第9章

“Now，Marmee，thatisverycunningofyoutoturnourownstoriesagainstus，andgiveusasermoninsteadofaromance!“

criedMeg。

“Ilikethatkindofsermon。It’sthesortFatherusedtotellus，“saidBeththoughtfully，puttingtheneedlesstraightonJo’scushion。

“Idon’tcomplainnearasmuchastheothersdo，andIshallbemorecarefulthanevernow，forI’vehadwarningfromSusies’sdownfall，“

saidAmymorally。

“Weneededthatlesson，andwewon’tforgetit。Ifwedoso，youjustsaytous，asoldChloedidinUNCLETOM，`Tinkobyermarcies，chillen!`Tinkobyermarcies!’“addedJo，whocouldnot，forthelifeofher，helpgettingamorseloffunoutofthelittlesermon，thoughshetookittoheartasmuchasanyofthem。

“Whatintheworldareyougoingtodonow，Jo。“askedMegonesnowyafternoon，ashersistercametrampingthroughthehall，inrubberboots，oldsack，andhood，withabroominonehandandashovelintheother。

“Goingoutforexercise，“answeredJowithamischievoustwinkleinhereyes。

“Ishouldthinktwolongwalksthismorningwouldhavebeenenough!It’scoldanddullout，andIadviseyoutostaywarmanddrybythefire，asIdo，“saidMegwithashiver。

“Nevertakeadvice!Can’tkeepstillallday，andnotbeingapussycat，Idon’tliketodozebythefire。Ilikeadventures，andI’mgoingtofindsome。“

MegwentbacktotoastherfeetandreadIVANHOE，andJobegantodigpathswithgreatenergy。Thesnowwaslight，andwithherbroomshesoonsweptapathallroundthegarden，forBethtowalkinwhenthesuncameoutandtheinvaliddollsneededair。Now，thegardenseparatedtheMarches’housefromthatofMr。Laurence。Bothstoodinasuburbofthecity，whichwasstillcountrylike，withgrovesandlawns，largegardens，andquietstreets。Alowhedgepartedthetwoestates。Ononesidewasanold，brownhouse，lookingratherbareandshabby，robbedofthevinesthatinsummercovereditswallsandtheflowers，whichthensurroundedit。Ontheothersidewasastatelystonemansion，plainlybetokeningeverysortofcomfortandluxury，fromthebigcoachhouseandwell-keptgroundstotheconservatoryandtheglimpsesoflovelythingsonecaughtbetweentherichcurtains。

Yetitseemedalonely，lifelesssortofhouse，fornochildrenfrolickedonthelawn，nomotherlyfaceeversmiledatthewindows，andfewpeoplewentinandout，excepttheoldgentlemanandhisgrandson。

ToJo’slivelyfancy，thisfinehouseseemedakindofenchantedpalace，fullofsplendorsanddelightswhichnooneenjoyed。Shehadlongwantedtobeholdthesehiddenglories，andtoknowtheLaurenceboy，wholookedasifhewouldliketobeknown，ifheonlyknewhowtobegin。Sincetheparty，shehadbeenmoreeagerthanever，andhadplannedmanywaysofmakingfriendswithhim，buthehadnotbeenseenlately，andJobegantothinkhehadgoneaway，whensheonedayspiedabrownfaceatanupperwindow，lookingwistfullydownintotheirgarden，whereBethandAmyweresnow-ballingoneanother。

“Thatboyissufferingforsocietyandfun，“shesaidtoherself。

“Hisgrandpadoesnotknowwhat’sgoodforhim，andkeepshimshutupallalone。Heneedsapartyofjollyboystoplaywith，orsomebodyyoungandlively。I’veagreatmindtogooverandtelltheoldgentlemanso!“

TheideaamusedJo。wholikedtododaringthingsandwasalwaysscandalizingMegbyherqueerperformances。Theplanof`goingover’wasnotforgotten。Andwhenthesnowyafternooncame，Joresolvedtotrywhatcouldbedone。ShesawMr。Lawrencedriveoff，andthensalliedouttodigherwaydowntothehedge，whereshepausedandtookasurvey。Allquiet，curtainsdownatthelowerwindows，servantsoutofsight，andnothinghumanvisiblebutacurlyblackheadleaningonathinhandattheupperwindow。

“Thereheis，“thoughtJo，“Poorboy!Allaloneandsickthisdismalday。It’sashame!I’lltossupasnowballandmakehimlookout，andthensayakindwordtohim。“

Upwentahandfulofsoftsnow，andtheheadturnedatonce，showingafacewhichlostitslistlesslookinaminute，asthebigeyesbrightenedandthemouthbegantosmile。Jonoddedandlaughed，andflourishedherbroomasshecalledout……

“Howdoyoudo？Areyousick？“

Laurieopenedthewindow，andcroakedoutashoarselyasaraven……

“Better，thankyou。I’vehadabadcold，andbeenshutupaweek。“

“I’msorry。Whatdoyouamuseyourselfwith？“

“Nothing。It’sdullastombsuphere。“

“Don’tyouread？“

“Notmuch。Theywon’tletme。“

“Can’tsomebodyreadtoyou？“

“Grandpadoessometimes，butmybooksdon’tinteresthim，andIhatetoaskBrookeallthetime。“

“Havesomeonecomeandseeyouthen。“

“Thereisn’tanyoneI’dliketosee。Boysmakesucharow，andmyheadisweak。“

“Isn’ttheresomenicegirlwho’dreadandamuseyou？Girlsarequietandliketoplaynurse。“

“Don’tknowany。“

“Youknowus，“beganJo，thenlaughedandstopped。

“SoIdo!Willyoucome，please？“criedLaurie。

“I’mnotquietandnice，butI’llcome，ifMotherwillletme。

I’llgoaskher。Shutthewindow，likeagoodboy，andwaittillI

come。“

Withthat，Joshoulderedherbroomandmarchedintothehouse，wonderingwhattheywouldallsaytoher。Lauriewasinaflutterofexcitementattheideaofhavingcompany，andflewabouttogetready，forasMrs。Marchsaid，hewas`alittlegentleman’。anddidhonortothecomingguestbybrushinghiscurlypate，puttingonafreshcolor，andtryingtidyuptheroom，whichinspiteofhalfadozenservants，wasanythingbutneat。Presentlytherecamealoudring，thanadecidedvoice，askingfor`Mr。laurie’，andasurprised-

