第11章

“Thatwilldo，thatwilldo，younglady。toomanysugarplumsarenotgoodforhim。Hismusicisn’tbad，butIhopehewilldoaswellinmoreimportantthings。Going？well，I’mmuchobligedtoyou，andIhopeyou’llcomeagain。Myrespectstoyourmother。

Goodnight，DoctorJo。“

Heshookhandskindly，butlookedasifsomethingdidnotpleasehim。Whentheygotintothehall，JoaskedLaurieifshehadsaidsomethingamiss。Heshookhishead。

“No，itwasme。Hedoesn’tliketohearmeplay。“

“Whynot？“

“I’lltellyousomeday。Johnisgoinghomewithyou，asI

can’t。“

“Noneedofthat。Iamnotayounglady，andit’sonlyastep。Takecareofyourself，won’tyou？“

“Yes，butyouwillcomeagain，Ihope？“

“Ifyoupromisetocomeandseeusafteryouarewell。“

“Iwill。“

“Goodnight，Laurie!“

“Goodnight，Jo，goodnight!“

Whenalltheafternoon’sadventureshadbeentold，thefamilyfeltinclinedtogovisitinginabody，foreachfoundsomethingveryattractiveinthebighouseontheothersideofthehedge。

Mrs。Marchwantedtotalkofherfatherwiththeoldmanwhohadnotforgottenhim，Meglongedtowalkintheconservatory，Bethsighedforthegrandpiano。andAmywaseagertoseethefinepicturesandstatues。

“Mother，whydidn’tMr。LaurenceliketohaveLaurieplay？“

askedJo，whowasofaninquiringdisposition。

“Iamnotsure，butIthinkitwasbecausehisson，Laurie’sfather，marriedanItalianlady，amusician，whichdispleasedtheoldman，whoisveryproud。Theladywasgoodandlovelyandaccomplished，buthedidnotlikeher，andneversawhissonafterhemarried。TheybothdiedwhenLauriewasalittlechild，andthenhisgrandfathertookhimhome。Ifancytheboy，whowasborninItaly，isnotverystrong，andtheoldmanisafraidoflosinghim，whichmakeshimsocareful。Lauriecomesnaturallybyhisloveofmusic，forheislikehismother，andIdaresayhisgrandfatherfearsthathemaywanttobeamusician。Atanyrate，hisskillremindshimofthewomanhedidnotlike，andsohe`glowered’asJosaid。“

“Dearme，howromantic!“exclaimedMeg。

“Howsilly!“saidJo。“Lethimbeamusicianifhewantsto，andnotplaguehislifeoutsendinghimtocollege，whenhehatestogo。“

“That’swhyhehassuchhandsomeblackeyesandprettymanners，Isuppose。Italiansarealwaysnice，“saidMeg，whowasalittlesentimental。

“Whatdoyouknowabouthiseyesandhismanners？Youneverspoketohim，hardly，“criedJo，whowasnotsentimental。

“Isawhimattheparty，andwhatyoutellshowsthatheknowshowtobehave。ThatwasanicelittlespeechaboutthemedicineMothersenthim。“

“Hemeanttheblancmange，Isuppose。“

“Howstupidyouare，child!Hemeantyou，ofcourse。“

“Didhe？“AndJoopenedhereyesasifithadneveroccurredtoherbefore。

“Ineversawsuchagirl!Youdon’tknowacomplimentwhenyougetit，“saidMeg，withtheairofayoungladywhoknewallaboutthematter。

“Ithinktheyaregreatnonsense，andI’llthankyounottobesillyandspoilmyfun。Laurie’saniceboyandIlikehim，andIwon’thaveanysentimentalstuffaboutcomplimentsandsuchrubbish。We’llallbegoodtohimbecausehehasn’tgotanymother，andhemaycomeoverandseeus，mayn’the，Marmee？“

“Yes，Jo，yourlittlefriendisverywelcome，andIhopeMegwillrememberthatchildrenshouldbechildrenaslongastheycan。“

