“OnlyifBrookeisgoingtobeathermometer，Imustmindandhavefairweatherforhimtoreport。“
“Pleasedon’tbeoffended。Ididn’tmeanttopreachortelltalesorbesilly。IonlythoughtJowasencouragingyouinafeelingwhichyou’dbesorryforby-and-by。Youaresokindtous，wefeelasifyouwereourbrotherandsayjustwhatwethink。
Forgiveme，Imeantitkindly。“AndMegofferedherhandwithagesturebothaffectionateandtimid。
Ashamedofhismomentarypique，Lauriesqueezedthekindlittlehand，andsaidfrankly，“I’mtheonetobeforgiven。I’mcrossandhavebeenoutofsortsallday。Iliketohaveyoutellmemyfaultsandbesisterly，sodon’tmindifIamgrumpysometimes。Ithankyouallthesame。“
Bentonshowingthathewasnotoffended，hemadehimselfasagreeableaspossible，woundcottonforMeg，recitedpoetrytopleaseJo，shookdownconesforBeth，andhelpedAmywithherferns，provinghimselfafitpersontobelongtothe`BusyBeeSociety’。Inthemidstofananimateddiscussiononthedomestichabitsofturtlesoneofthoseamiablecreatureshavingstrolledupfromtheriver，thefaintsoundofabellwarnedthemthatHannahhadputthetea`todraw’，andtheywouldjusthavetimetogethometosupper。
“MayIcomeagain？“askedLaurie。
“Yes，ifyouraregood，andloveyourbook，astheboysintheprimeraretoldtodo，“saidMeg，smiling。
“i’lltry。“
“Thenyoumaycome，andI’llteachyoutoknitastheScotchmendo。
There’sademandforsocksjustnow，“addedJo，wavingherslikeabigblueworstedbannerastheypartedatthegate。
Thatnight，whenBethplayedtoMr。Laurenceinthetwilight，Laurie，standingintheshadowofthecurtain，listenedtothelittleDavid，whosesimplemusicalwaysquietedhismoodyspirit，andwatchedtheoldman，whosatwithhisgrayheadonhishand，thinkingtenderthoughtsofthedeadchildhehadlovedsomuch。
Rememberingtheconversationoftheafternoon，theboysaidtohimself，withtheresolvetomakethesacrificecheerfully，“I’llletmycastlego，andstaywiththedearoldgentlemanwhileheneedsme，forIamallhehas。“
Chapter14CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Jowasverybusyinthegarret，fortheOctoberdaysbegantogrowchilly，andtheafternoonswereshort。Fortwoorthreehoursthesunlaywarmlyinthehighwindow，showingJoseatedontheoldsofa，writingbusily，withherpapersspreadoutuponatrunkbeforeher，whileScrabble，thepetrat，promenadedthebeamsoverhead，accompaniedbyhisoldestson，afineyoungfellow，whowasevidentlyveryproudofhiswhiskers。
Quiteabsorbedinherwork，Joscribbledawaytillthelastpagewasfilled，whenshesignedhernamewithaflourishandthrewdownherpen，exclaiming……
“There，I’vedonemybest!Ifthiswon’tsuitIshallhavetowaittillIcandobetter。“
Lyingbackonthesofa，shereadthemanuscriptcarefullythrough，makingdasheshereandthere，andputtinginmanyexclamationpoints，whichlookedlikelittleballoons。Thenshetieditupwithasmartredribbon，andsataminutelookingatitwithasober，wistfulexpression，whichplainlyshowedhowernestherworkhadbeen。Jo’sdeskupherewasanoldtinkitchenwhichhungagainstthewall。Ititshekeptherpapers，andafewbooks，safelyshutawayfromScrabble，who，beinglikewiseofaliteraryturn，wasfondofmakingacirculatinglibraryofsuchbooksaswereleftinhiswaybyeatingtheleaves。FromthistinreceptacleJoproducedanothermanuscript，andputtingbothinherpocket，creptquietlydownstairs，leavingherfriendstonibbleonherpensandtasteherink。
Sheputonherhatandjacketasnoiselesslyaspossible，andgoingtothebackentrywindow，gotoutupontheroofofalowporch，swungherselfdowntothegrassybank，andtookaroundaboutwaytotheroad。Oncethere，shecomposedherself，hailedapassingomnibus，androlledawaytotown，lookingverymerryandmysterious。
Ifanyonehadbeenwatchingher，hewouldhavethoughthermovementsdecidedlypeculiar，foronalighting，shewentoffatagreatpacetillshereachedacertainnumberinacertainbusystreet。Havingfoundtheplacewithsomedifficulty，shewentintothedoorway，lookedupthedirtystairs，andafterstandingstockstillaminute，suddenlydivedintothestreetandwalkedawayasrapidlyasshecame。Thismaneuversherepeatedseveraltimes，tothegreatamusementofablack-eyedyounggentlemanlounginginthewindowofabuildingopposite。Onreturningforthethirdtime，Jogaveherselfashake，pulledherhatoverhereyes，andwalkedupthestairs，lookingasifsheweregoingtohaveallherteethout。