lookingservantcamerunninguptoannounceayounglady。

“Allright，showherup，it’sMissJo，“saidLaurie，goingtothedoorofhislittleparlortomeetJo，whoappeared，lookingrosyandquiteatherease，withacovereddishinonehandandBeth’sthreekittensintheother。

“HereIam，bagandbaggage，“shesaidbriskly。“Mothersentherlove，andwasgladifIcoulddoanythingforyou。Megwantedmetobringsomeofherblancmange，shemakesitverynicely，andBeththoughthercatswouldbecomforting。Iknewyou’dlaughatthem，butIcouldn’trefuse，shewassoanxioustodosomething。“

ItsohappenedthatBeth’sfunnyloanwasjustthething，forinlaughingoverthekits，Laurieforgothisbashfulness，andgrewsociableatonce。

“Thatlookstooprettytoeat，“hesaid，smilingwithpleasure，asJouncoveredthedish，andshowedtheblancmange，surroundedbyagarlandofgreenleaves，andthescarletflowersofAmy’spetgeranium。

“Itisn’tanything，onlytheyallfeltkindlyandwantedtoshowit。Tellthegirltoputitawayforyourtea。It’ssosimpleyoucaneatit，andbeingsoft，itwillslipdownwithouthurtingyoursorethroat。Whatacozyroomthisis!“

“Itmightbeititwaskeptnice，butthemaidsarelazy，andIdon’tknowhowtomakethemmind。Itworriesmethough。“

“I’llrightitupintwominutes，foritonlyneedstohavethehearthbrushed，so——andthethingsmadestraightonthemantelpiece，so——andthebooksputhere，andthebottlesthere，andyoursofaturnedfromthelight，andthepillowsplumpedupabit。Nowthen，you’refixed。“

Andsohewas，for，asshelaughedandtalked，Johadwhiskedthingsintoplaceandgivenquiteadifferentairtotheroom。

Lauriewatchedherinrespectfulsilence，andwhenshebeckonedhimtohissofa，hesatdownwithasighofsatisfaction，sayinggratefully……

“Howkindyouare!Yes，that’swhatitwanted。Nowpleasetakethebigchairandletmedosomethingtoamusemycompany。“

“No，Icametoamuseyou。ShallIreadaloud？“andJolookedaffectionatelytowardsomeinvitingbooksnearby。

“Thankyou!I’vereadallthose，andifyoudon’tmind，I’drathertalk，“answeredLaurie。

“Notabit。I’lltalkalldayifyou’llonlysetmegoing。

BethsaysIneverknowwhentostop。“

“IsBeththerosyone，whostaysathomegooddealandsometimesgoesoutwithalittlebasket？“askedLauriewithinterest。

“Yes，that’sBeth。She’smygirl，andaregulargoodonesheis，too。“

“TheprettyoneisMeg，andthecurly-hairedoneisAmy，Ibelieve？“

Lauriecoloredup，butansweredfrankly，“Why，youseeIoftenhearyoucallingtooneanother，andwhenI’maloneuphere，Ican’thelplookingoveratyourhouse，youalwaysseemtobehavingsuchgoodtimes。Ibegyourpardonforbeingsorude，butsometimesyouforgettoputdownthecurtainatthewindowwheretheflowersare。

Andwhenthelampsarelighted，it’slikelookingatapicturetoseethefire，andyouallaroundthetablewithyourmother。Herfaceisrightopposite，anditlookssosweetbehindtheflowers，Ican’thelpwatchingit。Ihaven’tgotanymother，youknow。“

AndLauriepokedthefiretohidealittletwitchingofthelipsthathecouldnotcontrol。

Thesolitary，hungrylookinhiseyeswentstraighttoJo’swarmheart。shehadbeensosimplytaughtthattherewasnononsenseinherhead，andatfifteenshewasasinnocentandfrankasanychild。Lauriewassickandlonely，andfeelinghowrichshewasinhomeandhappiness，shegladlytriedtoshareitwithhim。

Herfacewasveryfriendlyandhersharpvoiceunusuallygentleasshesaid……

“We’llneverdrawthatcurtainanymore，andIgiveyouleavetolookasmuchasyoulike。Ijustwish，though，insteadofpeeping，you’dcomeoverandseeus。Motherissosplendid，she’ddoyouheapsofgood，andBethwouldsingtoyouifIbeggedherto，andAmywoulddance。MegandIwouldmakeyoulaughoverourfunnystageproperties，andwe’dhavejollytimes。Wouldn’tyourgrandpaletyou？“

“Ithinkhewould，ifyourmotheraskedhim。He’sverykind，thoughhedoesnotlookso，andheletsmedowhatIlike，prettymuch，onlyhe’safraidImightbeabothertostrangers，“beganLaurie，brighteningmoreandmore。