28-第2章

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e　heard　the　hearty　peal；　which　put　the　finishing　stroke　to　poor　Meg's　woe。　
〃Is　that　all？　Fling　it　out　of　the　window；　and　don't　bother　any　more　about　it。　I'll　buy　you　quarts　if　you　want　it；　but　for　heaven's　sake　don't　have　hysterics；　for　I've　brought　Jack　Scott　home　to　dinner；　and。。。〃　
John　got　no　further；　for　Meg　cast　him　off；　and　clasped　her　hands　with　a　tragic　gesture　as　she　fell　into　a　chair；　exclaiming　in　a　tone　of　mingled　indignation；　reproach；　and　dismay。。。　
〃A　man　to　dinner；　and　everything　in　a　mess！　John　Brooke；　how　could　you　do　such　a　thing？〃　
〃Hush；　he's　in　the　garden！　I　forgot　the　confounded　jelly；　but　it　can't　be　helped　now；〃　said　John；　surveying　the　prospect　with　an　anxious　eye。　
〃You　ought　to　have　sent　word；　or　told　me　this　morning；　and　you　ought　to　have　remembered　how　busy　I　was；〃　continued　Meg　petulantly；　for　even　turtledoves　will　peck　when　ruffled。　
〃I　didn't　know　it　this　morning；　and　there　was　no　time　to　send　word；　for　I　met　him　on　the　way　out。　I　never　thought　of　asking　leave；　when　you　have　always　told　me　to　do　as　I　liked。　I　never　tried　it　before；　and　hang　me　if　I　ever　do　again！〃　added　John；　with　an　aggrieved　air。　
〃I　should　hope　not！　Take　him　away　at　once。　I　can't　see　him；　and　there　isn't　any　dinner。〃　
〃Well；　I　like　that！　Where's　the　beef　and　vegetables　I　sent　home；　and　the　pudding　you　promised？〃　cried　John；　rushing　to　the　larder。
〃I　hadn't　time　to　cook　anything。　I　meant　to　dine　at　Mother's。　I'm　sorry；　but　I　was　so　busy；〃　and　Meg's　tears　began　again。　
John　was　a　mild　man；　but　he　was　human；　and　after　a　long　day's　work　to　come　home　tired；　hungry；　and　hopeful；　to　find　a　chaotic　house；　an　empty　table；　and　a　cross　wife　was　not　exactly　conductive　to　repose　of　mind　or　manner。　He　restrained　himself　however；　and　the　little　squall　would　have　blown　over；　but　for　one　unlucky　word。　
〃It's　a　scrape；　I　acknowledge；　but　if　you　will　lend　a　hand；　we'll　pull　through　and　have　a　good　time　yet。　Don't　cry；　dear；　but　just　exert　yourself　a　bit；　and　fix　us　up　something　to　eat。　We're　both　as　hungry　as　hunters；　so　we　shan't　mind　what　it　is。　Give　us　the　cold　meat；　and　bread　and　cheese。　We　won't　ask　for　jelly。〃　
He　meant　it　to　be　a　good…natured　joke；　but　that　one　word　sealed　his　fate。　Meg　thought　it　was　too　cruel　to　hint　about　her　sad　failure；　and　the　last　atom　of　patience　vanished　as　he　spoke。
〃You　must　get　yourself　out　of　the　scrape　as　you　can。　I'm　too　used　up　to　‘exert'　myself　for　anyone。　It's　like　a　man　to　propose　a　bone　and　vulgar　bread　and　cheese　for　company。　I　won't　have　anything　of　the　sort　in　my　house。　Take　that　Scott　up　to　Mother's；　and　tell　him　I'm　away；　sick；　dead；　anything。　I　won't　see　him；　and　you　two　can　laugh　at　me　and　my　jelly　as　much　as　you　like。　You　won't　have　anything　else　here。〃　And　having　delivered　her　defiance　all　on　one　breath；　Meg　cast　away　her　pinafore　and　precipitately　left　the　field　to　bemoan　herself　in　her　own　room。　
What　those　two　creatures　did　in　her　absence；　she　never　knew；　but　Mr。　scott　was　not　taken　‘up　to　Mother's'；　and　when　Meg　descended；　after　they　had　strolled　away　together；　she　found　traces　of　a　promiscuous　lunch　which　filled　her　with　horror。　Lotty　reported　that　they　had　eaten　〃a　much；　and　greatly　laughed；　and　the　master　bid　her　throw　away　all　the　sweet　stuff；　and　hide　the　pots。〃　
Meg　longed　to　go　and　tell　Mother；　but　a　sense　of　shame　at　her　own　short　comings；　of　loyalty　to　John；　〃who　might　be　cruel；　but　nobody　should　know　it；〃　restrained　her；　and　after　a　summary　cleaning　up；　she　dressed　herself　prettily；　and　sat　down　to　wait　for　John　to　come　and　be　forgiven。　
Unfortunately；　John　didn't　come；　not　seeing　the　matter　in　that　light。　He　had　carried　it　off　as　a　good　joke　with　Scott；　excused　his　little　wife　as　well　as　he　could；　and　played　the　host　so　hospitably　that　his　friend　enjoyed　the　impromptu　dinner；　and　promised　to　come　again；　but　John　was　angry；　though　he　did　not　show　it；　he　felt　that　Meg　had　deserted　him　in　his　hour　of　need。　〃It　wasn't　fair　to　tell　a　man　to　bring　folks　home　any　time；　with　perfect　freedom；　and　when　he　took　you　at　your　word；　to　flame　up　and　blame　him；　and　leave　him　in　the　lurch；　to　be　laughed　at　or　pitied。　No；　by　George；　it　wasn't！　And　Meg　must　know　it。〃　
