# ■ 11 Beth

Ten days after their mother went away，Beth came home late after one of several visits to a sick baby at the Hummels'house．She went straight to her mother's room and shut herself inside．Half an hour later，Jo found her sitting there，looking very ill．

Beth，what's the matter？'cried Jo．

Beth put out a hand to keep her away．'You've had scarlet fever，haven't you？she said．

Years ago，when Meg did，'said Jo．'Why？'

Oh，Jo！Mrs Hummel's baby is dead，'said Beth．'It died in my arms before Mrs Hummel got home．'

My poor Beth，how awful for you！'said Jo，putting an arm around her sister．'What did you do？'

I just sat and held it until Mrs Hummel came with the doctor．He looked at Heinrich and Minna who were also feeling sick．“It's scarlet fever，”he said．Then he told me to come home and take some medicine quickly or I would catch it，too．'

I'll fetch Hannah，'said Jo．

Don't let Amy come，'said Beth．'She hasn't had it，and I don't want to give it to her．'

It was decided that Amy must go to Aunt March's house，so Laurie took her there．Poor Amy did not like this plan at all and only agreed to go when Laurie said he would visit her every day to bring her news of Beth．

When Laurie got back，he asked Jo and Meg if he ought to send a telegram to Mrs March．

Hannah says Mother can't leave Father and would only worry，'said Meg．'She says Beth won't be sick long，and that she knows what to do，but it doesn't seem right．'

Mr Laurence was not allowed to see Beth，and Meg felt unhappy writing letters to her mother saying nothing about Beth's illness．Jo nursed Beth night and day，but the time came when Beth did not know her and called for her mother．Jo was frightened，and Meg begged to be allowed to write the truth，but Hannah said there was no danger yet．Then a letter came saying that Mr March was worse and could not think of coming home for a long time．

How dark the days seemed．How sad and lonely The sisters worked and waited as the shadow of death lay over the once happy home．It was then that Meg realized how rich she had been in the things which really mattered—love，peace，good health．And Jo，watching her little sister，thought about how unselfish Beth always was—living for others and trying to make home a happy place for all who came there．Amy，sad and lonely at Aunt March's house，just wanted to come home so that she could do something to help Beth．

On the first day of December，the doctor came in the morning．He looked at Beth，then said quietly，'If Mrs March can leave her husband，I think she should come home now．'

Jo threw on her coat and ran out into the snow to send a telegram．When she arrived back，Laurie came with a letter saying that Mr March was getting better again．This was good news，but Jo's face was so unhappy that Laurie asked， What is it？Is Beth worse？

I've sent for Mother，'said Jo，beginning to cry．'Beth doesn't know us any more．'

Laurie held her hand and whispered，'I'm here，Jo．Hold on to me．Your mother will be here soon，and then everything will be all right．'

I'm glad Father is better，'said Jo．'Now Mother won't feel so bad about coming home．'

You're very tired，'said Laurie．'But I'll tell you something to cheer you up better than anything．'

What is it？'said Jo．

Laurie smiled．'I sent a telegram to your mother yesterday，and Mr Brooke answered that she'd come at once．She'll be here tonight and everything will be all right！'

Jo threw her arms around him．'Oh，Laurie！Oh，Mother！I am so glad！'She did not cry again，but held on to her friend．He was surprised，but he smoothed her hair and followed this with a kiss or two．

Jo pushed him gently away．'Oh，don't！I didn't mean—！'

I enjoyed it！'laughed Laurie，then，went on，'Grandfather and I thought your mother ought to know．She wouldn't forgive us if Beth—well，if anything happened．Her train will be in at two o'clock in the morning，and I'll meet her．'

All that day，the snow fell and the hours went slowly by．The doctor came，then said he would come back after midnight when he expected there to be some change in Beth's condition，for better or worse．Hannah fell asleep in a chair beside Beth's bed．Mr Laurence waited downstairs，while Laurie lay on the floor pretending to rest．The girls just waited，unable to sleep．

At twelve o'clock，a change seemed to pass over Beth's face．Hannah slept on，but the girls saw the shadow which seemed to fall upon the little bed．An hour went by and Laurie left quietly for the station．

At two o'clock，Jo was standing at the window，watching the snow．She heard something and turned to see Meg kneeling beside her mother's chair．A cold feeling of fear passed over Jo．'Beth is dead，'she thought．

She ran to the bed．The pain had gone from Beth's face，and now there was a look of peace instead．Jo kissed her and softly whispered，'Goodbye，Beth，goodbye！'

Hannah woke up and looked at Beth．'The fever's gone！'she cried．'She's sleeping and breathing easily！'

The doctor came soon after．'I think she'll be all right，'he said．'Keep the house quiet and let her sleep．'

Meg and Jo held each other close，their hearts too full for words．Beth was lying as she used to，with her cheek on her hand，and breathing quietly．

I wish Mother would come now，'whispered Jo．

And a moment later，they heard the sound of the door below，a cry from Hannah，then Laurie's happy voice saying，'Girls，she's come！She's come！'

■ 11 白絲

母親離開10天以後，白絲很晚才回家，她已幾次去哈梅爾家看望一個生病的嬰兒。她徑直走進母親的房間，把自己關在裡面。半個小時以後，瓊發現她坐在那兒，看上去病得很厲害。

