LITTLE WOMEN - Louisa May ALcott

''Dear me, I didn''t know anyone was hear!'' stammered Jo, preparing to back out as speedily as she had bounced in.
But the boy laughed, and said plesantly, though he looked a little bit startled -
''Don''t mind me; stay if you like.''
''Shan''n''t I disturb you?''
''Not a bit; I only came here because I don''t know many people, and I felt rather stange at first, you know.''
''So did I. Don''t go away, please, inless you''d rather.''
The boy sat down again and looked at his pumps, till Jo said, trying to be polite and easy -
''I think I''ve had the pleasure of seeing you before; you live near us, don''t you?''
''Next door;'' and he looked up and laughed outright, for Jo''s prim manner was rather funny, when he remembered how they had chatted about cricker when he brought the cat home.
That put Jo at her ease; she said, in her heartiest way -
''We did have such a good time over your nice Christmas present.''
''Granpa sent it.''
''But you put it into his head, didn''t you, now?''
''How is your cat, Miss March?'' asked the boy, trying to look sober, while his black eyes shone with fun.
''Nicely, thank you, Mr Laurence; but I am not Miss March, I''m only Jo,'' returned the young lady.
''I''m not Mr Laurence, I''m only Laurie.''
''Lauried Laurence - what an odd name!''
''My first name is Theodore, but i don''t like it, for the fellows called me Dora, so I made them say Laurie instead.''
''I hate my name, too - so sentimental! i wish everyone would say Jo, instead of Josephine. how did you make the boys stop calling you Dora?''
''I thrashed ''em.''
''I can''t thrash Aunt March, so I suppose I shall have to bear it;'' and Jo resigned herself with a sigh.
''Do you like parties?'' she asked in a moment.
''Sometimes; you see I''ve been abroad a good many years, and haven''t been in company enough yet to know how you do thing here.''
''Abroad,'' cried Jo. ''Oh, tell me about it! I love dearly to hear people describe their travels.''
Laurie didn''t seem to know where to begin; but Jo''s eager question soon get him going, and he told her how he had been school in Vevay, where the boys never wore hats, and had a fleet of boats on the lake, and for holiday fun went walking trips about Switzerland with their teacher.
''Don''t I wish I''d been there!'' cried Jo. ''Did you go to Paris?''
''We spent last winter there.''
''Can you talk French?''
''We were allowed to speak anything else at Vevay.''
''Do say some! I can read it, but can''t pronounce.''
''Quel nom a-cette jeune demoiselle en les pantoufles jolis?'' said Laurie, good-naturedly.
''How nicely you do it! Let me see - you said, ''Who is the young lady in the pretty slippers,'' didn''t you?''
''Oui, mademoiselle.''
''it''s my sister, Magaret, and you knew it was! Do you think she is pretty?''
''Yes, she makes me think of the German girls, she looks so fresh and quiet.''
Jo quite glowed with pleasure at this boyish praise of her sister, and stored it up to repeat to Meg. Both peeped and criticised and chatted, till they felt like old acquaintances. Laurie''s bashfulness soon wore off; for Jo''s gentlemanly demeanour amused and set him at his ease, and Jo was her merry self again, because her dress was forgotten, and nobody lifted their eyebrows at her. She likes the ''Laurence boy'' better than ever, and took several good looks at him, so that she might describe him to the girls; for they had no brothers, very few male cousins, and boys were almost unknown creatures to them.
''Curly black hair; brown skin; big, black eyes; handsome nose; fine teeth; small hands and feet; taller than I am; very polite for a boy, and altogether jolly. Wonder how old he is?''
It was on the tip of Jo''s tongue to ask; but she checked herself in time, and with unsual tact, tried to find out a roundabout way.
''I suppose you are going to college soon? I see you pegging away at your books - no, I mean studying hard;'' and Jo blushed at the dreadful ''pegging'' which had escaped her.
Laurie smiled, but didn''t seem shocked, and answered, with a shrug-
''Not for a year or two; I won''t go before seventeen, anyway.''
''Aren''t you but fifteen?'' asked Jo, looking at the tall lad, whom she had imagined seventeen already.
''Sixteen, next month.''
''How I wish I was going to college! you don''t look as if you liked it.''
''I hate it! nothing but grinding or skylarking. And I don''t like the way bellows behave either, in this country.''
''What dp you like?''
''To live in Italy, and to enjoy myself in my own way.''

