Text A Burden（第1页）

TextABurden

—fromLittleter4）

LouisaMayAlcott

[1]“Oh，dear，howharditdoesseemtotakeupourpadgoohemaftertheparty，fornowtheholidayswereover，theweekdidnoihthetasksheneverliked。

[2]“IwishitwasChristmasorNewYear’sallthetime。Wouldn’titbefun?”answeredJo，yawningdismally。

[3]“Weshouldn’tenjoyourselveshalfsomuchaswedonow。Butitdoesseemsoohavelittlesuppersas，andgotoparties，anddrivehome，andreada，andnotwork。It’slikeotherpeople，youknow，andIalwaysenvygirlswhodosugs。I’msofondofluxury，”saidMeg，tryingtodecidewhichoftwoshabbygowshabby。

[4]“Well，we’thaveit，sodousgrumblebutshoulderourburudgealongascheerfullyasMarmeedoes。I’msureAuntMarchisaregularOldMaome，butIsupposewheocarryherwithoutplaiumbleetsolightthatIshan’tmindher。”

[5]ThisideatickledJo’sfandputheringoodspirits，butMegdidn’tbrighten，forherburden，goffourspoiled，seemedheavierthanever。Shehadeomakeherselfprettyasusualbyputtingonablueneanddressingherhairibeing>

[6]“Where’stheuseoflookingnioohets，andnooherI’mprettyorered，shuttingherdrawerwithajerk。“Ishallhavetotoilandmoilallmydays，withosoffunnowandtheoldanduglyandsour，becauseI’mpoorandylifeasirlsdo。It’sashame!”

[7]SoMegearinganinjuredlook，andwasn’tatallagreeableatbreakfasttime。Everyoheroutofsortsaocroak。

[8]Bethhadaheadadlayoryingtofortherselfwiththedthreekittens。Amywasfrettingbecauseherlessolearned，afindherrubbers。Jowouldwhistlearacketgettingready。

[9]Mrs。Marchwasverybusytryingtofier，whichmustgoatondHannahhadthegrumps，fuplatedidn’tsuither。

[10]“Thereneverwassuily!”criedJo，losiemperwhenshehadupsetaninkstahbootladsatdow。

[11]“You’rethecrossestpersoniurnedAmy，washiiththetearsthathadfallee。

[12]“Beth，ifyoudohesehorridcellarI’llhavethemdrowned，”exclaimedMegangrilyasshetriedtogetridofthekittenwhichhadscrambledupherbadstucklikeaburrjustoutofreach。

[13]Jolaughed，Megscolded，Bethimplored，andAmywailedbecauseshe’trememberhowmuetimest

[14]“Girls，girls，dobequietogetthisoffbytheearlymail，andyoudrivemedistractedwithyourworry，”criedMrs。March，goutthethirdspoiledsenteer。

[15]Therewasamomentarylull，brokenbyHannah，whostalkedin，laidtwohotturhetable，aagaiurnoverswereaninstitution，andthegirlscalledthem“muffs”，fortheyhadnoothersandfoupiesveryftotheirhandsons。

[16]Hatomakethem，nomatterhrumpyshemightbe，forthewalkwaslohepotnootherlundwereseldomhomebeforetwo。

[17]“Cuddleyourdgetoveryourheadache，Bethy。Goodbye，Marmee。Weareasetofrascalsthism，butwe’lleregularahen，Meg!”AndJotrampedaway，feelingthatthepilgrimswereastheyoughttodo。

[18]Theyalwayslookedbackbeftheotherwasalwaysatthewindowtonodandsmile，aothem。Somehowitseemedasifthey’thaveghthedaywithoutthat，forwhatevertheirmoodmightbe，thelastglimpseofthatmotherlyfacewassuretoaffectthemlikesunshine。

[19]“IfMarmeeshookherfistinsteadofkissious，itwht，fratefulwretwearewereneverseeakingaremorsefulsatisfathesnowywalkandbitterwind。“Don’tusesuchdreadfulexpressions，”repliedMegfromthedepthsoftheveilinwhichshehadshroudedherselflikeanunsickoftheworld。

[20]“Ilikegwordsthatmeahing，”repliedJo，gherhatasittookaleapoffherheadpreparatorytoflyingawayaltogether。

[21]“Callyourselfanynamesyoulike，butIamherarasorawretdIdoobecalledso。”

