【国外英文文学】Jack and Jill.doc

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1、【国外英文文学】Jack and JillJack and Jillby Louisa May AlcottTo the schoolmates of ELLSWORTH DEVENS,Whose lovely character will not soon be forgotten, This Village Story is affectionately inscribed by their friend,L.M.A.1880ContentsChapter 1 The Catastrophe Chapter 2 Two Penitents Chapter 3 Ward No. I Chap

2、ter 4 Ward No. 2 Chapter 5 Secrets Chapter 6 Surprises Chapter 7 Jills Mission Chapter 8 Merry and Molly Chapter 9 The Debating Club Chapter 10 The Dramatic Club Chapter 11 Down Brakes Chapter 12 The Twenty-second of February Chapter 13 Jack Has a Mystery Chapter 14 And Jill Finds it outChapter 15 S

3、aint Lucy Chapter 16 Up at Merrys Chapter 17 Down at Mollys Chapter 18 May Baskets Chapter 19 Good Templars Chapter 20 A Sweet Memory Chapter 21 Pebbly Beach Chapter 22 A Happy Day Chapter 23 Cattle ShowChapter 24 Down the River Jack and JillJack and Jill went up the hillTo coast with fun and laught

4、er; Jack fell down and broke his crown,And Jill came tumbling after.Chapter 1 The Catastrophe Clear the lulla! was the general cry on a bright Decemberafternoon, when all the boys and girls of Harmony Village wereout enjoying the first good snow of the season. Up and down threelong coasts they went

5、as fast as legs and sleds could carry them.One smooth path led into the meadow, and here the little folkcongregated; one swept across the pond, where skaters weredarting about like water-bugs; and the third, from the very top ofthe steep hill, ended abruptly at a rail fence on the high bank abovethe

6、 road. There was a group of lads and lasses sitting or leaning onthis fence to rest after an exciting race, and, as they reposed, theyamused themselves with criticising their mates, still absorbed inthis most delightful of out-door sports. Here comes Frank Minot, looking as solemn as a judge, criedo

7、ne, as a tall fellow of sixteen spun by, with a set look about themouth and a keen sparkle of the eyes, fixed on the distant goalwith a do-or-die expression.Heres Molly Loo And little Boo? sang out another; and down came a girl with flying hair, carrying asmall boy behind her, so fat that his short

8、legs stuck out from thesides, and his round face looked over her shoulder like a fullmoon.Theres Gus Burton; doesnt he go it? and such a very long boywhizzed by, that it looked almost as if his heels were at the top ofthe hill when his head was at the bottom!Hurrah for Ed Devlin! and a general shout

9、 greeted a sweet-facedlad, with a laugh on his lips, a fine color on his brown cheek, and agay word for every girl he passed.Laura and Lotty keep to the safe coast into the meadow, andMolly Loo is the only girl that dares to try this long one to thepond. I wouldnt for the world; the ice cant be stro

10、ng yet, though itis cold enough to freeze ones nose off, said a timid damsel, whosat hugging a post and screaming whenever a mischievous ladshook the fence.No, she isnt heres Jack and Jill going like fury.Clear the track For jolly Jack!sang the boys, who had rhymes and nicknames for nearlyeveryone.D

11、own came a gay red sled, bearing a boy who seemed all smileand sunshine, so white were his teeth, so golden was his hair, sobright and happy his whole air. Behind him clung a little gypsy ofa girl, with black eyes and hair, cheeks as red as her hood, and aface full of fun and sparkle, as she waved J

12、acks blue tippet like abanner with one hand, and held on with the other.Jill goes wherever Jack does, and he lets her. Hes such agood-natured chap, he cant say No.To a girl, slyly added one of the boys, who had wished to borrowthe red sled, and had been politely refused because Jill wanted it.Hes th

13、e nicest boy in the world, for he never gets mad, said thetimid young lady, recalling the many times Jack had shielded herfrom the terrors which beset her path to school, in the shape ofcows, dogs, and boys who made faces and called her Fraidcat.He doesnt dare to get mad with Jill, for shed take his

14、 head off intwo minutes if he did, growled Joe Flint, still smarting from therebuke Jill had given him for robbing the little ones of their safecoast because he fancied it.She wouldnt! shes a dear! You neednt sniff at her because she ispoor. Shes ever so much brighter than you are, or she wouldntalw

