名著精讀:《小婦人》第四章:負擔 第2節
Beth had a headache and lay on the sofa, trying to comfort herself with the cat and three kittens. Amy was fretting because her lessons were not learned, and she couldn't find her rubbers. Jo would whistle and make a great racket getting ready.
大家似乎都有點不對勁，個個臉上陰霾滿布。貝思頭痛，躺在沙發上，試圖在那隻大貓和三隻小貓之中尋找安慰；艾美煩躁不安，因爲她沒有弄懂功課，而且找不到膠擦；喬真想大吹一聲口哨；
Mrs. March was very busy trying to finish a letter, which must go at once, and Hannah had the grumps, for being up late didn't suit her.
馬奇太太正趕着寫一封急信；罕娜因爲不喜歡大家晚起，不停地抱怨。
"There never was such a cross family!" cried Jo, losing her temper when she had upset an inkstand, broken both boot lacings, and sat down upon her hat.
“我從來沒見過一家人這麼火爆！”喬喊道。她打翻了墨水後，弄斷了兩根靴帶，又坐在自己的帽子上，終於發起了脾氣。
"You're the crossest person in it!" returned Amy, washing out the sum that was all wrong with the tears that had fallen on her slate.
“你是最火爆的一個！”艾美反擊道，用滴落在寫字板上的淚水抹去全算錯了的數目。
"Beth, if you don't keep these horrid cats down cellar I'll have them drowned," exclaimed Meg angrily as she tried to get rid of the kitten which had scrambled up her back and stuck like a burr just out of reach.
“貝思，如果你不把這些討厭的貓放到地窖裏去，我就把他們淹死，”梅格一面憤怒地高叫，一面力圖擺脫一隻爬到她背上牢牢粘着不肯走的小貓。
Jo laughed, Meg scolded, Beth implored, and Amy wailed because she couldn't remember how much nine times twelve was.
喬大笑着，梅格責備着，貝思央求着，艾美因爲想不起九乘十二等於多少而號哭起來。
"Girls, girls, do be quiet one minute! I must get this off by the early mail, and you drive me distracted with your worry," cried Mrs. March, crossing out the third spoiled sentence in her letter.
“姑娘們，姑娘們，安靜一會吧！我必須趕在第一個郵班前把信寄出，你們卻亂哄哄地鬧得我心神不定，”馬奇太太叫道，一邊劃掉信中第三個寫錯了的句子。
There was a momentary lull, broken by Hannah, who stalked in, laid two hot turnovers on the table, and stalked out again. These turnovers were an institution, and the girls called them 'muffs', for they had no others and found the hot pies very comforting to their hands on cold mornings.
衆人一時安靜下來，這時罕娜大步走進來，把兩個熱氣騰騰的捲餅放在桌子上，又大步走出去。這兩個捲餅是家裏的慣例，姑娘們稱之爲"手籠"，因爲她們發覺寒冷的早上手裏籠着個熱餅挺暖和。
Hannah never forgot to make them, no matter how busy or grumpy she might be, for the walk was long and bleak. The poor things got no other lunch and were seldom home before two.
罕娜無論多麼忙多麼牢騷滿腹也不會忘記做上兩個，因爲路遠天寒，兩個可憐的姑娘常要在兩點以後纔回到家裏，捲餅便是她們的午飯。
ting n. 微振磨損 adj. 煩躁的，焦慮的
He was fretting with impatience.
他因不耐煩而煩躁不安。
p n. [常用復]一陣壞脾氣，發火 vi. 抱怨，鬧情緒 vt. 嘟囔着抱怨
tand n. 墨水瓶
e[sleit] n. 板岩，石板，石片
The falling slate sliced into his arm.
落下來的一塊石片劃破了他的手臂。
[weil] n. 痛哭，嚎啕 v. 痛哭，悲嘆
The wind wailed in the forest all night.
風在林子裏徹夜呼嘯。
racted[di'stræktid] adj. 注意力不集中的，心煩意亂的
Children are so easily distracted.
兒童的注意力很不容易集中。
v. 使安靜，使入睡，緩和，哄騙 n. 暫停，間歇
The mother lulled the baby to sleep.
母親哄着孩子入睡了。
over n. 翻覆，翻折，半圓捲餅
