Little Women

by Issam Garrouri

  "Yes, Mother, and once I go domestic I suggest to have a corner within the huge closet to put my books and the reproduction of that photo which I've tried to make. The woman's face isn't always true, it's too beautiful for me to draw, but the infant is done higher, and I adore it very a whole lot. I like to think He turned into a bit infant as soon as, for then I do not seem to this point away, and that enables me."

  As Amy pointed to the smiling Christ toddler on his Mother's knee, Mrs. March noticed some thing at the lifted hand that made her smile. She said nothing, however Amy understood the look, and after a minute's pause, she introduced gravely, "I desired to speak to you approximately this, but I forgot it. Aunt gave me the hoop nowadays. She known as me to her and kissed me, and positioned it on my finger, and stated I turned into a credit to her, and he or she'd like to keep me always. She gave that funny defend to keep the turquoise on, as it's too massive. I'd like to wear them Mother, can I?"

  "They are very pretty, but I assume you're rather too young for such ornaments, Amy," said Mrs. March, looking at the plump little hand, with the band of sky-blue stones at the forefinger, and the quaint protect formed of tiny golden arms clasped collectively.

  "I'll try not to be vain," stated Amy. "I don't assume I adore it only because it is so pretty, however I want to put on it because the female within the tale wore her bracelet, to remind me of something."

  "Do you mean Aunt March?" asked her mother, guffawing.

  "No, to remind me now not to be egocentric." Amy looked so earnest and honest about it that her mother stopped guffawing, and listened respectfully to the little plan.

  "I've concept a remarkable deal recently about my 'bundle of naughties', and being selfish is the biggest one in it, so I'm going to try hard to therapy it, if I can. Beth isn't always selfish, and that's the reason everybody loves her and feels so horrific on the thoughts of losing her. People would not feel so terrible approximately me if I become ill, and I do not deserve to have them, but I'd like to be cherished and missed through a brilliant many friends, so I'm going to attempt to be like Beth all I can. I'm apt to overlook my resolutions, but if I had something continually approximately me to take me back to the fact, I bet I need to do better. May we attempt this way?"

  "Yes, however I even have greater religion inside the corner of the huge closet. Wear your ring, pricey, and do your satisfactory. I suppose you will prosper, for the honest want to be properly is 1/2 the battle. Now I need to go returned to Beth. Keep up your coronary heart, little daughter, and we will quickly have you ever domestic once more."

  That night at the same time as Meg changed into writing to her father to document the tourist's secure arrival, Jo slipped upstairs into Beth's room, and locating her mom in her ordinary vicinity, stood a minute twisting her fingers in her hair, with a involved gesture and an not sure appearance.

  "What is it, deary?" asked Mrs. March, preserving out her hand, with a face which invited confidence.

  "I want to inform you some thing, Mother."

  "About Meg?"

  "How speedy you guessed! Yes, it is about her, and even though it's a touch issue, it fidgets me."

  "Beth is asleep. Speak low, and tell me all approximately it. That Moffat hasn't been here, I desire?" requested Mrs. March as an alternative sharply.

  "No. I have to have shut the door in his face if he had," stated Jo, settling herself at the floor at her mother's ft. "Last summer season Meg left a couple of gloves over at the Laurences' and simplest one became again. We forgot about it, until Teddy told me that Mr. Brooke owned that he preferred Meg but did not dare say so, she become so young and he so poor. Now, is not it a dreadful country of things?"

  "Do you observed Meg cares for him?" requested Mrs. March, with an disturbing look.

  "Mercy me! I do not know something about love and such nonsense!" cried Jo, with a funny mixture of hobby and contempt. "In novels, the women display it via starting and blushing, fainting away, developing thin, and acting like fools. Now Meg does not do whatever of the type. She eats and liquids and sleeps like a practical creature, she appears instantly in my face after I talk approximately that man, and handiest blushes a touch bit when Teddy jokes approximately fans. I forbid him to do it, however he would not thoughts me as he ought."

  "Then you fancy that Meg is not interested in John?"

  "Who?" cried Jo, staring.

  "Mr. Brooke. I name him 'John' now. We fell into the way of doing so on the health facility, and he likes it."

  "Oh, dear! I recognize you will take his component. He's been excellent to Father, and you may not ship him away, but let Meg marry him, if she desires to. Mean aspect! To go petting Papa and helping you, just to wheedle you into liking him." And Jo pulled her hair once more with a wrathful tweak.

  "My dear, do not get indignant approximately it, and I will tell you how it befell. John went with me at Mr. Laurence's request, and become so committed to negative Father that we couldn't assist getting keen on him. He turned into flawlessly open and honorable about Meg, for he told us he loved her, however would earn a cozy domestic earlier than he asked her to marry him. He simplest wanted our depart to love her and paintings for her, and the right to make her love him if he could. He is a truely exquisite younger guy, and we could not refuse to concentrate to him, however I will now not consent to Meg's enticing herself so young."

  "Of direction now not. It would be idiotic! I knew there has been mischief brewing. I felt it, and now it's worse than I imagined. I simply desire I may want to marry Meg myself, and keep her secure within the own family."

