第56章

“Whatoldman？“demandedJo，thinkinghemustmeanhisgrandfather。

“ThatdevilishProfessoryouwerealwayswritingabout。

Ifyousayyoulovehim，IknowIshalldosomethingdesperate。“

Andhelookedasifhewouldkeephisword，asheclenchedhishandswithawrathfulsparkinhiseyes。

Jowantedtolaugh，butrestrainedherselfandsaidwarmly，forshetoo，wasgettingexcitedwithallthis，“Don’tswear，Teddy!Heisn’told，noranythingbad，butgoodandkind，andthebestfriendI’vegot，nexttoyou。Pray，don’tflyintoapassion。Iwanttobekind，butIknowIshallgetangryifyouabusemyProfessor。Ihaven’ttheleastideaoflovinghimoranybodyelse。“

“Butyouwillafterawhile，andthenwhatwillbecomeofme？“

“You’lllovesomeoneelsetoo，likeasensibleboy，andforgetallthistrouble。“

“Ican’tloveanyoneelse，andI’llneverforgetyou，Jo，Never!Never!“withastamptoemphasizehispassionatewords。

“WhatshallIdowithhim？“sighedJo，findingthatemotionsweremoreunmanagablethansheexpected。“Youhaven’theardwhatIwantedtotellyou。Sitdownandlisten，forindeedI

wanttodorightandmakeyouhappy，“shesaid，hopingtosoothehimwithalittlereason，whichprovedthatsheknewnothingaboutlove。

Seeingarayofhopeinthatlastspeech，Lauriethrewhimselfdownonthegrassatherfeet，leanedhisarmonthelowerstepofthestile，andlookedupatherwithanexpectantface。

NowthatarrangementwasnotconducivetocalmspeechorclearthoughtonJo’spart，forhowcouldshesayhardthingstoherboywhilehewatchedherwitheyesfullofloveandlonging，andlashesstillwetwiththebitterdroportwoherhardnessofhearthadwrungfromhim？Shegentlyturnedhisheadaway，saying，asshestrokedthewavyhairwhichhadbeenallowedtogrowforhersake——howtouchingthatwas，tobesure!

“IagreewithMotherthatyouandIarenotsuitedtoeachother，becauseourquicktempersandstrongwillswouldprobablymakeusverymiserable，ifweweresofoolishasto……“

Jopausedalittleoverthelastword，butLaurieuttereditwitharapturousexpression。

“Marry——noweshouldn’t!Ifyoulovedme，Jo，Ishouldbeaperfectsaint，foryoucouldmakemeanythingyoulike。“

“No，Ican’t。I’vetriedandfailed，andIwon’triskourhappinessbysuchaseriousexperiment。Wedon’tagreeandwenevershall，sowe’llbegoodfriendsallourlives，butwewon’tgoanddoanythingrash。“

“Yes，wewillifwegetthechance，“mutteredLaurierebelliously。

“Nowdobereasonable，andtakeasensibleviewofthecase，“

imploredJo，almostatherwit’send。

“Iwon’tbereasonable。Idon’twanttotakewhatyoucall`asensibleview’。Itwon’thelpme，anditonlymakesitharder。Idon’tbelieveyou’vegotanyheart。“

“IwishIhadn’t。“

TherewasalittlequiverinJo’svoice，andthinkingitagoodomen，Laurieturnedround，bringingallhispersuasivepowerstobearashesaid，inthewheedlesometonethathadneverbeensodangerouslywheedlesomebefore，“Don’tdisappointus，dear!Everyoneexpectsit。Grandpahassethisheartuponit，yourpeoplelikeit，andIcan’tgetonwithoutyou。Sayyouwill，andlet’sbehappy。Do，do!“

NotuntilmonthsafterwarddidJounderstandhowshehadthestrengthofmindtoholdfasttotheresolutionshehadmadewhenshedecidedthatshedidnotloveherboy，andnevercould。Itwasveryhardtodo，butshedidit，knowingthatdelaywasbothuselessandcruel。

“Ican’tsay`yes’truly，soIwon’tsayitatall。You’llseethatI’mright，by-and-by，andthankmeforit……“shebegansolemnly。

“I’llbehangedifIdo!“AndLauriebouncedupoffthegrass，burningwithindignationattheveryidea。

“Yes，youwill!“persistedJo。“You’llgetoverthisafterawhile，andfindsomelovelyaccomplishedgirl，whowilladoreyou，andmakeafinemistressforyourfinehouse。Ishouldn’t。

I’mhomelyandawkwardandoddandold，andyou’dbeashamedofme，andweshouldquarrel——wecan’thelpitevennow，yousee-andIshouldn’tlikeelegantsocietyandyouwould，andyou’dhatemyscribbling，andIcouldn’tgetonwithoutit，andweshouldbeunhappy，andwishwehadn’tdoneit，andeverythingwouldbehorrid!“

“Anythingmore？“askedaskedLaurie，findingithardtolistenpatientlytothispropheticburst。

“Nothingmore，exceptthatIdon’tbelieveIshallevermarry。I’mhappyasIam，andlovemylibertytoowelltobeinahurrytogiveitupforanymortalman。“

“Iknowbetter!“brokeinLaurie。“Youthinksonow，butthere’llcomeatimewhenyouwillcareforsomebody，andyou’lllovehimtremendously，andliveanddieforhim。I

knowyouwill，it’syour