第43章

wishI’dprintedthewholeornotatall，forIdohatetobesomisjudged。“

Herfamilyandfriendsadministeredcomfortandcommendationliberally。Yetitwasahardtimeforsensitive，high-spiritedJo，whomeantsowellandhadapparentlydonesoill。Butitdidhergood，forthosewhoseopinionhadrealvaluegaveherthecritismwhichisanauthor’sbesteducation，andwhenthefirstsorenesswasover，shecouldlaughatherpoorlittlebook，yetbelieveinitstill，andfeelherselfthewiserandstrongerforthebuffetingshehadreceived。

“Notbeingagenius，likeKeats，itwon’tkillme，“shesaidstoutly，“andI’vegotthejokeonmyside，afterall，forthepartsthatweretakenstraightoutofreallifearedenouncedasimpossibleandabsurd，andthescenesthatImadeupoutofmyownsillyheadarepronounced`charminglynatural，tender，andtrue’。SoI’llcomfortmyselfwiththat，andwhenI’mready，I’llupagainandtakeanother。“

Likemostotheryoungmatrons，Megbeganhermarriedlifewiththedeterminationtobeamodelhousekeeper。Johnshouldfindhomeaparadise，heshouldalwaysseeasmilingface，shouldfaresumptuouslyeveryday，andneverknowthelossofabutton。Shebroughtsomuchlove，energy，andcheerfulnesstotheworkthatshecouldnotbutsucceed，inspiteofsomeobstacles。Herparadisewasnotatranquilone，forthelittlewomanfussed，wasover-anxioustoplease，andbustledaboutlikeatrueMartha，cumberedwithmanycares。Shewastootired，sometimes，eventosmile，Johngrewdyspepticafteracourseofdaintydishesandungratefullydemandedplainfare。Asforbuttons，shesoonlearnedtowonderwheretheywent，toshakeherheadoverthecarelessnessofmen，andtothreatentomakehimsewthemonhimself，andseeifhisworkwouldstandimpatientandclumsyfingersanybetterthanhers。

Theywereveryhappy，evenaftertheydiscoveredthattheycouldn’tliveonlovealone。JohndidnotfindMeg’sbeautydiminished，thoughshebeamedathimfrombehindthefamiliarcoffeepot。

NordidMegmissanyoftheromancefromthedailyparting，whenherhusbandfolloweduphiskisswiththetenderinquiry，“ShallIsendsomevealormuttonfordinner，darling？“Thelittlehouseceasedtobeaglorifiedbower，butitbecameahome，andtheyoungcouplesoonfeltthatitwasachangeforthebetter。Atfirsttheyplayedkeep-house，andfrolickedoveritlikechildren。ThenJohntooksteadilytobusiness，feelingthecaresoftheheadofafamilyuponhisshoulders，andMeglaidbyhercambricwrappers，putonabigapron，andfelltowork，asbeforesaid，withmoreenergythandiscretion。

WhilethecookingmanialastedshewentthroughMrs。Cornelius’sReceiptBookasifitwereamathematicalexercise，workingouttheproblemswithpatienceandcare。Sometimesherfamilywereinvitedintohelpeatupatoobounteousfeastofsuccesses，orLottywouldbeprivatelydispatchedwithabatchoffailures，whichweretobeconcealedfromalleyesintheconvenientstomachsofthelittleHummels。AneveningwithJohnovertheaccountbooksusuallyproducedatemporarylullintheculinaryenthusiasm，andafrugalfitwouldensue，duringwhichthepoormanwasputthroughacourseofbreadpudding，hash，andwarmed-overcoffee，whichtriedhissoul，althoughheboreitwithpraiseworthyfortitude。Beforethegoldenmeanwasfound，however，Megaddedtoherdomesticpossessionswhatyoungcouplesseldomgetonlongwithout，afamilyjar。

Firedawithhousewifelywishtoseeherstoreroomstockedwithhomemadepreserves，sheundertooktoputupherowncurrantjelly。

Johnwasrequestedtoorderhomeadozenorsooflittlepotsandanextraquantityofsugar，fortheirowncurrantswereripeandweretobeattendedtoatonce。AsJohnfirmlybelievedthat`mywife’

wasequaltoanything，andtookanaturalprideinherskill，heresolvedthatsheshouldbegratified，andtheironlycropoffruitlaidbyinamostpleasingformforwinteruse。Homecamefourdozendelightfullittlepots，halfabarrelofsugar，andasmallboytopickthecurrantsforher。Withherprettyhairtuckedintoalittlecap，armsbaredtotheelbow，andacheckedapronwhichhadacoquettishlookinspiteofthebib，theyounghousewifefelltowork，feelingnodoubtsabouthersuccess，forhadn’tsheseenHannahdoithundredsoftimes？Thearrayofpotsratheramazedheratfirst，butJohnwassofondofjelly，andthenicelittlejarswouldlooksowellonthetopshelf，thatMegresolvedtofillthemall，andspendalongdaypicking，boiling，straining，andfussingoverherjelly。Shedidherbest，sheaskedadviceofMrs。Cornelius，sherackedherbraintorememberwhatHannahdidthatsheleftundone，shereboiled，resugared，andrestrained，butthatdreadfulstuffwouldn’t`jell’。

Shelongedtorunhome，bibandall，andaskMothertolendherahand，butJohnandshehadagreedthattheywouldneverannoyanyonewiththeirprivateworries，experiments，orquarrels。Theyhadlaughedoverthatlastwordasiftheideaitsuggestedwasamostpreposterousone，buttheyhadheldtotheirresolve，andwhenevertheycouldgetonwithouthelptheydidso，andnooneinterfered，forMrs。Marchhadadvisedtheplan。SoMegwrestledalonewiththerefractorysweetmeatsallthathotsummerday，andatfiveo’clocksatdowninhertopsy-turveykitchen，wrungherbedaubedhands，lifteduphervoiceandwept。

Now，inthefirstflushofthenewlife，shehadoftensaid，“Myhusbandshallalwaysfeelfreetobringafriendhomewheneverhelikes。Ishallalwaysbeprepared。Thereshallbenoflurry，noscolding，nodiscomfort，butaneathouse，ach