Маленькі жінки

           "Ineverdreamedofsuchathing.WhatwillMothersay?Iwonderifher..."thereJostoppedandturnedscarletwithasuddenthought."Ifheshouldn’tlovebackagain,howdreadfulitwouldbe.Hemust.I’llmakehim!"andsheshookherheadthreateninglyatthepictureofthemischievous-lookingboylaughingatherfromthewall."Ohdear,wearegrowingupwithavengeance.Here’sMegmarriedandamamma,AmyflourishingawayatParis,andBethinlove.I’mtheonlyonethathassenseenoughtokeepoutofmischief."Jothoughtintentlyforaminutewithhereyesfixedonthepicture,thenshesmoothedoutherwrinkledforeheadandsaid,withadecidednodatthefaceopposite,"Nothankyou,sir,you’reverycharming,butyou’venomorestabilitythanaweathercock.Soyouneedn’twritetouchingnotesandsmileinthatinsinuatingway,foritwon’tdoabitofgood,andIwon’thaveit."

           Thenshesighed,andfellintoareveriefromwhichshedidnotwaketilltheearlytwilightsentherdowntotakenewobservations,whichonlyconfirmedhersuspicion.ThoughLaurieflirtedwithAmyandjokedwithJo,hismannertoBethhadalwaysbeenpeculiarlykindandgentle,butsowaseverybody’s.Therefore,noonethoughtofimaginingthathecaredmoreforherthanfortheothers.Indeed,ageneralimpressionhadprevailedinthefamilyoflatethat‘ourboy’wasgettingfonderthaneverofJo,who,however,wouldn’thearaworduponthesubjectandscoldedviolentlyifanyonedaredtosuggestit.