04-01-05-小妇人 [2]
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'I knew you would do it，'said Mrs March，smiling．
She took the girls and Hannah to a cold ， miserable little room in an old building， where they found a sick mother， a crying baby，and a group of children with white，frightened faces．The children were on the bed under a blanket，trying to keep warm．
The woman almost cried with happiness when she saw the girls．Hannah，who had brought wood，made a fire． Mrs March gave the mother tea and hot food，then she dressed the little baby gently．The girls put the children round the fire and fed them like hungry birds．
It was a very happy meal， although the girls ate none of it．But no one was happier than those hungry young ladies who gave away their breakfast on Christmas morning．
Mrs March was surprised and pleased when she saw her presents later．There was a lot of laughing and kissing and explaining．Then，for the rest of the day，the girls were busy．Jo liked to write plays，and the four of them were going to act one that evening．They had learned their words， and had worked hard to make strange and wonderful clothes for all the different characters in the play．
On Christmas night， some other girls came to watch． At first，there was a lot of whispering and laughing from the four sisters behind the curtains．Then the curtains were opened and the play began．
It was an exciting story about Hugo（acted by Jo wearing a black beard！）， beautiful Zara and brave Roderigo．There were also two ghosts，a cruel king，and a tall castle made of paper and wool-which unfortunately fell down just as Roderigo and Zara were escaping from it．There were screams of laughter from everyone， but the actors picked the mselves up and carried on through more dangers and mysteries until the happy ending was reached．
All the visitors loved the play，and after the excitement and fun came a surprise for everyone．
'would the young ladles like to stay for supper？'asked Hannah．
And when the girls saw the supper table，they could not believe their eyes！There was ice-cream， cake，fruit，and French chocolate！ And in the middle of the table were flowers for each of the four actors．
'Where did it all come from？'asked Amy．
'From Father Christmas， perhaps？'said Beth．
'Mother did it，'said Meg．
Aunt March sent it，'said Jo．
'You're all wrong，'laughed Mrs March．'Old Mr Laurence sent it！'
'The Laurence boy's grandfather？'said Meg．'But we don't know him．'
'Hannah told his servant about your breakfast party， and that pleased him，'said Mrs March．'He knew my faher many years ago，and he sent me a note this afternoon，asking if he could send my cbildren a few small Christmas presents．'
'The idea came from that boy，I know it did！'said Jo．'I'm sure he wants to know us，but he's shy，and Meg won't let me speak to him when we pass him in the street．She says that it's not at all polite for young ladies to introduce themselves to strangers．
'You mean the people who live in the big house next door，don't you？'said one of the other girls．'My mother knows old Mr Laurence． She says he keeps his grandson in the house when the boy isn't riding or walking with his tutor， and makes him study very hard．We invited the boy to our party but he didn't come．'
'That boy needs to have some fun，'said Jo．
■ 2 快乐的圣诞节
圣诞节清晨，琼是第一个醒来的，可随后她们就都醒了，然后下了楼。
“妈妈在哪儿？”麦格问。
“我不知道，”老海娜答道。她从麦格一出世就和全家住在一起，就像是一个朋友，而不像仆人。“有个可怜的女人来到门口，你们的母亲随她去了，好看看她需要什么。”
“她很快就会回来的，”麦格说。她看了看那些给母亲的礼物，它们被装在一个篮子里，放在椅子下面，时刻准备拿出来。“艾米的那瓶香水呢？”
“我想她是想拿去包上些漂亮的纸，”琼答道。
突然，她们听到外面的门被关上了。
“妈妈来了，把篮子藏起来，快！”琼说。
但那是艾米。她匆匆走进屋。
“你到哪儿去了，藏在你身后的是什么？”麦格问。
“我跑到商店去了，把那瓶香水换成了一大瓶，”艾米说，“我花掉了所有的钱，我再也不自私了！”
麦格骄傲地笑了，伸出双臂拥抱她的妹妹。然后外面的门又有响动了，篮子被推到了椅子下面。女孩子们跑到桌边坐定，准备吃早餐。
“圣诞快乐，妈妈！”她们喊道。
“圣诞快乐，小女儿们！”马奇太太应道。
随后笑容从她脸上消失了。“孩子们，听着，不远处有个穷妇人，哈梅尔太太，她有个刚降生的婴儿。她的六个孩子挤在一张床上取暖，因为他们没有木柴生火。他们没有吃的，又饿又冷。你们把你们的早餐送给他们做圣诞礼物怎么样？”
有一阵子没人说话。然后琼说：“妈妈，我很高兴你在我们开始吃饭之前回来！”孩子们开始很快地将她们的早餐放到一个篮子里。
“我知道你们会这样做的，”马奇太太微笑着说。
她把孩子们和海娜带到位于一座旧楼里的一间又冷又破的小屋里。在那里她们见到了一位生病的母亲，一个正在啼哭的婴儿，和一帮面容苍白、满脸恐惧的孩子。那些孩子挤在床上的一张毛毯里，试图以此取暖。
