雙語譯林·小婦人 第十二章 勞倫斯營地 CAMP LAURENCE
- 第十二章 勞倫斯營地
- CHAPTER 12 CAMP LAURENCE
第十二章 勞倫斯營地
貝絲是郵局局長，她在家時間最多，能夠按時收取郵件。再說，她也非常喜歡每天打開郵箱小門，分發(fā)郵件的工作。七月的一天，她雙手捧滿郵件進來了，然后滿屋子分發(fā)書信和包裹，儼然一副便士郵遞員[1]的樣子。
“這是您的花束，媽媽！勞里總是把這事記在心上。”她邊說邊把香噴噴的鮮花插進擺在“媽咪角”的花瓶里，花瓶一直是那位感情細膩的男孩負責填滿的。
“美格·馬奇小姐，一封信和一只手套。”貝絲繼續(xù)工作，把郵件遞給坐在媽媽身邊縫袖口的姐姐。
“咦，我在那邊丟了一雙，怎么現(xiàn)在只有一只？”美格望望灰色的棉手套，“你是不是把另一只丟在園子里頭了？”
“沒有，肯定沒有，郵箱里就只有一只。”
“我討厭落單手套！不過不要緊，另一只會找到的。我的信只是我要的一首德語歌的譯文。我想是布魯克寫的，不是勞里的字跡嘛。”
馬奇太太瞅一眼美格，只見她穿著一襲方格花布晨衣，額前的小鬈發(fā)隨風輕輕飄動，顯得美麗動人，女性味十足。她坐在堆滿白布卷的小工作臺邊，哼著歌兒飛針走線，腦子里只顧做著如皮帶上的三色堇一樣朝氣蓬勃、天真無邪的少女美夢，一點也沒有覺察到媽媽的心事。馬奇太太笑了，感到十分滿意。
“喬博士有兩封信、一本書，還有一頂滑稽的舊帽子，把整個郵箱都蓋住了，還露出一部分在外面呢。”貝絲邊說邊笑著走進書房，喬正坐著寫作呢。
“勞里真是個狡猾的家伙??！我說如果流行大帽子就好了，因為我每到天熱就會把臉曬傷。他說：‘何必管它流行不流行？就戴一頂大帽，舒服要緊！’我說如果我有就會戴的，他就送了這頂來試我。我偏要戴上它，跟他鬧著玩，讓他知道我不在乎流行不流行的。”喬把這頂舊式闊邊帽子掛到柏拉圖的半身像上，開始讀信。
一封是媽媽寫的，她讀著便雙頰飛紅，熱淚盈眶了，信上說：
乖乖：
寫條子是要告訴你，看到你為控制脾氣不遺余力，我甚感欣慰。你不辭勞苦，不計成敗，也許以為除了那位每天給你幫助的“朋友”（我相信是那本封面卷了角的指導書）外無人知曉。不過，我也一一看在眼里，而且完全相信你的誠意和決心，因為你的決心已經(jīng)開始開花結果了。繼續(xù)努力吧，乖乖，耐著性子，鼓足勇氣，記住有一個人比任何人都更關心你，更愛護你，她就是我。
你親愛的媽媽
“此話對我很有好處，這封信抵得成千上萬的金錢和無數(shù)溢美之詞。啊，媽咪，我確實是在努力！在您的幫助下，我一定不屈不撓地堅持下去。”
喬把頭靠在臂上，筆下的小說稿紙上灑下了幾滴喜淚。她原以為沒有人看到和欣賞她為了學好而做的努力，現(xiàn)在變了。她一向最敬重母親的話，母親的贊揚出人意表，顯得彌足珍貴，更加鼓舞人心。她把紙條當作護身符別在上衣里面，以便時刻提醒自己，更增加了迎戰(zhàn)、征服那惡魔的信心。她接著打開另一封信，準備接受這個不知是好是壞的消息，展現(xiàn)在眼前的是勞里大大咧咧的字：
親愛的喬：
明天有幾個英國小孩來看我，準備玩?zhèn)€痛快。如果天氣晴朗，將去長草坪搭帳篷，大家一起劃船去，吃午飯，玩棒球——生篝火，燒東西吃，學吉普賽人，享受各種樂趣。他們人都很友善，都喜歡這樣玩。布魯克也去，他照看我們這幫男孩子，凱特·沃恩管束女孩子。希望你們都能來，無論如何別丟下貝絲，沒人難為她。至于吃的，請不要擔心——一切都由我來安排。只要人來就行，這才夠朋友！
匆匆擱筆。
你永遠的朋友
勞里
“好彩頭！”喬喊著飛奔進屋，去告訴美格，“當然可以去的，媽媽，是吧？還可以幫幫勞里，我能劃船，美格會做飯，妹妹們也多少能幫上點忙。”
“希望沃恩姐弟不是講究體面的成年人。你了解他們嗎，喬？”美格問。
“只知道他們是四姐弟。凱特年紀比你大，弗雷德和弗蘭克雙胞胎，年紀跟我差不多，還有個小姑娘（格萊絲），大概有十歲。勞里是在國外認識他們的，他喜歡那兩個男孩子。我想，他不怎么喜歡凱特，因為他談起她便嚴肅地抿起嘴巴。”
“我真高興，我的法式印花布服裝還干干凈凈，這種場合穿正合適，又好看！”美格得意地說，“你有合適的衣服嗎，喬？”
“紅灰兩色的劃艇衣，夠好的了。我要劃船，到處跑動，不想顧忌衣服上過漿而不敢動彈。你也來吧，貝絲？”
“那你得別讓那些男孩子跟我說話。”
“一個也不讓！”
“我想讓勞里高興，我也不怕布魯克先生，他是個大好人，但是我不想玩，不想唱，也不想說話。我會埋頭干活，不麻煩別人。你來照看我，喬，那我就去。”
“這才是我的好妹妹。你努力克服自己的害羞心理，我真高興。我知道改正缺點并不容易，而一句鼓勵的話兒，就能使人精神一振。謝謝您，媽媽。”喬說著感激地吻了一下母親瘦削的臉龐，這一吻對于馬奇太太來說，比讓她恢復豐滿紅潤的青春笑臉都要寶貴。
“我收到一盒巧克力糖和我想要臨摹的圖畫。”艾美說著把郵件打開給大家看。
“我收到勞倫斯先生一張字條，叫我今晚點燈前過去彈琴給他聽，我會去的。”貝絲接著說，她跟老人的友誼與日俱增。
“我們馬上行動起來吧，今天干雙倍活，明天就可以玩得無憂無慮了。”喬說道，準備放下筆桿，拿起掃帚。
第二天清早，太陽公公把頭探進姑娘們的房間，告訴她們是個大晴天。這時，他看到了滑稽的一幕。姑娘們個個都為這次野營做好了必要的準備。美格腦門上掛著一排卷發(fā)紙；喬在曬焦的臉上涂了冷面霜；貝絲把喬安娜帶上床共眠，來補償即將到來的分離；最可笑的要算艾美，她用衣夾夾住鼻子，想以此來使那個令人煩惱的鼻子挺一點。這種夾子原來是畫家拿來把紙夾到畫板上的，現(xiàn)在用于這項用途也算物盡其用吧。這可笑的一幕似乎把太陽都給逗樂了。他樂得金光四射，把喬曬醒了，她沖著艾美的這副打扮哈哈大笑，吵醒了眾姐妹。
陽光和歡笑都是開心聚會的好兆頭，很快，兩家的屋子里都開始忙碌起來。貝絲第一個準備好，她靠在窗前不斷報告鄰居的動態(tài)，活躍了三姐妹梳妝打扮的氣氛。
