Laurie went through within the afternoon, and seeing Meg at the window, seemed suddenly possessed with a melodramatic suit, for he fell down on one knee within the snow, beat his breast, tore his hair, and clasped his hands imploringly, as if begging a few boon. And whilst Meg told him to behave himself and go away, he wrung imaginary tears out of his handkerchief, and staggered next door as though in utter depression.
"What does the goose suggest?" stated Meg, giggling and seeking to look unconscious.
"He's showing you the way your John will pass on through-and-by using. Touching, is not it?" answered Jo scornfully.
"Don't say my John, it is not right or real," but Meg's voice lingered over the phrases as though they sounded excellent to her. "Please don't plague me, Jo, I've advised you I don't care a lot approximately him, and there is not to be whatever said, however we're all to be pleasant, and pass on as earlier than."
"We can't, for something has been said, and Laurie's mischief has spoiled you for me. I see it, and so does Mother. You aren't like your vintage self a piece, and seem ever so far faraway from me. I don't suggest to plague you and could endure it like a man, but I do wish it became all settled. I hate to attend, so if you imply ever to do it, make haste and feature it over speedy," stated Jo pettishly.
"I can't say whatever till he speaks, and he may not, because Father said I become too young," began Meg, bending over her work with a queer little smile, which cautioned that she did not pretty accept as true with her father on that point.
"If he did speak, you wouldn't recognize what to mention, but might cry or blush, or let him have his personal manner, as opposed to giving a terrific, determined no."
"I'm now not so stupid and weak as you believe you studied. I know simply what I have to say, for I've deliberate it all, so I need not be taken unawares. There's no understanding what may additionally manifest, and I needed to be prepared."
Jo could not help smiling on the important air which Meg had unconsciously assumed and which turned into as turning into because the quite color varying in her cheeks.
"Would you mind telling me what you'd say?" requested Jo greater respectfully.
"Not at all. You are sixteen now, pretty vintage enough to be my confidant, and my enjoy may be beneficial to you by using-and-by means of, perhaps, to your very own affairs of this kind."
"Don't mean to have any. It's fun to look at different human beings philander, however I need to experience like a fool doing it myself," stated Jo, searching alarmed on the idea.
"I suppose not, in case you favored anybody very lots, and he liked you." Meg spoke as if to herself, and glanced out on the lane where she had regularly seen fanatics strolling together in the summer time twilight.
"I idea you had been going to inform your speech to that man," said Jo, rudely shortening her sister's little reverie.
"Oh, I ought to merely say, pretty calmly and decidedly, 'Thank you, Mr. Brooke, you are very kind, but I agree with Father that I am too younger to go into into any engagement at present, so please say no greater, but let us be pals as we had been.'"
"Hum, it's stiff and funky sufficient! I do not trust you may ever say it, and I recognise he won't be glad in case you do. If he is going on like the rejected fanatics in books, you may deliver in, rather than hurt his emotions."
"No, I might not. I shall tell him I've made up my thoughts, and shall walk out of the room with dignity."
Meg rose as she spoke, and changed into just going to rehearse the dignified go out, when a step in the corridor made her fly into her seat and begin to sew as fast as though her lifestyles relied on finishing that particular seam in a given time. Jo smothered amusing on the sudden change, and whilst someone gave a modest tap, opened the door with a grim aspect which turned into anything but hospitable.
"Good afternoon. I came to get my umbrella, that is, to look how your father reveals himself today," said Mr. Brooke, getting a trifle confused as his eyes went from one telltale face to the other.
"It's very well, he's within the rack. I'll get him, and inform it you're right here." And having jumbled her father and the umbrella well together in her reply, Jo slipped out of the room to offer Meg a chance to make her speech and air her dignity. But the immediately she vanished, Meg began to sidle toward the door, murmuring...
"Mother will like to see you. Pray sit down, I'll name her."
"Don't pass. Are you frightened of me, Margaret?" and Mr. Brooke appeared so harm that Meg idea she have to have finished something very impolite. She blushed as much as the little curls on her brow, for he had by no means known as her Margaret earlier than, and she turned into amazed to find how natural and candy it appeared to pay attention him say it. Anxious to seem pleasant and at her ease, she placed out her hand with a confiding gesture, and stated gratefully...
"How can I be afraid if you have been so kind to Father? I best desire I ought to thanks for it."
"Shall I tell you how?" requested Mr. Brooke, conserving the small hand rapid in each his very own, and looking down at Meg with so much love in the brown eyes that her coronary heart commenced to flutter, and she or he both longed to run away and to forestall and listen.
"Oh no, please don't, I'd rather not," she stated, seeking to withdraw her hand, and searching worried notwithstanding her denial.
"I might not trouble you. I only want to recognize if you take care of me a little, Meg. I love you a lot, pricey," added Mr. Brooke tenderly.