Jo wanted very much to ask what his own way was; but his black brows looked rather threatening as he knit them; so she changed the subject by saying, as her foot kept time, ''That''s a splendid piano in the next room. Why don''t you go and try it?''
''If you will come too,'' he answered, with a gallant little bow.
''I can''t; for I told Meg I wouldn''t, because'' There Jo stopped, and looked undecided whether to tell or to laugh.
''Because what?'' asked Laurie, curiously.
''You won''t tell?''
''Never!''
''Well, I have a bad trick of standing before the fire, so I burn my frocks, and I scorched this one; and though it''s nicely mended, it shows, and Meg told me to keep still, so no one would see it. You may laugh, if you want to; it is funny, I know.''
But Laurie didn''t laugh; he only looked down a minute, and the expression of his face puzzled Jo, when he said very gently - ''Never mind that. Please come?''
Jo thanked him, and gladly went, wishing she had two neat gloves, when she saw the nice, pearl-coloured ones her partner wore.
When the music stopped, they sat down; and Laurie was in the midst of an account of a students'' festival at Heidelberg, when Meg appeared in search of her sister. She beckoned, and Jo reluctantly followed her into a side room, where she found her on a sofa, holding her foot, and looking pale.
''Ive sprained my ankle. That stupid high heel turned, and gave me a sad wrench. It aches so I can hardly stand, and I don''t know how I''m ever going to get home,'' she said, rocking to and fro in pain.
''I knew yiu;d hurt your feet with those silly shoes. I''m sorry. But I don''t see what you can do, except get a carriage, or stay here all night,'' answered Jo, softly rubbing the poor ankle as she spoke.
''I can''t have a carriage, without its costing ever so much. i dare say I can''t get one at all; for most people come in their own, and it''s a long way to the stable, and no one to send.''
''I''ll go.''
"No, indeed! it''s past nine, and dark as Egypt. I can''t stop here, for the house is full. Sallie has some girls staying with her. I''ll rest till Hannah comes, and then do the best I can.''
''I''ll ask Laurie; he will go,'' said Jo, looking relieved as the idea occured to her.
''Mercy, no! Don''t ask or tell anyone. get my rubbers, and put these slippers with our things. As soon as supper is over, watch for Hannah, and tell me the minute she somes.''
''They are going out *****pper now. i''ll stay with you; I''d rather.''
''No, dear, ru along, and bring me some coffee. I''m so tired, I can''t stir!''
So Meg reclined, with rubbers well hidden, and jo went blundering away to the dining-room, which she found after going into a china-closet, and opening the door of a room where old Mr Gardiner was talking a little private refreshment. Making a dart at the table she secured the coffee, which she immediately spilt, making the front of her dress as bad as the back.
''Oh, dear, what a blunderbuss I am!'' exclaimed Jo, finishing Meg''s glove by scrubbing her gown with it.
''Can I help you?'' said a friendly voice; and there was Laurie, with a full cup in one hand, and a plate of ice in the other.
''I was trying to get something for Meg, who is very tired, and someone shook me; and here I am, in a nice state,'' answered jo, glancing dismally from the stained skirt to the coffee-coloured glove.
''Too bad! I was looking for someone to give this to. May I take it to your sister?''
''Oh, thank you! I''ll show you where she is. I don''t offer to take it myself, for I should only get into another scrape if I did.''
Jo led the way; and, as if used to waiting on ladies, Laurie drew up a little table, brought a second instalment of coffee and ice for Jo, and was so obliging that even particular Meg pronounced him a ''nice boy''. They had a merry time over the bonbons and mottoes, and were in the midst of a quiet game of ''Buzz'', with two or three other young people who had strayed in, when Hannah appeared. Meg forgot her foot, and rose so quickly that she was force to catch hold of Jo, with an exclamation of pain.
''Hush! Don''t say anything,'' she whispered, adding aloud, ''it''s nothing. I turned my foot a little, that''s all;'' and limped upstairs to put her things on.
Hannah scolded, Meg cried, and Jo was at her wits'' end, till she decided to take things into her own hands. Slipping out, she ran down, and finding a servant, asked if he could get her a carriage. It happened to be a hired waiter, who knew nothing about the neighbourhood; and Jo was looking round for help, when Laurie, who had heard what she said, came up, and offered his grandfather''s carriage, which had just then come for him, he said.

''It''s so early! You can''t mean to go yet?'' began Jo, looking relieved, but hesitating to accept the offer.
''I always go early - I do, truly! Please let me take you home. it''s all on my way, you know, and it rains, they say.''
That settled it; and, telling him of Meg''s mishap, Jo gratefully accepted, and rushed up to bring down the rest of the party. Hannah hated rain as much as a cat does; so she made no trouble, and they rolled away in the luxurious close carriage, feeling very festive and elegant. Laurie went on the box; so Meg could keep her foot up, and the girls talked over their party in freedom.
''I had a capital time. Did you?'' asked Jo, rumpling up her hair, and making herself comfortable.
''Yes, still I hurt myself. Saillie''s friend, Annie Moffat, took a fancy to me, and asked me to come and spend a week with her when Sallie does. She is going in the spring, when the opera comes; and it will be perfectly splendid, if mother only lets me go,'' answered Meg, cheering up at the thought.
''I saw you with the red-headed man I ran away from. Was he nice?''
''Oh, very! His hair is auburn, not red; and he is very polite.''
''He looked like a grasshopper in a fit. laurie and i couldn''t help laughing. Did you hear us?''
''No; but it was very rude. What were you about all that time, hidden away there?''
Jo told her adventures, and, by the time she had finished, they were at home. With many thanks, they said ''Good-night'', and crept in, hoping to disturb no one; but the instant their door creaked, two little nightcaps bobbed up,, and two sleepy but eager voices cried out -
''Tell about the party! Tell about the party!''
With that Meg called ''a great want of manners'', Jo had saved some bonbons for the little girls; and they soon subsided, after hearing the most thrilling events of the evening.
''I declare, it really seems like beeing a fine young lady to come home from the party in a carriage, and sit in my dressing-gown with a maid to wait on me,'' said Meg, as Jo bound up her foot with arnica, and brushed her hair.
''I don''t believe fine ladies enoy themselves a bit more than we do, in spite of our burnt hair, old gowns, one glove apiece and tight slippers that sprain our ankles when we are silly enough to wear them.''