名著精讀:《小婦人》第一章:朝聖 第4節

CHAPTER ONE第一章

PLAYING PILGRIMS 朝聖

As young readers like to know 'how people look', we will take this moment to give them a little sketch of the four sisters, who sat knitting away in the twilight, while the December snow fell quietly without, and the fire crackled cheerfully within. It was a comfortable room, though the carpet was faded and the furniture very plain, for a good picture or two hung on the walls, books filled the recesses, chrysanthemums and Christmas roses bloomed in the windows, and a pleasant atmosphere of home peace pervaded it.

由於年輕的讀者們喜歡知道“人物樣貌"，我們趁此機會把坐在黃昏的餘輝下做針線活兒的四姐妹概略描述一下。此時屋外的冬雪正輕輕飄落，屋內爐火噼啪歡響。雖然這間舊房子鋪着褪了色的地毯，擺設也相當簡單，但卻顯得十分舒適：牆上掛着一兩幅雅緻的圖畫，壁凹內堆滿了書本，窗臺上是綻放的菊花和聖誕花，屋裏洋溢着一片寧靜、溫馨的氣氛。

Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of soft brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rather vain. Fifteen- year-old Jo was very tall, thin, and brown, and reminded one of a colt, for she never seemed to know what to do with her long limbs, which were very much in her way. She had a decided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes, which appeared to see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful. Her long, thick hair was her one beauty, but it was usually bundled into a net, to be out of her way. Round shoulders had Jo, big hands and feet, a flyaway look to her clothes, and the uncomfortable appearance of a girl who was rapidly shooting up into a woman and didn't like it.

大姐瑪格麗特，十六歲，出落得十分標緻。她體態豐盈，肌膚潔白，大大的眼睛，甜甜的笑容，一頭棕色秀髮又濃又厚，雙手白皙，這令她頗爲自得。十五歲的喬身材修長，皮膚黝黑，見了使人想到一匹小公馬，因爲她修長的四肢相當礙事，她彷彿總是不知道該如何處置它們。她嘴巴剛毅，鼻子俊俏，灰色的眼睛異常敏銳，似乎能看穿一切，眼神時而熾烈，時而風趣，時而又像在沉思。濃密的長髮使她顯得特別美麗，但爲了方便長髮通常被她束入髮網。她雙肩圓潤，大手大腳，穿着又寬又大的衣服。正迅速長成一個成熟的女性，心裏卻極不願，因此常常流露出這個階段的女孩所特有的尷尬神情。

ch n. 素描, 草圖, 概述, 小品

At the meeting he give a sketch of recent happenings.
會上他簡述了最近發生的事件。

ight ['twailait] n. 黃昏, 微光, 含糊不清, 衰落時期

She often sits in the garden at twilight.
黃昏時分她常常坐在花園裏。

kle ['krækl] n. 劈啪響, 裂紋 v. 發劈啪聲

A cheerful wood fire was crackling in the sitting room.
熊熊的柴火在起居室的爐中噼啪作響。

ss [ri'ses] n. 幽深處, 凹縫, 壁龕

I push the problem down into the dim recess of my mind.
我把這個問題藏到內心深處, 不去多想它。

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。

p adj. 豐滿的, 豐富的

She has a plump figure.
她有着豐滿的身材。

adj. 自負的；愛慕虛榮的

She is vain and foolish, and yet people like her.
她自負而愚蠢, 然而人們喜歡她。

n. 小馬, 無經驗的年輕人

This colt is only two months old.
這隻小雄駒只有兩個月大。

cal adj. 好笑的, 滑稽的

He looked highly comical wearing that tiny hat.
他戴上那頂小帽子, 看上去很滑稽。