“Wearenotstrangers，weareneighbors，andyouneedn’tthinkyou’dbeabother。Wewanttoknowyou，andI’vebeentryingtodoitthiseversolong。Wehaven’tbeenhereagreatwhile，youknow，butwehavegotacquaintedwithallourneighborsbutyou。“
“Yousee，Grandpalivesamonghisbooks，anddoesn’tmindmuchwhathappensoutside。Mr。Brooke，mytutor，doesn’tstayhere，youknow，andIhavenoonetogoaboutwithme，soIjuststopathomeandgetonasIcan。“
“That’sbad。Yououghttomakeaneffortandgovisitingeverywhereyouareasked，thenyou’llhaveplentyoffriends，andpleasantplacestogoto。Nevermindbeingbashful。Itwon’tlastlongifyoukeepgoing。“
Laurieturnedredagain，butwasn’toffendedatbeingaccusedofbashfulness，fortherewassomuchgoodwillinJoitwasimpossiblenottotakeherbluntspeechesaskindlyastheyweremeant。
“Doyoulikeyourschool？“askedtheboy，changingthesubject，afteralittlepause，duringwhichhestaredatthefireandJolookedabouther，wellpleased。
“Don’tgotoschool，I’mabusinessman——girl，Imean。Igotowaitonmygreat-aunt，andadear，crossoldsoulsheis，too，“
answeredJo。
Laurieopenedhismouthtoaskanotherquestion，butrememberingjustintimethatitwasn’tmannerstomaketoomanyinquiriesintopeople’saffairs，heshutitagain，andlookeduncomfortable。
Jolikedhisgoodbreeding，anddidn’tmindhavingalaughatAuntMarch，soshegavehimalivelydescriptionofthefidgetyoldlady，herfatpoodle，theparrotthattalkedSpanish，andthelibrarywhereshereveled。
Laurieenjoyedthatimmensely，andwhenshetoldabouttheprimoldgentlemanwhocameoncetowooAuntMarch，andinthemiddleofafinespeech，howPollhadtweakedhiswigofftohisgreatdismay，theboylaybackandlaughedtillthetearsrandownhischeeks，andamaidpoppedherheadintoseewhatwasthematter。
“Oh!Thatdoesmenoendofgood。Tellon，please，“hesaid，takinghisfaceoutofthesofacushion，redandshiningwithmerriment。
Muchelatedwithhersuccess，Jodid`tellon’，allabouttheirplaysandplans，theirhopesandfearsforFather，andthemostinterestingeventsofthelittleworldinwhichthesisterslived。Thentheygottotalkingaboutbooks，andtoJo’sdelight，shefoundthatLaurielovedthemaswellasshedid，andhadreadevenmorethanherself。
“Ifyoulikethemsomuch，comedownandseeours。Grandfatherisout，soyouneedn’tbeafraid，“saidLaurie，gettingup。
“I’mnotafraidofanything，“returnedJo，withatossofthehead。
“Idon’tbelieveyouare!“exclaimedtheboy，lookingatherwithmuchadmiration，thoughheprivatelythoughtshewouldhavegoodreasontobeatrifleafraidoftheoldgentleman，ifshemetheminsomeofhismoods。
Theatmosphereofthewholehousebeingsummerlike，Laurieledthewayfromroomtoroom，lettingJostoptoexaminewhateverstruckherfancy。Andso，atlasttheycametothelibrary，wheresheclappedherhandsandpranced，asshealwaysdidwhenespeciallydelighted。Itwaslinedwithbooks，andtherewerepicturesandstatues，anddistractinglittlecabinetsfullofcoinsandcuriosities，andSleepyHollowchairs，andqueertables，andbronzes，andbestofall，agreatopenfireplacewithquainttilesallroundit。
“Whatrichness!“sighedJo，sinkingintothedepthofavelourchairandgazingaboutherwithanairofintensesatisfaction。
“TheodoreLaurence，yououghttobethehappiestboyintheworld，“
sheaddedimpressively。
“Afellowcan’tliveonbooks，“saidLaurie，shakinghisheadasheperchedonatableopposite。
Beforehecouldmore，abellrang，andJoflewup，exclaimingwithalarm，“Mercyme!It’syourgrandpa!“
“Well，whatifitis？Youarenotafraidofanything，youknow，“returnedtheboy，lookingwicked。
“IthinkIamalittlebitafraidofhim，butIdon’tknowwhyIshouldbe。MarmeesaidImightcome，andIdon’tthinkyou’reanytheworseforit，“saidJo，composingherself，thoughshekepthereyesonthedoor。
“I’magreatdealbetterforit，andeversomuchobliged。
I’monlyafraidyouareverytiredoftalkingtome。Itwassopleasant，Icouldn’tbeartostop，“saidLauriegratefully。
“Thedoctortoseeyou，sir，“andthemaidbeckonedasshespoke。
“WouldyoumindifIleftyouforaminute？IsupposeI
mustseehim，“saidLaurie。
“Don’tmindme。I’mhappyasacrickethere，“answeredJo。
Lauriewentaway，andhisguestamusedherselfinherownway。
Shewasstandingbeforeafineportraitoftheoldgentlemanwhenthedooropenedagain，andwithoutturning，shesaiddecidedly，“I’msurenowthatIshouldn’tbeafraidofhim，forhe’sgotkindeyes，thoughhismouthisgrim，andhelooksasifhehadatremendouswillofhisown。Heisn’tashandsomeasmygrandfather，butIlikehim。“
“Thankyou，ma’am，“saidagruffvoicebehindher，andthere，tohergreatdismay，stoodoldMr。Laurence。