  This extraordinary arrangement made Mrs. March smile, but she stated gravely, "Jo, I speak in confidence to you and do not want you to say some thing to Meg yet. When John comes lower back, and I see them collectively, I can judge higher of her emotions towards him."

  "She'll see those handsome eyes that she talks about, and then it will likely be all up together with her. She's were given this kind of gentle coronary heart, it'll melt like butter inside the sun if anyone appears sentimentlly at her. She read the quick reviews he sent greater than she did your letters, and pinched me when I talked about it, and likes brown eyes, and doesn't think John an unsightly name, and she or he'll cross and fall in love, and there may be an give up of peace and a laugh, and relaxed times collectively. I see all of it! They'll pass lovering around the residence, and we shall ought to ward off. Meg could be absorbed and no appropriate to me any greater. Brooke will scratch up a fortune by some means, convey her off, and make a hole inside the own family, and I shall destroy my coronary heart, and the whole thing can be abominably uncomfortable. Oh, dear me! Why weren't all of us boys, then there would not be any bother."

  Jo leaned her chin on her knees in a disconsolate mind-set and shook her fist at the reprehensible John. Mrs. March sighed, and Jo seemed up with an air of relief.

  "You don't adore it, Mother? I'm happy of it. Let's ship him approximately his enterprise, and no longer inform Meg a phrase of it, however all be glad collectively as we constantly have been."

  "I did wrong to sigh, Jo. It is herbal and right you have to all go to homes of your own in time, however I do want to preserve my ladies as long as I can, and I am sorry that this happened so quickly, for Meg is simplest seventeen and it is going to be a few years earlier than John can make a home for her. Your father and I actually have agreed that she shall no longer bind herself in any manner, nor be married, before twenty. If she and John love each other, they are able to wait, and check the love by doing so. She is conscientious, and I haven't any worry of her treating him unkindly. My quite, tender hearted lady! I desire matters will pass fortunately along with her."

  "Hadn't you instead have her marry a wealthy guy?" asked Jo, as her mother's voice faltered a touch over the past phrases.

  "Money is a superb and useful element, Jo, and I hope my ladies will by no means feel the want of it too bitterly, nor be tempted via too much. I ought to want to know that John become firm
ly set up in some true business, which gave him an profits huge enough to hold loose from debt and make Meg cozy. I'm now not ambitious for a extraordinary fortune, a elegant position, or a amazing call for my women. If rank and cash come with love and virtue, additionally, I ought to be given them gratefully, and experience your proper fortune, but I understand, by enjoy, how a good deal genuine happiness may be had in a plain little house, wherein the every day bread is earned, and some privations provide sweetness to the few pleasures. I am content to peer Meg begin humbly, for if I am not fallacious, she might be rich in the possession of an amazing guy's coronary heart, and this is better than a fortune."

  "I apprehend, Mother, and pretty agree, however I'm disillusioned approximately Meg, for I'd planned to have her marry Teddy through-and-by and sit in the lap of luxury all her days. Wouldn't it's great?" asked Jo, searching up with a brighter face.

  "He is more youthful than she, ," commenced Mrs. March, but Jo broke in...

  "Only a bit, he's antique for his age, and tall, and may be pretty grown-up in his manners if he likes. Then he is rich and beneficiant and accurate, and loves us all, and I say it's a pity my plan is spoiled."

  "I'm afraid Laurie is hardly ever grown-up enough for Meg, and altogether too much of a weathercock just now for each person to rely upon. Don't make plans, Jo, but let time and their own hearts mate your buddies. We can not meddle competently in such subjects, and had better not get 'romantic garbage' as you call it, into our heads, lest it ruin our friendship."

  "Well, I won't, but I hate to peer matters 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 might preserve us from developing up. But buds might be roses, and kittens cats, more's the pity!"

  "What's that about flatirons and cats?" requested Meg, as she crept into the room with the completed letter in her hand.

  "Only one in all my silly speeches. I'm going to bed. Come, Peggy," said Jo, unfolding herself like an lively puzzle.

  "Quite right, and beautifully written. Please add that I ship my love to John," stated Mrs. March, as she glanced over the letter and gave it again.

  "Do you name him 'John'?" asked Meg, smiling, together with her harmless eyes searching down into her mom's.

  "Yes, he has been like a son to us, and we're very keen on him," answered Mrs. March, returning the appearance with a keen one.

  "I'm happy of that, he's so lonely. Good night, Mother, expensive. It is so inexpressibly comfortable to have you ever here," became Meg's solution.

  The kiss her mom gave her turned into a totally smooth one, and as she went away, Mrs. March said, with a mixture of pleasure and regret, "She does not love John yet, however will soon learn to."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  LAURIE MAKES MISCHIEF, AND JO MAKES PEACE

  Jo's face become a study next day, for the secret rather weighed upon her, and he or she located it hard now not to look mysterious and crucial. Meg observed it, but did no longer trouble herself to make inquiries, for she had discovered that the high-quality manner to manage Jo turned into via the regulation of contraries, so she felt positive of being advised the whole lot if she did now not ask. She was as an alternative surprised, therefore, when the silence remained unbroken, and Jo assumed a patronizing air, which decidedly irritated Meg, who in flip assumed an air of dignified reserve and devoted herself to her mother. This left Jo to her very own gadgets, for Mrs. March had taken her region as nurse, and bade her rest, exercise, and amuse herself after her lengthy confinement. Amy being gone, Laurie become her only safe haven, and plenty as she enjoyed his society, she alternatively dreaded him simply then, for he changed into an incorrigible tease, and he or she feared he could coax the name of the game from her.