[22]“Yhtedbeing，anddecidedlycrosstodaybecauseyou’tsitinthelapofluxuryallthetime。Poordear，justwaittillImakemyfortune，andyoushallrevelincarriagesandicedhigh-heeledslippers，andposies，andred-headedboystodah。”“Howridiculousyouare，Jo!”ButMeglaughedatthebetterinspiteofherself。

[23]“Lu，forifIputoncrushedairsaobedismal，asyoudo，weshouldbeihankgoodness，Ialwaysfihingfunnytokeepmeup。Don’tore，butejolly，there’sadear。”

[24]Jogavehersisteranengpatontheshoulderastheypartedfortheday，eagadifferentway，eagherlittlewarmturnover，aryingtobecheerfuliryweather，hardwork，aisfieddesiresyouth。

[25]WhenMr。Marchlosthispropertyintryingtohelpanunfortuwoedtobeallowedtodosomethingtowardtheirownsupport，atleast。Believingthattheyotbegiocultivateenergy，industry，aheirpareed，aoworkwiththeheartygoodwillwhispiteofallobstaclesissuretosucceedatlast。

[26]Margaretfoundaplaurserygovernessarichwithhersmallsalary。Asshesaid，shewas“fondofluxury”，aroubleoverty。Shefoundithardertobearthahersbecausesheberatimewhenhomewasbeautiful，lifefullofeaseandpleasure，andwantofanykindunkriednottobeenviousordisted，butitwasverynaturalthattheyounggirlshouldlohings，gayfriends，aents，andahappylife。AttheKings’shedailysawallshewahe’soldersisterswerejustout，afrequentglimpsesofdaintyballdressesas，heardlivelygossipabouttheaters，certs，sleighingparties，andmerrymakingsofallkinds，andsawmoneylavishedontrifleswhichwouldhavebeeoher。Pseldomplaiasenseofinjusticemadeherfeelbittertowardeveryoimes，forshehadoknowhowrichshewasintheblessingswhiakelifehappy。

[27]JohappeAuntMareaivepersontoohechildlessoldladyhadofferedtoadoptohegirlswheroublesdwasmudedbecauseherofferwasdeed。OtherfriendstoldtheMarchesthattheyhadlostallgrememberedinthericholdlady’swill，buttheunworldlyMarlysaid:“We’tgiveupirlsforadozenfortunes。Richorpoor，wewillkeeptogetherandbehappyiher。”

[28]Theoldladywouldhemforatime，buthappeafriehinginhericalfadblurucktheoldlady’sfandsheproposedtotakeherforapanion。ThisdidnotsuitJoatall，butsheacceptedtheplaothierappearedand，toeveryotonremarkablywellwithherirasciblerelative。Therewasanopest，andonare，degshe’tbearitloAuntMarchalquidseoebawithsucythatsheotrefuse，forisheratherlikedthepepperyoldlady。

[29]Isuspectthattherealattrawasalargelibraryoffinebooks，whichwaslefttodustandspiderssincleMarchdied。Jorememberedthekilemaherbuildrailroadsahhisbigdiaries，tellherstoriesaboutqueerpihisLatinbooks，andbuyhercardsofgingerbreadwheherihedim，dustyroom，withthebustsstaringdowallbookcases，theclobes，aofall，thewildernessofbooksinwhichshederwheresheliked，madethelibraryaregionofblisstoher。

[30]ThemomentAuntMarchtookhernap，orwasbusywithpany，Johurriedtothisquietpladgherselfupintheeasychair，devouredpoetry，romaory，travels，andpictureslikearegularbookworm。But，likeallhappididnotlastlong，forassureasshehadjustreachedtheheartofthestory，thesweetestverseofasoperilousadveraveler，ashrillvoicecalled，“Josy-phine!Josy-phine!”aoleaveherparadisetowindyarn，oodle，orreadBelsham’sEssaysbythehether。

[31]Jo’sambitionwastodosomethingverysplendid。Whatitwas，shehad，butleftitfortimetotellher，andmeanwhile，freatestafflithefactthatshe’tread，run，andrideasmuchassheliked。Aquicktemper，sharptongue，awerealwaysgettiosdherlifewasaseriesofupsanddoerebothidpathetic。ButthetrainiAuntMarch’swasjustwhatshehethoughtthatshewasdoiosupportherselfmadeherhappyiheperpetual“Josy-phine!”

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