“一個人帶著帳篷出來了！我看到巴克太太把午飯放到一個食盒和大簍里。現(xiàn)在勞倫斯先生抬頭看天空和風標，但愿他也一起去。那是勞里，打扮得像個水手——好小伙子啊！啊呀呀！馬車上全是人，一個高個女士、一個小姑娘，還有兩個可怕的男孩子。一個是瘸子，可憐巴巴的！他拄著拐杖。勞里沒跟我們說過?？禳c，姑娘們！時間不早了。呀，我這里宣告，那是內德·莫法特。瞧，美格，這不是那天我們購物時向你欠身的那個人嗎？”
“可不是嘛。奇怪，他怎么也來了？我還以為他在山里頭呢。那是薩莉，太好了，她回來得正是時候。你看我這樣行嗎，喬？”美格驚慌地問道。
“標準的美人。提起裙子，把帽子扶正，這樣斜翹著顯得感傷，而且風一吹便飛走了。好了，我們出發(fā)吧！”
“喬，你不是要戴這頂糟帽子去吧？太荒唐了，你不該把自己弄得像個小伙子的。”美格規(guī)勸道。此時喬正把勞里開玩笑送來的舊式闊邊意大利草帽用一根紅絲帶圍系起來。
“我就要戴著去，它棒極了——又擋陰，又輕，又大。戴上它很滑稽，再說，只要舒服，我不在乎做個小伙子。”喬說罷邁步就走，姐妹們緊跟其后。每人穿一身夏裝，戴一頂逍遙自在的寬邊帽子，滿臉笑容，十分好看，儼然一支活潑快樂的小隊伍。
勞里跑過來迎接，然后十分熱忱地把姑娘們一一介紹給他的朋友們。草坪就是接待室，在那里沒待幾分鐘，氣氛就變得相當活躍。美格發(fā)現(xiàn)，凱特小姐雖然二十歲了，可穿戴樸素，心里頓時松了口氣，要知道，這可是美國女孩應該學習的。聽到內德先生一再向她保證，自己是專為看她才過來的，她感到受寵若驚。喬知道為什么一提起凱特，勞里就抿住嘴巴，裝出一本正經(jīng)的樣子。原來那位小姐有一種“走開，別碰我”的架子，這與其他姑娘自由輕松的舉止形成了鮮明對比。貝絲仔細地觀察了一番剛認識的這些男孩，最后斷定腳跛的那位并不可怕，倒是溫文爾雅，且體弱多病，應該對他友好。艾美發(fā)現(xiàn)格萊斯人雖小，可舉止優(yōu)雅、活潑開朗，互相默默地對視了幾分鐘后，馬上就成了好朋友。
帳篷、午飯、棒球游戲器具早就先行送走，所以大家很快登上了小船。兩葉輕舟一起推進，岸上只剩下?lián)]著帽子的勞倫斯先生一人。勞里和喬共劃一條船，布魯克先生和內德先生劃另一條，而淘氣作亂的雙胞胎之一弗雷德·沃恩則使勁劃著一只單人賽艇，像受了驚的水生蝽一樣在旁邊橫沖直撞，妄圖將兩船撞翻。喬那頂風趣的帽子用途十分廣泛，值得鳴謝。它一開始便打破隔膜，逗得眾人一笑，她劃船時帽子上下擺動，扇出陣陣清風。她說，如果下起雨來，還可以給全班人馬當作一把大傘使用。凱特覺得喬的一舉一動都十分離奇，特別是她丟了槳時大叫“真該死”。而勞里就座時不小心在喬腳上絆了一下，他說：“我的好伙伴，弄痛了沒有？”這更叫她納罕不已。戴上眼鏡把這位奇怪的姑娘審視幾遍后，凱特小姐認定喬“古怪，但挺聰明”，于是遠遠對著她微笑起來。
另一條船上，美格舒舒服服地坐在兩個槳手的對面。兩個小伙子見狀大喜，各自使出非凡的技巧和機敏，去做平掠回槳的動作。布魯克先生是個嚴肅、沉默寡言的青年，聲音悅耳動聽，棕色的眼睛很神氣。美格喜歡他性格沉靜，把他看做是一部活百科全書，裝著各種有用的知識。他不大跟她說話，但目光卻常常落在她身上，美格肯定他對自己并不反感。內德是大學新生，當然認為擺足派頭是自己應盡的義務。他并不特別聰明，但脾氣隨和，不失為維持野炊活動的好人選。薩莉·加德納一面盡心竭力護著自己的凸紋布白裙子不弄臟，一面和無處不在的弗雷德攀談，因為弗雷德不斷胡鬧，貝絲被嚇得心驚膽戰(zhàn)。
長草坪并不遠，他們到的時候帳篷已經(jīng)搭好，三門柱也豎了起來。這是塊令人神清氣爽的綠色曠野，當中有三棵枝繁葉茂的橡樹，還有一條狹長而平整的草坪可打棒球。
“歡迎來到勞倫斯營地！”年輕的主人喊道。他們剛靠岸，歡呼雀躍著。
“布魯克是總司令，我是軍需部長，其他男士是參謀，各位女士都當客人。帳篷是特意為你們搭的，那棵橡樹就是你們的起居室，這棵是食堂，另外一棵是營地伙房?，F(xiàn)在，趁天還沒熱起來，我們先來打一局球，然后再做午飯。”
弗蘭克、貝絲、艾美和格萊斯坐下來觀看其他八個人打球。布魯克先生挑了美格、凱特和弗雷德，勞里則選了薩莉、喬和內德。英國人玩得很出色，可是美國人更勝一籌，好像受到了1776年[2]精神的鼓舞，士氣十足，寸土必爭。喬和弗雷德之間發(fā)生幾次爭執(zhí)，有一次還差點吵了起來。喬在打最后一道門時，一下?lián)艨樟耍@使她大為惱火。弗雷德緊隨其后，卻比喬早輪到擊球。他擊了一下，球打到了門柱上，在球門外一寸的地方停了下來。大家離得都很遠，他跑上前來看個究竟，腳尖偷偷地把球輕輕一撥，球隨之到了球門內一寸的地方。
“我進了！嗨，喬小姐，我要收拾你，先贏球。”年輕的紳士大聲喊道，一邊晃動著他的槌棒，準備再次擊球。
“你把它踢進去的，我看到了。現(xiàn)在該輪到我了。”喬大聲說。
“我敢發(fā)誓，沒有踢。球剛才也許是滾了一下，可那沒犯規(guī)。請你讓開，我要沖擊樁標了。”
“這里是美國，我們從不賴皮，不過你要賴就賴吧。”喬氣憤地說。
“誰不知道，美國佬最狡猾了?？辞?！”弗雷德反駁道，并把她的球槌出老遠。
喬剛要張口罵人，可她忍住了，臉漲得通紅，站了片刻，使盡全身力氣拿下了一輪。也就在這時，弗雷德?lián)糁辛藰稑?，欣喜若狂地宣布自己勝出。喬走過去撿球，好一會兒才在灌木叢中找到了自己的球。她回來后顯得很冷靜，耐心地等著擊球。過了幾個回合，她終于收復失地，可等到這時，另一方幾乎贏定了，因為凱特是倒數(shù)第二個擊球，而球就在樁標邊上。
“哎呀，我們完結了！再見，凱特，喬小姐還欠我一個球呢，你是完蛋了。”弗雷德興奮地喊道，這時大家都走過來觀看最后的決戰(zhàn)。
“美國佬有對敵人寬宏大量的本事。”喬說著瞥了他一眼，使小伙子的臉霎時漲得通紅。“特別是擊敗敵人的時候。”她補充說。喬絕妙一擊，球繞過凱特的球進了球門，她獲得了比賽的勝利。
勞里把帽子往上一拋，突然又想起輸家是自己的客人，不便太高興，于是剛歡呼了幾聲，就趕緊停下來。他對喬悄悄地說：“干得好，喬！他的確耍賴，我看到了。我們不能跟他直說，可他以后不會再這樣了，相信我吧。”