“Idon’tcallmyselfachild，andI’mnotinmyteensyet，“

observedAmy。“Whatdoyousay，Beth？“

“Iwasthinkingaboutour`PILGRIM’SPROGRESS’，“answeredBeth，whohadnotheardaword。“HowwegotoutoftheSloughandthroughtheWicketGatebyresolvingtobegood，andupthesteephillbytrying，andthatmaybethehouseoverthere，fullofsplendidthings，isgoingtobeourPalaceBeautiful。“

“Wehavegottogetbythelionsfirst，“saidJo，asifsheratherlikedtheprospect。

ThebighousedidproveaPalaceBeautiful，thoughittooksometimeforalltogetin，andBethfounditveryhardtopassthelions。OldMr。Laurencewasthebiggestone，butafterhehadcalled，saidsomethingfunnyorkindtoeachoneofthegirls，andtalkedoveroldtimeswiththeirmother，nobodyfeltmuchafraidofhim，excepttimidBeth。TheotherlionwasthefactthattheywerepoorandLaurierich，forthismadethemshyofacceptingfavorswhichtheycouldnotreturn。But，afterawhile，theyfoundthatheconsideredthemthebenefactors，andcouldnotdoenoughtoshowhowgratefulhewasforMrs。March’smotherlywelcome，theircheerfulsociety，andthecomforthetookinthathumblehomeoftheirs。Sotheysoonforgottheirprideandinterchangedkindnesseswithoutstoppingtothinkwhichwasthegreater。

Allsortsofpleasantthingshappenedaboutthattime，forthenewfriendshipflourishedlikegrassinspring。EveryonelikedLaurie，andheprivatelyinformedhistutorthat“theMarcheswereregularlysplendidgirls。“Withthedelightfulenthusiasmofyouth，theytookthesolitaryboyintotheirmidstandmademuchofhim，andhefoundsomethingverycharmingintheinnocentcompanionshipofthesesimple-heartedgirls。Neverhavingknownmotherorsisters，hewasquicktofeeltheinfluencestheybroughtabouthim，andtheirbusy，livelywaysmadehimashamedoftheindolentlifeheled。

Hewastiredofbooks，andfoundpeoplesointerestingnowthatMr。

Brookewasobligedtomakeveryunsatisfactoryreports，forLauriewasalwaysplayingtruantandrunningovertotheMarches’。

“Nevermind，lethimtakeaholiday，andmakeitupafterward，“

saidtheoldgentleman。“Thegoodladynextdoorsaysheisstudyingtoohardandneedsyoungsociety，amusement，andexercise。Isuspectsheisright，andthatI’vebeencoddlingthefellowasifI’dbeenhisgrandmother。Lethimdowhathelikes，aslongasheishappy。

Hecan’tgetintomischiefinthatlittlenunneryoverthere，andMrs。Marchisdoingmoreforhimthanwecan。“

Whatgoodtimestheyhad，tobesure。Suchplaysandtableaux，suchsleighridesandskatingfrolics，suchpleasanteveningsintheoldparlor，andnowandthensuchgaylittlepartiesatthegreathouse。Megcouldwalkintheconservatorywhenevershelikedandrevelinbouquets，Jobrowsedoverthenewlibraryvoraciously，andconvulsedtheoldgentlemanwithhercriticisms，Amycopiedpicturesandenjoyedbeautytoherheart’scontent，andLaurieplayed`lordofthemanor’inthemostdelightfulstyle。

