# ■ 1 Four sisters

Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents，'said Jo crossly．

It's so awful to be poor！'agreed Meg，looking at her old dress．

It's not right for some girls to have pretty things，and others to have nothing at all，'said little Amy．

We've got Father and Mother，'and each other，'said Beth gently．

The four young faces round the fire cheered up as they thought of this， but then Jo said sadly，'We haven't got Father，and we won't have him for a long time．'She didn't say 'perhaps never，'but each silently thought it，remembering that he was away at the war in the South．

Then Meg said，'Mother says we shouldn't spend money on presents when our men are fighting a war．'

We can't expect anything from Mother or each otehr，'said Jo，' but we only have a dollar each， and that won't help the army much． Let's each buy ourselves what we want， and have a little fun． We work hard to earn it．'

I do， teaching those awful children，' said Meg．'What abut me？'said Jo．' I'm shut up all day working for a terrible old lady， who gives me different orders every five seconds！'

I think washing cups and plates and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world，'said Beth．'My hands get too tired to play my music．'

I have to go to school with girls who laugh at my dresses and say cruel things because my father isn't rich，'said Amy．

I wish we had the money Father lost when we were little，Jo，'said Meg．

I wish I was a boy，' said Jo．'Then I could go and fight beside Father！'

Meg was sixteen and very pretty， with large eyes and soft brown hair，and white hands．Fifteen-year-old Jo was very tall and thin． Her long，dark－red hair was usually pushed up out of the way． Beth was thirteen，a very shy girl who seemed to live in a happy world of her own．Amy was the youngest， but thought herself to be the most important． She had blue eyes，and yellow hair which curled on to her shoulders．

At six o'clock，Beth put a pair of slippers by the fire to warm and Meg lit the lamp．Amy got out of the comfortable chair without bing asked， and Jo forgot how tired she was and held the slippers closer to the fire．

These are old， she said．'Mother needs a new pair．'

I'll get her some with my dollar，'said Beth．

No，I shall！'cried Amy．

I'm the oldest—'began Meg．

I'm the man of the family now Father is away， and I shall buy tnem，'said Jo．

Let's each get her something and not get anything for ourselves，'said beth．

That's a kind idea！'said Jo．'What shall we get？'

Everyone thought for a moment，then Meg said，'I'll give her a nice pair of gloves．'

The best army slippers，said Jo．

Some handkerchiefs，'said Beth．

A little bottle of perfume，'said Amy．'It won't cost much， so I'll have some money left to buy something for me．'

We'll let Mother think we're getting things for ourselves，and then surprise her，'said Jo．

Mrs March arrived home soon after． She took off her wet things and put on her warm slippers． Meg made the tea， Jo brought wood for the fire，Beth was quiet and busy，and Amy gave orders．

I've got a letter from Father！'cried Mrs March．

It was a letter to cheer them up， and the special message for the girls came at the end： Give them all my love and a kiss．I think of them every day．I know they will be loving childrento you，and that when I come back，I will be prouder than ever of my little women．

A tear dropped off the end of Jo's nose．

Amy hid her face on her momer's shoulder.'I'm selfish，'she cried，'but I'll try to be better．'

We all will！' cried Meg．'I think too much about the way I look， and hate to work， but I won't any more．'

And I'll try to be a“little woman”，'said Jo，'and not be rough and wild．'

Beth said nothing， but she began to work hard at a blue army glove she was making．

So the four girls decided that they would all try very hard to be good．They would never be cross，or lazy，or selfish-and they would all help each other．They talked over their plan that evening，while they made sheets for Aunt March．Then at nine o'clock they stopped to sing a song．Beth played the old piano， and Meg and her mother led the singing．Jo always sang in the wrong place， but the girls never got too old to sing together．

■ 1 四姐妹

“如果沒有禮物，聖誕節就徒有其名，”瓊生氣地說。

“貧窮真是糟糕透了！”麥格邊看著她的舊衣裙邊表示贊同。

“有些女孩子有漂亮的東西，而其他人卻什麼都沒有，這太不應該了，”小艾米說。

“我們有父親和母親，還擁有彼此，”白絲溫文爾雅地說道。

想起這些，圍在火爐邊的四張年輕的面孔變得快樂起來，可然後瓊悲傷地說：“我們沒有父親，我們要有很長時間都不會有他。”她並沒有說出“也許永遠也不會有了”這句話，但想起父親去南方打仗了，每個人都默默地想到了它。

