年老體弱而足不出戶。

lsive adj. 令人厭惡的，排斥的

You repulsive little toad!
你這個討厭的癩蛤蟆！

ss n. 愛撫，擁抱 v. 愛撫，抱，憐愛

He caressed his wife lovingly.
他愛憐地撫摸着他的妻子。

orn adj. 孤獨的，悲慘的，淒涼的

She looked wretched and forlorn, despairing of the arrival of a friend who had promised to meet her.
她看上去又可憐又孤獨，對於答應來看她的朋友的到來已不抱希望。

estuous adj. 有暴風雨的，暴亂的

Their ship was sailing dangerously in the tempestuous sea.
他們的船在浪急風高的海上危險地航行着。

ry adj. 沉悶的，令人沮喪的，情緒低落的

I'm tired of his dreary speech.
我厭倦了他的枯燥無味的演說。

sh adj. 大方的，豐富的，浪費的 vt. 浪費，慷慨給予

My mother often lavishes us with attention.
我媽媽經常對我們關心得太多。

aby n. 搖籃曲，催眠曲，任何輕柔的音樂 v. 唱搖籃曲使安眠，使安靜

All mothers like to sing lullabies to their babies.
所有的母親都喜歡給她們的孩子唱搖籃曲。

　　
1. A quick temper, sharp tongue, and restless spirit were always getting her into scrapes, and her life was a series of ups and downs, which were both comic and pathetic.

【難句解析】get into scrapes“陷入困境”；ups and downs“起伏”；

【句子翻譯】她是個急性子，言語尖刻，內心躁動不安，經常把自己推入困境，因此她的生活經歷悲喜交集，甜酸苦辣，五味俱全。

, quiet days she spent, not lonely nor idle, for her little world was peopled with imaginary friends, and she was by nature a busy bee.

【難句解析】句中的people是動詞，意思是“居住於，使住人”；

【句子翻譯】她靜悄悄地度過漫漫長日，從不孤獨，從不懶散，因爲她的小天地不乏虛構出來的朋友，而她天生就是個勤勞的小蜜蜂。