Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (reading the story of the .txt) 📗
- Author: Louisa May Alcott
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“Of course not. It would be idiotic! I knew there was mischief brewing. I felt it, and now it’s worse than I imagined. I just wish I could marry Meg myself, and keep her safe in the family.”
This odd arrangement made Mrs. March smile, but she said gravely, “Jo, I confide in you and don’t wish you to say anything to Meg yet. When John comes back, and I see them together, I can judge better of her feelings toward him.”
“She’ll see those handsome eyes that she talks about, and then it will be all up with her. She’s got such a soft heart, it will melt like butter in the sun if anyone looks sentimentlly at her. She read the short reports he sent more than she did your letters, and pinched me when I spoke of it, and likes brown eyes, and doesn’t think John an ugly name, and she’ll go and fall in love, and there’s an end of peace and fun, and cozy times together. I see it all! They’ll go lovering around the house, and we shall have to dodge. Meg will be absorbed and no good to me any more. Brooke will scratch up a fortune somehow, carry her off, and make a hole in the family, and I shall break my heart, and everything will be abominably uncomfortable. Oh, dear me! Why weren’t we all boys, then there wouldn’t be any bother.”
Jo leaned her chin on her knees in a disconsolate attitude and shook her fist at the reprehensible John. Mrs. March sighed, and Jo looked up with an air of relief.
“You don’t like it, Mother? I’m glad of it. Let’s send him about his business, and not tell Meg a word of it, but all be happy together as we always have been.”
“I did wrong to sigh, Jo. It is natural and right you should all go to homes of your own in time, but I do want to keep my girls as long as I can, and I am sorry that this happened so soon, for Meg is only seventeen and it will be some years before John can make a home for her. Your father and I have agreed that she shall not bind herself in any way, nor be married, before twenty. If she and John love one another, they can wait, and test the love by doing so. She is conscientious, and I have no fear of her treating him unkindly. My pretty, tender hearted girl! I hope things will go happily with her.”
“Hadn’t you rather have her marry a rich man?” asked Jo, as her mother’s voice faltered a little over the last words.
“Money is a good and useful thing, Jo, and I hope my girls will never feel the need of it too bitterly, nor be tempted by too much. I should like to know that John was firmly established in some good business, which gave him an income large enough to keep free from debt and make Meg comfortable. I’m not ambitious for a splendid fortune, a fashionable position, or a great name for my girls. If rank and money come with love and virtue, also, I should accept them gratefully, and enjoy your good fortune, but I know, by experience, how much genuine happiness can be had in a plain little house, where the daily bread is earned, and some privations give sweetness to the few pleasures. I am content to see Meg begin humbly, for if I am not mistaken, she will be rich in the possession of a good man’s heart, and that is better than a fortune.”
“I understand, Mother, and quite agree, but I’m disappointed about Meg, for I’d planned to have her marry Teddy by-and-by and sit in the lap of luxury all her days. Wouldn’t it be nice?” asked Jo, looking up with a brighter face.
“He is younger than she, you know,” began Mrs. March, but Jo broke in…
“Only a little, he’s old for his age, and tall, and can be quite grown-up in his manners if he likes. Then he’s rich and generous and good, and loves us all, and I say it’s a pity my plan is spoiled.”
“I’m afraid Laurie is hardly grown-up enough for Meg, and altogether too much of a weathercock just now for anyone to depend on. Don’t make plans, Jo, but let time and their own hearts mate your friends. We can’t meddle safely in such matters, and had better not get ‘romantic rubbish’ as you call it, into our heads, lest it spoil our friendship.”
“Well, I won’t, but I hate to see things going all crisscross and getting snarled up, when a pull here and a snip there would straighten it out. I wish wearing flatirons on our heads would keep us from growing up. But buds will be roses, and kittens cats, more’s the pity!”
“What’s that about flatirons and cats?” asked Meg, as she crept into the room with the finished letter in her hand.
“Only one of my stupid speeches. I’m going to bed. Come, Peggy,” said Jo, unfolding herself like an animated puzzle.
“Quite right, and beautifully written. Please add that I send my love to John,” said Mrs. March, as she glanced over the letter and gave it back.
“Do you call him ‘John’?” asked Meg, smiling, with her innocent eyes looking down into her mother’s.
“Yes, he has been like a son to us, and we are very fond of him,” replied Mrs. March, returning the look with a keen one.
“I’m glad of that, he is so lonely. Good night, Mother, dear. It is so inexpressibly comfortable to have you here,” was Meg’s answer.
The kiss her mother gave her was a very tender one, and as she went away, Mrs. March said, with a mixture of satisfaction and regret, “She does not love John yet, but will soon learn to.”