15、ays be at the head of your class, old Joe, cried the girls,standing by their friend with a unanimity which proved what afavorite she was.Joe subsided with as scornful a curl to his nose as its chilly statepermitted, and Merry Grant introduced a subject of general interestby asking abruptly,Who is go

16、ing to the candy-scrape to-night?All of us. Frank invited the whole set, and we shall have a tiptoptime. We always do at the Minots, cried Sue, the timid trembler.Jack said there was a barrel of molasses in the house, so therewould be enough for all to eat and some to carry away. They knowhow to do

17、things handsomely; and the speaker licked his lips, as ifalready tasting the feast in store for him.Mrs. Minot is a mother worth having, said Molly Loo, coming upwith Boo on the sled; and she knew what it was to need a mother,for she had none, and tried to care for the little brother withmaternal lo

18、ve and patience.She is just as sweet as she can be! declared Merry,enthusiastically.Especially when she has a candy-scrape, said Joe, trying to beamiable, lest he should be left out of the party.Whereat they all laughed, and went gayly away for a farewellfrolic, as the sun was setting and the keen w

19、ind nipped fingers andtoes as well as noses.Down they went, one after another, on the various coasts solemnFrank, long Gus, gallant Ed, fly-away Molly Loo, pretty Laura andLotty, grumpy Joe, sweet-faced Merry with Sue shrieking wildlybehind her, gay Jack and gypsy Jill, always together one and allbu

20、bbling over with the innocent jollity born of healthful exercise.People passing in the road below looked up and smiledinvoluntarily at the red-cheeked lads and lasses, filling the frostyair with peals of laughter and cries of triumph as they flew by inevery conceivable attitude; for the fun was at i

21、ts height now, andthe oldest and gravest observers felt a glow of pleasure as theylooked, remembering their own young days.Jack, take me down that coast. Joe said I wouldnt dare to do it, soI must, commanded Jill, as they paused for breath after the longtrudge up hill. Jill, of course, was not her r

22、eal name, but had beengiven because of her friendship with Jack, who so admired JaneyPecqs spirit and fun.I guess I wouldnt, It is very bumpy and ends in a big drift; nothalf so nice as this one. Hop on and well have a good spin acrossthe pond; and Jack brought Thunderbolt round with a skilfulswing

23、and an engaging air that would have won obedience fromanybody but wilful Jill.It is very nice, but I wont be told I dont dare by any boy in theworld. If you are afraid, Ill go alone. And, before he could speak,she had snatched the rope from his hand, thrown herself upon thesled, and was off, helter-

24、skelter, down the most dangerous coast onthe hill-side.She did not get far, however; for, starting in a hurry, she did notguide her steed with care, and the red charger landed her in thesnow half-way down, where she lay laughing till Jack came to pickher up.If you will go, Ill take you down all righ

25、t. I m not afraid, for I vedone it a dozen times with the other fellows; but we gave it upbecause it is short and bad, he said, still good-natured, though ofcows, dogs, and boys who made faces and called her Fraidcat.He doesnt dare to get mad with Jill, for shed take his head off intwo minutes if he

26、 did, growled Joe Flint, still smarting horn therebuke Jill had given him for robbing the little ones of their safecoast because he fancied it.She wouldnt! shes a dear! You neednt sniff at her because she ispoor. Shes ever so much brighter than you are, or she wouldntalways be at the head of your cl

27、ass, old Joe, cried the girls,standing by their friend with a unanimity which proved what afavorite she was.Joe subsided with as scornful a curl to his nose as its chilly statepermitted, and Merry Grant introduced a subject of general interestby asking abruptly,Who is going to the candy-scrape to-ni

28、ght?All of us. Frank invited the whole set, and we shall have a tiptoptime. We always do at the Minors, cried Sue, the timid trembler.Jack said there was a barrel of molasses in the house, so therewould be enough for all to eat and some to carry away. They knowhow to do things handsomely; and the sp

29、eaker licked his lips, as ifalready tasting the feast in store for him.Mrs. Minot is a mother worth having, said Molly Loo, coming upwith Boo on the sled; and she knew what it was to need a mother,for she had none, and tried to care for the little brother withmaternal love and patience.She is just a

