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There was a good deal of laughing and kissingand explaining, in the simple, lovingfashion which makes these home festivals so pleasant at the time, so sweet toremember long afterward, and then allfell to work. 大家笑着、吻着、解释着，这种简单而又充满爱意的方式增添了家里的节日气氛，其温馨让人永久难忘。然后，大家又投入了工作。The morning charities and ceremonies tookso much time that the rest of the daywas devoted to preparations for the evening festivities. Being still too young to go often to the theater, and not rich enough to afford any greatoutlay for private performances, thegirls put their wits to work, and necessity being the mother of invention, made whatever theyneeded. Very clever were some of theirproductions, pasteboard guitars, antique lamps made of old-fashioned butter boats covered with silver paper, gorgeous robes of old cotton, glittering withtin spangles from a pickle factory, andarmor covered with the same useful diamond shaped bits left inn sheets when the lids of preserve pots were cut out. The big chamber was the scene ofmany innocent revels. 早上的慈善活动和庆典花了不少时间，余下的时间便用来准备晚上的欢庆活动。由于年龄太小，不宜经常上戏院，又因为经济拮据，支付不起业余表演的大笔费用，姑娘们于是充分发挥才智--需要是发明之母--需要什么，她们便做什么。她们的创造品有些还挺见心机--用纸板做的吉它，用旧式牛油瓶裹上锡纸做成的古灯，用旧棉布做的鲜艳夺目的长袍，面上亮晶晶地镶着从一家腌菜厂拿来的小锡片，还有镶有同样的钻石形小锡片的盔甲，这些被派上用场的小锡片是腌菜厂做罐头剩下的边角料。屋子里的家具常常被弄得乱七八糟，大房间就是舞台，姑娘们在台上天真无邪地尽兴表演。 No gentleman were admitted, so Jo playedmale parts to her heart's content andtook immense satisfaction in a pair of russet leather boots given her by a friend, who knew a lady who knew an actor. These boots, an old foil, and aslashed doublet once used by an artistfor some picture, were Jo's chief treasures and appeared on all occasions. The smallness of the company made it necessary for the two principal actors totake several parts apiece, and theycertainly deserved some credit for the hard work they did in learning three or four differentparts, whisking in and out of variouscostumes, and managing the stage besides. It was excellent drill for their memories, a harmless amusement, and employed many hours which otherwise wouldhave been idle, lonely, or spent in lessprofitable society. 由于不收男士，乔便尽情地扮演男角。她对一双黄褐色的长统皮靴尤为满意。因为靴子是她的一个朋友赠送的，这位朋友认识一位女士，女士又认识一位演员。这双靴子、一把旧钝头剑，还有某个艺术家用来画过几幅画的开衩背心，这些便是乔的主要宝藏，任何场合都得登台亮相。因为剧团小，两个主要演员必须分别扮演几个角色。她们同时学习三四个不同角色的表演，飞快地轮番换上各式各样的戏服，同时还要兼顾幕后工作，其努力精神值得称道。这种有益的娱乐活动可以很好地锻炼她们的记忆力，并可以打发闲暇，排遣寂寞，减少无聊的社交。On christmas night, a dozen girls piledonto the bed which was the dress circle,and sat before the blue and yellow chintz curtains in a most flattering state of expectancy. There was a good deal of rustling and whispering behindthe curtain, a trifle of lamp smoke, andan occasional giggle from Amy, who was apt to get hysterical in the excitement of the moment. Presently a bell sounded, the curtains flew apart, and theOPERATIC TRAGEDY began. 圣诞之夜，十二个女孩子挤在花楼--一张床--的上头，坐在黄蓝二色混合的磨光印花帘幕前面，翘首以盼，焦急地等着看戏。幕后灯光朦胧，不时传来沙沙的响声和悄悄的话语声，偶尔还传来容易激动的艾美在兴奋之中发出的咯咯笑声。不一会铃声响起，帘幕拉开，《歌剧式的悲剧》开始了。 "A gloomy wood," according tothe one playbill, was represented by afew shrubs in pots, green baize on the floor, and a cave in the distance. This cave was made witha clothes horse for a roof, bureaus forwalls, and in it was a small furnace in full blast, with a black pot on it and an old witch bending over it. The stage was dark and the glow of thefurnace had a fine effect, especially asreal steam issued from the kettle when the witch took off the cover. 几株盆栽灌木、铺在地板上的绿色厚毛呢，以及远处的一个洞穴构成了节目单上的"阴森森的树林"，洞穴用晒衣架做洞顶，衣柜做墙壁，里头有一个熊熊燃烧着的小炉子，一个老巫婆正俯身把弄炉上的一个黑锅。舞台阴森黑暗，熊熊的炉火营造了良好的舞台效果。女巫揭开锅盖，锅里冒出阵阵蒸气，令人叫绝。
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