8 All play and no work 
　  
　　'The first of June，and the King family is going on holiday tomorrow！'said Meg．'I'm free for three months！' 
　　'And Aunt March went away for her holiday today，'said Jo．'Isn't life wonderful！' 
　　'What will you do all your holiday？'asked Amy． 
　　'I'll stay in bed late，and do nothing，'said Meg． 
　　'I have lots of books to read，'said Jo． 
　　'Let's not do any studying，Beth，'said Amy．'Let's play all the time，and rest，as Jo and Meg are going to do．' 
　　'I will if Mother doesn't mind，'said Beth． 
　　Mrs March agreed to the plan and said they could try it for a week． 
　　'But，'she added，'I think by Saturday night you will find that all play and no work is as bad as all work and no play．' 
　　Next day，Meg appeared at ten o'clock and ate breakfast alone．It was a lonely meal and the room was untidy，because Beth had not cleaned it． 
　　Jo went to the river with Laurie，then sat in the apple tree and read a book Beth began to tidy things in her cupboard，but she got tired and left it half-done．She went to her piano，glad that she did not have to wash the cups and plates．Amy sat in the garden to draw，hoping someone would see her and say something nice about her picture．But no one appeared，so she went for a walk，got caught in the rain and came home very wet． 
　　At tea，everyone said that it had been a delightful but unusually long day．Meg，who had been shopping in the afternoon，now decided that she did not like the dress she had bought．Jo had a headache from reading too long．Beth couldn't find anything in her cupboard，and the rain had made Amy's dress so wet that she couldn't wear it to Katy Brown's party the next day． 
　　Mrs March listened，smiled and said nothing． 
　　The week seemed to get longer and longer with nothing much to do，and by Friday the girls were glad that it was nearly over．Then Mrs March gave Hannah a holiday，and when the girls got up on Saturday，there was no breakfast ready，no fire in the kitchen，and no mother waiting for them． 
　　'What has happened？'said Jo． 
　　Meg ran upstairs，then came down to say that Mother was staying in her room to have a rest．'She says we must look after ourselves today，'Meg said． 
　　'Good，I want something to do，'said Jo． 
　　Secretly，they were all pleased to have something useful to do again．Beth and Amy put cups and plates on the table while Jo and Meg got the breakfast，then Meg took some tea and an egg up to Mrs March．The tea was too strong and the egg wasburned．Mrs March did not complain，but she laughed to herself afterwards． 
　　Jo decided to invite Laurie to dinner．'There's meat and vegetables and plenty of potatoes，'she told Meg，'and we can have strawberries，and then coffee．' Her mother said she did not mind at all because she was going out for dinner． 
