5 A surprise for Beth 
　  
　　Laurie and the four girls were soon great friends． Mr Brooke complained to the old gentleman that his student was always running across to see the Marches． 
　　'Let him have a bit of a holiday，'said Mr Laurence．'He can catch up with his studies later．' 
　　What good times they had！Writing and acting plays，happy evenings at the Marches， and little parties at the big house．Only Beth was too shy to go there． When Mr Laurence heard about Beth's shyness， he came to have tea with their mother one day，and began to talk about music and great singers he had heard． Beth found it impossible to stay in her corner and came to listen． 
　　'Laurie hasn't much time for his music，'Mr Laurence told Mrs March，'so the piano is not used very often．Would any of your girls like to play it sometimes？ They needn't see or speak to anyone，and I'll be in my study．'He got up to go．'But if they don't want to come…' 
　　At this moment， a little hand touched his own． It was Beth's． 'I-I want to come，'she said， her voice shaking．'Very much．' 
　　'You're the musical girl，'said Mr Laurence， gently． 
　　'I'm Beth． Yes，I love music， and I shall come．' 
　　The next day， Beth waited until the old and the young gentlemen both went out， then she ran across to the big house and found her way to the room with the beautiful piano．As soon as she began to play， she forgot her fears immediately in the delight which the music gave her． 
　　After that， Beth went every day． She never knew that Mr Laurence often opened his study door to hear her playing， or that Laurie stood in the hall to keep the servants away from the shy little girl． But she was so grateful that she asked her mother and sisters to help her make the old gentleman a pair of slippers． After several days careful sewing， the slippers were finished． Then Beth wrote a short letter and， with Laurie's help， left it with the slippers in the old man's study one morning， before he was up． 
　　The next day， Beth went out for a walk， and when she came back the others were waiting for her． 'Here's a letter for you， Beth！' they called out．'Come and read it！'She hurried to the house and they took her into the front room．'Look there！' everyone was saying at once． Beth looked-and got the biggest surprise of her life！For there stood a lovely little piano， with a letter on the top of it，addressed to ：' Miss Elizabeth March'． 
　　'You-you read it， Jo，' whispered Beth．'I can't．' 
　　So Jo opened the letter and began to read． 
　　'Dear Miss March，'she read， 'I have had many pairs of slippers but none which have pleased me so much as yours．I should like to thank pou for your kindness by sending you something that once belonged to my little granddaughter，who died．With many thanks． I am your good friend，James Laurence．' 
　　Jo put an arm around her sister．'Now try it，Beth，'she said． 
　　Beth sat down and began to play， and everyone thought it was the most perfect piano they had ever heard． 
　　'You'll have to go and thank him，'said Jo， with a smik，knowing that Beth was much too shy to do anything like that． 
　　But Beth surprised them all.'I'll do it at once，' she said bravely， and away she walked， through the garden and into the big house next door．She went up to the old gentleman's study and knocked on the door． 
　　'Come in，'said Mr Laurence． 
　　Beth went in．'I came to say thank you， sir，'she began，in her quiet little voice． But he looked so friendly that she ran and put both her arms around his neck and kissed him． 
　　The old gentleman was so surprised that he nearly fell off his chair． But he was very pleased indeed by that shy little kiss，and soon the two of them were talking like old friends． Later，he walked home with Beth．The girls， watching with great interest from the window， could not believe their eyes．'Well，'Meg said，' I do believe the world is coming to an end！'  
　 
5 白丝的惊喜 
　  
　　罗瑞和四个女孩子很快就成了要好的朋友。布鲁克先生向老先生抱怨说，他的学生常跑过去看望马奇一家。 
　　“让他放些假吧，”劳伦斯先生说。“他以后会补上他的功课的。” 
　　他们玩得真开心！编写和上演剧本，有时在马奇家度过欢乐的夜晚，有时在大房子里举办小型的聚会。只是白丝太害羞，她不去那儿。劳伦斯先生听说了白丝的羞涩以后，有一天他来跟她们的母亲一起喝茶，并开始谈论音乐和他所听说过的歌唱家。白丝发觉自己根本不可能呆在她的角落里，于是过来倾听。 
　　“罗瑞没什么时间弹琴，”劳伦斯先生对马奇太太说，“所以钢琴不怎么常用。你的孩子有谁想有时过来弹琴吗？他们不用跟任何人谈话，而我会呆在我自己的书房里。”他站起身要走，“可如果她们不愿意来……” 
　　此时，一只小手碰了碰他的手。是白丝。“我，我想来，”她说，声音颤抖，“非常想。” 
　　“你就是那个喜欢音乐的孩子？”劳伦斯先生轻柔地问。 
　　“我是白丝。是的，我热爱音乐，我愿意来。” 
　　第二天，白丝等到老先生和小先生都出门去了，她就跑到那座大房子里，径直找到那个摆着钢琴的房间。她一开始弹琴，立刻就在音乐带给她的愉快中忘记了恐惧。 
　　从此以后，白丝每天都去弹琴。她从不知道劳伦斯先生常常打开他书房的门听她弹琴，或者罗瑞站在大厅里让仆人们走开以不打扰这个害羞的女孩。可是她非常感激，就让她母亲和姐妹们帮她给老先生做了一双拖鞋。经过几天精心的缝制，拖鞋做好了。然后白丝写了一张简短的字条，在罗瑞的帮助下，有一天早晨，趁老先生还没起床时将字条和拖鞋放进了他的书房。 
　　第二天，白丝出门散步，当她回家时，大家都在等她。“这儿有你一封信，白丝！”她们喊。“快过来读读！”她赶快回到家，她们带她来到前厅。“看那儿！”每个人都立即说。白丝看过去——她得到了她一生中最大的惊喜！因为那里摆放着一架小钢琴，上面放着一封信，写道：“伊丽莎白·马奇小姐收。” 
　　“你，你读吧，琼，”白丝喃喃地说，“我读不了。” 
　　于是琼打开那封信读起来。 
　　“亲爱的马奇小姐，”她读道，“我有过很多双拖鞋，可没有一双像你送我的那双那样使我高兴。为了感谢你，我想送你一样曾经属于我死去的小孙女的东西。谢谢，我是你的好朋友，詹姆斯·劳伦斯。” 
　　琼用一只手臂搂住她的妹妹。“现在就试试，白丝，”她说。 
　　白丝坐下来开始弹琴，每个人都认为这是她们听过的最好的钢琴。 
　　“你得去谢谢他，”琼说，面带微笑。她深知白丝太害羞了，肯定不会去做那种事。 
　　可白丝让大家都吃了一惊。“我马上就去，”她勇敢地说，然后她就走了，穿过花园，来到隔壁的大房子。她走到楼上老先生的书房，敲了敲门。 
　　“请进，”劳伦斯先生说。 
　　白丝走了进去。“我来向您说声谢谢，先生，”她开始用她那平静细小的声音说话。可他看上去如此慈详，她跑过去用双臂搂住他的脖子吻了他一下。 
　　老先生太吃惊了，他几乎从他的椅子上掉了下来。可他实际上被那个羞涩的轻轻的吻弄得很高兴，不久他们俩就像老朋友一样地散步了。之后，他陪白丝走回家。其他的孩子们从窗户中以极大的兴趣看着这一幕，简直不敢相信她们的眼睛。“哎，”麦格说，“我相信世界末日就要到了。” 
　　　    


 