名著精讀:《小婦人》第四章:負擔 第3節

"Cuddle your cats and get over your headache, Bethy. Goodbye, Marmee. We are a set of rascals this morning, but we'll come home regular angels. Now then, Meg!" And Jo tramped away, feeling that the pilgrims were not setting out as they ought to do.

“抱上你的貓，頭痛就會好了，貝思。再見，媽媽。我們今早真是一班小壞蛋，不過我們回家時一定還是平日的小天使。走吧，梅格！”喬邁開步伐，覺得她們的天國之旅從一開始就沒有走好。

They always looked back before turning the corner, for their mother was always at the window to nod and smile, and wave her hand to them. Somehow it seemed as if they couldn't have got through the day without that, for whatever their mood might be, the last glimpse of that motherly face was sure to affect them like sunshine.

她們轉過拐角之前總要回頭望望，因爲母親總是倚在窗前點頭微笑，向她們揮手道別。不這樣她們這一天就似乎過得不踏實，因爲無論她們心情如何，她們最後一起所看到的母親的臉容無異於縷縷陽光，令她們歡欣鼓舞。

"If Marmee shook her fist instead of kissing her hand to us, it would serve us right, for more ungrateful wretches than we are were never seen," cried Jo, taking a remorseful satisfaction in the snowy walk and bitter wind.

“即使媽咪不向我們揮手吻別，而是揮起拳頭，我們也是罪有應得，因爲我們是天底下最不知道感恩圖報的小混帳，”喬在悽風蕭瑟的雪路上大聲懺悔。

"Don't use such dreadful expressions," replied Meg from the depths of the veil in which she had shrouded herself like a nun sick of the world.

“不要用這麼難聽的字眼，”梅格說。她用頭巾把自己裹得嚴嚴實實，看上去就像一個厭世的尼姑。

"I like good strong words that mean something," replied Jo, catching her hat as it took a leap off her head preparatory to flying away altogether.

“我喜歡強有力而有意義的好字眼，”喬答道，用手抓着幾乎被風吹落的帽子。

"Call yourself any names you like, but I am neither a rascal nor a wretch and I don't choose to be called so."

“你愛怎麼叫自己就怎麼叫吧，我可不是壞蛋，也不是混帳，也不願意人家這麼叫我。”

"You're a blighted being, and decidedly cross today because you can't sit in the lap of luxury all the time. Poor dear, just wait till I make my fortune, and you shall revel in carriages and ice cream and high-heeled slippers, and posies, and red-headed boys to dance with."

“你是個傷心落魄人，今天這麼怒氣沖天是因爲你不能整天置身於花團錦簇之中。可憐的寶貝，等着吧，等我賺到錢，你就可以享受馬車、雪糕、高跟鞋、花束，並和紅髮小夥子一起跳舞了。”

"How ridiculous you are, Jo!" But Meg laughed at the nonsense and felt better in spite of herself.

“喬，你真荒唐！”梅格不由被這荒唐話逗笑了。

"Lucky for you I am, for if I put on crushed airs and tried to be dismal, as you do, we should be in a nice state. Thank goodness, I can always find something funny to keep me up. Don't croak any more, but come home jolly, there's a dear."

“幸虧是我呢！如果我也像你一樣垂頭喪氣一副憂鬱相，我們可都成了什麼樣子？謝天謝地，我總可以找到一些有趣的東西來令自己振作。別再發牢騷了，高高興興地回家吧，這就對了。”

le n. 摟抱，擁抱 vt. 懷抱，擁抱 vi. 抱著睡，依偎，蜷曲

The little girl cuddled her pet cat.
這個小女孩摟抱着她的寵物貓。

al n. 流氓，壞蛋，淘氣鬼

If I ever catch the rascal I'll really wallop him!
我要是逮住這個流氓，非狠狠揍他一頓不可！

p[træmp] n. 重步聲，流浪者 v. 踐踏，重步行走

We went for a tramp over the hill.
我們徒步翻過了山頭

pse[glimps] n. 一瞥，一閃 v. 一瞥，閃爍

He caught a glimpse of me when I passed by.
當我走過時，他瞥了我一眼。

rseful adj. 悔恨的

He represented to the court that the accused was very remorseful.
他代被告向法庭陳情說被告十分懊悔。

ud n. 壽衣，覆蓋物，[航海]船之橫桅索 v. 包以屍衣，遮蔽，隱藏，籠罩 v. <古>掩蓋，保護

The whole jail was shrouded in darkness.
整座監獄籠罩在黑暗之中。

aratory adj. 預備的，初步的

They finished the preparatory training.
他們完成了預備訓練。

hted adj. 枯萎的，摧毀的

His reputation was blighted by his bad behavior.
他的名譽爲他的行爲不檢所毀。

l['revl] vi. 狂歡作樂，陶醉 n. 作樂，狂歡

Christmas revels with feasting and dancing were common in England.
聖誕節盛宴歌舞的狂歡在英國是很常見的。

n. 小花束

k v. 嗄嗄叫，發牢騷，<俚>死 n. 嗄嗄聲，哇哇聲

He sat on the playground listening to the distant croak.
他坐在操場上，聆聽遠處的蛙鳴。