This turned into the moment for the calm, right speech, but Meg did not make it. She forgot each phrase of it, hung her head, and replied, "I do not know," so softly that John had to stoop right down to capture the foolish little respond.
He appeared to suppose it become really worth the hassle, for he smiled to himself as though quite satisfied, pressed the plump hand gratefully, and stated in his most persuasive tone, "Will you attempt to find out? I want to recognize so much, for I can not visit work with any coronary heart till I study whether or not I am to have my reward ultimately or now not."
"I'm too younger," faltered Meg, thinking why she became so fluttered, yet as an alternative playing it.
"I'll wait, and inside the period in-between, you may be mastering to love me. Would it's a completely hard lesson, dear?"
"Not if I chose to research it, but. . ."
"Please select to learn, Meg. I like to train, and that is less complicated than German," broke in John, getting possession of the alternative hand, so that she had no manner of hiding her face as he bent to inspect it.
His tone was properly beseeching, but stealing a shy observe him, Meg noticed that his eyes had been merry as well as smooth, and that he wore the happy smile of 1 who had no doubt of his achievement. This nettled her. Annie Moffat's foolish classes in coquetry got here into her thoughts, and the affection of electricity, which sleeps in the bosoms of the pleasant of little ladies, wakened all of a sudden and took ownership of her. She felt excited and atypical, and no longer understanding what else to do, observed a capricious impulse, and, retreating her hands, said petulantly, "I do not pick. Please depart and let me be!"
Poor Mr. Brooke looked as if his adorable citadel inside the air was tumbling about his ears, for he had in no way visible Meg in this type of mood before, and it as an alternative bewildered him.
"Do you in reality imply that?" he requested anxiously, following her as she walked away.
"Yes, I do. I don't need to be involved about such matters. Father says I needn't, it's too soon and I'd as a substitute now not."
"Mayn't I hope you may alternate your thoughts by way of-and-via? I'll wait and say nothing till you have had more time. Don't play with me, Meg. I didn't think that of you."
"Don't think of me in any respect. I'd alternatively you wouldn't," stated Meg, taking a naughty delight in attempting her lover's persistence and her very own strength.
He was grave and pale now, and regarded decidedly more like the novel heroes whom she widespread, but he ne
ither slapped his brow nor tramped approximately the room as they did. He just stood looking at her so wistfully, so tenderly, that she located her coronary heart relenting notwithstanding herself. What could have occurred subsequent I can't say, if Aunt March had no longer come hobbling in at this thrilling minute.
The old female couldn't resist her longing to see her nephew, for she had met Laurie as she took her airing, and listening to of Mr. March's arrival, drove immediately out to peer him. The family were all busy inside the again a part of the residence, and he or she had made her way quietly in, hoping to surprise them. She did wonder two of them so much that Meg started out as though she had visible a ghost, and Mr. Brooke vanished into the observe.
"Bless me, what's all this?" cried the old girl with a rap of her cane as she glanced from the faded young gentleman to the scarlet younger woman.
"It's Father's friend. I'm so surprised to look you!" stammered Meg, feeling that she became in for a lecture now.
"That's evident," lower back Aunt March, sitting down. "But what is Father's buddy saying to make you appear to be a peony? There's mischief happening, and I insist upon knowing what it's miles," with another rap.
"We were most effective speaking. Mr. Brooke came for his umbrella," started Meg, wishing that Mr. Brooke and the umbrella were adequately out of the residence.
"Brooke? That boy's instruct? Ah! I recognize now. I recognise all approximately it. Jo blundered right into a wrong message in one among your Father's letters, and I made her tell me. You haven't long past and accepted him, infant?" cried Aunt March, searching scandalized.
"Hush! He'll hear. Shan't I call Mother?" stated Meg, an awful lot .
"Not but. I've some thing to say to you, and I need to loose my mind at once. Tell me, do you mean to marry this Cook? If you do, no longer one penny of my cash ever is going to you. Remember that, and be a realistic woman," said the vintage female impressively.
Now Aunt March possessed in perfection the art of rousing the spirit of competition inside the gentlest people, and enjoyed doing it. The quality folks have a spice of perversity in us, mainly while we are young and in love. If Aunt March had begged Meg to just accept John Brooke, she would probable have declared she couldn't consider it, however as she was preemptorily ordered not to like him, she without delay made up her thoughts that she would. Inclination in addition to perversity made the selection smooth, and being already a whole lot excited, Meg hostile the vintage woman with uncommon spirit.
"I shall marry whom I please, Aunt March, and you can depart your cash to anybody you like," she said, nodding her head with a resolute air.
"Highty-tighty! Is that the manner you take my advice, Miss? You'll be sorry for it by means of-and-through, whilst you've tried love in a cottage and observed it a failure."
"It cannot be a worse one than some people locate in huge houses," retorted Meg.
