# ■ 10 A telegram

Mrs March，the girls and Laurie were sitting together on a dull November afternoon when Hannah hurried into the room with a telegram Mrs March read it，then dropped it to the floor，her face white and her hands shaking．Jo picked up the telegram and read it to the others in a frightened voice．Mrs March：Your husband is very ill．Come at once．S．

Hale，Blank Hospital，Washington．

The girls moved close to their mother．All their happiness had disappeared in a moment．

I shall go at once，'said Mrs March，'but it may be too late．Oh，my children！'

For several minutes，there was only the sound of crying，then Hannah hurried away to get things ready for the long journey．

Where's Laurie？'Mrs March asked．

Here，'said the boy．'Oh，let me do something！'

Send a telegram and say that I'll come at once，'said Mrs March．'The next train goes early in the morning． Now，I must write a note to Aunt March Jo，give me that pen and paper．

Jo knew that the money for the journey must be borrowed from Aunt March，and she too wanted to do something—anything—to help her father．

Laurie went off to take the note to Aunt March and to send the telegram．Jo went to fetch some things from the shops，and Amy and Meg helped their mother to get ready．

Father will need good food and wine to help him get better，and there won't be much at the hospital，'said Mrs March．'Beth，go and ask Mr Laurence for a couple of bottles of wine．I'm not too proud to beg for Father．'

Mr Laurence came back with Beth．He offered to go with Mrs March，but she wouldn't let the old gentleman make the long，tiring journey，although he could see that she would like to have somebody with her．He went away again，saying，'I'll be back．

Soon after，Meg saw Mr Brooke by the door．

I'm very sorry to hear your news，Miss March，'he said gently．'Mr Laurence and I think it will be a good idea if I travel with your mother．'

How kind you all are！'said Meg．'It will be so good to know that there is someone to take care of Mother．Thank you very much！'She put out her hand and smiled gratefully up into his warm brown eyes．

Laurie came back with a letter and money from Aunt March，but Jo did not return．It was late afternoon when she came walking in and gave her mother some money．

That's to help make Father comfortable and to bring him home，'she said．

Twenty-five dollars！'said Mrs March．'My dear，where did you get it？'

Jo took off her hat．

Your hair，your beautiful hair！'cried Amy．

All Jo's lovely，thick，long hair was cut short．

Jo，how could you？'cried Meg．

My dear girl，there was no need for this，'said Mrs March．

She doesn't look like my Jo，but I love her dearly for doing it！'said Beth，and began to cry．

Don't cry，Beth，'said Jo．'I wanted to do something for Father，and selling my hair was the only thing I could think of doing．I'll soon have a curly head again，which will be short and easy to keep tidy．'

But later，when Amy and Beth were asleep and Meg was lying awake， she heard Jo crying．

Are you crying about Father，Jo？'she asked．

No，not now．It's my hair，'cried Jo．'I'd do it again， if I could．But I did love my hair，and the selfish bit of me is making me cry．Don't tell anyone．I'll be all right in the morning．'

During the days after their mother and Mr Brooke went away，Meg aud Jo went back to their jobs，and Beth and Amy helped Hannah to keep the house tidy．Everyone tried very hard to be good and hard-working and helpful．

News of their father came through，at first telling them he was dangerously ill，but then saying he was slowly getting better．

■ 10 一封電報

11月一個多雲的下午，馬奇太太、女孩子們和羅瑞正圍坐在一起，海娜拿著一封電報匆匆走進屋來。馬奇太太讀了電報，然後把它掉落在地上，臉色煞白，雙手顫抖。瓊把電報拾起來，用驚恐的聲音讀給其他人聽。“馬奇太太，你的丈夫病得很重。馬上來。華盛頓聖黑爾布蘭克醫院。”

女孩子們靠近母親。她們的快樂剎時消失了。

“我得馬上去，”馬奇太太說，“可也許太遲了。噢，孩子們！”

幾分鐘之內，只有啼哭的聲音，然後海娜趕快去為這漫長的旅程收拾行裝。

“羅瑞在哪？”馬奇太太問。

“在這兒，”那男孩說，“噢，讓我做點事吧！”

“去發封電報說我馬上就來，”馬奇太太說。“下一班火車清晨開出。現在我得給馬奇姑媽寫個便條。瓊，給我拿支筆，還有紙。”

瓊知道這次旅行的錢一定得從馬奇姑媽那兒借，她也想為幫她父親做些事，任何事都行。

羅瑞走了，去給馬奇姑媽送條子和發電報。瓊去商店買東西，艾米和麥格幫母親做準備。

“爸爸一定需要好的食品和酒幫他恢復健康，醫院裡肯定不會有什麼，”馬奇太太說。“白絲，去向勞倫斯先生要幾瓶酒。我可沒有傲氣到不能為你們父親乞討的地步。”

勞倫斯先生和白絲一起回來了。他表示要和馬奇太太一起去，可她不讓老先生做那麼漫長疲勞的旅行，雖然他看得出她希望能有人陪她一起去。他再一次走開，說著：“我就回來。”

一會兒工夫，麥格看見布魯克先生站在門口。

“我聽到你們的消息感到很難過，馬奇小姐，”他輕柔地說，“勞倫斯先生和我都覺得，如果讓我和你母親一起去會是個好主意。”

“你真好！”麥格說，“能有個人照顧母親簡直太好了！非常感謝！”她伸出手，望著他那溫和的棕色眼睛，感激地笑了。

羅瑞回來了，帶來一封信和馬奇姑媽的錢，可瓊還沒回來。下午很晚的時候，她回來了，交給母親一些錢。

“把這錢拿去讓爸爸感到舒適些，再把他帶回家來。”她說。

“二十五塊錢！”馬奇太太說，“我親愛的，你從哪兒弄來的？”

瓊把帽子摘了下來。

“你的頭髮！你漂亮的頭髮！”艾米喊道。

瓊那一頭漂亮的、又濃密又長的頭髮不見了。

“瓊，你怎麼能這樣做？”麥格叫道。

“我親愛的孩子，你不必這麼做，”馬奇太太說。

“她看起來不像我的瓊了，可我因為她這樣做而愛她！”白絲說道，隨即開始哭起來。

“別哭了，白絲，”瓊說，“我想為爸爸做點什麼，賣掉我的頭髮是我唯一能想得出來的事，我不久就會又有一頭捲髮了，又短又容易梳理。”

可過一會兒，當艾米和白絲都睡著了，麥格躺著卻睡不著，她聽到瓊在哭。

“你是在為爸爸哭嗎，瓊？”她問。

“不，現在不是。我是為我的頭髮，”瓊哭道，“如果我能夠，我還會再做一次的，可我確實很愛我的頭髮，我自私的一面在使我哭泣。別告訴別人。我早晨就會好的。”

她們的母親和布魯克先生走後的日子裡，麥格和瓊回去工作了，白絲和艾米幫海娜整理房子。每個人都非常努力，想要做好，想要勤奮工作，想要幫助別人。

關於父親的消息傳來，一開始說他病情很危險，可後來說他正在慢慢地好轉。