Jo’s face was a study next day, for the secret rather weighed upon her, and she found it hard not to look mysterious and important. Meg observed it, but did not trouble herself to make inquiries, for she had learned that the best way to manage Jo was by the law of contraries, so she felt sure of being told everything if she did not ask. She was rather surprised, therefore, when the silence remained unbroken, and Jo assumed a patronizing air, which decidedly aggravated Meg, who in turn assumed an air of dignified reserve and devoted herself to her mother. This left Jo to her own devices, for Mrs. March had taken her place as nurse, and bade her rest, exercise, and amuse herself after her long confinement. Amy being gone, Laurie was her only refuge, and much as she enjoyed his society, she rather dreaded him just then, for he was an incorrigible tease, and she feared he would coax the secret from her.
She was quite right, for the mischief-loving lad no sooner suspected a mystery than he set himself to find it out, and led Jo a trying life of it. He wheedled, bribed, ridiculed, threatened, and scolded; affected indifference, that he might surprise the truth from her; declared he knew, then that he didn’t care; and at last, by dint of perseverance, he satisfied himself that it concerned Meg and Mr. Brooke. Feeling indignant that he was not taken into his tutor’s confidence, he set his wits to work to devise some proper retaliation for the slight.
Meg meanwhile had apparently forgotten the matter and was absorbed in preparations for her father’s return, but all of a sudden a change seemed to come over her, and, for a day or two, she was quite unlike herself. She started when spoken to, blushed when looked at, was very quiet, and sat over her sewing, with a timid, troubled look on her face. To her mother’s inquiries she answered that she was quite well, and Jo’s she silenced by begging to be let alone.
“She feels it in the air—love, I mean—and she’s going very fast. She’s got most of the symptoms—is twittery and cross, doesn’t eat, lies awake, and mopes in corners. I caught her singing that song he gave her, and once she said ‘John’, as you do, and then turned as red as a poppy. Whatever shall we do?” said Jo, looking ready for any measures, however violent.
“Nothing but wait. Let her alone, be kind and patient, and Father’s coming will settle everything,” replied her mother.
“Here’s a note to you, Meg, all sealed up. How odd! Teddy never seals mine,” said Jo next day, as she distributed the contents of the little post office.
Mrs. March and Jo were deep in their own affairs, when a sound from Meg made them look up to see her staring at her note with a frightened face.
“My child, what is it?” cried her mother, running to her, while Jo tried to take the paper which had done the mischief.
“It’s all a mistake, he didn’t send it. Oh, Jo, how could you do it?” and Meg hid her face in her hands, crying as if her heart were quite broken.
“Me! I’ve done nothing! What’s she talking about?” cried Jo, bewildered.
Meg’s mild eyes kindled with anger as she pulled a crumpled note from her pocket and threw it at Jo, saying reproachfully, “You wrote it, and that bad boy helped you. How could you be so rude, so mean, and cruel to us both?”
Jo hardly heard her, for she and her mother were reading the note, which was written in a peculiar hand.
“My Dearest Margaret,
“I can no longer restrain my passion, and must know my fate before I return. I dare not tell your parents yet, but I think they would consent if they knew that we adored one another. Mr. Laurence will help me to some good place, and then, my sweet girl, you will make me happy. I implore you to say nothing to your family yet, but to send one word of hope through Laurie to,
“Your devoted John.”
“Oh, the little villain! That’s the way he meant to pay me for keeping my word to Mother. I’ll give him a hearty scolding and bring him over to beg pardon,” cried Jo, burning to execute immediate justice. But her mother held her back, saying, with a look she seldom wore…
“Stop, Jo, you must clear yourself first. You have played so many pranks that I am afraid you have had a hand in this.”
“On my word, Mother, I haven’t! I never saw that note before, and don’t know anything about it, as true as I live!” said Jo, so earnestly that they believed her. “If I had taken part in it I’d have done it better than this, and have written a sensible note. I should think you’d have known Mr. Brooke wouldn’t write such stuff as that,” she added, scornfully tossing down the paper.
“It’s like his writing,” faltered Meg, comparing it with the note in her hand.
“Oh, Meg, you didn’t answer it?” cried Mrs. March quickly.
“Yes, I did!” and Meg hid her face again, overcome with shame.
“Here’s a scrape! Do let me bring that wicked boy over to explain and be lectured. I can’t rest till I get hold of him.” And Jo made for the door again.
“Hush! Let me handle this, for it is worse than I thought. Margaret, tell me the whole story,” commanded Mrs. March, sitting down by Meg, yet keeping
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