Aunt March put on her glasses and took a examine the woman, for she did not recognise her in this new mood. Meg infrequently knew herself, she felt so courageous and independent, so satisfied to protect John and assert her proper to love him, if she appreciated. Aunt March saw that she had all started incorrect, and after a touch pause, made a sparkling begin, pronouncing as mildly as she ought to, "Now, Meg, my pricey, be reasonable and take my advice. I mean it kindly, and do not need you to spoil your entire existence by way of making a mistake at the beginning. You need to marry well and help your circle of relatives. It's your duty to make a wealthy in shape and it should be impressed upon you."
"Father and Mother do not think so. They like John even though he's terrible."
"Your parents, my dear, haven't any greater worldly expertise than a pair of toddlers."
"I'm glad of it," cried Meg stoutly.
Aunt March took no notice, but went on along with her lecture. "This Rook is negative and hasn't were given any rich members of the family, has he?"
"No, however he has many heat buddies."
"You can't live on friends, try it and notice how cool they'll grow. He hasn't any business, has he?"
"Not but. Mr. Laurence is going to assist him."
"That won't last long. James Laurence is a crotchety antique fellow and not to be trusted. So you need to marry a man without cash, role, or business, and go on operating harder than you do now, while you might be cozy all your days via minding me and doing higher? I thought you had extra experience, Meg."
"I couldn't do higher if I waited half of my existence! John is right and clever, he's got thousands of expertise, he's inclined to work and positive to get on, he's so lively and brave. Everyone likes and respects him, and I'm proud to think he cares for me, even though I'm so bad and younger and stupid," said Meg, looking prettier than ever in her earnestness.
"He knows you have got got rich family members, baby. That's the name of the game of his liking, I suspect."
"Aunt March, how dare you assert this sort of factor? John is above such meanness, and I may not pay attention to you a minute in case you talk so," cried Meg indignantly, forgetting the entirety but the injustice of the old girl's suspicions. "My John would not marry for money, any greater than I could. We are inclined to work and we suggest to wait. I'm not terrified of being bad, for I've been satisfied to this point, and I recognise I will be with him due to the fact he loves me, and I..."
Meg stopped there, remembering all of a sudden that she hadn't made up her mind, that she had informed 'her John' to move away, and that he might be overhearing her inconsistent comments.
Aunt March become very irritated, for she had set her coronary heart on having her quite niece make a exceptional healthy, and something inside the woman's satisfied young face made the lonely antique woman experience each unhappy and sour.
"Well, I wash my fingers of the entire affair! You are a willful child, and you have misplaced extra than you already know by means of this piece of folly. No, I won't stop. I'm disillusioned in you, and have not spirits to see your father now. Don't count on whatever from me when you are married. Your Mr. Brooke's pals should contend with you. I'm finished with you all the time."
And slamming the door in Meg's face, Aunt March drove off in excessive dudgeon. She appeared to take all the female's braveness along with her, for while left by myself, Meg stood for a moment, not sure whether to snicker or cry. Before she ought to make up her mind, she changed into taken ownership of via Mr. Brooke, who said all in one breath, "I couldn't help listening to, Meg. Thank you for defending me, and Aunt March for proving which you do care for me a bit bit."
"I did not recognise how much until she abused you," began Meg.
"And I needn't go away, but may additionally stay and be glad, can also I, pricey?"
Here changed into another first-rate chance to make the crushing speech and the stately exit, but Meg in no way notion of doing both, and disgraced herself forever in Jo's eyes by meekly whispering, "Yes, John," and hiding her face on Mr. Brooke's waistcoat.
Fifteen mins after Aunt March's departure, Jo came softly downstairs, paused an immediate on the parlor door, and listening to no sound inside, nodded and smiled with a glad expression, saying to herself, "She has visible him away as we deliberate, and that affair is settled. I'll cross and pay attention the amusing, and feature a good snort over it."
But poor Jo never got her laugh, for she turned into transfixed upon the edge by means of a spectacle which held her there, staring with her mouth nearly as extensive open as her eyes. Going in to exult over a fallen enemy and to reward a strong-minded sister for the banishment of an objectionable lover, it simply become a shock to behold the aforesaid enemy serenely sitting at the couch, with the strongminded sister enthroned upon his knee and carrying an expression of the maximum abject submission. Jo gave a type of gasp, as though a chilly shower bath had suddenly fallen upon her, for such an unexpected turning of the tables without a doubt took her breath away. At the odd sound the lovers became and noticed her. Meg jumped up, searching each proud and sh
y, however 'that guy', as Jo known as him, truely laughed and stated coolly, as he kissed the astonished newcomer, "Sister Jo, congratulate us!"
That become including insult to injury, it was altogether an excessive amount of, and making some wild demonstration with her hands, Jo vanished without a phrase. Rushing upstairs, she startled the invalids with the aid of exclaiming tragically as she burst into the room, "Oh, do somebody move down brief! John Brooke is acting dreadfully, and Meg likes it!"
Little Women Page 29