7 Meg hears some gossip
7 麦格听到了闲言碎语
Annie Moffat did not forget her promised invitation，and one April day Meg went to stay at the Moffats'large house．Meg thought it was wonderful．She loved riding in fine carriages，wearing her best dress every day，and doing nothing except enjoy herself．She soon began to talk about fashionable clothes and hairstyles in the way that the other girls did．And the more Meg saw of Annie's pretty things，the more she wished that she，too，was rich．
安妮·墨菲没有忘记她答应过的邀请，一个春日，麦格来到了墨菲家的大房子里。麦格觉得这太好了。她喜欢坐漂亮的马车，每天都穿着她最好的衣服，除了玩乐以外不做任何事情。不久她就开始像其他女孩子一样谈论起时髦的衣服和发型来。麦格见到安妮的漂亮东西越多，她就越希望自己也一样地富有。
Annie's older sisters，Belle and Clara，were fine young ladies；Mr Moffat was a fat，friendly gentleman；and Mrs Moffat was a fat，friendly lady．They were all very kind to Meg and did their best to make her feel at home．
安妮的姐姐白拉和克拉拉都是很好的姑娘；墨菲先生是个胖胖的友好的绅士；墨菲太太是个胖胖的友好的女士。他们对麦格都很好，并且尽他们的所能使麦格就像在家里一样舒适。
When the evening for a'small party'came，Meg's best dress looked very old next to Sallie's new one，but no one said anything about it．The girls were getting ready when a servant brought in a box of flowers．
晚上小型聚会的时候，麦格最好的衣服比起萨丽的新衣服来显得很旧，可没有任何人说起这件事。女孩子们正在做准备，这时仆人送来一盒花。
'For Miss March，'she said．'And here's a letter．'
“给马奇小姐的，”她说，“这儿有封信。”
'What fun！Who are they from？'said the girls．'We didn't know you had a young man．'
“多有意思！是谁送的？”女孩子们问，“我们可不知道你还有个年轻的绅士。”
'The letter is from Mother and the flowers are from Laurie，'said Meg，simply．
“信是妈妈送来的，花是罗瑞送的，”麦格简单地说。
'Oh，'said Annie，with a strange look．
“噢，”萨丽说，带着一种奇怪的表情。
Her mother's loving words and Laurie's kindness made Meg feel much happier and she enjoyed the party very much．
母亲充满爱的话语和罗瑞的善良使麦格感到更加高兴，舞会上她玩得很开心。
Annie made her sing，and someone said that Meg had a fine voice．So Meg was having a nice time—until she heard some one say，on the other side of a large table of flowers：'How old is the Laurence boy？'
安妮让麦格唱歌，有人说她有一副好嗓子。于是麦格很愉快——直到她听到一大桌子花的那边有人在说话：“劳伦斯家的男孩有多大了？”
'Sixteen or seventeen，I think，'said another voice．
“十六七岁吧，我觉得，”另一个声音说。
'It would be an excellent thing for one of those girls，'said a third voice．'Sallie says they are very friendly，and the old man thinks they are all wonderful．'
“这对那几个女孩子之中的一个倒是太合适了，”第三个声音说，“萨丽说她们都很友好，那个老头也觉得她们都很不错。”
'I expect Mrs M．has made her plans，'said Mrs Moffat's voice，'but do you think the girl knows of them？'
“我觉得马奇太太是早有打算了，”墨菲太太说，“可你们觉得那女孩子知道这些吗？”
'She told that little lie about her mother，and her cheeks went pink．I'm sure the note was from the boy really．Poor thing！She'd be very pretty if she had some nice clothes．Do you think she'll mind if we offer to lend her a dress for Thursday？'
“她拿她母亲撒了个小小的谎，她的脸都红了。我敢肯定那封信其实是那个男孩写的。可怜的孩子！如果她有些好衣服，她会很漂亮的。你们觉得如果星期四晚会时我们借给她一件衣服她会介意吗？”
'I shall ask young Laurence to come，and we'll have some fun with her afterwards．'
“我会请小劳伦斯来，然后我们再跟她逗趣。”
Meg tried to forget what she'd heard，but could not．The gossip made her angry，and she was glad when the party was over and she was alone in her bed．She cried quietly to herself．Why did people have to say those things？She and Laurie were just friends，but now that friendship felt damaged by the unkind gossip．
麦格试图忘记她所听到的话，可是不行。那些闲言碎语使她很生气，所以晚会结束、她独自躺到床上时她很不高兴。她静静地哭了。人们为什么要那么说呢？她和罗瑞只是朋友，现在那份友谊像是要被那些不友好的闲话毁了。
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