The Annotated Little Women

by Louisa May Alcott

  Lying on the grass, at the feet of the two young ladies, Mr. Brooke obediently began the story, with the handsome brown eyes steadily fixed upon the sunshiny river.

  “Once on a time, a knight went out into the world to seek his fortune, for he had nothing but his sword and his shield. He travelled a long while, nearly eight-and-twenty years, and had a hard time of it, till he came to the palace of a good old king, who had offered a reward to any one who would tame and train a fine, but unbroken colt, of which he was very fond. The knight agreed to try, and got on slowly, but surely; for the colt was a gallant fellow, and soon learned to love his new master, though he was freakish and wild. Every day, when he gave his lessons to this pet of the king’s, the knight rode him through the city; and, as he rode, he looked everywhere for a certain beautiful face, which he had seen many times in his dreams, but never found. One day, as he went prancing down a quiet street, he saw at the window of a ruinous castle the lovely face. He was delighted, inquired who lived in this old castle, and was told that several captive princesses were kept there by a spell, and spun all day to lay up money to buy their liberty. The knight wished intensely that he could free them; but he was poor, and could only go by each day, watching for the sweet face, and longing to see it out in the sunshine. At last, he resolved to get into the castle, and ask how he could help them. He went and knocked; the great door flew open, and he beheld—”

  “A ravishingly lovely lady, who exclaimed, with a cry of rapture, ‘At last! at last!’ ” continued Kate, who had read French novels, and admired the style. “ ‘ ’Tis she!’ cried Count Gustave, and fell at her feet in an ecstasy of joy. ‘Oh, rise!’ she said, extending a hand of marble fairness. ‘Never! till you tell me how I may rescue you,’ swore the knight, still kneeling. ‘Alas, my cruel fate condemns me to remain here till my tyrant is destroyed.’ ‘Where is the villain?’ ‘In the mauve salon; go, brave heart, and save me from despair.’ ‘I obey, and return victorious or dead!’ With these thrilling words he rushed away, and, flinging open the door of the mauve salon, was about to enter, when he received—”

  “A stunning blow from the big Greek lexicon, which an old fellow in a black gown fired at him,” said Ned. “Instantly Sir What’s-his-name recovered himself, pitched the tyrant out of the window, and turned to join the lady, victorious, but with a bump on his brow; found the door locked, tore up the curtains, made a rope ladder, got half-way down when ladder broke, and he went head first into the moat, sixty feet below. Could swim like a duck, paddled round the castle till he came to a little door guarded by two stout fellows; knocked their heads together till they cracked like a couple of nuts, then, by a trifling exertion of his prodigious strength, he smashed in the door, went up a pair of stone steps covered with dust a foot thick, toads as big as your fist, and spiders that would frighten you into hysterics, Miss March. At the top of these steps he came plump upon a sight that took his breath away and chilled his blood—”

  “A tall figure, all in white, with a veil over its face, and a lamp in its wasted hand,” went on Meg. “It beckoned, gliding noiselessly before him down a corridor as dark and cold as any tomb. Shadowy effigies in armor stood on either side, a dead silence reigned, the lamp burned blue, and the ghostly figure ever and anon turned its face toward him, showing the glitter of awful eyes through its white veil. They reached a curtained door, behind which sounded lovely music; he sprang forward to enter, but the spectre plucked him back, and waved, threateningly, before him a—”

  “Snuff-box,” said Jo, in a sepulchral tone, which convulsed the audience. “ ‘Thankee,’ said the knight, politely, as he took a pinch, and sneezed seven times so violently that his head fell off. ‘Ha! ha!’ laughed the ghost; and, having peeped through the keyhole at the princesses spinning away for dear life, the evil spirit picked up her victim and put him in a large tin box, where there were eleven other knights packed together without their heads, like sardines, who all rose and began to—”

