28-第4章

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r；　it　would　not　have　broken　her　heart　like　those　few　words。　She　ran　to　him　and　held　him　close；　crying；　with　repentant　tears；　〃Oh；　John；　my　dear；　kind；　hard…working　boy。　I　didn't　mean　it！　It　was　so　wicked；　so　untrue　and　ungrateful；　how　could　I　say　it！　Oh；　how　could　I　say　it！〃　He　was　very　kind；　forgave　her　readily；　and　did　not　utter　one　reproach；　but　Meg　knew　that　she　had　done　and　said　a　thing　which　would　not　be　forgotten　soon；　although　he　might　never　allude　to　it　again。　She　had　promised　to　love　him　for　better　or　worse；　and　then　she；　his　wife；　had　reproached　him　with　his　poverty；　after　spending　his　earnings　recklessly。　It　was　dreadful；　and　the　worst　of　it　was　John　went　on　so　quietly　afterward；　just　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　except　that　he　stayed　in　town　later；　and　worked　at　night　when　she　had　gone　to　cry　herself　to　sleep。　A　week　or　remorse　nearly　made　Meg　sick；　and　the　discovery　that　John　had　countermanded　the　order　for　his　new　greatcoat　reduced　her　to　a　state　of　despair　which　was　pathetic　to　behold。　He　had　simply　said；　in　answer　to　her　surprised　inquiries　as　to　the　change；　〃I　can't　afford　it；　my　dear。〃　
Meg　said　no　more；　but　a　few　minutes　after　he　found　her　in　the　hall　with　her　face　buried　in　the　old　greatcoat；　crying　as　if　her　heart　would　break。　
They　had　a　long　talk　that　night；　and　Meg　learned　to　love　her　husband　better　for　his　poverty；　because　it　seemed　to　have　made　a　man　of　him；　given　him　the　strength　and　courage　to　fight　his　own　way；　and　taught　him　a　tender　patience　with　which　to　bear　and　comfort　the　natural　longings　and　failures　of　those　he　loved。　
Next　day　she　put　her　pride　in　her　pocket；　went　to　Sallie；　told　the　truth；　and　asked　her　to　buy　the　silk　as　a　favor。　The　good…　natured　Mrs。　Moffat　willingly　did　so；　and　had　the　delicacy　not　to　make　her　a　present　of　it　immediately　afterward。　Then　Meg　ordered　home　the　greatcoat；　and　when　John　arrived；　she　put　it　on；　and　asked　him　how　he　liked　her　new　silk　gown。　One　can　imagine　what　answer　he　made；　how　he　received　his　present；　and　what　a　blissful　state　of　things　ensued。　John　came　home　early；　Meg　gadded　no　more；　and　that　greatcoat　was　put　on　in　the　morning　by　a　very　happy　husband；　and　taken　off　at　night　by　a　most　devoted　little　wife。　So　the　year　rolled　round；　and　at　midsummer　there　came　to　Meg　a　new　experience；　the　deepest　and　tenderest　of　a　woman's　life。　
Laurie　came　sneaking　into　the　kitchen　of　the　Dovecote　one　Saturday；　with　an　excited　face；　and　was　received　with　the　clash　of　cymbals；　for　Hannah　clapped　her　hands　with　a　saucepan　in　one　and　the　cover　in　the　other。　
〃How's　the　little　mamma？　Where　is　everybody？　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　before　I　came　home？〃　began　Laurie　in　a　loud　whisper。　
〃Happy　as　a　queen；　the　dear！　Every　soul　of　‘em　is　upstairs　a　worshipin'。　We　didn't　want　no　hurrycanes　round。　Now　you　go　into　the　parlor；　and　I'll　send　‘em　down　to　you；〃　with　which　somewhat　involved　reply　Hannah　vanished；　chuckling　ecstatically。　
Presently　Jo　appeared；　proudly　bearing　a　flannel　bundle　laid　forth　upon　a　large　pillow。　Jo's　face　was　very　sober；　but　her　eyes　twinkled；　and　there　was　an　odd　sound　in　her　voice　of　repressed　emotion　of　some　sort。　
〃Shut　your　eyes　and　hold　out　your　arms；〃　she　said　invitingly。　