PoorJoblushedtillshecouldn’tblushanyredder，andherheartbegantobeatuncomfortablyfastasshethoughtwhatshehadsaid。Foraminuteawilddesiretorunawaypossessedher，butthatwascowardly，andthegirlswouldlaughather，sosheresolvedtostayandgetoutofthescrapeasshecould。Asecondlookshowedherthatthelivingeyes，underthebushyeyebrows，werekindereventhanthepaintedones，andtherewasaslytwinkleinthem，whichlessenedherfearagooddeal。Thegruffvoicewasgrufferthanever，astheoldgentlemansaidabruptly，afterthedreadfulpause，“Soyou’renotafraidofme，hey？“
“Notmuch，sir。“
“Andyoudon’tthinkmeashandsomeasyourgrandfather？“
“Notquite，sir。“
“AndI’vegotatremendouswill，haveI？“
“IonlysaidIthoughtso。“
“Butyoulikemeinspiteofit？“
“Yes，Ido，sir。“
Thatanswerpleasedtheoldgentleman。Hegaveashortlaugh，shookhandswithher，and，puttinghisfingerunderherchin，turnedupherface，examineditgravely，andletitgo，sayingwithanod，“You’vegotyourgrandfather’sspirit，ifyouhaven’thisface。
Hewasafineman，mydear，butwhatisbetter，hewasabraveandanhonestone，andIwasproudtobehisfriend。“
“Thankyou，sir，“AndJowasquitecomfortableafterthat，foritsuitedherexactly。
“Whathaveyoubeendoingtothisboyofmine，hey？“wasthenextquestion，sharplyput。
“Onlytryingtobeneighborly，sir。“AndJotohowhervisitcameabout。
“Youthinkheneedscheeringupabit，doyou？“
“Yes，sir，heseemsalittlelonely，andyoungfolkswoulddohimgoodperhaps。Weareonlygirls，butweshouldbegladtohelpifwecould，forwedon’tforgetthesplendidChristmaspresentyousentus，“saidJoeagerly。
“Tut，tut，tut!Thatwastheboy’saffair。Howisthepoorwoman？“
“Doingnicely，sir。“AndoffwentJo，talkingveryfast，asshetoldallabouttheHummels，inwhomhermotherhadinterestedricherfriendsthantheywere。
“Justherfather’swayofdoinggood。Ishallcomeandseeyourmothersomefineday。Tellherso。There’stheteabell，wehaveitearlyontheboy’saccount。Comedownandgoonbeingneighborly。“
“Ifyou’dliketohaveme，sir。“
“Shouldn’taskyou，ifIdidn’t。“AndMr。Laurenceofferedherhisarmwithold-fashionedcourtesy。
“WhatwouldMegsaytothis？“thoughtJo，asshewasmarchedaway，whilehereyesdancedwithfunassheimaginedherselftellingthestoryathome。
“Hey!Why，whatthedickenshascometothefellow？“saidtheoldgentleman，asLauriecamerunningdownstairsandbroughtupwithastartofsurpriseattheastoundingsightofJoarminarmwithhisredoubtablegrandfather。
“Ididn’tknowyou’dcome，sir，“hebegan，asJogavehimatriumphantlittleglance。
“That’sevident，bythewayyouracketdownstairs。Cometoyourtea，sir，andbehavelikeagentleman。“Andhavingpulledtheboy’shairbywayofacaress，Mr。Laurencewalkedon，whileLauriewentthroughaseriesofcomicevolutionsbehindtheirbacks，whichnearlyproducedanexplosionoflaughterfromJo。
Theoldgentlemandidnotsaymuchashedrankhisfourcupsoftea，buthewatchedtheyoungpeople，whosoonchattedawaylikeoldfriends，andthechangeinhisgrandsondidnotescapehim。Therewascolor，light，andlifeintheboy’sfacenow，vivacityinhismanner，andgenuinemerrimentinhislaugh。
“She’sright，theladislonely。I’llseewhattheselittlegirlscandoforhim，“thoughtMr。Laurence，ashelookedandlistened。HelikedJo，forherodd，bluntwayssuitedhim，andsheseemedtounderstandtheboyalmostaswellasifshehadbeenoneherself。
IftheLaurenceshadbeenwhatJocalled`primandpoky’，shewouldnothavegotonatall，forsuchpeoplealwaysmadehershyandawkward。Butfindingthemfreeandeasy，shewassoherself，andmadeagoodimpression。Whentheyrosesheproposedtogo，butLauriesaidhehadsomethingmoretoshowher，andtookherawaytotheconservatory，whichhadbeenlightedforherbenefit。ItseemedquitefairyliketoJo，asshewentupanddownthewalks，enjoyingthebloomingwallsoneitherside，thesoftlight，thedampsweetair，andthewonderfulvinesandtreesthathungabouther，whilehernewfriendcutthefinestflowerstillhishandswerefull。Thenhetiedthemup，saying，withthehappylookJolikedtosee，“Pleasegivethesetoyourmother，andtellherIlikethemedicineshesentmeverymuch。“
TheyfoundMr。Laurencestandingbeforethefireinthegreatdrawingroom，byJo’sattentionwasentirelyabsorbedbyagrandpiano，whichstoodopen。
“Doyouplay？“sheasked，turningtoLauriewitharespectfulexpression。
“Sometimes，“heansweredmodestly。
“Pleasedonow。Iwanttohearit，soIcantellBeth。“
“Won’tyoufirst？“
“Don’tknowhow。Toostupidtolearn，butIlovemusicdearly。“
SoLaurieplayedandJolistened，withhernoseluxuriouslyburiedinheliotropeandtearoses。Herrespectandregardforthe`Laurence’boyincreasedverymuch，forheplayedremarkablywellanddidn’tputonanyairs。ShewishedBethcouldhearhim，butshedidnotsayso，onlypraisedhimtillhewasquiteabashed，andhisgrandfathercametohisrescue。