然後麥格說道：“媽媽說過，當我們的男人在打仗的時候我們不應該把錢花在買禮物上。”

“我們不能期待會從母親或彼此那裡得到任何禮物，”瓊說，“可我們每個人都有一塊錢，這幫不了軍隊什麼忙。咱們每人給自己買些想要的東西高興高興吧。這是咱們努力工作掙來的。”

“是我掙的，我教那些糟糕的孩子，”麥格道。

“我又怎麼樣？”瓊說，“我一整天一句話都不說，給一個可怕的老太婆幹活，她每五分鐘就給我下一道不同的命令！”

“我覺得洗杯子盤子和整理東西是世界上最壞的工作，”白絲說，“我的雙手累得都彈不了琴了。”

“我不得不跟那些笑話我穿戴的女孩子一起去上學，她們常說些難聽的話，因為我的父親不是有錢人。”艾米說。

“真希望我們能有在我們小時候爸爸失掉的那些錢呀，瓊，”麥格道。

“我希望我是個男孩，”瓊說，“那樣我就可以去和爸爸並肩作戰了。”

麥格16歲了，長得很漂亮，大眼睛，擁有柔軟的棕色頭髮，以及白皙的雙手。15歲的瓊又高又瘦。她常把深紅色的長髮梳得老高。白絲13歲，她是個很怕羞的女孩，看起來像是生活在她自己的快樂世界裡。艾米最小，可她認為自己最重要。她有一雙藍色的眼睛，還有捲到肩頭的黃色頭髮。

6點鐘，白絲把一雙拖鞋放到火邊烘烤，麥格點亮了燈。並沒有人說什麼，艾米就從那張舒服的椅子上爬起來，瓊已忘記了她的疲憊。她將拖鞋放到離火近的地方。

“這太舊了，”她說，“媽媽需要一雙新拖鞋”。

“我要用我的錢給她買，”白絲道。

“不，我來買！”艾米大喊。

“我最大——”麥格開口了。

“現在爸爸不在，我就是家裡的男人，我來買拖鞋，”瓊說。

“咱們每人都給她買些東西吧，什麼都不要給自己買了，”白絲建議道。

“那是個好主意！”瓊說，“那我們買什麼呢？”

每個人都思索了片刻，然後麥格說：“我要給她買一副很好的手套。”

“我要買最好的軍用拖鞋，”瓊說。

“我想買一些手帕，”白絲說。

“我會買一小瓶香水，”艾米道，“那不會很貴，所以我還會剩點錢給自己買些東西。”

“咱們讓媽媽覺得咱們在給自己買東西，然後讓她大吃一驚，”瓊說。

馬奇太太不久就回家了。她把溼衣服脫掉，換上暖和的拖鞋。麥格泡了茶，瓊給火爐拿來了木柴，白絲一聲不響地忙碌著，艾米在發號施令。

“我拿到了爸爸的來信！”馬奇太太喊道。

那是一封叫大家高興起來的信，信尾是特別寫給女孩子們的：“替我向她們轉達我的愛和吻。我每天都在想念她們，我知道她們會成為你的好孩子。我知道等我回家時，我會比以往任何時候都更為我的小婦人們感到驕傲。”

艾米將臉藏在母親的臂彎裡。“我很自私自利，”她哭泣著說，“可我會努力變得好些。”

“我們都會的，”麥格流著淚道。“我太注重自己的外表，憎恨工作，但我以後不會了。”

“我會盡力做個'小婦人'，”瓊說，“不再粗野無禮了。”

白絲什麼也沒說，但她開始賣力地做一雙藍色的軍用手套。

於是四個女孩都決心要盡力地做個好女孩，不再濫發脾氣，不再懶隋，不再自私，她們將互相幫助。那天晚上，她們在給馬奇姨媽做被單時仔細討論了她們的計劃。9點鐘的時候，她們停下來一起唱一支歌。白絲彈著那架老鋼琴，麥格和母親一道領唱。瓊總是唱得不對，可女孩子永遠不會因為太大了而不能一起唱歌。