名著精讀:《小婦人》第一章:朝聖 第6節

CHAPTER ONE第一章

PLAYING PILGRIMS 朝聖

"Some handkerchiefs, all hemmed," said Beth.

“我要送些鑲邊小手帕，”貝思說。

"I'll get a little bottle of cologne. She likes it, and it won't cost much, so I'll have some left to buy my pencils," added Amy.

“我會送一小瓶古龍香水。因爲媽媽喜歡，而且不用太花錢，我還可以省點錢給自己買鉛筆，”艾美接着說。

"How will we give the things?" asked Meg.

“我們怎麼個送法呢？”梅格問。

"Put them on the table, and bring her in and see her open the bundles. Don't you remember how we used to do on our birthdays?" answered Jo.

“把禮物放在桌上，把媽媽帶進來，讓她在我們面前親自拆開禮物。你忘記我們是怎樣過生日的嗎？”喬回答。

"I used to be so frightened when it was my turn to sit in the chair with the crown on, and see you all come marching round to give the presents, with a kiss. I liked the things and the kisses, but it was dreadful to have you sit looking at me while I opened the bundles," said Beth, who was toasting her face and the bread for tea at the same time.

“每當我坐在那張大椅子上，頭戴花冠，看着你們一個個上前送上禮物，吻我一下時，心裏真是慌得很。我喜歡你們的禮物和親吻，但要在衆目睽睽之下把禮物拆開，我就嚇得心裏直打鼓兒，”貝思說，邊烘茶點，邊取暖。

"Let Marmee think we are getting things for ourselves, and then surprise her. We must go shopping tomorrow afternoon, Meg. There is so much to do about the play for Christmas night," said Jo, marching up and down, with her hands behind her back, and her nose in the air.

“先別告訴媽咪，讓她以爲我們是爲自己準備的，給她一個驚喜。我們明天下午就得去辦貨，梅格，聖誕夜的話劇還有許多事情要準備吶。”喬說話的時候倒揹着手，仰着頭，來回踱步。

"I don't mean to act any more after this time. I'm getting too old for such things," observed Meg, who was as much a child as ever about 'dressing-up' frolics.

“演完這回，以後我就不演了。我年歲大，該退出了，”對"化裝遊戲"一直童心未泯的梅格說。

"You won't stop, I know, as long as you can trail round in a white gown with your hair down, and wear gold-paper jewelry. You are the best actress we've got, and there'll be an end of everything if you quit the boards," said Jo. "We ought to rehearse tonight. Come here, Amy, and do the fainting scene, for you are as stiff as a poker in that." "I can't help it. I never saw anyone faint, and I don't choose to make myself all black and blue, tumbling flat as you do. If I can go down easily, I'll drop. If I can't, I shall fall into a chair and be graceful. I don't care if Hugo does come at me with a pistol," returned Amy, who was not gifted with dramatic power, but was chosen because she was small enough to be borne out shrieking by the villain of the piece.

“你不會停止的，我知道，只要你能夠披下頭髮，戴上金紙做的珠寶，身披白長裙搖曳而行，你就不會的。因爲你是我們的最佳演員，如果你退出，那麼一切都完了，”喬說，”我們今晚應該排練一下。來，艾美，試演一下暈厥那一場，你演這幕時生硬得像根撥火棍。”“有什麼辦法！我從來沒見過人暈倒，我也不想像你一樣直挺挺地摔倒，弄得自己青一塊紫一塊的。如果我可以輕輕地倒在地上，我就倒下，否則，還不如體面地倒在椅子上。即使雨果真的用槍指着我也是這句話，”艾美回答。她的表演天賦並不高，被選派這一角色是因爲她年紀小，碰上歹徒的尖叫聲由她發出更可信。

"Do it this way. Clasp your hands so, and stagger across the room, crying frantically, 'Roderigo! Save me! Save me!'" and away went Jo, with a melodramatic scream which was truly thrilling.

“這樣來：兩手這樣握着，搖搖晃晃地走過房間，發狂般地叫喊：'羅德力戈！救救我！救救我！'"喬做示範，誇張地尖叫一聲，令人毛骨悚然。

Amy followed, but she poked her hands out stiffly before her, and jerked herself along as if she went by machinery, and her "Ow!" was more suggestive of pins being run into her than of fear and anguish. Jo gave a despairing groan, and Meg laughed outright, while Beth let her bread burn as she watched the fun with interest. "It's no use! Do the best you can when the time comes, and if the audience laughs, don't blame me. Come on, Meg."
　　
艾美跟着模仿，但她伸出的雙手僵硬無比，發出的尖叫聲與情景相差萬里。她那一聲"啊！”不像是感到恐懼和極度痛苦，倒像是被針戳了一下。喬失望地嘆了一聲，梅格卻放聲大笑，貝思看得有趣，把麪包也烤糊了。 “不可救藥！演出時盡力而爲吧，如果觀衆笑你，別怪我。來吧，梅格。”

n. 邊緣 v. 縫邊, 包圍, 關閉

Can you help me to hem the skirt?
你能幫我給裙子縫邊嗎？

gne n. 科隆香水

On days there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne.
每逢有重要的考試，湯普林夫人總不忘那科龍香水。

ic adj. 嬉戲的 v.&n. 嬉戲

The children froliced in the garden after school.
孩子們放學後在花園裏嬉戲。

[gaun] n. 長袍, 長外衣

She wears a translucent silk gown.
她穿着半透明絲質長袍。

arse vt. 預演, 排演, 預先演習 vi. 參加彩排

The actors were rehearsing the play.
演員們一直在排練這齣戲。

ek n. 尖叫, 叫喊 v. 尖叫

Suddenly he began to shriek loudly.
突然他開始大聲尖叫起來。

ain n. 壞人, 惡根

The king is represented as a villain in the play.
在這齣劇中把國王刻畫成一個反面人物。

dramatic adj. 通俗劇風格的, 戲劇似的, 甚爲感傷的

a melodramatic paperback novel.
一種情節劇的平裝小說。

lling adj. 毛骨悚然的, 令人興奮的

It was a real thrill to meet the Queen.
能見到女王的確是令人興奮的事.

v. 痙攣, 急拉, 急推, 急動

The bus jerked to a stop.
公共汽車猛然剎車停住了。