美格把喬拉到一邊，假裝幫她夾緊一綹松下來的頭發(fā)，夸獎她說：“這事真叫人來氣，可你沒有發(fā)作，我真高興，喬。”
“別夸我，美格，到現(xiàn)在我都想給他個耳光。我躲在蕁麻叢里，消了消氣才沒說出口，要不，我早就發(fā)作了。現(xiàn)在還很火，他最好滾得遠一點。”喬說著咬緊嘴唇，大帽子下的雙眼瞪著弗雷德。
“做飯了。”布魯克先生看了看表說，“軍需部長，你生火，再提些水來，好嗎？馬奇小姐、薩莉小姐，還有我，攤桌子。誰咖啡煮得好？”
“喬會的！”美格說，高興地推薦妹妹。喬最近經(jīng)常下廚燒菜，學了不少技藝，覺得這下可以露一手了。她走過去照看咖啡壺，妹妹們拾干柴，男孩們生火，到附近的泉眼提水。凱特小姐在寫生，貝絲一邊用燈芯草編小墊子做盤子，一邊和弗蘭克聊天。
總司令帶領助手們很快就攤好了桌布。吃的喝的都擺上了，引得眾人直流口水，其中又點綴了幾片綠色的葉子，色香味俱佳。喬宣布咖啡煮好了，大家都坐下來享受一頓豐盛的午餐。年輕人一般腸胃都很好，運動后更是胃口大增。午飯吃得很開心，一切都顯得那么新鮮、有趣，朗朗的笑聲此起彼伏，竟把正在附近吃草的一匹老馬都驚動了。餐桌不平，弄得杯子和盤子東倒西歪，頻遭厄運。橡子掉到了牛奶里，黑色的小螞蟻不請自來，也來分享點心，還有長滿絨毛的毛蟲也從樹上吊下來瞧個究竟。三個白頭發(fā)的小孩從籬笆上探出腦袋，河對岸的一條狗沖著他們拼命地叫個不停。
“要加的話，鹽在這里。”勞里說著把一碟草莓遞給喬。
“謝謝，我寧可要蜘蛛。”說著，喬從奶油中撈出兩只小蜘蛛，那是不小心掉到里面淹死的。“怎么還敢提上次糟糕的宴會？就算你的宴會無懈可擊，那又怎么樣？”喬接著說。兩人都會心地笑了，由于瓷盤不夠，他們就合用一個盤子。
“那天我吃得特別開心，至今難忘啊。要知道，今天可不是我的功勞。我什么都沒做，都是你、美格和布魯克一手操辦的，我是感激不盡啊。吃飽了干什么呢？”勞里問。他感到自己的王牌已經(jīng)打完了，吃完午飯就沒什么安排了。
“玩游戲，等天涼快些再回去。我?guī)Я?lsquo;猜作者’游戲卡，我敢說，凱特小姐一定會玩好多新花樣。去問問她，她是客人，你應該多和她待在一起的。”
“你不也是客人嘛！我想布魯克跟她合適，可他老是與美格聊天，凱特戴著那副滑稽的眼鏡，盯著他們看。我要走了，用不著教我那些規(guī)矩，你自己做不到的。”
凱特確實會玩幾種新花樣，女孩們不愿再吃了，男孩們也吃不下了，他們都退到了起居室，玩起“廢話接龍”的游戲。
“一個人開始講故事，說什么廢話都行，可長可短，只是要注意，說到緊要關頭必須打住，讓另一個人接龍。做得好是很有趣的，可以形成一大堆可悲可喜的材料，使人大笑特笑。請開頭吧，布魯克先生。”凱特以命令的口氣說。美格對這位家教是以禮相待的，聽了很吃驚。
布魯克先生躺在草地上，位于兩位小姐的腳邊。他漂亮的棕色眼睛盯著波光粼粼的河面，順從地起頭了：
“從前有個騎士，窮得只剩下劍和盾，于是出去闖世界打天下。他歷盡艱辛，周游列國，差不多有二十八年之久，最后來到老國王的宮殿。老國王有一匹心愛的小寶馬，但尚未馴服。他下令，誰把馬訓練好，就有重賞。騎士同意試一試，決定穩(wěn)扎穩(wěn)打。寶馬雄壯驍勇，很快就和新主人建立了感情，雖然性子暴烈，但還是日漸馴服了。每天訓練時，騎士都騎著國王的寶馬穿越這座城市，邊走邊尋找夢中出現(xiàn)過無數(shù)次的漂亮臉蛋，但一直找不到。一天，他策馬走過一條寂靜的街道，卻在廢城堡的窗口里看到了那可愛的臉。他驚喜萬分，便打聽是誰住在這座舊城堡里頭，得知原來是幾位擄來的公主，中了魔咒，被關在里頭，整天紡紗織布，存錢贖自由。騎士極想解救她們，但身無分文，于是只能天天路過那里，盼望著再次看到佳人的臉蛋，希望公主能來到光天化日之下。最后他決定闖進城堡，設法幫助她們。他走過去敲門，大門馬上拉開，他看到了——”
“一位絕色佳人，她狂喜地大叫一聲，高呼：‘終于盼來啦！盼來啦！'”凱特接上茬，她讀過法國小說，喜歡那種風格，“‘原來是她呀！’居斯塔夫伯爵喊道，欣喜若狂地拜倒在她的石榴裙下。‘起來??！’她伸出纖纖玉手說道。‘不起來！除非你告訴我怎么才能救你。’騎士跪在那里發(fā)誓。‘呵，厄運把我囚在這里，暴君不死，我就沒有出頭之日。'‘壞蛋在哪里？'‘在紫紅色的大廳里。去吧，勇敢的愛人，快把我救出絕境。'‘遵命，一定與他決一死戰(zhàn)！’說完這幾句豪言壯語后，他沖出去，推開紫紅色大廳的大門，正要走進去，卻遭到——”
“希臘大詞典的一下痛擊，一個披黑衣的老家伙對他下了手，”內德說，“某某爵士馬上回過神來，把暴君摔出窗外，大獲全勝，轉身去與佳人相會，但眉頭上頂著大包，卻發(fā)現(xiàn)門鎖上了，只好撕破窗簾做成繩梯，下到半途繩梯突然斷裂，他一頭栽進六十英尺下面的護城河。他諳熟水性，涉水繞城堡而行，最后來到一扇有兩名彪形大漢把守的小門。他把兩個腦袋撞在一起，腦袋被擠得像核桃一樣裂開，接著，不費吹灰之力便破門而入，走上兩級石階，上面積滿了一英尺厚的灰塵，還有拳頭大小的癩蛤蟆，大蜘蛛準把你嚇得歇斯底里尖叫，馬奇小姐。在石階上頭，他驀地撞到了一個景象，令他大驚失色，毛骨悚然，他看到——”
“一個高高的身影，一身白衣服，臉上蒙了一塊面紗，瘦骨嶙峋的手提著一盞燈。”美格續(xù)上去，“那個影子招招手，無聲無息地沿著像墳墓一樣黑暗冰涼的走廊滑行。披著盔甲的塑像陰森森地站立兩邊，周圍一片死寂，燈火發(fā)出幽藍的光，鬼影不時向他轉過臉來，兩只恐怖的眼睛透過白面紗發(fā)出閃閃幽光。他們走到一扇掛了簾子的門前，門后面奏起悅耳的音樂，他跳上前要走進去，幽靈把他拽了回來，威脅地在他面前揚著一個——”
“鼻煙盒。”喬陰森森地說，眾人聽得毛發(fā)倒豎，“‘謝了。’騎士禮貌地說，一面拈了一撮兒，隨即重重地打了七個大噴嚏，震得腦袋都掉了下來。‘哈！哈！’鬼魂狂笑著。惡鬼透過鑰匙孔，看到公主們仍在紡線贖身，便撿起犧牲品，把他放進一個大鐵皮箱子里，箱子里頭還密密麻麻地塞了十一個無頭騎士，他們全站起身來，開始——”
