第10章

“Wearenotstrangers，weareneighbors，andyouneedn’tthinkyou’dbeabother。Wewanttoknowyou，andI’vebeentryingtodoitthiseversolong。Wehaven’tbeenhereagreatwhile，youknow，butwehavegotacquaintedwithallourneighborsbutyou。“

“Yousee，Grandpalivesamonghisbooks，anddoesn’tmindmuchwhathappensoutside。Mr。Brooke，mytutor，doesn’tstayhere，youknow，andIhavenoonetogoaboutwithme，soIjuststopathomeandgetonasIcan。“

“That’sbad。Yououghttomakeaneffortandgovisitingeverywhereyouareasked，thenyou’llhaveplentyoffriends，andpleasantplacestogoto。Nevermindbeingbashful。Itwon’tlastlongifyoukeepgoing。“

Laurieturnedredagain，butwasn’toffendedatbeingaccusedofbashfulness，fortherewassomuchgoodwillinJoitwasimpossiblenottotakeherbluntspeechesaskindlyastheyweremeant。

“Doyoulikeyourschool？“askedtheboy，changingthesubject，afteralittlepause，duringwhichhestaredatthefireandJolookedabouther，wellpleased。

“Don’tgotoschool，I’mabusinessman——girl，Imean。Igotowaitonmygreat-aunt，andadear，crossoldsoulsheis，too，“

answeredJo。

Laurieopenedhismouthtoaskanotherquestion，butrememberingjustintimethatitwasn’tmannerstomaketoomanyinquiriesintopeople’saffairs，heshutitagain，andlookeduncomfortable。

Jolikedhisgoodbreeding，anddidn’tmindhavingalaughatAuntMarch，soshegavehimalivelydescriptionofthefidgetyoldlady，herfatpoodle，theparrotthattalkedSpanish，andthelibrarywhereshereveled。

Laurieenjoyedthatimmensely，andwhenshetoldabouttheprimoldgentlemanwhocameoncetowooAuntMarch，andinthemiddleofafinespeech，howPollhadtweakedhiswigofftohisgreatdismay，theboylaybackandlaughedtillthetearsrandownhischeeks，andamaidpoppedherheadintoseewhatwasthematter。

“Oh!Thatdoesmenoendofgood。Tellon，please，“hesaid，takinghisfaceoutofthesofacushion，redandshiningwithmerriment。

Muchelatedwithhersuccess，Jodid`tellon’，allabouttheirplaysandplans，theirhopesandfearsforFather，andthemostinterestingeventsofthelittleworldinwhichthesisterslived。Thentheygottotalkingaboutbooks，andtoJo’sdelight，shefoundthatLaurielovedthemaswellasshedid，andhadreadevenmorethanherself。

“Ifyoulikethemsomuch，comedownandseeours。Grandfatherisout，soyouneedn’tbeafraid，“saidLaurie，gettingup。

“I’mnotafraidofanything，“returnedJo，withatossofthehead。

“Idon’tbelieveyouare!“exclaimedtheboy，lookingatherwithmuchadmiration，thoughheprivatelythoughtshewouldhavegoodreasontobeatrifleafraidoftheoldgentleman，ifshemetheminsomeofhismoods。

Theatmosphereofthewholehousebeingsummerlike，Laurieledthewayfromroomtoroom，lettingJostoptoexaminewhateverstruckherfancy。Andso，atlasttheycametothelibrary，wheresheclappedherhandsandpranced，asshealwaysdidwhenespeciallydelighted。Itwaslinedwithbooks，andtherewerepicturesandstatues，anddistractinglittlecabinetsfullofcoinsandcuriosities，andSleepyHollowchairs，andqueertables，andbronzes，andbestofall，agreatopenfireplacewithquainttilesallroundit。

“Whatrichness!“sighedJo，sinkingintothedepthofavelourchairandgazingaboutherwithanairofintensesatisfaction。

“TheodoreLaurence，yououghttobethehappiestboyintheworld，“

sheaddedimpressively。

“Afellowcan’tliveonbooks，“saidLaurie，shakinghisheadasheperchedonatableopposite。

Beforehecouldmore，abellrang，andJoflewup，exclaimingwithalarm，“Mercyme!It’syourgrandpa!“

“Well，whatifitis？Youarenotafraidofanything，youknow，“returnedtheboy，lookingwicked。

“IthinkIamalittlebitafraidofhim，butIdon’tknowwhyIshouldbe。MarmeesaidImightcome，andIdon’tthinkyou’reanytheworseforit，“saidJo，composingherself，thoughshekepthereyesonthedoor。

“I’magreatdealbetterforit，andeversomuchobliged。

I’monlyafraidyouareverytiredoftalkingtome。Itwassopleasant，Icouldn’tbeartostop，“saidLauriegratefully。

“Thedoctortoseeyou，sir，“andthemaidbeckonedasshespoke。

“WouldyoumindifIleftyouforaminute？IsupposeI

mustseehim，“saidLaurie。

“Don’tmindme。I’mhappyasacrickethere，“answeredJo。

Lauriewentaway，andhisguestamusedherselfinherownway。

Shewasstandingbeforeafineportraitoftheoldgentlemanwhenthedooropenedagain，andwithoutturning，shesaiddecidedly，“I’msurenowthatIshouldn’tbeafraidofhim，forhe’sgotkindeyes，thoughhismouthisgrim，andhelooksasifhehadatremendouswillofhisown。Heisn’tashandsomeasmygrandfather，butIlikehim。“

“Thankyou，ma’am，“saidagruffvoicebehindher，andthere，tohergreatdismay，stoodoldMr。Laurence。

