第41章

“Well，littlegirl，whatisit？“repliedhermother，inwhoseeyesthestatelyyoungladystillremained`thebaby’。

“Ourdrawingclassbreaksupnextweek，andbeforethegirlsseparateforthesummer，Iwanttoaskthemouthereforaday。

Theyarewildtoseetheriver，sketchthebrokenbridge，andcopysomeofthethingstheyadmireinmybook。Theyhavebeenverykindtomeinmanyways，andIamgrateful，fortheyareallrichandIknowIampoor，yettheynevermadeanydifference。“

“Whyshouldthey？“AndMrs。Marchputthequestionwithwhatthegirlscalledher`MariaTheresaair’。

“YouknowaswellasIthatitdoesmakeadifferencewithnearlyeveryone，sodon’truffleuplikeadear，motherlyhen，whenyourchickensgetpeckedbysmarterbirds。Theuglyducklingturnedoutaswan，youknow。“AndAmysmiledwithoutbitterness，forshepossessedahappytemperandhopefulspirit。

Mrs。Marchlaughed，andsmootheddownhermaternalprideassheasked，“Well，myswan，whatisyourplan？“

“Ishouldliketoaskthegirlsouttolunchnextweek，totakethemforadrivetotheplacestheywanttosee，arowontheriver，perhaps，andmakealittleartisticfeteforthem。“

“Thatlooksfeasible。Whatdoyouwantforlunch？Cake，sandwiches，fruit，andcoffeewillbeallthatisnecessary，Isuppose？“

“Oh，dear，no!Wemusthavecoldtongueandchicken，Frenchchocolateandicecream，besides。Thegirlsareusedtosuchthings，andIwantmylunchtobeproperandelegant，thoughIdoworkformyliving。“

“Howmanyyoungladiesarethere？“askedhermother，beginningtolooksober。

“Twelveorfourteenintheclass，butIdaresaytheywon’tallcome。“

“Blessme，child，youwillhavetocharteranomnibustocarrythemabout。“

“Why，Mother，howcanyouthinkofsuchathing？Notmorethansixoreightwillprobablycome，soIshallhireabeachwagonandborrowMr。Laurence’scherry-bounce。“(Hannah’spronunciationofcharabanc。)

“Allofthiswillbeexpensive，Amy。“

“Notvery。I’vecalculatedthecost，andI’llpayforitmyself。“

“Don’tyouthink，dear，thatasthesegirlsareusedtosuchthings，andthebestwecandowillbenothingnew，thatsomesimplerplanwouldbepleasantertothem，asachangeifnothingmore，andmuchbetterforusthanbuyingorborrowingwhatwedon’tneed，andattemptingastylenotinkeepingwithourcircumstances？“

“IfIcan’thaveitasIlike，Idon’tcaretohaveitatall。

IknowthatIcancarryitoutperfectlywell，ifyouandthegirlswillhelpalittle，andIdon’tseewhyIcan’tifI’mwillingtopayforit，“saidAmy，withthedecisionwhichoppositionwasapttochangeintoobstinacy。

Mrs。Marchknewthatexperiencewasanexcellentteacher，andwhenitwaspossiblesheleftherchildrentolearnalonethelessonswhichshewouldgladlyhavemadeeasier，iftheyhadnotobjectedtotakingadviceasmuchastheydidsaltsandsenna。

“Verywell，Amy，ifyourheartissetuponit，andyouseeyourwaythroughwithouttoogreatanoutlayofmoney，time，andtemper，I’llsaynomore。Talkitoverwiththegirls，andwhicheverwayyoudecide，I’lldomybesttohelpyou。“

“Thanks，Mother，youarealwayssokind。“AndawaywentAmytolayherplanbeforehersisters。

Megagreedatonce，andpromisedtoheraid，gladlyofferinganythingshepossessed，fromherlittlehouseitselftoherverybestsaltspoons。ButJofrowneduponthewholeprojectandwouldhavenothingtodowithitatfirst。

“Whyintheworldshouldyouspendyourmoney，worryyourfamily，andturnthehouseupsidedownforaparcelofgirlswhodon’tcareasixpenceforyou？IthoughtyouhadtoomuchprideandsensetotruckletoanymortalwomanjustbecauseshewearsFrenchbootsandridesinacoupe，“saidJo，who，beingcalledfromthetragicclimaxofhernovel，wasnotinthebestmoodforsocialenterprises。

“Idon’ttruckle，andIhatebeingpatronizedasmuchasyoudo!“

returnedAmyindignantly，forthetwostilljangledwhensuchquestionsarose。“Thegirlsdocareforme，andIforthem，andthere’sagreatdealofkindnessandsenseandtalentamongthem，inspiteofwhatyoucallfashionablenonsense。Youdon’tcaretomakepeoplelikeyou，togointogoodsociety，andcultivateyourmannersandtastes。Ido，andImeantomakethemostofeverychancethatcomes。

Youcangothroughtheworldwithyourelbowsoutandyournoseintheair，andcallitindependence，ifyoulike。That’snotmyway。“

WhenAmyhadwhettedhertongueandfreedhermindsheusuallygotthebestofit，forsheseldomfailedtohavecommonsenseonherside，whileJocarriedherloveoflibertyandhateofconventionalitiestosuchanunlimitedextentthatshenaturallyfoundherselfworstedinanargument。Amy’sdefinitionofJo’sideaofindependencewassuchagoodhitthatbothburstoutlaughing，andthediscussiontookamoreamiableturn。Muchagainstherwill，JoatlengthconsentedtosacrificeadaytoMrs。Grundy，andhelphersisterthroughwhatsheregardedas`anonsensicalbusiness’。

Theinvitationsweresent，nearlyallaccepted，an