Маленькие женщины / Little Women. Уровень 3

' Marmee is willing we should go, now what shall we wear?”

“What's the use of asking that, when you know we shall wear our poplins, because we haven't got anything else?” answered Jo with her mouth full.

“If I only had a silk!” sighed Meg. “Mother says I may when I'm eighteen perhaps.”

“I'm sure our pops look like silk. Yours is as good as new.”

“I shall have a new ribbon for my hair, and Marmee will lend me her little pearl pin, and my new slippers are lovely, and my gloves will do, though they aren't as nice as I'd like.

”

“Mine are spoiled with lemonade, and I can't get any new ones, so I shall have to go without,” said Jo, who never troubled herself much about dress.

“You must have gloves, or I won't go,” cried Meg decidedly. “Gloves are more important than anything else. You can't dance without them, and if you don't I should be so mortified.”

“Then I'll stay still. I don't care much for company dancing.”

“You can't ask Mother for new ones, they are so expensive.

Can't you make them do?”

“I can hold them crumpled up in my hand, so no one will know how stained they are. I'll go without. I don't care what people say!” cried Jo, taking up her book. “Now go and answer your note, and let me finish this story.”

So Meg went away to look over her dress.

On New Year's Eve the two younger girls played dressing maids and the two elder were absorbed in the all-important business of �getting ready for the party'. After various lesser mishaps, they were finished.

They looked very well in their simple suits, Meg's in silvery drab, with a blue velvet snood, lace frills, and the pearl pin. Jo in maroon, with a stiff, gentlemanly linen collar, and a white chrysanthemum or two for her only ornament. Each put on one nice light glove, and carried one soiled one, and all pronounced the effect “quite easy and fine”. Meg's high-heeled slippers were very tight and hurt her, though she would not own it[5 - she would not own it – она не признавалась себе в этом], and Jo's nineteen hairpins all seemed stuck straight into her head, which was not exactly comfortable, but, dear me, let us be elegant or die.

“Have a good time, dearies!” said Mrs. March. “Don't eat much supper, and come away at eleven when I send Hannah for you.”

“If you see me doing anything wrong, just remind me by a wink, will you?” asked Jo, once they were out of the gates.