那妇人见到女孩子们后高兴得几乎哭出来。海娜带来了木柴，燃起了炉火。马奇太太把茶和热气腾腾的食物交给了那位母
'I knew you would do it，'said Mrs March，smiling．
She took the girls and Hannah to a cold ， miserable little room in an old building， where they found a sick mother， a crying baby，and a group of children with white，frightened faces．The children were on the bed under a blanket，trying to keep warm．
The woman almost cried with happiness when she saw the girls．Hannah，who had brought wood，made a fire． Mrs March gave the mother tea and hot food，then she dressed the little baby gently．The girls put the children round the fire and fed them like hungry birds．
It was a very happy meal， although the girls ate none of it．But no one was happier than those hungry young ladies who gave away their breakfast on Christmas morning．
Mrs March was surprised and pleased when she saw her presents later．There was a lot of laughing and kissing and explaining．Then，for the rest of the day，the girls were busy．Jo liked to write plays，and the four of them were going to act one that evening．They had learned their words， and had worked hard to make strange and wonderful clothes for all the different characters in the play．
On Christmas night， some other girls came to watch． At first，there was a lot of whispering and laughing from the four sisters behind the curtains．Then the curtains were opened and the play began．
It was an exciting story about Hugo（acted by Jo wearing a black beard！）， beautiful Zara and brave Roderigo．There were also two ghosts，a cruel king，and a tall castle made of paper and wool-which unfortunately fell down just as Roderigo and Zara were escaping from it．There were screams of laughter from everyone， but the actors picked the mselves up and carried on through more dangers and mysteries until the happy ending was reached．
All the visitors loved the play，and after the excitement and fun came a surprise for everyone．
'would the young ladles like to stay for supper？'asked Hannah．
And when the girls saw the supper table，they could not believe their eyes！There was ice-cream， cake，fruit，and French chocolate！ And in the middle of the table were flowers for each of the four actors．
'Where did it all come from？'asked Amy．
'From Father Christmas， perhaps？'said Beth．
'Mother did it，'said Meg．
Aunt March sent it，'said Jo．
'You're all wrong，'laughed Mrs March．'Old Mr Laurence sent it！'
'The Laurence boy's grandfather？'said Meg．'But we don't know him．'
'Hannah told his servant about your breakfast party， and that pleased him，'said Mrs March．'He knew my faher many years ago，and he sent me a note this afternoon，asking if he could send my cbildren a few small Christmas presents．'
'The idea came from that boy，I know it did！'said Jo．'I'm sure he wants to know us，but he's shy，and Meg won't let me speak to him when we pass him in the street．She says that it's not at all polite for young ladies to introduce themselves to strangers．
'You mean the people who live in the big house next door，don't you？'said one of the other girls．'My mother knows old Mr Laurence． She says he keeps his grandson in the house when the boy isn't riding or walking with his tutor， and makes him study very hard．We invited the boy to our party but he didn't come．'
'That boy needs to have some fun，'said Jo．
■ 2 快乐的圣诞节
圣诞节清晨，琼是第一个醒来的，可随后她们就都醒了，然后下了楼。
“妈妈在哪儿？”麦格问。
“我不知道，”老海娜答道。她从麦格一出世就和全家住在一起，就像是一个朋友，而不像仆人。“有个可怜的女人来到门口，你们的母亲随她去了，好看看她需要什么。”
“她很快就会回来的，”麦格说。她看了看那些给母亲的礼物，它们被装在一个篮子里，放在椅子下面，时刻准备拿出来。“艾米的那瓶香水呢？”
“我想她是想拿去包上些漂亮的纸，”琼答道。
突然，她们听到外面的门被关上了。
“妈妈来了，把篮子藏起来，快！”琼说。
但那是艾米。她匆匆走进屋。
“你到哪儿去了，藏在你身后的是什么？”麦格问。
“我跑到商店去了，把那瓶香水换成了一大瓶，”艾米说，“我花掉了所有的钱，我再也不自私了！”
麦格骄傲地笑了，伸出双臂拥抱她的妹妹。然后外面的门又有响动了，篮子被推到了椅子下面。女孩子们跑到桌边坐定，准备吃早餐。
“圣诞快乐，妈妈！”她们喊道。
“圣诞快乐，小女儿们！”马奇太太应道。
随后笑容从她脸上消失了。“孩子们，听着，不远处有个穷妇人，哈梅尔太太，她有个刚降生的婴儿。她的六个孩子挤在一张床上取暖，因为他们没有木柴生火。他们没有吃的，又饿又冷。你们把你们的早餐送给他们做圣诞礼物怎么样？”
有一阵子没人说话。然后琼说：“妈妈，我很高兴你在我们开始吃饭之前回来！”孩子们开始很快地将她们的早餐放到一个篮子里。
“我知道你们会这样做的，”马奇太太微笑着说。
她把孩子们和海娜带到位于一座旧楼里的一间又冷又破的小屋里。在那里她们见到了一位生病的母亲，一个正在啼哭的婴儿，和一帮面容苍白、满脸恐惧的孩子。那些孩子挤在床上的一张毛毯里，试图以此取暖。
那妇人见到女孩子们后高兴得几乎哭出来。海娜带来了木柴，燃起了炉火。马奇太太把茶和热气腾腾的食物交给了那位母