Therewasadentist’ssign，amongothers，whichadornedtheentrance，andafterstaringamomentatthepairofartificialjawswhichslowlyopenedandshuttodrawattentiontoafinesetofteeth，theyounggentlemanputonhiscoat，tookhishat，andwentdowntoposthimselfintheoppositedoorway，sayingwithasmileandashiver，“It’slikehertocomealone，butifshehasabadtimeshe’llneedsomeonetohelpherhome。“
IntenminutesJocamerunningdownstairswithaveryredfaceandthegeneralappearanceofapersonwhohadjustpassedthroughatryingordealofsomesort。Whenshesawtheyounggentlemanshelookedanythingbutpleased，andpassedhimwithanod。Buthefollowed，askingwithanairofsympathy，“Didyouhaveabadtime？“
“Notvery。“
“Yougotthroughquickly。“
“Yes，thankgoodness!“
“Whydidyougoalone？“
“Didn’twantanyonetoknow。“
“You’retheoddestfellowIeversaw。Howmanydidyouhaveout？“
Jolookedatherfriendasifshedidnotunderstandhim，thenbegantolaughasifmightilyamusedatsomething。
“TherearetwowhichIwanttohavecomeout，butImustwaitaweek。“
“Whatareyoulaughingat？Youareuptosomemischief，Jo，“
saidLaurie，lookingmystified。
“Soareyou。Whatwereyoudoing，sir，upinthatbilliardsaloon？“
“Beggingyourpardon，ma’am，itwasn’tabilliardsaloon，butagymnasium，andIwastakingalessoninfencing。“
“I’mgladofthat。“
“why？“
“Youcanteachme，andthenwhenweplayHAMLET，youcanbeLaertes，andwe’llmakeafinethingofthefencingscene。“
“Laurieburstoutwithaheartyboy’slaugh，whichmadeseveralpassers-bysmileinspiteofthemselves。
“I’llteachyouwhetherweplayHAMLETornot。It’sgrandfunandwillstraightenyouupcapitally。ButIdon’tbelievethatwasyouronlyreasonforsaying`I’mglad’inthatdecidedway，wasitnow？“
“No，Iwasgladthatyouwerenotinthesaloon，becauseI
hopeyounevergotosuchplaces。Doyou？“
“Notoften。“
“Iwishyouwouldn’t。“
“It’snoharm，Jo。Ihavebilliardsathome，butit’snofununlessyouhavegoodplayers，so，asI’mfondofit，IcomesometimesandhaveagamewithNedMoffatorsomeoftheotherfellows。“
“Oh，dear，I’msosorry，foryou’llgettolikingitbetterandbetter，andwillwastetimeandmoney，andgrowlikethosedreadfulboys。Ididhopeyou’dstayrespectableandbeasatisfactiontoyourfriends，“saidJo，shakingherhead。
“Can’tafellowtakealittleinnocentamusementnowandthenwithoutlosinghisrespectability？“askedLaurie，lookingnettled。
“Thatdependsuponhowandwherehetakesit。Idon’tlikeNedandhisset，andwishyou’dkeepoutofit。Motherwon’tletushavehimatourhouse，thoughhewantstocome。Andifyougrowlikehimshewon’tbewillingtohaveusfrolictogetheraswedonow。“
“Won’tshe？“askedLaurieanxiously。
“No，shecan’tbearfashionableyoungmen，andshe’dshutusallupinbandboxesratherthanhaveusassociatewiththem。“
“Well，sheneedn’tgetoutherbandboxesyet。I’mnotafashionablepartyanddon’tmeantobe，butIdolikeharmlesslarksnowandthen，don’tyou？“
“Yes，nobodymindsthem，solarkaway，butdon’tgetwild，willyou？Ortherewillbeanendofallourgoodtimes。“
“I’llbeadoubledistilledsaint。“
“Ican’tbearsaints。Justbeasimple，honest，respectableboy，andwe’llneverdesertyou。Idon’tknowwhatIshoulddoifyouactedlikeMr。King’sson。Hehadplentyofmoney，butdidn’tknowhowtospendit，andgottipsyandgambled，andranaway，andforgedhisfather’sname，Ibelieve，andwasaltogetherhorrid。“
“YouthinkI’mlikelytodothesame？Muchobliged。“
“No，Idon’t——oh，dear，no!——butIhearpeopletalkingaboutmoneybeingsuchatemptation，andIsometimeswishyouwerepoor。
Ishouldn’tworrythen。“
“Doyouworryaboutme，Jo？“
“Alittle，whenyoulookmoodyanddiscontented，asyousometimesdo，foryou’vegotsuchastrongwill，ifyouoncegetstartedwrong，I’mafraiditwouldbehardtostopyou。“
Lauriewalkedinsilenceafewminutes，andJowatchedhim，wishingshehadheldhertongue，forhiseyeslookedangry，thoughhislipssmiledasifatherwarnings。
“Areyougoingtodeliverlecturesallthewayhome？“heaskedpresently。
“Ofcoursenot。Why？“
“Becauseifyouare，I’lltakeabus。Ifyou’renot，I’dliketowalkwithyouandtellyousomethingveryinteresting。“
“Iwon’tpreachanymore，andI’dliketohearthenewsimmensely。“
“Verywell，then，comeon。It’sasecret，andifItellyou，youmusttellmeyours。“
“Ihaven’tgotany，“beganJo，butstoppedsuddenly，rememberingthatshehad。
“Youknowyouhave——youcan’thideanything，soupandfess，orIwon’ttell，“criedLaurie。
“Isyoursecretaniceone？“
“Oh，isn’tit!Allaboutpeopleyouknow，andsuchfun!