“跳號笛舞。”弗雷德趁喬停下?lián)Q氣時插進來，“他們跳舞時，廢城堡變成了一艘鼓滿風帆的戰(zhàn)船。‘三角帆向風，收中桅帆升降索，背風轉舵，炮手就位！’船長吼叫道。此時一艘葡萄牙海盜船正駛入視線，前桅飄著一面黑旗。‘為了勝利，弟兄們沖??！’船長說，于是大戰(zhàn)開始了。當然是英方打贏了，他們向來都是贏家。”
“不對！”喬在一旁叫道。
“把海盜船長俘虜后，戰(zhàn)船直沖那縱帆船，船甲板上堆滿尸體，鮮血從下風一側排水孔流了出來，因為下的命令是‘拔刀，拼死肉搏！'。‘副水手長，拿三角帆帆腳索扣來，如果這壞蛋不趕快招供，就把他干掉。’英國艦船長說道。那葡萄牙人咬緊牙關，堅決不招，情愿走跳板跳海?？鞓返乃謧儦g呼若狂。但那狡猾的家伙潛入水中，游到戰(zhàn)船下面鑿穿船底，眼看揚滿風帆的船兒沉了下去，往海底，海底，海底，那兒——”
“啊，天啊！我該說什么？”薩莉叫道。此時弗雷德收住了他的連篇廢話，水手用語和生活描寫的大雜燴，全都取材于他最喜歡的一本書。“唔，他們沉到海底，美人魚前來迎接，看到裝著無頭騎士的箱子，美人魚十分傷心，便好心地把他們腌在鹽水里，希望能發(fā)現(xiàn)他們的秘密，是女人，好奇心就強。后來，有人潛水下來，美人魚便說，‘若能把箱子拿上去，便把這盒珍珠送給你。’她想讓這些可憐蟲起死回生，但自己卻無力抬起沉重的箱子。潛水者把箱子舉上來，打開一看，并無珍珠，失望之余，便把箱子遺棄在一片荒野里，被一個——”
“小牧鵝女發(fā)現(xiàn)了。小姑娘在這片地里養(yǎng)了百頭肥鵝。”艾美在薩莉才思枯竭時接著，“她很替騎士們難過，便請教一位老太太，怎樣才能救他們。‘你的鵝會告訴你的，鵝無所不知。’老太太說。她接著又問，舊腦袋丟了，應該用什么做新腦袋，只見那些鵝百嘴張開，齊齊尖叫——”
“‘卷心菜！'”勞里立即接上去，“‘就是它了。’姑娘說道，隨即跑到菜園里摘了十二棵大卷心菜。她把卷心菜裝上，騎士們馬上復活了。他們謝過牧鵝女，興高采烈地上路，并不知道腦袋換了。世上跟他們一樣的腦袋太多了，見怪不怪。我關注的那位騎士回頭去找佳人，得知公主們已靠紡紗贖回了自由，除了一位外已全部出嫁了。騎士聽了熱血沸騰，跨上一直跟他赴湯蹈火的小公馬，沖進城堡，看看到底留下了哪位。他隔著樹籬偷窺，看到他心愛的公主正在花園里采花。‘給我一朵玫瑰好嗎？’他問道。‘自己過來拿。我不能走來找你，這樣不規(guī)矩。’佳人柔聲說道。他試圖爬過樹籬，但它似乎越長越高；然后他想沖破樹籬，但它卻越長越密。他一籌莫展，于是耐心地把枝杈一枝一枝折斷，開了一個小洞，從洞里望進去，哀求道：‘讓我進吧！讓我進吧！’但俏公主似乎并不理解，依然平靜地采她的玫瑰，任由他孤身奮戰(zhàn)。他有沒有沖進去呢？弗蘭克會告訴大家的。”
“我不會，我沒有參加游戲，我從來都不玩的。”弗蘭克說道。他不知道怎樣做，才能把這對荒唐的情人從感情困境中解救出來。貝絲早躲到喬的身后，格萊絲則睡著了。
“那么說可憐的騎士就被困在樹籬上了，對嗎？”布魯克先生眼睛仍然凝視著小河，手里把玩著插在紐孔上的薔薇，問道。
“我想后來公主給了他一束玫瑰，并把門打開。”勞里說，顧自笑著，向老師扔橡樹子。
“看我們湊了篇什么樣的廢話！多練練，或許就能搞出點聰明的名堂吧？你們知道‘真心話’嗎？”當大家笑過自己瞎編的故事后，薩莉問。
“但愿我知道。”美格認真地說。
“我是指那個游戲。”
“什么游戲？”弗雷德問。
“哦，這樣，大家把手疊起來，選一個數(shù)字，然后輪流抽出手，抽到這個數(shù)字的人，得老實回答大家的問題。很好玩的。”
“我們試試吧。”喜歡新花頭的喬說。
凱特小姐、布魯克先生、美格和內德退出了。弗雷德、薩莉、喬和勞里疊手玩游戲，勞里抽中了。
“誰是你心目中的英雄？”喬問。
“爺爺和拿破侖。”
“你認為這里哪位女士最漂亮？”薩莉問。
“瑪格麗特。”
“最喜歡哪一位？”弗雷德問。
“喬，那還用說。”
勞里說得實事求是，大家全笑起來。喬輕蔑地聳聳肩，說：“你們問得真無聊！”
“再玩一回，‘真心話’這游戲挺不錯的。”弗雷德說。
“對你來說是好游戲。”喬低聲反駁道。
這回輪到她了。
“最大的缺點是什么？”弗雷德問，借此試探她是否誠實。他自己缺乏這種美德。
“脾氣急躁。”
“最希望得到什么？”勞里問。
“一雙靴帶。”喬揣測到他的用意，給予迎頭痛擊。
“回答不老實，必須說出真正最希望得到什么。”
“天才，難道你不是恨不得你可以送給我嗎，勞里？”她望著那張失望的臉孔狡黠地一笑。
“最敬慕男士什么美德？”薩莉問。
“勇敢真誠。”
“現(xiàn)在該我了。”弗雷德說道，他抽中最后。
“給他來點厲害的。”勞里向喬耳語，喬點點頭，立即問：
“棒球比賽你難道沒有賴皮？”
“嗯，唔，有那么一點點。”
“好！你的故事難道不是取自《海獅》? ”勞里問。
“差不多。”
“你難道不認為英國在各方面都完美？”薩莉問。
“不這樣，我就枉為英國人了。”
“真是徹頭徹尾的約翰牛[3]。好了，薩莉小姐，輪到你了，不必等抽簽。我要問你一個問題，先折磨一下你的感情。你覺得自己是不是有幾分賣弄風情？”勞里說。喬則向弗雷德點點頭，表示講和了。
“好個魯莽漢！當然不是的。”薩莉叫道，那架勢說明事實恰恰相反。
“最恨什么？”弗雷德問。
“蜘蛛和米粥湯。”
“最喜歡什么？”喬問。
“跳舞和法國手套。”
“哦，我看‘真心話’是無聊透頂?shù)陌褢?，不如換個有意思的，我們玩‘猜作者’來提神吧。”喬提議。
內德、弗蘭克和小姑娘們加入了這個游戲，三個年長一點的則坐到一邊聊天。凱特小姐又拿出她的寫生本，美格看著她畫，布魯克先生則躺在草地上，手里拿著一本書，卻又不看。
“你畫得真棒！真希望我也會。”美格說道，聲音又仰慕又遺憾。
“那你為什么不學？我認為你有這方面的趣味和才華。”凱特小姐禮貌地回答。
“沒有時間啊。”
“可能你媽媽希望你學別的才藝吧。我媽媽也一樣，但我私下學了幾課，把才華證明給她看，她便同意我繼續(xù)學了。你不也一樣可以自己跟家庭教師學啊？”
“我沒有家庭教師。”
