04-01-05-小妇人 [18]
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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 白丝
母亲离开10天以后，白丝很晚才回家，她已几次去哈梅尔家看望一个生病的婴儿。她径直走进母亲的房间，把自己关在里面。半个小时以后，琼发现她坐在那儿，看上去病得很厉害。
“白丝，怎么了？”琼叫道。
白丝伸出一支手，让她离远点。“你得过猩红热，是不是？”她说。
“几年以前得过，那是麦格得病时传染了我，”琼说，“怎么了？”
“噢，琼！哈梅尔的婴儿死了，”白丝说，“它在哈梅尔太太回家前死在我怀里。”
“我可怜的白丝，这对你太糟了！”琼说，用一只胳膊搂住她的妹妹。“你做了什么？”
“我就那么坐在那儿抱着它，直到哈梅尔太太带着医生来。他看看海因里奇和米娜，他们也觉得不舒服。'是猩红热，'他说。然后他告诉我回家来赶快吃点药，要不然我也会得病的。”
“我去找海娜，”琼说。
“别让艾米来，”白丝说。“她没得过，我不想传染给她。”
大家决定艾米必须去马奇姑妈家，于是罗瑞把她带到那儿。可怜的艾米一点也不喜欢这个主意，直到罗瑞说他每天都会会看她，带给她白丝的消息，她才同意去。
罗瑞回来的时候，问琼和麦格他是不是应该给马奇太太发封电报。
“海娜说妈妈不能离开爸爸，只会为这事着急担心，”麦格说。“她说白丝不会病很久，她知道该怎么做，可这好像不对。”
他们不准劳伦斯先生来看望白丝。麦格为
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 白丝
母亲离开10天以后，白丝很晚才回家，她已几次去哈梅尔家看望一个生病的婴儿。她径直走进母亲的房间，把自己关在里面。半个小时以后，琼发现她坐在那儿，看上去病得很厉害。
“白丝，怎么了？”琼叫道。
白丝伸出一支手，让她离远点。“你得过猩红热，是不是？”她说。
“几年以前得过，那是麦格得病时传染了我，”琼说，“怎么了？”
“噢，琼！哈梅尔的婴儿死了，”白丝说，“它在哈梅尔太太回家前死在我怀里。”
“我可怜的白丝，这对你太糟了！”琼说，用一只胳膊搂住她的妹妹。“你做了什么？”
“我就那么坐在那儿抱着它，直到哈梅尔太太带着医生来。他看看海因里奇和米娜，他们也觉得不舒服。'是猩红热，'他说。然后他告诉我回家来赶快吃点药，要不然我也会得病的。”
“我去找海娜，”琼说。
“别让艾米来，”白丝说。“她没得过，我不想传染给她。”
大家决定艾米必须去马奇姑妈家，于是罗瑞把她带到那儿。可怜的艾米一点也不喜欢这个主意，直到罗瑞说他每天都会会看她，带给她白丝的消息，她才同意去。
罗瑞回来的时候，问琼和麦格他是不是应该给马奇太太发封电报。
“海娜说妈妈不能离开爸爸，只会为这事着急担心，”麦格说。“她说白丝不会病很久，她知道该怎么做，可这好像不对。”
他们不准劳伦斯先生来看望白丝。麦格为