  She was pretty proper, for the mischief-loving lad no quicker suspected a thriller than he set himself to discover it out, and led Jo a attempting lifestyles of it. He wheedled, bribed, ridiculed, threatened, and scolded; affected indifference, that he would possibly wonder the fact from her; declared he knew, then that he failed to care; and at ultimate, by dint of perseverance, he satisfied himself that it concerned Meg and Mr. Brooke. Feeling angry that he became no longer taken into his train's self belief, he set his wits to work to devise a few right retaliation for the moderate.

  Meg in the meantime had seemingly forgotten the matter and become absorbed in preparations for her father's return, however all of a unexpected a alternate appeared to come over her, and, for an afternoon or , she turned into quite unlike herself. She commenced whilst spoken to, blushed whilst looked at, become very quiet, and sat over her stitching, with a timid, stricken appearance on her face. To her mom's inquiries she answered that she changed into quite well, and Jo's she silenced by means of begging to be not to mention.

  "She feels it inside the air—love, I suggest—and he or she's going very speedy. She's were given most of the signs and symptoms—is twittery and cross, would not consume, lies conscious, and mopes in corners. I caught her making a song that music he gave her, and as soon as she said 'John', as you do, after which turned as crimson as a poppy. Whatever we could do?" said Jo, searching ready for any measures, however violent.

  "Nothing however wait. Let her by myself, be type and affected person, and Father's coming will settle the entirety," replied her mom.

  "Here's a notice to you, Meg, all sealed up. How odd! Teddy by no means seals mine," said Jo next day, as she distributed the contents of the little post office.

  Mrs. March and Jo have been deep in their own affairs, while a valid from Meg made them appearance up to look her staring at her be aware with a frightened face.

  "My infant, what's it?" cried her mother, going for walks to her, whilst Jo attempted to take the paper which had carried out the mischief.

  "It's all a mistake, he failed to send it. Oh, Jo, how should you do it?" and Meg hid her face in her palms, crying as if her heart were pretty damaged.

  "Me! I've finished not anything! What's she speaking approximately?" cried Jo, bewildered.

  Meg's moderate eyes kindled with anger as she pulled a crumpled be aware from her pocket and threw it at Jo, saying reproachfully, "You wrote it, and that terrible boy helped you. How could you be so rude, so imply, and cruel to us each?"

  Jo rarely heard her, for she and her mom had been analyzing the word, which become written in a peculiar hand.

  "My Dearest Margaret,

  "I can now not restrain my ardour, and need to realize my destiny before I return. I dare not inform your mother and father but, but I suppose they could consent if they knew that we cherished one another. Mr. Laurence will assist me to some properly area, after which, my candy lady, you will make me satisfied. I implore you to mention nothing to your circle of relatives but, but to ship one word of wish via Laurie to,

  "Your dedicated John."

  "Oh, the little villain! That's the manner he supposed to pay me for keeping my word to Mother. I'll provide him a hearty scolding and produce him over to beg pardon," cried Jo, burning to execute immediately justice. But her mom held her again, pronouncing, with a look she seldom wore...

  "Stop, Jo, you need to clear yourself first. You have performed so many pranks that I am afraid you have had a hand on this."

  "On my phrase, Mother, I have not! I by no means noticed that be aware earlier than, and don't know whatever about it, as genuine as I live!" said Jo, so earnestly that they believed her. "If I had taken component in it I'd have executed it higher than this, and feature written a sensible notice. I ought to suppose you'll have regarded Mr. Brooke wouldn't write such stuff as that," she added, scornfully tossing down the paper.

  "It's like his writing," faltered Meg, evaluating it with the note in her hand.

  "Oh, Meg, you did not solution it?" cried Mrs. March speedy.

  "Yes, I did!" and Meg concealed her face once more, triumph over with shame.

  "Here's a scrape! Do permit me convey that depraved boy
over to give an explanation for and be lectured. I can't rest until I get hold of him." And Jo made for the door once more.

  "Hush! Let me handle this, for it is worse than I notion. Margaret, tell me the complete story," commanded Mrs. March, sitting down with the aid of Meg, yet keeping hold of Jo, lest she have to fly off.

  "I obtained the first letter from Laurie, who did not look as though he knew whatever approximately it," began Meg, with out looking up. "I become worried at the beginning and supposed to tell you, then I remembered the way you appreciated Mr. Brooke, so I idea you wouldn't thoughts if I saved my little mystery for a few days. I'm so stupid that I appreciated to assume no person knew, and whilst I became identifying what to mention, I felt just like the ladies in books, who have such activities. Forgive me, Mother, I'm paid for my silliness now. I in no way can appearance him inside the face again."