30、s sweet as she can be! declared Merry,enthusiastically.Especially when she has a candy-scrape, said Joe, trying to beamiable, lest he should be left out of the party.Whereat they all laughed, and went gayly away for a farewellfrolic, as the sun was setting and the keen wind nipped fingers andtoes as

31、 well as noses.A little hurt at the charge of cowardice; for Jack was as brave as alittle lion, and with the best sort of bravery the courage to do right.So it is; but I must do it a few times, or Joe will plague me andspoil my fun to-night, answered Jill, shaking her skirts andrubbing her blue hand

32、s, wet and cold with the snow.Here, put these on; I never use them. Keep them if they fit; I onlycarry them to please mother. And Jack pulled out a pair of redmittens with the air of a boy used to giving away.They are lovely warm, and they do fit. Must be too small for yourpaws, so Ill knit you a ne

33、w pair for Christmas, and make you wearthem, too, said Jill, putting on the mittens with a nod of thanks,and ending her speech with a stamp of her rubber boots to enforceher threat.Jack laughed, and up they trudged to the spot whence the threecoasts diverged.Now, which will you have? he asked, with

34、a warning look in thehonest blue eyes which often unconsciously controlled naughty Jillagainst her will.That one! and the red mitten pointed firmly to the perilous pathjust tried.You will do it?Come on, then, and hold tight.Jacks smile was gone now, and he waited without a word whileJill tucked hers

35、elf up, then took his place in front, and off theywent on the brief, breathless trip straight into the drift by the fencebelow.I dont see anything very awful in that. Come up and have another.Joe is watching us, and I d like to show him that we arent afraid ofanything, said Jill, with a defiant glan

36、ce at a distant boy, who hadpaused to watch the descent.It is a regular go-bang, if that is what you like, answered Jack,as they plowed their way up again.It is. You boys think girls like little mean coasts without any funor danger in them, as if we couldnt be brave and strong as well asyou. Give me

37、 three go-bangs and then well stop. My tumbledoesnt count, so give me two more and then Ill be good.Jill took her seat as she spoke, and looked up with such a rosy,pleading face that Jack gave in at once, and down they went again,raising a cloud of glittering snow-dust as they reined up in finestyle

38、 with their feet on the fence.Its just splendid! Now, one more! cried Jill, excited by thecheers of a sleighing party passing below.Proud of his skill, Jack marched back, resolved to make the thirdgo the crowning achievement of the afternoon, while Jill prancedafter him as lightly as if the big boot

39、s were the famousseven-leagued ones, and chattering about the candy-scrape andwhether there would be nuts or not.So full were they of this important question, that they piled onhap-hazard, and started off still talking so busily that Jill forgot tohold tight and Jack to steer carefully. Alas, for th

40、e candy-scrapethat never was to be! Alas, for poor Thunderbolt blindly settingforth on the last trip he ever made! And oh, alas, for Jack and Jill,who wilfully chose the wrong road and ended their fun for thewinter! No one knew how it happened, but instead of landing inthe drift, or at the fence, th

41、ere was a great crash against the bars, adreadful plunge off the steep bank, a sudden scattering of girl, boy,sled, fence, earth, and snow, all about the road, two cries, and thensilence.I knew theyd do it! and, standing on the post where he hadperched, Joe waved his arms and shouted: Smash-up! Smas

42、h-up!Run! Run! like a raven croaking over a battlefield when the fightwas done.Down rushed boys and girls ready to laugh or cry, as the casemight be, for accidents will happen on the best-regulatedcoasting-grounds. They found Jack sitting up looking about himwith a queer, dazed expression, while an

43、ugly cut on the foreheadwas bleeding in a way which sobered the boys and frightened thegirls half out of their wits.Hes killed! Hes killed! wailed Sue, hiding her face andbeginning to cry.No, I m not. Ill be all right when I get my breath. Wheres Jill?asked Jack, stoutly, though still too giddy to s

44、ee straight.The group about him opened, and his comrade in misfortune wasdiscovered lying quietly in the snow with all the pretty colorshocked out of her face by the fall, and winking rapidly, as if halfstunned. But no wounds appeared, and when asked if she wasdead, she answered in a vague sort of way,I guess not. is Jack hurt?Broken his head, croaked Joe, stepping aside, that she mightbehold the fallen hero vainly trying to look calm and cheerful withred drops running down his cheek and a lump on his forehead.Jill shut he