“我倒忘了，美國姑娘大都上學堂，跟我們不一樣。爸爸說，這些學校都很氣派。我猜你上的是私立學校吧？”
“我根本不上學。我自己便是個家庭教師。”
“是嗎？”凱特小姐說。但她倒不如直說：“哎喲，真糟糕！”因為她的語氣分明有這個意思。她臉上的神情使美格漲紅了臉，懊悔自己剛才太坦誠。
布魯克先生抬起頭，馬上說道：“美國姑娘跟她們的祖先一樣熱愛獨立，她們自食其力，并因此而受到敬重。”
“噢，不錯，她們這樣做當然十分體面。我們也有不少高尚可敬的小姐這樣做，受雇于貴族階層。因為，作為紳士家的女兒，她們都很有教養(yǎng)和才藝的呢。”凱特小姐用一種恩賜的腔調說道，這傷及了美格的自尊心，使她的工作變得不但更加討厭，而且更加低人一等了。
“那首德語歌合你的口味嗎，馬奇小姐？”布魯克先生打破尷尬的沉默，問道。
“當然！優(yōu)美極了，我十分感激替我翻譯的那個人。”美格板著的臉說話時又有了神采。
“你不會德語嗎？”凱特小姐驚訝地問。
“讀得不大好。父親原來教我，但現(xiàn)在不在家，我自學進展不快，沒人糾正發(fā)音嘛。”
“現(xiàn)在就讀讀看，這里有席勒的《瑪麗·斯圖亞特》，還有一位愿意教你的家庭老師。”布魯克先生笑容可掬地把他的書放在她膝蓋上。
“這本書太難，不敢讀。”美格說道。她十分感激，但在多才多藝的小姐面前又感到很不好意思。
“我先讀幾句來鼓勵你。”凱特小姐說著，把其中最優(yōu)美的一段朗誦一遍，讀得一字不差，但卻毫無表情。
布魯克先生聽完后不語。凱特小姐把書交回美格，美格天真地說道：
“我想這是詩歌吧。”
“部分是。讀讀這段吧。”
布魯克先生把書翻到“可憐瑪麗的挽歌”一頁，嘴角掛著一絲怪笑。
美格服從了，順著新教師用來指點的長草葉羞澀地慢慢讀下去。她的聲調悅耳輕柔，那些生澀難讀的字句不知不覺全變得如詩如歌。綠草葉一路指下去，把美格帶到悲泣哀怨的神往境界。她旋即忘掉了聽眾，旁若無人地往下讀，讀到不幸的女王說話時，腔調帶上了悲劇口氣。當時，她要是看到了那對棕色眼睛，一定會突然停下的，但她沒有抬頭，這堂課于是沒有砸鍋。
“讀得好！”布魯克先生待她停下來說道。其實她讀錯了不少單詞，但他當作沒聽到，儼然一副熱愛教書的模樣。
凱特小姐帶上眼鏡，把眼前的動人情景掃視了一回，然后合上寫生本，屈尊地說道：“你的口音蠻漂亮，日后必成好朗誦者。建議你學一學，德語對于教師來說是很有價值的才藝。我得去照看格萊絲，她在亂蹦亂跳呢。”凱特小姐說著慢慢走開了，他一邊走，一邊自言自語道：“我可不是來照料女家庭教師的，雖然她確實年輕貌美。這些美國佬真是怪人，勞里跟她們一起恐怕會學壞了哩。”
“我忘了英國人瞧不起女家教，不像我們平等相待。”美格望著凱特小姐遠去的身影懊惱地說道。
“可悲的是，據(jù)我所知，男家教在那邊，日子也不好過。對于我們打工仔來說，再沒有比美國更好的地方了，瑪格麗特小姐。”布魯克先生顯得如此滿足，如此快樂，美格也不好意思再哀嘆自己命苦了。
“那真高興我生活在美國。我不喜歡我的工作，不過還是從中得到很大的滿足，所以我不抱怨，我只希望能像你一樣喜歡教書。”
“如果有勞里這樣的學生，我想你就會喜歡的。可惜我明年就要失去他了。”布魯克先生邊說邊在草坪上狠命戳洞。
“上大學，是吧？”美格嘴里這樣問，眼睛卻在說：“那你自己干什么呢？”
“是的，該上大學了，他準備好了。他一走，我就參軍。部隊上需要我。”
“我真高興！”美格叫道，“我也認為每個青年都應該有這個心愿，雖然留在家里的母親和姐妹們日子會感到難過。”她說著傷心起來。
“我沒有母親姐妹，在乎我死活的朋友也寥寥無幾。”布魯克先生有點苦澀地說道。他心不在焉地把干枯的玫瑰放到戳好的洞里，像小墳墓似的用土蓋上。
“勞里和他爺爺就會十分在乎，萬一你受了傷，我們也全都會很難過的。”美格真心地說。
“謝謝，聽了令人高興。”布魯克先生振作起來，說道。一語未畢，內德騎著那匹老馬笨拙地走過來，在小姐們面前炫耀他的騎術，于是這一天就再也沒有安寧了。
“你難道不喜歡騎馬嗎？”格萊絲問艾美。她倆剛剛和大家一起跟著內德繞田野跑了一圈，這時站著在歇氣。
“喜歡極了。我爸爸有錢那時候，美格姐常常騎，但我們現(xiàn)在沒有馬了，只有‘愛倫樹’。”艾美笑著補充說。
“跟我說說，‘愛倫樹’是一頭驢子嗎？”格萊絲好奇地問。
“嘿，你不知道，喬愛馬愛得發(fā)瘋，我也一樣，但我們沒有馬，只有一個舊橫鞍。我們園子里有一棵蘋果樹，長了一枝低樹丫，喬便把馬鞍放上去，在彎起處系上韁繩，我們有興致時，就跳上‘愛倫樹’馳騁。”
“多有趣！”格萊絲笑了，“我家里有一匹矮種馬，我?guī)缀趺刻於几ダ椎潞蛣P特一起去海德公園騎馬，真愜意；我的朋友們都去，整個騎馬道都是紳士小姐們的身影。”
“哎呀，多帶勁！希望有一天能出國，但我寧愿去羅馬[4]，不去羅歐。”艾美說。她壓根兒不知道羅歐是什么，死活不肯發(fā)問。
坐在兩個小姑娘后面的弗蘭克聽到了她們說話。看到生龍活虎的小伙子們在做各種各樣的滑稽體操動作，他很不耐煩地一把推開自己的拐杖。貝絲正在收拾散亂一地的“猜作者”卡片，聞聲抬起頭來，羞怯而友好地問：
“恐怕你累了吧，我能為你效勞嗎？”
“跟我說說話吧，求你啦，一個人枯坐悶死了。”弗蘭克回答。顯然他在家里被悉心照料慣了。
貝絲害羞，即使讓她發(fā)表拉丁語演說也不會比這更困難。但她現(xiàn)在無路可逃，喬不在身邊擋駕，可憐的小伙子又眼巴巴地望著她，她于是勇于一試。
“你看談什么好呢？”她邊收拾卡片邊問，把卡片扎起來時灑落了一半。
“嗯，我想聽聽板球、劃船和打獵這類事情。”弗蘭克說道。他尚未懂得自己的興趣應該是力所能及的事情。
“天哪！我該怎么辦？我對這些一無所知。”貝絲想，倉皇之間忘記了小伙子的不幸。她想引他說話，便說：“我從來沒見過打獵，不過我猜你熟門熟路的。”
“以前是，但我再也不能打獵了，跳越一道該死的五柵門時傷了腿，再也不能騎馬放獵狗了。”弗蘭克長嘆一聲說。貝絲見狀直恨自己粗心無知，說錯了話。
“你們的鹿兒遠比我們丑陋的水牛美麗。”她說道，轉身望著開闊的草原尋找靈感，很高興自己曾讀過一本喬十分喜歡的男孩子讀物。