“白絲，怎麼了？”瓊叫道。

白絲伸出一支手，讓她離遠點。“你得過猩紅熱，是不是？”她說。

“幾年以前得過，那是麥格得病時傳染了我，”瓊說，“怎麼了？”

“噢，瓊！哈梅爾的嬰兒死了，”白絲說，“它在哈梅爾太太回家前死在我懷裡。”

“我可憐的白絲，這對你太糟了！”瓊說，用一隻胳膊摟住她的妹妹。“你做了什麼？”

“我就那麼坐在那兒抱著它，直到哈梅爾太太帶著醫生來。他看看海因裡奇和米娜，他們也覺得不舒服。'是猩紅熱，'他說。然後他告訴我回家來趕快吃點藥，要不然我也會得病的。”

“我去找海娜，”瓊說。

“別讓艾米來，”白絲說。“她沒得過，我不想傳染給她。”

大家決定艾米必須去馬奇姑媽家，於是羅瑞把她帶到那兒。可憐的艾米一點也不喜歡這個主意，直到羅瑞說他每天都會會看她，帶給她白絲的消息，她才同意去。

羅瑞回來的時候，問瓊和麥格他是不是應該給馬奇太太發封電報。

“海娜說媽媽不能離開爸爸，只會為這事著急擔心，”麥格說。“她說白絲不會病很久，她知道該怎麼做，可這好像不對。”

他們不準勞倫斯先生來看望白絲。麥格為給媽媽的信中不能提白絲的病感到很不高興。瓊日夜照看白絲，可不久白絲不認識她了，喊叫著要母親。瓊害怕了，麥格懇求允許她把真情寫在信裡，可海娜說還不會有危險。之後來了一封信，說馬奇先生病情加重，在很長一段時間內她還不能考慮回家。

那些日子看起來多陰暗哪。那麼悲傷和孤獨，女孩子們工作著，等待著死亡的陰影籠罩著這個一度歡樂的家。就在那時，麥格意識到她曾經多麼富有，那些東西才是真正應該在意的——愛，和平，健康。瓊看著她的妹妹，想起白絲一直是那麼無私——為別人而生活，努力為來到家裡的人把家變成一個快樂的地方。艾米在馬奇姑媽家又傷心又孤單，只想回家為白絲幫點忙。

12月的第一天，醫生一早就來了。他看了看白絲，然後緩緩地說：“如果馬奇太太能離開她的丈夫，我認為她現在就應該回家來。”

瓊穿上外衣跑到外面的雪地裡，去發電報。當她回來時，羅瑞帶來一封信，說馬奇先生又有好轉了。這是好消息，可瓊的臉上看上去是那麼不開心，於是羅瑞問：“怎麼了？是不是白絲病重了？”

“我已經叫媽媽回來了，”瓊說道，開始哭泣起來，“白絲已經不認識我們了。”

羅瑞握住她的手，小聲說：“我在這兒，瓊。有我呢。你媽媽就會回來了，然後所有的事都會好了。”

“我很高興爸爸好些了，”瓊說。“現在媽媽回家裡心情也不會很糟。”

“你很累了，”羅瑞說。“可我要告訴你一些事使你高興起來。”

“是什麼？”瓊問。

羅瑞笑了。“我昨天就已發了一封電報給你媽媽，布魯克先生說她會馬上回來。她今天晚上就會回來，一切都會好的！”

瓊用雙臂摟住他。“噢，羅瑞！噢，媽媽！我太高興了！”她不再哭了，可還是摟著羅瑞。他很吃驚，可他理了理她的頭髮，然後吻了她一兩下。

瓊輕輕把他推開。“噢，別這樣，我並不是說想——！”

“我很喜歡！”羅瑞笑了，然後繼續說，“祖父和我認為你母親應該知道。萬一白絲——哦，如果發生什麼事，她不會饒恕我們的。她乘坐的火車早晨兩點到，我去接她。”

那一整天，下著雪，時間緩慢地過去。醫生來了，然後說他午夜以後再來，那時白絲的情況會有變化，變好或變壞。海娜坐在白絲床邊的椅子上睡著了。勞倫斯先生等在樓下，羅瑞躺在地上權當休息。女孩子們只有等待，她們睡不著。

12點鐘，似乎白絲臉上有了變化。海娜繼續睡著，可女孩子們卻似乎看到降臨到那張小床上的陰影。一小時過去了，羅瑞離開去了車站。

兩點鐘，瓊站在窗邊看雪。她聽到了一點聲音，轉過身來看見麥格跪在媽媽的椅子旁邊。一種冰冷的恐懼感傳遍瓊的全身。“白絲死了，”她想。

她朝床跑過去。痛苦已從白絲臉上消失，取而代之的是一種安詳的表情。瓊吻了吻她，輕柔地低語：“再見，白絲，再見！”

海娜醒了過來，看了看白絲。“熱退了！”她喊道，“她睡著了，呼吸很順暢！”

醫生不久就來了。“我想她會好的，”他說。“讓這房子保持安靜，叫她睡覺。”

麥格和瓊緊緊地擁抱，她們的心情難以言表。白絲就像她從前一樣躺著，手託著臉頰，平靜地呼吸著。

“我希望媽媽能現在就回來，”瓊低聲說。

片刻之後，他們聽到了樓下的門聲，海娜喊了一聲，然後是羅瑞快樂的聲音說：“女孩們，她來了，她來了！”