Little women. Маленькие женщины. Адаптированная книга на английском. Луиза Мэй Олкотт

Чтение книги онлайн.

      Chapter 2

      The next morning Jo woke up first. She didn’t see any stockings* at the fireplace and was sad for a moment. But then she put her hand under the pillow and found a book. She woke her sister Meg, said “Merry Christmas!” and told her to look under the pillow, too. Meg also found a book. Then Beth. And then Amy. All had books about wonderful journeys but in different colours.

      Soon, all the girls started reading their books. The room was calm, the sun was shining, the pages turned softly.

      Then the girls went downstairs. But mother wasn’t there.

      “Where’s mother?” Meg asked Hannah, their housekeeper.

      “I don’t know. Some poor people called her and she went to help them. You know, she always helps others and gives them food and drink. She should be back soon.”

      Then the door opened, but it wasn’t their mother. It was Amy. He returned from the shop, she ran there to buy a bigger perfume for mother’s present.

      Then the door opened again and this time their mother came in.

      “Merry Christmas, mummy!” they all said at once.

      “Merry Christmas, little daughters!”

      “Thank you for the books. We read some pages and we will read more!”

      “I’m glad you began reading them,” said mother. But you know, there is a woman, a little baby and other six children. One of their boys came to me and told me they are cold and don’t have food to eat. Will you give them your breakfast as a Christmas present?

      The girls were hungry but after a moment of silence they said yes. They asked their mother if they could help her to carry food and clothes for that poor family.

      ‘I’m glad you want to help’, said mother and they all went outside.

      They came into a small room with broken windows and no fire. They saw a sick mother, a crying baby and a group of pale hungry children trying to get warm with one blanket.

      Hannah made a fire, covered broken window with old hats and coat. Mother dressed the baby. Girls made the table. The hungry children ate the food and warmed their purple hands.

      When the girls left the poor house, they were very happy.

      They came home and girls gave mother her presents: new slippers, handkerchief, perfume, and a nice pair of gloves. There were beautiful flowers on the table.

      The rest of the day they spent on preparing to the performance. There were no boys so Jo played boys parts.

      The guests came to the room and sat on the bed. They read the brochure: “a dark forest. They looked at the stage and saw flowers in pots. Jo played a man who went into the forest to save the girl and then met a witch.

      The guests heard some noise when the girls prepared for the next part of the performance. But then, a big tower appeared on the stage. The performance continued, but suddenly, the bed closed and all the guests fell down. Sisters came to save the guests, although everyone was laughing. Then Hannah appeared and asked little ladies to go downstairs for dinner.

      It was a surprise for sisters too. They came downstairs and saw ice-cream, pink and white, cakes, fruits, French candies and flowers in the middle of the table.

      “It’s from Santa Claus”, said Beth.

      “No”, said mother. “Old Mr. Laurence sent it. Hannah told his servants how you helped a poor family with breakfast and he sent this as a present for you.”

      “I think his grandson told him to do this. We don’t know him, but I think he is nice. I often see him when we pass the street. I want to be friends with him.”

      “You mean that old mister and boy who live in the big house near here?” asked one of the girls. “My mother knows old Mr. Laurence, she says he is very proud and doesn’t like talking to other neighbours. He makes his grandson study a lot.”

      “I like his manners, he looks like a gentleman. He brought these flowers himself. I don’t mind* if you want to be friends with him”, said Mother.

      “I wish we could send flowers to father. I think he isn’t having such a merry Christmas”, said Beth.

      __________

      *stocking – носок, который дети вешают на Рождество, чтобы Санта Клаус положил в них подарки