Yououghttohearit，andI’vebeenachingtotellitthislongtime。
Come，youbegin。“
“You’llnotsayanythingaboutitathome，willyou？“
“Notaword。“
“Andyouwon’tteasemeinprivate？“
“Inevertease。“
“Yes，youdo。Yougeteverythingyouwantoutofpeople。
I
don’tknowhowyoudoit，butyouareabornwheedler。“
“Thankyou。Fireaway。“
“Well，I’velefttwostorieswithanewspaperman，andhe’stogivehisanswernextweek，“whisperedJo，inherconfidant’sear。
“HurrahforMissMarch，thecelebratedAmericanauthoress!“
criedLaurie，throwinguphishatandcatchingitagain，tothegreatdelightoftwoducks，fourcats，fivehens，andhalfadozenIrishchildren，fortheywereoutofthecitynow。
“Hush!Itwon’tcometoanything，Idaresay，butIcouldn’tresttillIhadtried，andIsaidnothingaboutitbecauseIdidn’twantanyoneelsetobedisappointed。“
“Itwon’tfail。Why，Jo，yourstoriesareworksofShakespearecomparedtohalftherubbishthatispublishedeveryday。
Won’titbefuntoseetheminprint，andshan’twefeelproudofourauthoress？“
Jo’seyessparkled，foritisalwayspleasanttobebelievedin，andafriend’spraiseisalwayssweeterthanadozennewspaperpuffs。
“Where’syoursecret？Playfair，Teddy，orI’llneverbelieveyouagain，“shesaid，tryingtoextinguishthebrillianthopesthatblazedupatawordofencouragement。
“Imaygetintoascrapefortelling，butIdidn’tpromisenotto，soIwill，forIneverfeeleasyinmymindtillI’vetoldyouanyplummybitofnewsIget。IknowwhereMeg’sgloveis。“
“Isthatall？saidJo，lookingdisappointed，asLaurienoddedandtwinkledwithafacefullofmysteriousintelligence。
“It’squiteenoughforthepresent，asyou’llagreewhenI
tellyouwhereitis。“
“Tell，then。“
Lauriebent，andwhisperedthreewordsinJo’sear，whichproducedacomicalchange。Shestoodandstaredathimforaminute，lookingbothsurprisedanddispleased，thenwalkedon，sayingsharply，“Howdoyouknow？“
“Sawit。“
“Where？’
“Pocket。“
“Allthistime？“
“Yes，isn’tthatromantic？“
“No，it’shorrid。“
“Don’tyoulikeit？“
“OfcourseIdon’t。It’sridiculous，itwon’tbeallowed。
Mypatience!WhatwouldMegsay？“
“Youarenottotellanyone。Mindthat。“
“Ididn’tpromise。“
“Thatwasunderstood，andItrustedyou。“
“Well，Iwon’tforthepresent，anyway，butI’mdisgusted，andwishyouhadn’ttoldme。“
“Ithoughtyou’dbepleased。“
“AttheideaofanybodycomingtotakeMegaway？No，thankyou。“
“You’llfeelbetteraboutitwhensomebodycomestotakeyouaway。“
“I’dliketoseeanyonetryit，“criedJofiercely。
“SoshouldI!“AndLauriechuckledattheidea。
“Idon’tthinksecretsagreewithme，Ifeelrumpledupinmymindsinceyoutoldmethat，“saidJoratherungratefully。
“Racedownthishillwithme，andyou’llbeallright，“