  “Dance a hornpipe,” cut in Fred, as Jo paused for breath; “and, as they danced, the rubbishy old castle turned to a man-of-war in full sail. ‘Up with the jib, reef the tops’l halliards, helm hard a lee, and man the guns,’ roared the captain, as a Portuguese pirate hove in sight, with a flag black as ink flying from her foremast. ‘Go in and win my hearties,’ says the captain; and a tremendous fight begun. Of course the British beat—they always do; and, having taken the pirate captain prisoner, sailed slap over the schooner, whose decks were piled with dead, and whose lee-scuppers ran blood, for the order had been ‘Cutlasses, and die hard.’ ‘Bosen’s mate, take a bight of the flying jib sheet, and start this villain if he don’t confess his sins double quick,’ said the British captain. The Portuguese held his tongue like a brick, and walked the plank, while the jolly tars cheered like mad. But the sly dog dived, came up under the man-of-war, scuttled her, and down she went, with all sail set, ‘To the bottom of the sea, sea, sea,’ where—”

  “Oh, gracious! what shall I say?” cried Sallie, as Fred ended his rigmarole, in which he had jumbled together, pell-mell, nautical phrases and facts, out of one of his favorite books. “Well, they went to the bottom, and a nice mermaid welcomed them, but was much grieved on finding the box of headless knights, and kindly pickled them in brine, hoping to discover the mystery about them; for, being a woman, she was curious. By and by a diver came down, and the mermaid said, ‘I’ll give you this box of pearls if you can take it up;’ for she wanted to restore the poor things to life, and couldn’t raise the heavy load herself. So the diver hoisted it up, and was much disappointed, on opening it, to find no pearls. He left it in a great lonely field, where it was found by a—”

  “Little goose-girl, who kept a hundred fat geese in the field,” said Amy, when Sallie’s invention gave out. “The little girl was sorry for them, and asked an old woman what she should do to help them. ‘Your geese will tell you, they know everything,’ said the old woman. So she asked what she should use for new heads, since the old ones were lost, and all the geese opened their hundred mouths, and screamed—”

  “ ‘Cabbages!’ continued Laurie, promptly. ‘Just the thing,’ said the girl, and ran to get twelve fine ones from her garden. She put them on, the knights revived at once, thanked her, and went on their way rejoicing, never knowing the difference, for there were so many other heads like them in the world, that no one thought anything of it. The knight in whom I’m interested went back to find the pretty face, and learned that the princesses had spun themselves free, and all gone to be married, but one. He was in a great state of mind at that; and, mounting the colt, who stood by him through thick and thin, rushed to the castle to see which was left. Peeping over the hedge, he saw the queen of his affections picking flowers in her garden. ‘Will you give me a rose?’ said he. ‘You must come and get it; I can’t come to you; it isn’t proper,’ said she, as sweet as honey. He tried to climb over the hedge, but it seemed to grow higher and higher; then he tried to push through, but it grew thicker and thicker, and he was in despair. So he patiently broke twig after twig, till he had made a little hole, through which he peeped, saying, imploringly, ‘Let me in! let me in!’ But the pretty princess did not seem to understand, for she picked her roses quietly, and left him to fight his way in. Whether he did or not, Frank will tell you.”

  “I can’t; I’m not playing, I never do,” said Frank, dismayed at the sentimental predicament out of which he was to rescue the absurd couple. Beth had disappeared behind Jo, and Grace was asleep.

  “So the poor knight is to be left sticking in the hedge, is he?” asked Mr. Brooke, still watching the river, and playing with the wild rose in his button-hole.

  “I guess the princess gave him a posy, and opened the gate, after awhile,” said Laurie, smiling to himself, as he threw acorns at his tutor.

  “What a piece of nonsense we have made! With practice we might do something quite clever. Do you know ‘Truth?’ ”10 asked Sallie, after they had laughed over their story.
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  “I hope so,” said Meg, soberly.

  “The game, I mean?”

  “What is it?” said Fred.

  “Why, you pile up your hands, choose a number, and draw out in turn, and the person who draws at the number has to answer truly any questions put by the rest. It’s great fun.”

  “Let’s try it,” said Jo, who liked new experiments.

  Miss Kate and Mr. Brooke, Meg and Ned, declined; but Fred, Sallie, Jo and Laurie piled and drew; and the lot fell to Laurie.

  “Who are your heroes?” asked Jo.

  “Grandfather and Napoleon.”

  “What lady do you think prettiest?” said Sallie.

  “Margaret.”

