第53章

“Prut!Wewillmakethetime，andwefailnottofindthesense。AtefeningIshallgifalittlelessonwithmuchgladness，forlookyou，MeesMarsch，Ihafthisdebttopay。“Andhepointedtomywork`Yes，’theysaytooneanother，thesesokindladies，`heisastupidoldfellow，hewillseenotwhatwedo，hewillneverobservethathissockheelsgonotinholesanymore，hewillthinkhisbuttonsgrowoutnewwhentheyfall，andbelievethatstringsmaketheirselves。’“Ah!ButIhafaneye，andIseemuch。Ihafaheart，andIfeelthanksforthis。

Come，alittlelessonthenandnow，ornomoregoodfairyworksformeandmine。“

OfcourseIcouldn’tsayanythingafterthat，andasitreallyisasplendidopportunity，Imadethebargain，andwebegan。Itookfourlessons，andthenIstuckfastinagrammaticalbog。TheProfessorwasverypatientwithme，butitmusthavebeentormenttohim，andnowandthenhe’dlookatmewithsuchanexpressionofmilddespairthatitwasatoss-upwithmewhethertolaughorcry。Itriedbothways，andwhenitcametoasnifforuttermortificationandwoe，hejustthrewthegrammarontothefloorandmarchedoutoftheroom。

Ifeltmyselfdisgracedanddesertedforever，butdidn’tblamehimaparticle，andwasscramblingmypaperstogether，meaningtorushupstairsandshakemyselfhard，wheninhecame，asbriskandbeamingasifI’dcoveredmyselfinglory。

“Nowweshalltryanewway。YouandIwillreadthesepleasantlittleMARCHENtogether，anddignomoreinthatdrybook，thatgoesinthecornerformakingustrouble。“

Hespokesokindly，andopenedHansAndersons’sfairytalessoinvitinglybeforeme，thatIwasmoreashamedthanever，andwentatmylessoninaneck-or-nothingstylethatseemedtoamusehimimmensely。Iforgotmybashfulness，andpeggedaway(nootherwordwillexpressit)withallmymight，tumblingoverlongwords，pronouncingaccordingtoinspirationoftheminute，anddoingmyverybest。WhenIfinishedreadingmyfirstpage，andstoppedforbreath，heclappedhishandsandcriedoutinhisheartyway，“Dasistgut!’Nowwegowell!Myturn。IdohiminGerman，gifmeyourear。“Andawayhewent，rumblingoutthewordswithhisstrongvoiceandarelishwhichwasgoodtoseeaswellashear。FortunatelythestorywastheCONSTANTTINSOLDIER，whichisdroll，youknow，soIcouldlaugh，andIdid，thoughIdidn’tunderstandhalfheread，forIcouldn’thelpit，hewassoearnest，Isoexcited，andthewholethingsocomical。

Afterthatwegotonbetter，andnowIreadmylessonsprettywell，forthiswayofstudyingsuitsme，andIcanseethatthegrammargetstuckedintothetalesandpoetryasonegivespillsinjelly。Ilikeitverymuch，andhedoesn’tseemtiredofityet，whichisverygoodofhim，isn’tit？ImeantogivehimsomethingonChristmas，forIdarenotoffermoney。

Tellmesomethingnice，Marmee。

I’mgladLaurieseemssohappyandbusy，thathehasgivenupsmokingandletshishairgrow。YouseeBethmanageshimbetterthanIdid。I’mnotjealous，dear，doyourbest，onlydon’tmakeasaintofhim。I’mafraidIcouldn’tlikehimwithoutaspiceofhumannaughtiness。Readhimbitsofmyletters。Ihaven’ttimetowritemuch，andthatwilldojustaswell。ThankHeavenBethcontinuessocomfortable。

JANUARY

AHappyNewYeartoyouall，mydearestfamily，whichofcourseincludesMr。L。andayoungmanbythenameofTeddy。

Ican’ttellyouhowmuchIenjoyedyourChristmasbundle，forididn’tgetittillnightandhadgivenuphoping。Yourlettercameinthemorning，butyousaidnothingaboutaparcel，meaningitforasurprise，soIwasdisappointed，forI’dhada`kindoffeeling’thatyouwouldn’tforgetme。

IfeltalittlelowinmymindasIsatupinmyroomaftertea，andwhenthebig，muddy，battered-lookingbundlewasbroughttome，Ijusthuggeditandpranced。ItwassohomeyandrefreshingthatIsatdownonthefloorandreadandlookedandateandlaughedandcried，inmyusualabsurdway。ThethingswerejustwhatIwanted，andallthebetterforbeingmadeinsteadofbought。Beth’snew`inkbib’wascapital，andHannah’sboxofhardgingerbreadwillbeatreasure。I’llbesureandweartheniceflannelsyousent，Marmee，andreadcarefullythebooksFatherhasmarked。Thankyouall，heapsandheaps!

SpeakingofbooksremindsmethatI’mgettingrichinthatline，foronNewYear’sDayMr。BhaergavemeafineShakespeare。

Itisonehevaluesmuch，andI’veoftenadmiredit，setupintheplaceofhonorwithhisGermanBible，Plato，Homer，andMilton，soyoumayimaginehowIfeltwhenhebroughtitdown，withoutitscover，andshowedmemyownnameinit，“frommyfriendFriedrichBhaer“。

“Yousayoftenyouwishalibrary。HereIgifyouone，forbetweentheselids(hemeantcovers)ismanybooksinone。Readhimwell，andhewillhelpyoumuch，forthestudyofcharacterinthisbookwillhelpyoutoreaditintheworldandpaintit