Laurie　backed　precipitately　into　a　corner；　and　put　his　hands　behind　him　with　an　imploring　gesture。　〃No；　thank　you。　I'd　rather　not。　I　shall　drop　it　or　smash　it；　as　sure　as　fate。〃　
〃Then　you　shan't　see　your　nevvy；〃　said　Jo　decidedly；　turning　as　if　to　go。　
〃I　will；　I　will！　Only　you　must　be　responsible　for　damages。〃　And　obeying　orders；　Laurie　heroically　shut　his　eyes　while　something　was　put　into　his　arms。　A　peal　of　laughter　from　Jo；　Amy；　Mrs。　March；　Hannah；　and　John　caused　him　to　open　them　the　next　minute；　to　find　himself　invested　with　two　babies　instead　of　one。　
No　wonder　they　laughed；　for　the　expression　of　his　face　was　droll　enough　to　convulse　a　Quaker；　as　he　stood　and　stared　wildly　from　the　unconscious　innocents　to　the　hilarious　spectators　with　such　dismay　that　Jo　sat　down　on　the　floor　and　screamed。　
〃Twins；　by　Jupiter！〃　was　all　he　said　for　a　minute；　then　turning　to　the　women　with　an　appealing　look　that　was　comically　piteous；　he　added；　〃Take　‘em　quick；　somebody！　I'm　going　to　laugh；　and　I　shall　drop　‘em。〃　
Jo　rescued　his　babies；　and　marched　up　and　down；　with　one　on　each　are；　as　if　already　initiated　into　the　mysteries　of　babytending；　while　Laurie　laughed　till　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks。　
〃It's　the　best　joke　of　the　season；　isn't　it？　I　wouldn't　have　told　you；　for　I　set　my　heart　on　surprising　you；　and　I　flatter　myself　I've　done　it；〃　said　Jo；　when　she　got　her　breath。　
〃I　never　was　more　staggered　in　my　life。　Isn't　it　fun？　Are　they　boys？　What　are　you　going　to　name　them？　Let's　have　another　look。　Hold　me　up；　Jo；　for　upon　my　life　it's　one　too　many　for　me；〃　returned　Laurie；　regarding　the　infants　with　the　air　of　a　big；　benevolent　Newfoundland　looking　at　a　pair　of　infantile　kittens。　
〃Boy　and　girl。　Aren't　they　beauties？〃　said　the　proud　papa；　beaming　upon　the　little　red　squirmers　as　if　they　were　unfledged　angels。　
〃Most　remarkable　children　I　ever　saw。　Which　is　which？〃　and　Laurie　bent　like　a　well…sweep　to　examine　the　prodigies。　
〃Amy　put　a　blue　ribbon　on　the　boy　and　a　pink　on　the　girl；　French　fashion；　so　you　can　always　tell。　Besides；　one　has　blue　eyes　and　one　brown。　Kiss　them；　Uncle　Teddy；〃　said　wicked　Jo。　
〃I'm　afraid　they　mightn't　like　it；〃　began　Laurie；　with　unusual　timidity　in　such　matters。　
〃Of　course　they　will；　they　are　used　to　it　now。　Do　it　this　minute；　sir！〃　commanded　Jo；　fearing　he　might　propose　a　proxy。　
Laurie　screwed　up　his　face　and　obeyed　with　a　gingerly　peck　at　each　little　cheek　that　produced　another　laugh；　and　made　the　babies　squeal。　
〃There；　I　knew　they　didn't　like　it！　That's　the　boy；　see　him　kick；　he　hits　out　with　his　fists　like　a　good　one。　Now　then；　young　Brooke；　pitch　into　a　man　of　your　own　size；　will　you？〃　cried　Laurie；　delighted　with　a　poke　in　the　face　from　a　tiny　fist；　flapping　aimlessly　about。　
〃He's　to　be　named　John　Laurence；　and　the　girl　Margaret；　after　mother　and　grandmother。　We　shall　call　her　Daisey；　so　as　not　to　have　two　Megs；　and　I　suppose　the　mannie　will　be　Jack；　unless　we　find　a　better　name；〃　said　Amy；　with　aunt…like　interest。　
〃Name　him　Demijohn；　and　call　him　Demi　for　short；〃　said　Laurie　
〃Daisy　and　Demi；　just　the　thing！　I　knew　Teddy　would　do　it；〃　cried　Jo　clapping　her　hands。　
Teddy　certainly　had　done　it　that　time；　for　the　babies　were　‘Daisy'　and　‘Demi'　to　the　end　of　the　chapter。　

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？　Louisa　May　Alcott




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