Meg went back to toast her feet and read Ivanhoe, and Jo began to dig paths with great energy. The snow was light, and with her broom she soon swept a path all round the garden, for Beth to walk in when the sun came out and the invalid dolls needed air. Now, the garden separated the Marches' house from that of Mr. Laurence. Both stood in a suburb of the city, which was still countrylike, with groves and lawns, large gardens, and quiet streets. A low hedge parted the two estates. On one side was an old, brown house, looking rather bare and shabby, robbed of the vines that in summer covered its walls and the flowers, which then surrounded it. On the other side was a stately stone mansion, plainly betokening every sort of comfort and luxury, from the big coach house and well-kept grounds to the conservatory and the glimpses of lovely things one caught between the rich curtains.

Meg回去烘烤她凍僵了的腳以及閱讀Ivanhoe（《劫后英雄傳》），Jo開(kāi)始干勁十足地挖路。雪很輕，她很快用掃帚繞著花園清理出了一條路，以供Beth在太陽(yáng)出來(lái)的時(shí)候散步，她這個(gè)身體不好的標(biāo)致的娃娃需要呼吸呼吸新鮮空氣。如今，花園將Marches的房子和Laurence先生的房子隔開(kāi)。兩所房子都在城市的近郊，保留著鄉(xiāng)下的樣子，有樹(shù)叢、草坪、大花園和安靜的街道。兩所房子被一道矮矮的籬笆劃分開(kāi)。一邊的棕色老房子看起來(lái)相當(dāng)荒蕪破敗，在夏季覆蓋墻面的藤蔓和花朵都不見(jiàn)了。另一邊是富麗皇堂的石質(zhì)宅第，從大馬車房和修繕完好的庭院，到培育植物的溫室和昂貴的窗簾之間所瞥見(jiàn)的美好，無(wú)不彰顯著舒適和奢華。