第73章

“I’lltestifythatyoutriedtodoit，“saidLauriewithagratefullook。

“AndI’vesucceededbeyondmyhopes，forhereyouare，asteady，sensiblebusinessman，doingheapsofgoodwithyourmoney，andlayinguptheblessingsofthepoor，insteadofdollars。

Butyouarenotmerelyabusinessman，youlovegoodandbeautifulthings，enjoythemyourself，andletothersgohalves，asyoualwaysdidintheoldtimes。Iamproudofyou，Teddy，foryougetbettereveryyear，andeveryonefeelsit，thoughyouwon’tletthemsayso。Yes，andwhenIhavemyflock，I’lljustpointtoyou，andsay`There’syourmodel，mylads’。“

PoorLauriedidn’tknowwheretolook，for，manthoughhewas，somethingoftheoldbashfulnesscameoverhimasthisburstofpraisemadeallfacesturnapprovinglyuponhim。

“Isay，Jo，that’srathertoomuch，“hebegan，justinhisoldboyishway。“YouhavealldonemoreformethanIcaneverthankyoufor，exceptbydoingmybestnottodisapointyou。Youhaverathercastmeofflately，Jo，butI’vehadthebestofhelp，nevertheless。So，ifI’vegotonatall，youmaythankthesetwoforit。“Andhelaidonehandgentlyonhisgrandfather’shead，andtheotheronAmy’sgoldenone，forthethreewereneverfarapart。

“Idothinkthatfamiliesarethemostbeautifulthingsinalltheworld!“burstoutJo，whowasinanunusuallyup-liftedframeofmindjustthen。“WhenIhaveoneofmyown，IhopeitwillbeashappyasthethreeIknowandlovethebest。IfJohnandmyFritzwereonlyhere，itwouldbequitealittleheavenonearth，“sheaddedmorequietly。Andthatnightwhenshewenttoherroomafterablissfuleveningoffamilycounsels，hopes，andplans，herheartwassofullofhappinessthatshecouldonlycalmitbykneelingbesidetheemptybedalwaysnearherown，andthinkingtenderthoughtsofBeth。

Itwasaveryastonishingyearaltogether，forthingsseemedtohappeninanunusuallyrapidanddelightfulmanner。Almostbeforesheknewwhereshewas，JofoundherselfmarriedandsettledatPlumfield。Thenafamilyofsixorsevenboyssprunguplikemushrooms，andflourishedsurprisingly，poorboysaswellasrich，forMr。Laurencewascontinuallyfindingsometouchingcaseofdestitution，andbeggingtheBhaerstotakepityonthechild，andhewouldgladlypayatrifleforitssupport。Inthisway，theslyoldgentlemangotroundproudJo，andfurnishedherwiththestyleofboyinwhichshemostdelighted。

Ofcourseitwasuphillworkatfirst，andJomadequeermistakes，butthewiseProfessorsteeredhersafelyintocalmerwaters，andthemostrampantragamuffinwasconqueredintheend。

HowJodidenjoyher`wildernessofboys’，andhowpoor，dearAuntMarchwouldhavelamentedhadshebeentheretoseethesacredprecinctsofprim，well-orderedPlumfieldoverrunwithToms，Dicks，andHarrys!Therewasasortofpoeticjusticeaboutit，afterall，fortheoldladyhadbeentheterroroftheboysformilesaround，andnowtheexilesfeastedfreelyonforbiddenplums，kickedupthegravelwithprofanebootsunreproved，andplayedcricketinthebigfieldwheretheirritable`cowwithacrumpledhorn’usedtoinviterashyouthstocomeandbetossed。Itbecameasortofboys’paradise，andLauriesuggestedthatitshouldbecalledthe`Bhaer-garten’，asacomplimenttoitsmasterandappropriatetoitsinhabitants。

Itneverwasafashionableschool，andtheProfessordidnotlayupafortune，butitwasjustwhatJointendedittobe——

`ahappy，homelikeplaceforboys，whoneededteaching，care，andkindness’。Everyroominthebighousewassoonfull。Everylittleplotinthegardensoonhaditsowner。Aregularmenagerieappearedinbarnandshed，forpetanimalswereallowed。

Andthreetimesaday，JosmiledatherFritzfromtheheadofalongtablelinedoneithersidewithrowsofhappyyoungfaces，whichallturnedtoherwithaffectionateeyes，confidingwords，andgratefulhearts，fulloflovefor`MotherBhaer’。Shehadboysenoughnow，anddidnottireofthem，thoughtheywerenotangels，byanymeans，andsomeofthemcausedbothProfessorandProfessorinmuchtroubleandanxiety。Butherfaithinthegoodspotwhichexistsintheheartofthenaughtiest，sauciest，mosttantalizinglittleragamuffingaveherpatience，skill，andintimesuccess，fornomortalboycouldholdoutlongwithFatherBhaershiningonhimasbenevolentlyasthesun，andMotherBhaerforgivinghimseventytimesseven。VeryprecioustoJowasthefriendshipofthelads，theirpenitentsniffsandwhispersafterwrongdoing，theirdrollortouchinglittleconfidences，theirpleasantenthusiasms，hopes，andplans，eventheirmisfortunes，fortheyonlyendearedthemtoherallthemore。Therewereslowboysandbashfulboys，feebleboysandriotousboys，boysthatlispedandboysthatstuttered，oneortwolameones，andamerrylittlequadroon，whocouldnotbetakeninelsewhere，butwhowaswelcometothe`Bhaer-garten’，thoughsomepeoplepredictedthathisadmissionwouldruintheschool。

Yes，Jowasaveryhappywomanthere，inspiteofhardwork，muchanxiety，andaperpetualracket。Sheenjoyeditheartilyandfoundtheapplauseofherboysmoresatisfyingthananypraiseoftheworld，fornowshetoldnostoriesexcepttoherflockofenthusiasticbelieversandadmirers。Astheyearswenton，twolittleladsofherowncametoincreaseherhappiness——Rob，namedforGrandpa，andTeddy，ahappy-go-luckybaby，