Маленькие женщины / Little Women. Уровень 3

Her sisters took her to the parlor, all pointing and all saying at once, “Look there! Look there!” Beth did look, and turned pale with delight and surprise. There stood a little cabinet piano. A letter was lying on the lid.

“For me?” gasped Beth.

“Yes, all for you, my precious! Isn't it splendid of him? Don't you think he's the dearest old man in the world? We didn't open the letter, but we are dying to know what he says,” cried Jo.

“You read it! I can't! Oh, it is too lovely!” and Beth hid her face in Jo's apron, quite upset by her present.

Jo opened the paper and began to laugh, for the first words she saw were…

“Miss March: “Dear Madam – “

“How nice it sounds! I wish someone would write to me so!” said Amy, who thought the old-fashioned address very elegant.

“�I thank you for the slippers you gave me,'” continues Jo. “I like to pay my debts, so I know you will allow �the old gentleman' to send you something which once belonged to the little grand daughter he lost.

With hearty thanks and best wishes, your grateful friend and humble servant, �JAMES LAURENCE'.”

“Try it, honey. Let's hear the sound of it,” said Hannah, who always took a share in the family joys and sorrows.

So Beth tried it, and everyone pronounced it the most remarkable piano ever heard.

Chapter seven

Amy's valley of humiliation

Amy was rather late at school, but could not resist the temptation of displaying a brown-paper parcel.

During the next few minutes the rumor that Amy March had got twenty-four delicious limes and was going to treat circulated through her friends and became quite overwhelming. Katy Brown invited her to her next party on the spot. Mary Kingsley insisted on lending her watch till recess, and Jenny Snow promptly buried the hatchet[17 - buried the hatchet – похоронил топор вражды] and offered to furnish answers to some sums. But Amy instantly crushed �that Snow girl's’ hopes by the withering telegram, “You needn't be so polite all of a sudden, for you won't get any. ”

Alas, alas! The revengeful Snow turned the tables[18 - turned the tables – обернуть в другое русло] with disastrous success. During the lesson, under pretense of asking an important question, she informed Mr. Davis, the teacher, that Amy March had pickled limes in her desk. Now Mr. Davis had declared limes a contraband article.