PoorJoblushedtillshecouldn’tblushanyredder，andherheartbegantobeatuncomfortablyfastasshethoughtwhatshehadsaid。Foraminuteawilddesiretorunawaypossessedher，butthatwascowardly，andthegirlswouldlaughather，sosheresolvedtostayandgetoutofthescrapeasshecould。Asecondlookshowedherthatthelivingeyes，underthebushyeyebrows，werekindereventhanthepaintedones，andtherewasaslytwinkleinthem，whichlessenedherfearagooddeal。Thegruffvoicewasgrufferthanever，astheoldgentlemansaidabruptly，afterthedreadfulpause，“Soyou’renotafraidofme，hey？“

“Notmuch，sir。“

“Andyoudon’tthinkmeashandsomeasyourgrandfather？“

“Notquite，sir。“

“AndI’vegotatremendouswill，haveI？“

“IonlysaidIthoughtso。“

“Butyoulikemeinspiteofit？“

“Yes，Ido，sir。“

Thatanswerpleasedtheoldgentleman。Hegaveashortlaugh，shookhandswithher，and，puttinghisfingerunderherchin，turnedupherface，examineditgravely，andletitgo，sayingwithanod，“You’vegotyourgrandfather’sspirit，ifyouhaven’thisface。

Hewasafineman，mydear，butwhatisbetter，hewasabraveandanhonestone，andIwasproudtobehisfriend。“

“Thankyou，sir，“AndJowasquitecomfortableafterthat，foritsuitedherexactly。

“Whathaveyoubeendoingtothisboyofmine，hey？“wasthenextquestion，sharplyput。

“Onlytryingtobeneighborly，sir。“AndJotohowhervisitcameabout。

“Youthinkheneedscheeringupabit，doyou？“

“Yes，sir，heseemsalittlelonely，andyoungfolkswoulddohimgoodperhaps。Weareonlygirls，butweshouldbegladtohelpifwecould，forwedon’tforgetthesplendidChristmaspresentyousentus，“saidJoeagerly。

“Tut，tut，tut!Thatwastheboy’saffair。Howisthepoorwoman？“

“Doingnicely，sir。“AndoffwentJo，talkingveryfast，asshetoldallabouttheHummels，inwhomhermotherhadinterestedricherfriendsthantheywere。

“Justherfather’swayofdoinggood。Ishallcomeandseeyourmothersomefineday。Tellherso。There’stheteabell，wehaveitearlyontheboy’saccount。Comedownandgoonbeingneighborly。“

“Ifyou’dliketohaveme，sir。“

“Shouldn’taskyou，ifIdidn’t。“AndMr。Laurenceofferedherhisarmwithold-fashionedcourtesy。

“WhatwouldMegsaytothis？“thoughtJo，asshewasmarchedaway，whilehereyesdancedwithfunassheimaginedherselftellingthestoryathome。

“Hey!Why，whatthedickenshascometothefellow？“saidtheoldgentleman，asLauriecamerunningdownstairsandbroughtupwithastartofsurpriseattheastoundingsightofJoarminarmwithhisredoubtablegrandfather。

“Ididn’tknowyou’dcome，sir，“hebegan，asJogavehimatriumphantlittleglance。

“That’sevident，bythewayyouracketdownstairs。Cometoyourtea，sir，andbehavelikeagentleman。“Andhavingpulledtheboy’shairbywayofacaress，Mr。Laurencewalkedon，whileLauriewentthroughaseriesofcomicevolutionsbehindtheirbacks，whichnearlyproducedanexplosionoflaughterfromJo。

Theoldgentlemandidnotsaymuchashedrankhisfourcupsoftea，buthewatchedtheyoungpeople，whosoonchattedawaylikeoldfriends，andthechangeinhisgrandsondidnotescapehim。Therewascolor，light，andlifeintheboy’sfacenow，vivacityinhismanner，andgenuinemerrimentinhislaugh。

“She’sright，theladislonely。I’llseewhattheselittlegirlscandoforhim，“thoughtMr。Laurence，ashelookedandlistened。HelikedJo，forherodd，bluntwayssuitedhim，andsheseemedtounderstandtheboyalmostaswellasifshehadbeenoneherself。

IftheLaurenceshadbeenwhatJocalled`primandpoky’，shewouldnothavegotonatall，forsuchpeoplealwaysmadehershyandawkward。Butfindingthemfreeandeasy，shewassoherself，andmadeagoodimpression。Whentheyrosesheproposedtogo，butLauriesaidhehadsomethingmoretoshowher，andtookherawaytotheconservatory，whichhadbeenlightedforherbenefit。ItseemedquitefairyliketoJo，asshewentupanddownthewalks，enjoyingthebloomingwallsoneitherside，thesoftlight，thedampsweetair，andthewonderfulvinesandtreesthathungabouther，whilehernewfriendcutthefinestflowerstillhishandswerefull。Thenhetiedthemup，saying，withthehappylookJolikedtosee，“Pleasegivethesetoyourmother，andtellherIlikethemedicineshesentmeverymuch。“

TheyfoundMr。Laurencestandingbeforethefireinthegreatdrawingroom，byJo’sattentionwasentirelyabsorbedbyagrandpiano，whichstoodopen。

“Doyouplay？“sheasked，turningtoLauriewitharespectfulexpression。

“Sometimes，“heansweredmodestly。

“Pleasedonow。Iwanttohearit，soIcantellBeth。“

“Won’tyoufirst？“

“Don’tknowhow。Toostupidtolearn，butIlovemusicdearly。“

SoLaurieplayedandJolistened，withhernoseluxuriouslyburiedinheliotropeandtearoses。Herrespectandregardforthe`Laurence’boyincreasedverymuch，forheplayedremarkablywellanddidn’tputonanyairs。ShewishedBethcouldhearhim，butshedidnotsayso，onlypraisedhimtillhewasquiteabashed，andhisgrandfathercametohisrescue。