名著精讀:《小婦人》第二章:聖誕快樂 第8節

"That's loving our neighbor better than ourselves, and I like it," said Meg, as they set out their presents while their mother was upstairs collecting clothes for the poor Hummels.

“這就是所謂愛別人勝於愛自己，我喜歡這樣，”梅格說。 她們趁母親上樓爲貧窮的赫梅爾一家收集衣物時把禮物擺了出來。

Not a very splendid show, but there was a great deal of love done up in the few little bundles, and the tall vase of red roses, white chrysanthemums, and trailing vines, which stood in the middle, gave quite an elegant air to the table.

這些小禮物並不貴重，但都經過精心的包裝，從中可見一片深情。一隻高高的花瓶立在桌子中間，裏頭插着紅色的玫瑰和白色的菊花，襯着幾縷垂蔓，平添一份雅緻。

"She's coming! Strike up, Beth! Open the door, Amy! Three cheers for Marmee!" cried Jo, prancing about while Meg went to conduct Mother to the seat of honor.

“她來了！開始演奏，貝思！開門，艾美！爲媽媽歡呼三聲！”喬歡躍着大聲喊叫，梅格則上前去把媽媽接到貴賓席位。

Beth played her gayest march, Amy threw open the door, and Meg enacted escort with great dignity. Mrs. March was both surprised and touched, and smiled with her eyes full as she examined her presents and read the little notes which accompanied them. The slippers went on at once, a new handkerchief was slipped into her pocket, well scented with Amy's cologne, the rose was fastened in her bosom, and the nice gloves were pronounced a perfect fit.

貝思彈起歡快的進行曲，艾美拉開門，梅格儼然是一個護花使者。馬奇太太既驚訝又感動，她含笑端詳着她的禮物，讀着附在上面的小字條，不由眼中噙滿淚水地笑了。她當即穿上便鞋，又把一條散發着古龍水香味的手帕放入衣袋，然後她把那朵玫瑰花別在胸前，又稱讚別緻的手套"絕對合適"。

There was a good deal of laughing and kissing and explaining, in the simple, loving fashion which makes these home festivals so pleasant at the time, so sweet to remember long afterward, and then all fell to work.

大家笑着、吻着、解釋着，這種簡單而又充滿愛意的方式增添了家裏的節日氣氛，其溫馨讓人永久難忘。然後，大家又投入了工作。

The morning charities and ceremonies took so much time that the rest of the day was devoted to preparations for the evening festivities. Being still too young to go often to the theater, and not rich enough to afford any great outlay for private performances, the girls put their wits to work, and necessity being the mother of invention, made whatever they needed. Very clever were some of their productions, pasteboard guitars, antique lamps made of old-fashioned butter boats covered with silver paper, gorgeous robes of old cotton, glittering with tin spangles from a pickle factory, and armor covered with the same useful diamond shaped bits left in sheets when the lids of preserve pots were cut out. The big chamber was the scene of many innocent revels.
　
早上的慈善活動和慶典花了不少時間，餘下的時間便用來準備晚上的歡慶活動。由於年齡太小，不宜經常上戲院，又因爲經濟拮据，支付不起業餘表演的大筆費用，姑娘們於是充分發揮才智--需要是發明之母--需要什麼，她們便做什麼。她們的創造品有些還挺見心機--用紙板做的吉它，用舊式牛油瓶裹上錫紙做成的古燈，用舊棉布做的鮮豔奪目的長袍，面上亮晶晶地鑲着從一家醃菜廠拿來的小錫片，還有鑲有同樣的鑽石形小錫片的盔甲，這些被派上用場的小錫片是醃菜廠做罐頭剩下的邊角料。屋子裏的傢俱常常被弄得亂七八糟，大房間就是舞臺，姑娘們在臺上天真無邪地盡興表演。
　　

le n. 捆,束,一批,一大筆錢 vt. 捆,匆匆送走,附贈 vi. 匆忙

He sold a bundle of old magazines to the second hand bookstore.
他把一捆就雜誌賣給了舊書店。

santhemum n. 菊, 菊花

It was a special tea which tasted of chrysanthemum.
它是一種有菊花味的特別茶葉。

t [i'nækt] vt. 制定法律,扮演

Several bills were enacted at the end of this session of Parliament.
這屆國會結束時, 好幾個議案制定成爲法律。

[vain] n. 攀爬植物, 藤, 蔓

He cut some grapes for me from the vine.
他爲我從藤上剪下了一些葡萄。

m n. 胸部

She clasped the baby to her bosom.
她把孩子緊緊抱在懷裏。

eboard n. 厚紙, 紙板, 紙牌

He flipped over the thin piece of pasteboard and read the address scribbled on the back.
他把這張薄薄的名片翻過來，看了看反面書寫潦草的地址。

eous adj. 華麗的, 燦爛的, 好極了

His paintings are a kaleidoscope of gorgeous colours.
他的油畫色彩斑斕, 變化萬千.

gle n. 鑲金屬小片 v. (使)閃爍發光

Tiny shells spangle the profile of a young Roman woman of the second century A.D.
小小的貝殼裝飾着一位公元二世紀的羅馬婦女的側面。