名著精讀:《小婦人》第三章:勞倫斯家的男孩 第8節

"Dear me, I didn't know anyone was here!" stammered Jo, preparing to back out as speedily as she had bounced in.

“噢，我不知道這裏有人！”喬張口結舌，準備轉身衝出去。

But the boy laughed and said pleasantly, though he looked a little startled, "Don't mind me, stay if you.like."

但男孩笑了，愉快地說：“別管我，你喜歡就呆着吧，”儘管他看上去也有點吃驚。

"Shan't I disturb you?"

“我會打擾你嗎？”

"Not a bit. I only came here because I don't know many people and felt rather strange at first, you know." "So did I. Don't go away, please, unless you'd rather."

“一點也不會。我進來是因爲這裏有很多人我都不認識，你知道一開始總有點陌生感。”“我也一樣。請不要走開，除非你真的想這樣。”

The boy sat down again and looked at his pumps, till Jo said, trying to be polite and easy, "I think I've had the pleasure of seeing you before. You live near us, don't you?"

男孩又坐下來，低頭望着自己的淺口無帶皮鞋。喬儘量用禮貌輕鬆的口吻說：“我想我曾幸會過閣下。閣下就住在我們附近吧？”

"Next door." And he looked up and laughed outright, for Jo's prim manner was rather funny when he remembered how they had chatted about cricket when he brought the cat home.

“隔壁。”他擡起頭笑出聲來，因爲他想起了把貓送回她家時兩人一起談論板球的情景。相比之下，喬這副一本正經的神態顯得十分逗趣。

That put Jo at her ease and she laughed too, as she said, in her heartiest way, "We did have such a good time over your nice Christmas present." "Grandpa sent it."

喬輕鬆下來，也笑了。她誠摯地說：“你送來的美妙的聖誕禮物真令我們開心極了。”“是爺爺送的。”

"But you put it into his head, didn't you, now?"

“但這是你出的主意，沒錯吧？”

"How is your cat, Miss March?" asked the boy, trying to look sober while his black eyes shone with fun.

“你的貓好嗎，馬奇小姐？”男孩試圖嚴肅一點，但黑色眼睛裏卻閃着調皮的光芒。

"Nicely, thank you, Mr. Laurence. But I am not Miss March, I'm only Jo," returned the young lady.
“很好，謝謝，勞倫斯先生；不過我不是什麼馬奇小姐，我叫喬，”年輕女士答道。

mer vi. 口吃，結巴 vt. 結結巴巴地說 n. 結巴，口吃

He stammers when he feels nervous.
他一緊張就結巴。

tled['stɑ:tld] adj. 震驚的，受驚嚇的

He had a startled look on his face.
他一臉吃驚的神情。

[prim] adj. 規規矩矩的，呆板的，拘謹的 vt. 使一本正經，使整潔

You can't tell that joke to her she's much too prim and proper.
可別給她講那樣的笑話--她這人過於古板和認真。

r adj. 清醒的，沉着冷靜的，穩重的，顏色暗淡的 vt. 使清醒，使沉着 vi. 清醒，冷靜下來

Please sober down a bit; I've got some important news for you.
請嚴肅點，我有重要消息要告訴你們。