Little Women · chapter 24 of 31
Laurie's Question
劳里要说的话
Laurie has finished college, and on the river path home Jo talks fast about New York, hoping Teddy won't say what she knows he wants to say.
Read what you hear
- Narrator 劳里读完大学的那天下午，他和乔走河边的路回家。
Láolǐ dú wán dàxué de nà tiān xiàwǔ, tā hé Qiáo zǒu hébiān de lù huí jiā.
On the afternoon Laurie finished college, he and Jo took the river path home.
- Jo 泰迪，纽约真好玩！我还跟巴尔教授学了德语！
Tàidí, Niǔyuē zhēn hǎowán! Wǒ hái gēn Bā'ěr jiàoshòu xué le Déyǔ!
Teddy, New York was such fun! And I learned German from Professor Bhaer!
- Jo 我的德语，跟他补的袜子一样难看！
Wǒ de Déyǔ, gēn tā bǔ de wàzi yíyàng nánkàn!
My German is as ugly as the socks he darns!
Chapter 24 is part of SayMei Stories Unlimited ($2.99 a month) and SayMei Premium. Part 1 of Little Women (chapters 1–6) is free, and The Second Cup of Tea, The Great Race: The Twelve Animals, The Kitchen God, Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Chang'e and the Moon, Alice in Wonderland and Judge Dee's Cases are free from start to finish.
- Laurie 乔，别说教授了。听我说。
Qiáo, bié shuō jiàoshòu le. Tīng wǒ shuō.
Jo, never mind the Professor. Listen to me.
- Jo 不，泰迪，别说！我们快回家吧。
Bù, Tàidí, bié shuō! Wǒmen kuài huí jiā ba.
No, Teddy, don't say it! Let's hurry home.
- Laurie 我要说。乔，我认识你多久，就爱了你多久。给我一个回答吧。
Wǒ yào shuō. Qiáo, wǒ rènshi nǐ duō jiǔ, jiù ài le nǐ duō jiǔ. Gěi wǒ yí gè huídá ba.
I have to. Jo, I've loved you for as long as I've known you. Give me an answer.
- Jo 泰迪，你是我最好的朋友。我真为你骄傲。
Tàidí, nǐ shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou. Wǒ zhēn wèi nǐ jiāo'ào.
Teddy, you're my best friend. I'm so proud of you.
- Jo 可是，我不能那样爱你。我永远不会跟你结婚。
Kěshì, wǒ bù néng nàyàng ài nǐ. Wǒ yǒngyuǎn bú huì gēn nǐ jiéhūn.
But I can't love you that way. I'll never marry you.
- Laurie 为什么？是因为那个教授吗？
Wèishénme? Shì yīnwèi nàge jiàoshòu ma?
Why? Is it because of that Professor?
- Jo 教授？天哪，他快四十岁了！
Jiàoshòu? Tiān na, tā kuài sìshí suì le!
The Professor? Good heavens, he's nearly forty!
- Laurie 我等你，等多久都行。
Wǒ děng nǐ, děng duō jiǔ dōu xíng.
I'll wait for you, however long it takes.
- Jo 别等我，泰迪。你会找到一个更好的女孩子。
Bié děng wǒ, Tàidí. Nǐ huì zhǎodào yí gè gèng hǎo de nǚháizi.
Don't wait for me, Teddy. You'll find a better girl.
- Laurie 我不要别的女孩子！我就要你！
Wǒ bú yào bié de nǚháizi! Wǒ jiù yào nǐ!
I don't want any other girl! I just want you!
- Narrator 劳里的脸白了。他看着河，看了很久。
Láolǐ de liǎn bái le. Tā kànzhe hé, kàn le hěn jiǔ.
Laurie went white. He looked at the river for a long time.
- Laurie 有一天，你会后悔的，乔。
Yǒu yì tiān, nǐ huì hòuhuǐ de, Qiáo.
You'll be sorry some day, Jo.
- Mr. Laurence 乔，劳里都告诉我了。现在他不吃饭，也不说话。
Qiáo, Láolǐ dōu gàosu wǒ le. Xiànzài tā bù chīfàn, yě bù shuōhuà.
Jo, Laurie told me everything. Now he won't eat, and he won't talk.
- Jo 劳伦斯先生，对不起。都是我不好。
Láolúnsī xiānsheng, duìbuqǐ. Dōu shì wǒ bù hǎo.
Mr. Laurence, I'm sorry. It's all my fault.
- Mr. Laurence 不是你的错，乔。我带他去欧洲，走得很远，啊？
Bú shì nǐ de cuò, Qiáo. Wǒ dài tā qù Ōuzhōu, zǒu de hěn yuǎn, a?
It's not your fault, Jo. I'll take him to Europe, far away, hey?
- Jo 去欧洲？好。在那儿，他会忘了我的。
Qù Ōuzhōu? Hǎo. Zài nàr, tā huì wàng le wǒ de.
To Europe? Good. Over there, he'll forget me.
- Narrator 几天以后，劳里和劳伦斯先生要去欧洲了。
Jǐ tiān yǐhòu, Láolǐ hé Láolúnsī xiānsheng yào qù Ōuzhōu le.
A few days later, Laurie and Mr. Laurence were leaving for Europe.
- Mr. Laurence 劳里，上车了！
Láolǐ, shàng chē le!
Laurie, time to get in!
- Jo 再见，泰迪。
Zàijiàn, Tàidí.
Goodbye, Teddy.
- Laurie 乔，你真的不能吗？
Qiáo, nǐ zhēn de bù néng ma?
Jo, really, can't you?
- Jo 泰迪，如果我能，就好了！
Tàidí, rúguǒ wǒ néng, jiù hǎo le!
Teddy, I wish I could!
- Narrator 劳里上了车，没有再看她一眼。
Láolǐ shàng le chē, méiyǒu zài kàn tā yì yǎn.
Laurie got in, and didn't look at her again.
- Jo 贝丝在窗户边坐着……她的脸怎么这么白？我要带她去海边。
Bèisī zài chuānghu biān zuòzhe… tā de liǎn zěnme zhème bái? Wǒ yào dài tā qù hǎibiān.
Beth's sitting by the window... why is her face so pale? I'll take her to the sea.
Hear the chapter
What changed in the story?
- What does Laurie tell Jo on the river path?
“我认识你多久，就爱了你多久”
- What is Jo's answer to Laurie?
“我永远不会跟你结婚”
- Who does Laurie think is the reason Jo says no?
“是因为那个教授吗？”
- What will Mr. Laurence do with Laurie?
“我带他去欧洲，走得很远”
- What does Jo decide when she sees Beth?
“我要带她去海边”