事實證明水牛具有鎮(zhèn)靜功能，令人滿意。貝絲一心一意要讓弗蘭克樂起來，心里早沒有了自己。姐妹們看到她竟和一個原來躲避不迭的可怕男孩談得滔滔不絕，全都又驚又喜，貝絲對此卻全然不覺。
“好心的人兒！她憐憫他，所以對他好。”喬說道，從棒球場那邊對著她微笑。
“我一向都說她是個小圣人。”美格用不容置疑的口吻說。
“很久都沒有聽弗蘭克笑得這樣開心了。”格萊絲對艾美說。她們正坐在一處，邊談論玩偶，邊用橡果殼做茶具。
“我貝絲姐有時候很努力，是個令人瑕疵的姑娘。”艾美對貝絲的成功很高興，說道。她的意思是“令人癡迷”，不過反正格萊絲也不知道這兩個詞的確切意思，“令人瑕疵”聽起來不錯，而且令對方刮目相看。
看了即興馬戲表演，下了狐貍大雁棋，打了一場槌球友誼賽，不覺一個下午就過去了。等到夕陽西下，大家拆了帳篷，收拾好籃子，卸下三門柱，把行李裝上船。他們一起順流而下，放聲歌唱。內德傷感起來，用柔和的顫音唱起了小夜曲，從那憂郁的過門：
孤獨，孤獨，哎喲！孤獨。
唱到歌詞：
我們各自青春年少，各自有心，
呵，為什么要這樣拉開冷漠的距離？
他趁機望著美格，表情有氣無力，美格忍不住撲哧一笑，把歌聲打斷了。
“怎能對我這樣無情？”趁大家活躍地說話時，他咕噥道，“你全天都和那個古板的英國女人混在一起，這會兒又來輕慢我了。”
“不是有意的，只是你很滑稽，實在忍不住。”美格答道，避而不談他第一部分的責備。說真的，她對莫法特家晚會以及后來的閑話記憶猶新，整天都躲著他。
內德生氣了，轉頭向薩莉尋求安慰，他小氣地說道：“你說這姑娘是不是一點風情也不解?。?rdquo;
“半點也不解，不過她是個乖乖兒。”薩莉回答，雖然坦白了朋友的缺點，卻維護了朋友。
“反正不是受驚的‘怪鹿’吧。”內德想說俏皮話，無奈的年輕人火候未到，果然不成功。
在早晨集合的草地上，大家互道晚安，依依惜別，因為沃恩姐弟們還要去加拿大呢。四姐妹穿過花園回家時，凱特小姐目送著她們說：“盡管美國姑娘感情外露，但熟悉之后，便知道她們十分迷人。”她的話里已經(jīng)放下了恩賜的腔調。
“我同意你的意見。”布魯克先生說。
* * *
[1]英國舊時平郵郵資，不論遠近，一律收一便士。
[2]1776年美國頒布了《獨立宣言》，宣告擺脫英國殖民統(tǒng)治。
[3]英國人的綽號。
[4]騎馬道英文為row，與羅馬音近，艾美不知道row是何意，所以就認為和羅馬一樣是地名。
CHAPTER 12 CAMP LAURENCE
BETH WAS postmistress, for, being most at home, she could attend to it regularly, and dearly liked the daily task of unlocking the little door and distributing the mail. One July day she came in with her hands full, and went about the house leaving letters and parcels like the penny post.
“Here's your posy, Mother! Laurie never forgets that, ” she said, putting the fresh nosegay in the vase that stood in “Marmee's corner”, and was kept supplied by the affectionate boy.
“Miss Meg March, one letter and a glove, ” continued Beth, delivering the articles to her sister, who sat near her mother, stitching wristbands.
“Why, I left a pair over there, and here is only one, ” said Meg, looking at the gray cotton glove. “Didn't you drop the other in the garden? ”
“No, I'm sure I didn't, for there was only one in the office.”
“I hate to have odd gloves! Never mind, the other may be found. My letter is only a translation of the German song I wanted. I think Mr. Brooke did it, for this isn't Laurie's writing.”
Mrs. March glanced at Meg, who was looking very pretty in her gingham morning gown, with the little curls blowing about her forehead, and very womanly, as she sat sewing at her little worktable, full of tidy white rolls, so unconscious of the thought in her mother's mind as she sewed and sang, while her fingers flew and her thoughts were busied with girlish fancies as innocent and fresh as the pansies in her belt, that Mrs. March smiled and was satisfied.