ButBeth，thoughyearningforthegrandpiano，couldnotpluckupcouragetogotothe`MansionofBliss’，asMegcalledit。ShewentoncewithJo，buttheoldgentleman，notbeingawareofherinfirmity，staredathersohardfromunderhisheavyeyebrows，andsaid“Hey!“soloud，thathefrightenedhersomuchher`feetchatteredonthefloor’，shenevertoldhermother，andsheranaway，declaringshewouldnevergothereanymore，notevenforthedearpiano。Nopersuasionsorenticementscouldovercomeherfear，till，thefactcomingtoMr。Laurence’searinsomemysteriousway，hesetaboutmendingmatters。Duringoneofthebriefcallshemade，heartfullyledtheconversationtomusic，andtalkedawayaboutgreatsingerswhomhehadseen，fineorganshehadheard，andtoldsuchcharminganecdotesthatBethfounditimpossibletostayinherdistantcorner，butcreptnearerandnearer，asiffascinated。Atthebackofhischairshestoppedandstoodlistening，withhergreateyeswideopenandhercheeksredwithexcitementofthisunusualperformance。Takingnomorenoticeofherthanifshehadbeenafly，Mr。LaurencetalkedonaboutLaurie’slessonsandteachers。Andpresently，asiftheideahadjustoccurredtohim，hesaidtoMrs。March……

“Theboyneglectshismusicnow，andI’mgladofit，forhewasgettingtoofondofit。Butthepianosuffersforwantofuse。Wouldn’tsomeofyourgirlsliketorunover，andpracticeonitnowandthen，justtokeepitintune，youknow，ma`am？“

Bethtookastepforward，andpressedherhandstightlytogethertokeepfromclappingthem，forthiswasanirresistibletemptation，andthethoughtofpracticingonthatsplendidinstrumentquitetookherbreathaway。BeforeMrs。Marchcouldreply，Mr。Laurencewentonwithanoddlittlenodandsmile……

“Theyneedn’tseeorspeaktoanyone，butruninatanytime。

ForI’mshutupinmystudyattheotherendofthehouse，Laurieisoutagreatdeal，andtheservantsarenevernearthedrawingroomafternineo’clock。“

Hereherose，asifgoing，andBethmadeuphermindtospeak，forthatlastarrangementleftnothingtobedesired。“Please，telltheyoungladieswhatIsay，andiftheydon’tcaretocome，why，nevermind。“Herealittlehandslippedintohis，andBethlookedupathimwithafacefullofgratitude，asshesaid，inherearnestyettimidway……

“Ohsir，theydocare，veryverymuch!“

“Areyouthemusicalgirl？“heasked，withoutanystartling“Hey!“ashelookeddownatherverykindly。

“I’mBeth。Iloveitdearly，andI’llcome，ifyouarequitesurenobodywillhearme，andbedisturbed，“sheadded，fearingtoberude，andtremblingatherownboldnessasshespoke。

“Notasoul，mydear。Thehouseisemptyhalftheday，socomeanddrumawayasmuchasyoulike，andIshallbeobligedtoyou。“

“Howkindyouare，sir!“

Bethblushedlikearoseunderthefriendlylookhewore，butshewasnotfrightenednow，andgavethehandagratefulsqueezebecauseshehadnowordstothankhimforthepreciousgifthehadgivenher。

Theoldgentlemansoftlystrokedthehairoffherforehead，and，stoopingdown，hekissedherr，saying，inatonefewpeopleeverheard……

“Ihadalittlegirlonce，witheyeslikethese。Godblessyou，mydear!Goodday。madam。“Andawayhewent，inagreathurry。

Bethhadarapturewithhermother，andthenrusheduptoimpartthegloriousnewstoherfamilyofinvalids，asthegirlswerenothome。Howblithelyshesangthatevening，andhowtheyalllaughedatherbecauseshewokeAmyinthenightbyplayingthepianoonherfaceinhersleep。Nextday，havingseenboththeoldandyounggentlemanoutofthehouse，Beth，aftertwoorthreeretreats，fairlygotinatthesidedoor，andmadeherwayasnoiselesslyasanymousetothedrawingroomwhereheridolstood。Quitebyaccident，ofcourse，somepretty，easymusiclayonthepiano，andwithtremblingfingersandfrequentstopstolistenandlookabout，Bethatlasttouchedthegreatinstrument，andstraightwayforgotherfear，herself，andeverythingelsebuttheunspeakabledelightwhichthemusicgaveher，foritwaslikethevoiceofabelovedfriend。

ShestayedtillHannahcametotakeherhometodinner，butshehadnoappetite，andcouldonlysitandsmileuponeveryoneinageneralstateofbeatitude。