　　Jo did her best，but the potatoes were still hard in the middle，the vegetables were cooked too long and fell to pieces，and the meat was burned black．The strawberries were not ready for eating，and she put salt on them instead of sugar！Unfortunately，this was not discovered until Laurie began eating them．He pretended everything was all right，but Amy took a spoonful and ran from the table． 
　　'What's wrong？'said Jo． 
　　Meg and Laurie told her．'Oh，no！'said Jo．Then she saw Laurie start to smile，and she began to laugh．Soon everyone was laughing with her． 
　　'What a terrible day！'said Jo，after they had cleared everything away． 
　　Mrs March returned home later．'Have you enjoyed your week of all play and no work，girls，or do you want another week of it？'she said． 
　　'I don't！'said Jo． 
　　'Nor do I！'shouted the others． 
　　'Mother，did you go out and leave us just to see how we would manage？asked Meg． 
　　'Yes，'said Mrs March．'I wanted you to see that being comfortable depends on us all helping each other and not just thinking of ourselves．Isn't it better to have time for play and time for work，and to make each day useful and enjoyable？' 
　　'Oh，it is，Mother，it is！'said the girls． 
　　Some days later，all four girls went on a picnic with Laurie and his tutor，Mr Brooke，and some other young people．Sallie Gardiner and her English friend，Miss Kate Vaughn，were among them．It was a sunny day and they had their picnic on a hill，under some trees． 
　　After the meal，most of the young ladies and gentlemen played games，but Miss Kate sat under a tree and began to draw．Meg watched，while Mr Brooke lay on the grass beside her，with a book which he did not read． 
　　'I wish I could draw，'said Meg． 
　　'Why don't you learn？'replied Miss Kate．She was a little older than the other girls and was very much the fashionable young lady． 
　　'I haven't time，'said Meg．'I have a job，teaching four children in a family．' 
　　'Oh！'said Miss Kate，looking rather shocked．She said no more，but her face showed that she thought being a private teacher was little better than being a servant，and Meg's cheeks quickly became red． 
　　'In America，young ladies prefer to work and earn money for themselves，'said Mr Brooke quickly，'and not expect others to pay for everything．' 
　　'I see，'said Miss Kate，coldly．Soon after，she took her drawing and moved away． 
　　'There's no place like America for us workers，Miss Meg，'said Mr Brooke，smiling．His brown eyes looked at Meg warmly，and she smiled back at him． 
　　'I wish I liked teaching as much as you do，she said． 