“Two letters for Doctor Jo, a book, and a funny old hat, which covered the whole post office and stuck outside, ” said Beth, laughing as she went into the study where Jo sat writing.
“What a sly fellow Laurie is! I said I wished bigger hats were the fashion, because I burn my face every hot day. He said, ‘Why mind the fashion? Wear a big hat, and be comfortable! ' I said I would if I had one, and he has sent me this,to try me.I'll wear it for fun,and show him I don't care for the fashion.” And hanging the antique broad-brim on a bust of Plato, Jo read her letters.
One from her mother made her cheeks glow and her eyes fill, for it said to her—
My Dear,
I write a little word to tell you with how much satisfaction I watch your efforts to control your temper. You say nothing about your trials, failures, or successes, and think, perhaps, that no one sees them but the Friend whose help you daily ask, if I may trust the well-worn cover of your guidebook. I, too, have seen them all, and heartily believe in the sincerity of your resolution, since it begins to bear fruit. Go on, dear, patiently and bravely, and always believe that no one sympathizes more tenderly with you than your loving—
Mother
“That does me good! That's worth millions of money and pecks of praise. Oh, Marmee, I do try! I will keep on trying, and not get tired, since I have you to help me.”
Laying her head on her arms, Jo wet her little romance with a few happy tears,for she had thought that no one saw and appreciated her efforts to be good, and this assurance was doubly precious, doubly encouraging, because unexpected and from the person whose commendation she most valued. Feeling stronger than ever to meet and subdue her Apollyon, she pinned the note inside her frock, as a shield and a reminder, lest she be taken unaware, and proceeded to open her other letter, quite ready for either good or bad news. In a big, dashing hand, Laurie wrote—
Dear Jo,
What ho!
Some English girls and boys are coming to see me tomorrow and I want to have a jolly time. If it's fine, I'm going to pitch my tent in Longmeadow, and row up the whole crew to lunch and croquet—have a fire, make messes, gypsy fashion, and all sorts of larks. They are nice people, and like such things. Brooke will go to keep us boys steady, and Kate Vaughn will play propriety for the girls. I want you all to come, can't let Beth off at any price, and nobody shall worry her. Don't bother about rations, I'll see to that and everything else, only do come, there's a good fellow!
In a tearing hurry,
Yours ever
Laurie
“Here's richness! ” cried Jo, flying in to tell the news to Meg.
“Of course we can go, Mother? It will be such a help to Laurie, for I can row, and Meg see to the lunch, and the children be useful in some way.”
“I hope the Vaughns are not fine grown-up people. Do you know anything about them, Jo? ” asked Meg.
“Only that there are four of them. Kate is older than you, Fred and Frank (twins) about my age, and a little girl (Grace), who is nine or ten. Laurie knew them abroad, and liked the boys. I fancied, from the way he primmed up his mouth in speaking of her, that he didn't admire Kate much.”
“I'm so glad my French print is clean, it's just the thing and so becoming! ” observed Meg complacently. “Have you anything decent, Jo? ”
“Scarlet and gray boating suit, good enough for me. I shall row and tramp about, so I don't want any starch to think of. You'll come, Betty? ”
“If you won't let any boys talk to me.”
“Not a boy! ”
“I like to please Laurie, and I'm not afraid of Mr. Brooke, he is so kind. But I don't want to play, or sing, or say anything. I'll work hard and not trouble anyone, and you'll take care of me, Jo, so I'll go.”
“That's my good girl. You do try to fight off your shyness, and I love you for it. Fighting faults isn't easy, as I know, and a cheery word kind of gives a lift. Thank you, Mother, ” And Jo gave the thin cheek a grateful kiss,more precious to Mrs. March than if it had given back the rosy roundness of her youth.
“I had a box of chocolate drops, and the picture I wanted to copy, ”said Amy, showing her mail.
“And I got a note from Mr. Laurence, asking me to come over and play to him tonight, before the lamps are lighted, and I shall go, ” added Beth, whose friendship with the old gentleman prospered finely.
“Now let's fly round, and do double duty today, so that we can play tomorrow with free minds, ” said Jo, preparing to replace her pen with a broom.
When the sun peeped into the girls' room early next morning to promise them a fine day, he saw a comical sight. Each had made such preparation for the fete as seemed necessary and proper. Meg had an extra row of little curlpapers across her forehead, Jo had copiously anointed her afflicted face with cold cream, Beth had taken Joanna to bed with her to atone for the approaching separation, and Amy had capped the climax by putting a clothespin on her nose to uplift the offending feature. It was one of the kind artists use to hold the paper on their drawing boards, therefore quite appropriate and effective for the purpose it was now being put. This funny spectacle appeared to amuse the sun, for he burst out with such radiance that Jo woke up and roused her sisters by a hearty laugh at Amy's ornament.
Sunshine and laughter were good omens for a pleasure party, and soon a lively bustle began in both houses. Beth, who was ready first, kept reporting what went on next door, and enlivened her sisters' toilets by frequent telegrams from the window.
“There goes the man with the tent! I see Mrs. Barker doing up the lunch in a hamper and a great basket. Now Mr. Laurence is looking up at the sky and the weathercock. I wish he would go too. There's Laurie, looking like a sailor—nice boy! Oh, mercy me! Here's a carriage full of people—a tall lady, a little girl, and two dreadful boys. One is lame, poor thing, he's got a crutch. Laurie didn't tell us that. Be quick, girls! It's getting late. Why, there is Ned Moffat, I do declare. Meg, isn't that the man who bowed to you one day when we were shopping? ”
“So it is. How queer that he should come. I thought he was at the mountains. There is Sallie. I'm glad she got back in time. Am I all right, Jo? ” cried Meg in a flutter.
“A regular daisy. Hold up your dress and put your hat on straight, it looks sentimental tipped that way and will fly off at the first puff. Now, then, come on! ”
“Oh, Jo, you are not going to wear that awful hat? It's too absurd! You shall not make a guy of yourself, ”remonstrated Meg,as Jo tied down with a red ribbon the broad-brimmed, old-fashioned leghorn Laurie had sent for a joke.
“I just will, though, for it's capital—so shady, light, and big. It will make fun, and I don't mind being a guy if I'm comfortable.” With that Jo marched straight away and the rest followed—a bright little band of sisters, all looking their best in summer suits, with happy faces under the jaunty hatbrims.
Laurie ran to meet and present them to his friends in the most cordial manner. The lawn was the reception room, and for several minutes a lively scene was enacted there. Meg was grateful to see that Miss Kate, though twenty, was dressed with a simplicity which American girls would do well to imitate, and who was much flattered by Mr. Ned's assurances that he came especially to see her. Jo understood why Laurie “primmed up his mouth” when speaking of Kate, for that young lady had a standoff-don't-touch-me air, which contrasted strongly with the free and easy demeanor of the other girls. Beth took an observation of the new boys and decided that the lame one was not “dreadful”, but gentle and feeble, and she would be kind to him on that account. Amy found Grace a well-mannered, merry, little person, and after staring dumbly at one another for a few minutes, they suddenly became very good friends.
