Little Women - Chapter 43

Jo was alone in the twilight ¹, lying on the old sofa, looking at the fire, and thinking. It was her favorite way of spending the hour of dusk. No one disturbed her, and she used to lie there on Beth's little red pillow, planning stories, dreaming dreams, or thinking tender thoughts of the sister who never seemed far away. Her face looked tired, grave, and rather sad, for tomorrow was her birthday, and she was thinking how fast the years went by, how old she was getting, and how little she seemed to have accomplished ². Almost twenty-five, and nothing to show for it. Jo was mistaken in that. There was a good deal to show, and by-and-by she saw, and was grateful for it., ,"An old maid, that's what I'm to be. A literary spinster, with a pen for a spouse ³, a family of stories for children, and twenty years hence a morsel ⁴ of fame, perhaps, when, like poor Johnson, I'm old and can't enjoy it, solitary ⁵, and can't share it, independent, and don't need it. Well, I needn't be a sour saint nor a selfish sinner, and, I dare say, old maids are very comfortable when they get used to it, but . . ." and there Jo sighed, as if the prospect ⁶ was not inviting ⁷., ,It seldom is, at first, and thirty seems the end of all things to five-and-twenty. But it's not as bad as it looks, and one can get on quite happily if one has something in one's self to fall back upon. At twenty-five, girls begin to talk about being old maids, but secretly resolve that they never will be. At thirty they say nothing about it, but quietly accept the fact, and if sensible, console themselves by remembering that they have twenty more useful, happy years, in which they may be learning to grow old gracefully ¹⁰. Don't laugh at the spinsters, dear girls, for often very tender, tragic ¹¹ romances are hidden away in the hearts that beat so quietly under the sober gowns, and many silent sacrifices of youth, health, ambition, love itself, make the faded faces beautiful in God's sight. Even the sad, sour sisters should be kindly ¹² dealt with, because they have missed the sweetest part of life, if for no other reason. And looking at them with compassion ¹³, not contempt, girls in their bloom should remember that they too may miss the blossom time. That rosy ¹⁴ cheeks don't last forever, that silver threads will come in the bonnie brown hair, and that, by-and-by, kindness and respect will be as sweet as love and admiration ¹⁵ now., , ,Jo must have fallen asleep (as I dare say my reader has during this little homily), for suddenly Laurie's ghost seemed to stand before her, a substantial, lifelike ghost, leaning over her with the very look he used to wear when he felt a good deal and didn't like to show it. But, like Jenny in the ballad ²² . . ., ,She could not think it he, ,Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味 。,Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务
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