  “Which do you like best?” from Fred.

  “Jo, of course.”

  “What silly questions you ask!” and Jo gave a disdainful shrug as the rest laughed at Laurie’s matter-of-fact tone.

  “Try again; Truth isn’t a bad game,” said Fred.

  “It’s a very good one for you,” retorted Jo, in a low voice.

  Her turn came next.

  “What is your greatest fault?”11 asked Fred, by way of testing in her the virtue he lacked himself.

  “A quick temper.”

  “What do you most wish for?” said Laurie.

  “A pair of boot-lacings,” returned Jo, guessing and defeating his purpose.

  “Not a true answer; you must say what you really do want most.”

  “Genius; don’t you wish you could give it to me, Laurie?” and she slyly smiled in his disappointed face.

  “What virtues do you most admire in a man?” asked Sallie.

  “Courage and honesty.”

  “Now my turn,” said Fred, as his hand came last.

  “Let’s give it to him,” whispered Laurie to Jo, who nodded, and asked at once,—

  “Didn’t you cheat at croquet?”

  “Well, yes, a little bit.”

  “Good! Didn’t you take your story out of ‘The Sea Lion?’ ”12 said Laurie.

  “Rather.”

  “Don’t you think the English nation perfect in every respect?” asked Sallie.

  “I should be ashamed of myself if I didn’t.”

  “He’s a true John Bull.13 Now, Miss Sallie, you shall have a chance without waiting to draw. I’ll harrow up your feelings first by asking if you don’t think you are something of a flirt,” said Laurie, as Jo nodded to Fred, as a sign that peace was declared.

  “You impertinent boy! of course I’m not,” exclaimed Sallie, with an air that proved the contrary.

  “What do you hate most?” asked Fred.

  “Spiders and rice pudding.”

  “What do you like best?” asked Jo.

  “Dancing and French gloves.”

  “Well, I think Truth is a very silly play; let’s have a sensible game of Authors, to refresh our minds,” proposed Jo.

  Ned, Frank, and the little girls joined in this, and, while it went on, the three elders sat apart, talking. Miss Kate took out her sketch again, and Margaret watched her, while Mr. Brooke lay on the grass, with a book, which he did not read.

  “How beautifully you do it; I wish I could draw,” said Meg, with mingled admiration and regret in her voice.

  “Why don’t you learn? I should think you had taste and talent for it,” replied Miss Kate, graciously.

  “I haven’t time.”

  “Your mamma prefers other accomplishments, I fancy. So did mine; but I proved to her that I had talent, by taking a few lessons privately, and then she was quite willing I should go on. Can’t you do the same with your governess?”

  “I have none.”

  “I forgot; young ladies in America go to school more than with us. Very fine schools they are, too, papa says. You go to a private one, I suppose?”

  “I don’t go at all; I am a governess myself.”

  “Oh, indeed!” said Miss Kate; but she might as well have said, “Dear me, how dreadful!” for her tone implied it, and something in her face made Meg color, and wish she had not been so frank.

  Mr. Brooke looked up, and said, quickly, “Young ladies in America love independence as much as their ancestors did, and are admired and respected for supporting themselves.”

  “Oh, yes; of course! it’s very nice and proper in them to do so. We have many most respectable and worthy young women, who do the same; and are employed by the nobility, because, being the daughters of gentlemen, they are both well-bred and accomplished, you know,” said Miss Kate, in a patronizing tone, that hurt Meg’s pride, and made her work seem not only more distasteful, but degrading.

  “Did the German song suit, Miss March?” inquired Mr. Brooke, breaking an awkward pause.

  “Oh, yes! it was very sweet, and I’m much obliged to whoever translated it for me;” and Meg’s downcast face brightened as she spoke.

  “Don’t you read German?” asked Miss Kate, with a look of surprise.

  “Not very well. My father, who taught me, is away, and I don’t get on very fast alone, for I’ve no one to correct my pronunciation.”

  “Try a little now; here is Schiller’s ‘Mary Stuart,’14 and a tutor who loves to teach,” and Mr. Brooke laid his book on her lap, with an inviting smile.

  “It’s so hard, I’m afraid to try,” said Meg, grateful, but bashful in the presence of the accomplished young lady beside her.