He　had　fumed　inwardly　during　the　feast；　but　when　the　flurry　was　over　and　he　strolled　home　after　seeing　Scott　off；　a　milder　mood　came　over　him。　〃Poor　little　thing！　It　was　hard　upon　her　when　she　tried　so　heartily　to　please　me。　She　was　wrong；　of　course；　but　then　she　was　young。　I　must　be　patient　and　teach　her。〃　He　hoped　she　had　not　gone　homehe　hated　gossip　and　interference。　For　a　minute　he　was　ruffled　again　at　the　mere　thought　of　it；　and　then　the　fear　that　Meg　would　cry　herself　sick　softened　his　heart；　and　sent　him　on　at　a　quicker　pace；　resolving　to　be　calm　and　kind；　but　firm；　quite　firm；　and　show　her　where　she　had　failed　in　her　duty　to　her　spouse。　
Meg　likewise　resolved　to　be　‘calm　and　kind；　but　firm'；　and　show　him　his　duty。　She　longed　to　run　to　meet　him；　and　beg　pardon；　and　be　kissed　and　comforted；　as　she　was　sure　of　being；　but；　of　course；　she　did　nothing　of　the　sort；　and　when　she　saw　John　coming；　began　to　hum　quite　naturally；　as　she　rocked　and　sewed；　like　a　lady　of　leisure　in　her　best　parlor。　
John　was　a　little　disappointed　not　to　find　a　tender　Niobe；　but　feeling　that　his　dignity　demanded　the　first　apology；　he　made　none；　only　came　leisurely　in　and　laid　himself　upon　the　sofa　with　the　singularly　relevant　remark；　〃We　are　going　to　have　a　new　moon；　my　dear。〃　
〃I've　no　objection；〃　was　Meg's　equally　soothing　remark。　A　few　other　topics　of　general　interest　were　introduced　by　Mr。　Brooke　and　wet…blanketed　by　Mrs。　Brooke；　and　conversation　languished。　John　went　to　one　window；　unfolded　his　paper；　and　wrapped　himself　in　it；　figuratively　speaking。　Meg　went　to　the　other　window；　and　sewed　as　if　new　rosettes　for　slippers　were　among　the　necessaries　of　life。　Neither　spoke。　Both　looked　quite　‘calm　and　firm'；　and　both　felt　desperately　uncomfortable。　
〃Oh；　dear；〃　thought　Meg；　〃married　life　is　very　trying；　and　does　need　infinite　patience　as　well　as　love；　as　Mother　says。〃　The　word　‘Mother'　suggested　other　maternal　counsels　given　long　ago；　and　received　with　unbelieving　protests。　
〃John　is　a　good　man；　but　he　has　his　faults；　and　you　must　learn　to　see　and　bear　with　them；　remembering　your　own。　He　is　very　decided；　but　never　will　be　obstinate；　if　you　reason　kindly；　not　oppose　impatiently。　He　is　very　accurate；　and　particular　about　the　trutha　good　trait；　though　you　call　him　‘fussy'。　Never　deceive　him　by　look　or　word；　Meg；　and　he　will　give　you　the　confidence　you　deserve；　the　support　you　need。　He　has　a　temper；　not　like　oursone　flash　and　then　all　overbut　the　white；　still　anger　that　is　seldom　stirred；　but　once　kindled　is　hard　to　quench。　Be　careful；　be　very　careful；　not　to　wake　his　anger　against　yourself；　for　peace　and　happiness　depend　on　keeping　his　respect。　Watch　yourself；　be　the　first　to　ask　pardon　if　you　both　err；　and　guard　against　the　little　piques；　misunderstandings；　and　hasty　words　that　often　pave　the　way　for　bitter　sorrow　and　regret。〃　

These　words　came　back　to　Meg；　as　she　sat　sewing　in　the　sunset；　especially　the　last。　This　was　the　first　serious　disagreement；　her　own　hasty　speeches　sounded　both　silly　and　unkind；　as　she　recalled　them；　her　own　anger　looked　childish　now；　and　thoughts　of　poor　John　coming　home　to　such　a　scene　quite　melted　her　heart。　She　glanced　at　him　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　but　he　did　not　see　them。　She　put　down　her　work　and　got　up；　thinking；　〃I　will　be　the　first　to　say；　‘Forgive　me'；　but　he　did　not　seem　to　hear　her。　She　went　very　slowly　across　the　room；　for　pride　was　hard　to　swallow；　and　stood　by　him；　but　he　did　not　turn　his　head。　For　a　minute　she　felt　as　if　she　really　couldn't　do　it；　then　came　the　thought；　This　is　the　beginning。　I'll　do　my　part；　and　have　nothing　to　reproach　myself　with；〃　and　stooping　sown；　she　softly　kissed　her　husband　on　the　forehead。　Of　course　that　settled　it。　The　penitent　kiss　was　better　than　a　world　of　words；　and　John　had　her　on　his　knee　in　a　minute；　saying　tenderly。。。　
〃It　was　too　bad　to　laugh　at　the　poor　little　jelly　pots。　Forgive　me；　dear。　I　never　will　again！〃　
But　he　did；　oh　bless　you；　yes；　hundreds　of　times；　and　so　did　Meg；　both　declaring　that　it　was　the　sweetest　jelly　they　ever　made；　for　family　peace　was