第22章

“Whatadreadfuldaythishasbeen!“beganJo，usuallythefirsttospeak。

“Ithasseemedshorterthanusual，butsouncomfortable，“saidMeg。

“Notabitlikehome，“addedAmy。

“Itcan’tseemsowithoutMarmeeandlittlePip，“sighedBeth，glancingwithfulleyesattheemptycageaboveherhead。

“Here’sMother，dear，andyoushallhaveanotherbirdtomorrow，ifyouwantit。“

Asshespoke，Mrs。Marchcameandtookherplaceamongthem，lookingasifherholidayhadnotbeenmuchpleasanterthantheirs。

“Areyousatisfiedwithyourexperiment，girls，ordoyouwantanotherweekofit？“sheasked，asBethnestleduptoherandtherestturnedtowardherwithbrighteningfaces，asflowersturntowardthesun。

“Idon’t!“criedJodecidedly。

“NorI，“echoedtheothers。

“Youthinkthen，thatitisbettertohaveafewdutiesandlivealittleforothers，doyou？“

“Loungingandlarkingdoesn’tpay，“observedJo，shakingherhead。

“I’mtiredofitandmeantogotoworkatsomethingrightoff。“

“Supposeyoulearnplaincooking。That’sausefulaccomplishment，whichnowomanshouldbewithout，“saidMrs。March，laughinginaudiblyattherecollectionofJo’sdinnerparty，forshehadmetMissCrockerandheardheraccountofit。

“Mother，didyougoawayandleteverythingbe，justtoseehowwe’dgeton？“criedMeg，whohadhadsuspicionsallday。

“Yes，Iwantedyoutoseehowthecomfortofalldependsoneachdoinghersharefaithfully。WhileHannahandIdidyourwork，yougotonprettywell，thoughIdon’tthinkyouwereveryhappyoramiable。SoIthought，asalittlelesson，Iwouldshowyouwhathappenswheneveryonethinksonlyofherself。Don’tyoufeelthatitispleasantertohelponeanother，tohavedailydutieswhichmakeleisuresweetwhenitcomes，andtobearandforbear，thathomemaybecomfortableandlovelytousall？“

“Wedo，Motherwedo!“criedthegirls。

“Thenletmeadviseyoutotakeupyourlittleburdensagain，forthoughtheyseemheavysometimes，theyaregoodforus，andlightenaswelearntocarrythem。Workiswholesome，andthereisplentyforeveryone。Itkeepsusfromennuiandmischief，isgoodforhealthandspirits，andgivesusasenseofpowerandindependencebetterthanmoneyorfashion。“

“We’llworklikebees，andloveittoo，seeifwedon’t，“

saidJo。“I’lllearnplaincookingformyholidaytask，andthedinnerpartyIhaveshallbeasuccess。“

“I’llmakethesetofshirtsforfather，insteadoflettingyoudoit，Marmee。IcanandIwill，thoughI’mnotfondofsewing。

Thatwillbebetterthanfussingovermyownthings，whichareplentyniceenoughastheyare。“saidMeg。

“I’lldomylessonseveryday，andnotspendsomuchtimewithmymusicanddolls。Iamastupidthing，andoughttobestudying，notplaying，“wasBeth’sresolution，whileAmyfollowedtheirexamplebyheroicallydeclaring，“Ishalllearntomakebuttonholes，andattendtomypartsofspeech。“

“Verygood!ThenIamquitesatisfiedwiththeexperiment，andfancythatweshallnothavetorepeatit，onlydon’tgototheotherextremeanddelvelikeslaves。Haveregularhoursforworkandplay，makeeachdaybothusefulandpleasant，andprovethatyouunderstandtheworthoftimebyemployingitwell。Thenyouthwillbedelightful，oldagewillbringfewregrets，andlifebecomeabeautifulsuccess，inspiteofpoverty。“

“We’llremember，Mother!“Andtheydid。

Chapter12CHAPTERTWELVE

Bethwaspostmistress，for，beingmostathome，shecouldattendtoitregularly，anddearlylikedthedailytaskofunlockingthelittledooranddistributingthemail。OneJulydayshecameinwithherhandsfull，andwentaboutthehouseleavinglettersandparcelslikethepennypost。

“Here’syourposy，Mother!Laurieneverforgetsthat，“shesaid，puttingthefreshnosegayinthevasethatstoodin`Marmee’scorner’，andwaskeptsuppliedbytheaffectionateboy。

“MissMegMarch，oneletterandaglove，“continuedBeth，deliveringthearticlestohersister，whosatnearhermother，stitchingwristbands。

“Why，Ileftapairoverthere，andhereisonlyone，“saidMeg，lookingatthegraycottonglove。“Didn’tyoudroptheotherinthegarden？“

“No，I’msureIdidn’t，fortherewasonlyoneintheoffice。“

“Ihatetohaveoddgloves!Nevermind，theothermaybefound。MyletterisonlyatranslationoftheGermansongI

wanted。IthinkMr。Brookedidit，forthisisn’tLaurie’swriting。“

Mrs。MarchglancedatMeg，whowaslookingveryprettyinherginghammorninggown，withthelittlecurlsblowingaboutherforehead，andverywomanly，asshesatsewingatherlittleworktable，fulloftidywhiterolls，sounconsciousofthethoughtinhermother’smindasshesewedandsang，whileherfingersflewandherthoughtswerebusiedwithgirlishfanciesasinnocentandfreshasthepansiesinherbelt，thatMrs。Marchsmiledand