  “I’ll read a bit, to encourage you;” and Miss Kate read one of the most beautiful passages, in a perfectly correct, but perfectly expressionless, manner.

  Mr. Brooke made no comment, as she returned the book to Meg, who said, innocently,—

  “I thought it was poetry.”

  “Some of it is; try this passage.”

  There was a queer smile about Mr. Brooke’s mouth, as he opened at poor Mary’s lament.

  Meg, obediently following the long grass-blade which her new tutor used to point with, read, slowly and timidly, unconsciously making poetry of the hard words, by the soft intonation of her musical voice. Down the page went the green guide, and presently, forgetting her listener in the beauty of the sad scene, Meg read as if alone, giving a little touch of tragedy to the words of the unhappy queen. If she had seen the brown eyes then, she would have stopped short; but she never looked up, and the lesson was not spoilt for her.

  “Very well, indeed!” said Mr. Brooke, as she paused, quite ignoring her many mistakes, and looking as if he did, indeed, “love to teach.”

  Miss Kate put up her glass, and, having taken a survey of the little tableau before her, shut her sketch-book, saying, with condescension,—

  “You’ve a nice accent, and, in time, will be a clever reader. I advise you to learn, for German is a valuable accomplishment to teachers. I must look after Grace, she is romping;” and Miss Kate strolled away, adding to herself, with a shrug, “I didn’t come to chaperone a governess, though she is young and pretty. What odd people these Yankees are! I’m afraid Laurie will be quite spoilt among them.”

  “I forgot that English people rather turn up their noses at governesses, and don’t treat them as we do,” said Meg, looking after the retreating figure with an annoyed expression.

  “Tutors, also, have rather a hard time of it there, as I know to my sorrow. There’s no place like America for us workers, Miss Margaret,” and Mr. Brooke looked so contented and cheerful, that Meg was ashamed to lament her hard lot.15

  “I’m glad I live in it, then. I don’t like my work, but I get a good deal of satisfaction out of it, after all, so I won’t complain; I only wish I liked teaching as you do.”

  “I think you would, if you had Laurie for a pupil. I shall be very sorry to lose him next year,” said Mr. Brooke, busily punching holes in the turf.

  “Going to college, I suppose?” Meg’s lips asked that question, but her eyes added, “And what becomes of you?”

  “Yes; it’s high time he went, for he is nearly ready, and as soon as he is off I shall turn soldier.”

  “I’m glad of
that!” exclaimed Meg; “I should think every young man would want to go; though it is hard for the mothers and sisters, who stay at home,” she added, sorrowfully.

  “I have neither, and very few friends, to care whether I live or die,” said Mr. Brooke, rather bitterly, as he absently put the dead rose in the hole he had made, and covered it up, like a little grave.

  “Laurie and his grandfather would care a great deal, and we should all be very sorry to have any harm happen to you,” said Meg, heartily.

  “Thank you; that sounds pleasant,” began Mr. Brooke, looking cheerful again; but, before he could finish his speech, Ned, mounted on the old horse, came lumbering up, to display his equestrian skill before the young ladies, and there was no more quiet that day.

  “Don’t you love to ride?” asked Grace of Amy, as they stood resting, after a race round the field with the others, led by Ned.

  “I dote upon it; my sister Meg used to ride, when papa was rich, but we don’t keep any horses now, except Ellen Tree,” added Amy, laughing.

  “Tell me about Ellen Tree; is it a donkey?” asked Grace, curiously.

  “Why, you see, Jo is crazy about horses, and so am I, but we’ve only got an old side-saddle, and no horse. Out in our garden is an apple-tree, that has a nice low branch; so I put the saddle on it, fixed some reins on the part that turns up, and we bounce away on Ellen Tree whenever we like.”

  “How funny!” laughed Grace. “I have a pony at home, and ride nearly every day in the park, with Fred and Kate; it’s very nice, for my friends go too, and the Row16 is full of ladies and gentlemen.”

  “Dear, how charming! I hope I shall go abroad, some day; but I’d rather go to Rome than the Row,” said Amy, who had not the remotest idea what the Row was, and wouldn’t have asked for the world.