Little Women - Chapter 20

I don't think I have any words in which to tell the meeting of the mother and daughters. Such hours are beautiful to live, but very hard to describe, so I will leave it to the imagination of my readers, merely saying that the house was full of genuine happiness, and that Meg's tender hope was realized, for when Beth woke from that long, healing sleep, the first objects on which her eyes fell were the little rose and Mother's face. Too weak to wonder at anything, she only smiled and nestled close in the loving arms about her, feeling that the hungry longing ¹ was satisfied at last. Then she slept again, and the girls waited upon their mother, for she would not unclasp the thin hand which clung to hers even in sleep., ,Hannah had 'dished up' an astonishing breakfast for the traveler, finding it impossible to vent ² her excitement in any other way, and Meg and Jo fed their mother like dutiful young storks ³, while they listened to her whispered account of Father's state, Mr. Brooke's promise to stay and nurse him, the delays which the storm occasioned on the homeward journey, and the unspeakable comfort Laurie's hopeful face had given her when she arrived, worn out with fatigue ⁴, anxiety, and cold., ,What a strange yet pleasant day that was. So brilliant and gay without, for all the world seemed abroad to welcome the first snow. So quiet and reposeful ⁵ within, for everyone slept, spent with watching, and a Sabbath stillness reigned ⁶ through the house, while nodding Hannah mounted guard at the door. With a blissful sense of burdens lifted off, Meg and Jo closed their weary eyes, and lay at rest, like storm-beaten boats safe at anchor in a quiet harbor. Mrs. March would not leave Beth's side, but rested in the big chair, waking often to look at, touch, and brood over her child, like a miser ⁷ over some recovered treasure., , ,After a while, they began to think he was not going to wake up till night, and I'm not sure that he would, had he not been effectually roused by Amy's cry of joy at sight of her mother. There probably were a good many happy little girls in and about the city that day, but it is my private opinion that Amy was the happiest of all, when she sat in her mother's lap and told her trials, receiving consolation ¹⁵ and compensation in the shape of approving smiles and fond caresses ¹⁶. They were alone together in the chapel, to which her mother did not object when its purpose was explained to her., ,"On the contrary, I like it very much, dear," looking from the dusty rosary to the well-worn little book, and the lovely picture with its garland of evergreen ¹⁷. "It is an excellent plan to have some place where we can go to be quiet, when things vex ¹⁸ or grieve us. There are a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in the right way. I think my little girl is learning this.", ,His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火 。,He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。