　　'You would if you were teaching Laurie，'said Mr Brooke．'I'll be sorry when he goes to college next year．But then I shall become a soldier．' 
　　'I think every young man wants to be a soldier，'said Meg，'but it's hard for the family who stay at home．' 
　　'I have no family，and not many friends to care if I live or die，'said Mr Brooke，sadly． 
　　'Laurie and his grandfather would care，'said Meg，'and we would all be very sorry if anything happened to you．' 
　　'Thank you，'said Mr Brooke，cheering up immediately．  
　 
8 只有玩乐没有工作 
　  
　　“今天是6月1号，金一家明天就要去度假了，”麦格说，“我有三个月的自由时间！” 
　　“今天马奇姑妈也去度假了，”琼说，“生活真好啊！” 
　　“你们整个假期做什么呢？”艾米问。 
　　“我会睡懒觉，什么也不做，”麦格答道。 
　　“我有许多的书要读，”琼说。 
　　“咱们什么功课都不做了吧，白丝，”艾米说，“咱们所有时间都用来玩和休息，就像琼和麦格要做的那样。” 
　　“如果妈妈不介意我就同意，”白丝说。 
　　马奇太太同意了这个计划，并说她们可以试一个星期。 
　　“但是，”她补充道，“我想到星期六晚上你们就会发现只有玩乐没有工作的生活就像只有工作没有玩乐一样糟糕。” 
　　第二天，麦格10点钟才露面，独自用早餐。这是一顿孤寂的早餐，房间乱糟糟的，因为白丝没有整理过。 
　　琼和罗瑞到河边去了，然后坐在一棵苹果树上看书。白丝开始整理她的橱柜，可她感到累了，只做了一半就不做了。她来到她的钢琴旁，为她不用洗杯子和盘子而高兴。艾米坐在花园里画画，希望有人能看到她并夸奖她的画。可没有一个人出现，于是她就去散步，途中遇到了雨，湿淋淋地回到家。 
　　喝茶时，每个人都说那天过得很愉快，只是有些出乎寻常地长。麦格下午去买东西了，可她现在却觉得她不喜欢她买的衣服。琼因为看书时间太长，头疼起来。白丝在她的橱柜里什么都找不到了。雨把艾米的衣服弄得太湿，第二天她不能穿那件衣服去参加凯特·布朗家的聚会了。 
　　马奇太太听着，面带微笑，什么都没说。 
　　因为没有事情做，那个星期看起来越来越长，到了星期五孩子们都很高兴这一切就要结束了。然后马奇太太放了海娜一天假，当星期六早晨孩子们起床时，发现没有了早餐，没有了炉火，妈妈也没在等她们。 
　　“发生了什么事？”琼说。 
　　麦格跑上楼，然后又跑下来跟大家说妈妈呆在她的房间里休息。“她说今天我们得自己照顾自己。”麦格说。 
　　“好啊，我想做点事，”琼说。 
　　私下里，她们都很高兴又有些有用的事情可以做了。白丝和艾米把杯子和盘子摆到桌上，琼和麦格做早餐，然后麦格把一些茶和一个鸡蛋拿到楼上给母亲。茶太浓了，鸡蛋烧糊了。马奇太太没有抱怨，但之后她对自己笑了。 
　　琼决定请罗瑞来吃晚餐。“有肉、蔬菜和足够的土豆，”她告诉麦格，“我们还可以吃草莓，然后喝咖啡。”母亲说她一点也不在乎，因为她要出去吃晚餐。 
　　琼尽了最大努力，可土豆的中间还是硬的，蔬菜做得时间太长，变烂了，肉也给烧黑了。草莓还不能吃，她又把盐当成糖撒在了上面！不幸的是，直到罗瑞开始吃草莓这情况才被发现。他装做一切无恙，可艾米吃了一勺后从桌边跑开了。 
　　“怎么啦？”琼问。 
　　麦格和罗瑞告诉了她。“噢，不！”琼说。然后她看见罗瑞笑了，她也开始笑。旋即每个人都和她一起笑了。 
　　“多糟的一天！”当她们把一切收拾走后，琼说。 
　　马奇太太很晚才回来。“你们喜欢这个只有玩乐没有工作的星期吗，孩子们？你们是不是还想再来一个这样的星期？”她问。 
　　“我不要了！”琼说。 
　　“我也不要了！”其他人都喊道。 
　　“妈妈，你是不是出门去就想看看我们会怎么办？”麦格问。 
　　“是的．”马奇太太说，“我想让你们知道舒适依赖于我们大家互相帮助，不要只想到自己。有时间玩乐，也有时间工作，使每天既有用又愉快不是很好吗？” 
　　“噢，是的，妈妈，是的！”孩子们说。 
　　几天之后，四个女孩子和罗瑞及他的家庭教师布鲁克先生，还有其他几个年轻人一起去野餐，萨丽·加迪那和她的英国朋友凯特·瓦格小姐也去了。那天阳光灿烂，他们在一个小山坡上的一些树下野餐。 
　　餐后，大部分年轻姑娘和小伙子都去做游戏了，可凯特小姐却坐在一棵树下开始画画。麦格看着，布鲁克先生躺在她身旁的草地上，拿着一本书，但他并没有在看。 
　　“真希望我会画画，”麦格说。 
　　“你为什么不学呢？”凯特小姐问。她比其他的女孩稍大点，并且是最时髦的姑娘。 
　　“我没时间，”麦格说，“我有工作，给一家四个孩子教课。” 
　　“噢，”凯特小姐说，看上去很吃惊。她什么也没说，可从她脸上的表情可以看出她认为做家庭教师仅仅比做仆人好一些。麦格的脸很快变红了。 
　　“在美国，年轻的小姐喜欢为自己工作挣钱，”布鲁克先生很快地说，“她们不指望别人给她们掏钱。” 
　　“是这样，”凯特小姐冷冷地说。一会儿，她拿起她的画走开了。 
　　“没有其它地方像美国这样适合我们工作的人了，麦格小姐，”布鲁克先生笑着说。他棕色的眼睛温和地看着麦格，她也向他笑笑。 
　　“我真希望像你一样喜欢教书，”她说。 
　　“如果你教的是罗瑞你就会喜欢教书的，”布鲁克先生说，“明年他要去上大学，我会感到很遗憾。可然后我就要去当兵了。” 
　　“我认为每个年轻人都想当兵，”麦格说，“可这对呆在家里的人来说是很难的。” 
　　“我没有家，也没有许多朋友在乎我的死活，”布鲁克先生伤感地说。 
　　“罗瑞和他祖父会在乎的，”麦格说，“如果你发生什么事，我们大家都会很悲伤的。” 
　　“谢谢你，”布鲁克先生说，立刻高兴起来。 
　　　    


 