Маленькие женщины / Little Women. Уровень 3

“I shall get a nice box of drawing pencils; I really need them,” said Amy decidedly.

“Mother didn't say anything about our money. Let's each buy what we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it,” cried Jo.

“I know I do – teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I'm longing to enjoy myself at home,” began Meg, in the complaining tone again.

“You don't have half such a hard time as I do,” said Jo. “How would you like to be shut up[1 - to be shut up – быть запертой] for hours with a nervous old lady, who is never satisfied, and worries you till you're ready to cry?”

“I think washing dishes and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world.

“I don't believe any of you suffer as I do,” cried Amy. “You don't have to go to school with girls, who laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn't rich, and insult you when your nose isn't nice.

“Don't peck at one another, children. Even though we do have to work, we make fun of ourselves, and are a pretty jolly set, as Jo would say.”

“Jo does use such slang words!” observed Amy.

Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle.

“Don't, Jo. It's so boyish!”

“That's why I do it.”

“I detest rude, unladylike girls!”

“I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!”

“Birds in their little nests agree,” sang Beth, the peacemaker, with such a funny face that both sharp voices softened to a laugh, and the “pecking” ended for that time.

“Really, girls, you are both to be blamed,” said Meg, beginning to lecture in her elder-sisterly fashion. “You are old enough to behave better, Josephine. You should remember that you are a young lady.”

“I'm not! I hate to think I've got to grow up, and be Miss March, and wear long gowns! It's bad enough to be a girl, anyway, when I like boy's games and work and manners! I'm dying to go and fight with Papa, but I can only stay home and knit, like an old woman!”

Jo shook the blue army sock till the needles rattled like castanets, and her ball bounded across the room.

“As for you, Amy,” continued Meg, “you are altogether too prim. I like your nice manners and refined ways of speaking, when you don't try to be elegant.