Tents, lunch, and croquet utensils having been sent on beforehand, the party was soon embarked, and the two boats pushed off together, leaving Mr. Laurence waving his hat on the shore. Laurie and Jo rowed one boat, Mr. Brooke and Ned the other, while Fred Vaughn, the riotous twin, did his best to upset both by paddling about in a wherry like a disturbed water bug. Jo's funny hat deserved a vote of thanks, for it was of general utility. It broke the ice in the beginning by producing a laugh, it created quite a refreshing breeze, flapping to and fro as she rowed, and would make an excellent umbrella for the whole party, if a shower came up, she said. Miss Kate decided that she was “odd, but rather clever, ” and smiled upon her from afar.
Meg, in the other boat, was delightfully situated, face to face with the rowers, who both admired the prospect and feathered their oars with uncommon “skill and dexterity”. Mr. Brooke was a grave, silent young man, with handsome brown eyes and a pleasant voice. Meg liked his quiet manners and considered him a walking encyclopedia of useful knowledge. He never talked to her much, but he looked at her a good deal, and she felt sure that he did not regard her with aversion. Ned, being in college, of course put on all the airs which freshmen think it their bounden duty to assume. He was not very wise, but very good-natured, and altogether an excellent person to carry on a picnic. Sallie Gardiner was absorbed in keeping her white pique dress clean and chattering with the ubiquitous Fred, who kept Beth in constant terror by his pranks.
It was not far to Longmeadow, but the tent was pitched and the wickets down by the time they arrived. A pleasant green field, with three wide-spreading oaks in the middle and a smooth strip of turf for croquet.
“Welcome to Camp Laurence! ” said the young host, as they landed with exclamations of delight.
“Brooke is commander in chief, I am commissary general, the other fellows are staff officers, and you, ladies, are company. The tent is for your especial benefit and that oak is your drawing room, this is the messroom and the third is the camp kitchen. Now, let's have a game before it gets hot, and then we'll see about dinner.”
Frank, Beth, Amy, and Grace sat down to watch the game played by the other eight. Mr. Brooke chose Meg, Kate, and Fred. Laurie took Sallie, Jo, and Ned. The English played well, but the Americans played better, and contested every inch of the ground as strongly as if the spirit of '76 inspired them. Jo and Fred had several skirmishes and once narrowly escaped high words. Jo was through the last wicket and had missed the stroke, which failure ruffled her a good deal. Fred was close behind her and his turn came before hers. He gave a stroke, his ball hit the wicket, and stopped an inch on the wrong side. No one was very near, and running up to examine, he gave it a sly nudge with his toe, which put it just an inch on the right side.
“I'm through! Now, Miss Jo, I'll settle you, and get in first, ” cried the young gentleman, swinging his mallet for another blow.
“You pushed it. I saw you; it's my turn now, ” said Jo sharply.
“Upon my word, I didn't move it; it rolled a bit, perhaps, but that is allowed; so stand off, please, and let me have a go at the stake.”
“We don't cheat in America, but you can, if you choose, ” said Jo angrily.
“Yankees are a deal the most tricky, everybody knows. There you go! ”returned Fred, croqueting her ball far away.
Jo opened her lips to say something rude, but checked herself in time, colored up to her forehead and stood a minute, hammering down a wicket with all her might, while Fred hit the stake and declared himself out with much exultation. She went off to get her ball, and was a long time finding it among the bushes, but she came back, looking cool and quiet, and waited her turn patiently. It took several strokes to regain the place she had lost, and when she got there, the other side had nearly won, for Kate's ball was the last but one and lay near the stake.
“By George, it's all up with us! Good-by, Kate. Miss Jo owes me one, so you are finished, ” cried Fred excitedly, as they all drew near to see the finish.
“Yankees have a trick of being generous to their enemies, ” said Jo, with a look that made the lad redden, “especially when they beat them, ”she added, as, leaving Kate's ball untouched, she won the game by a clever stroke.
Laurie threw up his hat, then remembered that it wouldn't do to exult over the defeat of his guests, and stopped in the middle of the cheer to whisper to his friend, “Good for you, Jo! He did cheat, I saw him. We can't tell him so, but he won't do it again, take my word for it.”
Meg drew her aside, under pretense of pinning up a loose braid, and said approvingly, “It was dreadfully provoking, but you kept your temper, and I'm so glad, Jo.”
“Don't praise me, Meg, for I could box his ears this minute. I should certainly have boiled over if I hadn't stayed among the nettles till I got my rage under control enough to hold my tongue. It's simmering now, so I hope he'll keep out of my way, ” returned Jo, biting her lips as she glowered at Fred from under her big hat.
“Time for lunch, ” said Mr. Brooke, looking at his watch. “Commissary general, will you make the fire and get water, while Miss March, Miss Sallie, and I spread the table? Who can make good coffee? ”
“Jo can, ” said Meg, glad to recommend her sister. So Jo, feeling that her late lessons in cookery were to do her honor, went to preside over the coffeepot, while the children collected dry sticks, and the boys made a fire and got water from a spring near by. Miss Kate sketched and Frank talked to Beth, who was making little mats of braided rushes to serve as plates.
The commander in chief and his aides soon spread the tablecloth with an inviting array of eatables and drinkables, prettily decorated with green leaves. Jo announced that the coffee was ready, and everyone settled themselves to a hearty meal, for youth is seldom dyspeptic, and exercise develops wholesome appetites. A very merry lunch it was, for everything seemed fresh and funny, and frequent peals of laughter startled a venerable horse who fed near by. There was a pleasing inequality in the table, which produced many mishaps to cups and plates, acorns dropped in the milk, little black ants partook of the refreshments without being invited, and fuzzy caterpillars swung down from the tree to see what was going on. Three white-headed children peeped over the fence, and an objectionable dog barked at them from the other side of the river with all his might and main.
“There's salt here, ” said Laurie, as he handed Jo a saucer of berries.
“Thank you, I prefer spiders, ” she replied, fishing up two unwary little ones who had gone to a creamy death. “How dare you remind me of that horrid dinner party, when yours is so nice in every way? ” added Jo, as they both laughed and ate out of one plate, the china having run short.
“I had an uncommonly good time that day, and haven't got over it yet. This is no credit to me, you know, I don't do anything. It's you and Meg and Brooke who make it all go, and I'm no end obliged to you. What shall we do when we can't eat anymore? ” asked Laurie, feeling that his trump card had been played when lunch was over.
“Have games till it's cooler. I brought Authors, and I dare say Miss Kate knows something new and nice. Go and ask her. She's company, and you ought to stay with her more.”
“Aren't you company too? I thought she'd suit Brooke, but he keeps talking to Meg, and Kate just stares at them through that ridiculous glass of hers. I'm going, so you needn't try to preach propriety, for you can't do it, Jo.”
Miss Kate did know several new games, and as the girls would not, and the boys could not, eat any more, they all adjourned to the drawing room to play Rig-marole.
“One person begins a story, any nonsense you like, and tells as long as he pleases, only taking care to stop short at some exciting point, when the next takes it up and does the same. It's very funny when well done, and makes a perfect jumble of tragical comical stuff to laugh over. Please start it, Mr. Brooke, ” said Kate, with a commanding air, which surprised Meg, who treated the tutor with as much respect as any other gentleman.
Lying on the grass at the feet of the two young ladies, Mr. Brooke obediently began the story, with the handsome brown eyes steadily fixed upon the sunshiny river.
“Once on a time, a knight went out into the world to seek his fortune, f
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