25-第2章

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expression　on　his　face。　
〃Has　Jo　smashed　all　the　bottles　by　accident？〃　he　whispered；　〃or　am　I　merely　laboring　under　a　delusion　that　I　saw　some　lying　about　loose　this　morning？〃　
〃No；　your　grandfather　kindly　offered　us　his　best；　and　Aunt　March　actually　sent　some；　but　Father　put　away　a　little　for　Beth；　and　dispatched　the　rest　to　the　Soldier's　Home。　You　know　he　thinks　that　wine　should　be　used　only　in　illness；　and　Mother　says　that　neither　she　nor　her　daughters　will　ever　offer　it　to　any　young　man　under　her　roof。〃　
Meg　spoke　seriously　and　expected　to　see　Laurie　frown　or　laugh；　but　he　did　neither；　for　after　a　quick　look　at　her；　he　said；　in　his　impetuous　way；　〃I　like　that！　For　I've　seen　enough　harm　done　to　wish　other　women　would　think　as　you　do。〃　
〃You　are　not　made　wise　by　experience；　I　hope？〃　And　there　was　an　anxious　accent　in　Meg's　voice。　
〃No。　I　give　you　my　word　for　it。　Don't　think　too　well　of　me；　either；　this　is　not　one　of　my　temptations。　Being　brought　up　where　wine　is　as　common　as　water　and　almost　as　harmless；　I　don't　care　for　it；　but　when　a　pretty　girl　offers　it；　one　doesn't　like　to　refuse；　you　see。〃　
〃But　you　will；　for　the　sake　of　others；　if　not　for　your　own。　Come；　Laurie；　promise；　and　give　me　one　more　reason　to　call　this　the　happiest　day　of　my　life。〃　
A　demand　so　sudden　and　so　serious　made　the　young　man　hesitate　a　moment；　for　ridicule　is　often　harder　to　bear　than　self…denial。　Meg　knew　that　if　he　gave　the　promise　he　would　keep　it　at　all　costs；　and　feeling　her　power；　used　it　as　a　woman　may　for　her　friend's　good。　She　did　not　speak；　but　she　looked　up　at　him　with　a　face　made　very　eloquent　by　happiness；　and　a　smile　which　said；　〃No　one　can　refuse　me　anything　today。〃　
Laurie　certainly　could　not；　and　with　an　answering　smile；　he　gave　her　his　hand；　saying　heartily；　〃I　promise；　Mrs。　Brooke！〃　
〃I　thank　you；　very；　very　much。〃　
〃And　I　drink　‘long　life　to　your　resolution'；　Teddy；〃　cried　Jo；　baptizing　him　with　a　splash　of　lemonade；　as　she　waved　her　glass　and　beamed　approvingly　upon　him。　
So　the　toast　was　drunk；　the　pledge　made　and　loyally　kept　in　spite　of　many　temptations；　for　with　instinctive　wisdom；　the　girls　seized　a　happy　moment　to　do　their　friend　a　service；　for　which　he　thanked　them　all　his　life。
After　lunch；　people　strolled　about；　by　twos　and　threes；　through　the　house　and　garden；　enjoying　the　sunshine　without　and　within。　Meg　and　John　happened　to　be　standing　together　in　the　middle　of　the　grass　plot；　when　Laurie　was　seized　with　an　inspiration　which　put　the　finishing　touch　to　this　unfashionable　wedding。　
〃All　the　married　people　take　hands　and　dance　round　the　new…made　husband　and　wife；　as　the　Germans　do；　while　we　bachelors　and　spinsters　prance　in　couples　outside！〃　cried　Laurie；　promenading　down　the　path　with　Amy；　with　such　infectious　spirit　and　skill　that　everyone　else　followed　their　example　without　a　murmur。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　March；　Aunt　and　Uncle　Carrol　began　it；　others　rapidly　joined　in；　even　Sallie　Moffat；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　threw　her　train　over　her　arm　and　whisked　Ned　into　the　ring。　But　the　crowning　joke　was　Mr。　Laurence　and　Aunt　March；　for　when　the　stately　old　gentleman　chass'ed　solemnly　up　to　the　old　lady；　she　just　tucked　her　cane　under　arm；　and　hopped　briskly　away　to　join　hands　with　the　rest　and　dance　about　the　bridal　pair；　while　the　young　folks　pervaded　the　garden　like　butterflies　on　a　midsummer　day。　
Want　of　breath　brought　the　impromptu　ball　to　a　close；　and　then　people　began　to　go。　
〃I　wish　you　well；　my　dear；　I　heartily　wish　you　well；　but　I　think　you'll　be　sorry　for　it；〃　said　Aunt　March　to　Meg；　adding　to　the　bridegroom；　as　he　led　her　to　the　carriage；　〃You've　got　a　treasure；　young　man；　see　that　you　deserve　it。〃　
〃That　is　the　prettiest　wedding　I've　been　to　for　an　age；　Ned；　and　I　don't　see　why；　for　there　wasn't　a　bit　of　style　about　it；〃　observed　Mrs。　Moffat　to　her　husband；　as　they　drove　away。　
〃Laurie；　my　lad；　if　you　ever　want　to　indulge　in　this　sort　of　thing；　get　one　of　those　little　girls　to　help　you；　and　I　shall　be　perfectly　satisfied；〃　said　Mr。　Laurence；　settling　himself　in　his　easy　chair　to　rest　after　the　excitement　of　the　morning。　
〃I'll　do　my　best　to　gratify　you；　Sir；〃　was　Laurie's　unusually　dutiful　reply；　as　he　carefully　unpinned　the　posy　Jo　had　put　in　his　buttonhole。　
The　little　house　was　not　far　away；　and　the　only　bridal　journey　Meg　had　was　the　quiet　walk　with　John　from　the　old　home　to　the　new。　When　she　came　down；　looking　like　a　pretty　Quakeress　in　her　dovecolored　suit　and　straw　bonnet　tied　with　white；　they　all　gathered　about　her　to　say　goodby；　as　tenderly　as　if　she　had　been　going　to　make　the　grand　tour。　
〃Don't　feel　that　I　am　separated　from　you；　Marmee　dear；　or　that　I　love　you　any　the　less　for　loving　John　so　much；〃　she　said；　clinging　to　her　mother；　with　full　eyes　for　a　moment。　〃I　shall　come　every　day；　Father；　and　expect　to　keep　my　old　place　in　all　your　hearts；　though　I　am　married。　Beth　is　going　to　be　with　me　a　great　deal；　and　the　other　girls　will　drop　in　now　and　then　to　laugh　at　my　housekeeping　struggles。　Thank　you　all　for　my　happy　wedding　day。　Goodby；　goodby！〃　
They　stood　watching　her；　with　faces　full　of　love　and　hope　and　tender　pride　as　she　walked　away；　leaning　on　her　husband's　arm；　with　her　hands　full　of　flowers　and　the　June　sunshine　brightening　her　happy　faceand　so　Meg's　married　life　began。　

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？　Louisa　May　Alcott




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