Little Women Read online

  "Ought they to smoke like that?" asked Beth from her perch at the bed.

  "It's the dampness drying," answered Jo.

  "What a queer odor! It's like burned feathers," determined Amy, smoothing her very own quite curls with a superior air.

  "There, now I'll take off the papers and you may see a cloud of little ringlets," said Jo, putting down the tongs.

  She did take off the papers, but no cloud of ringlets appeared, for the hair came with the papers, and the horrified hairdresser laid a row of little scorched bundles at the bureau before her sufferer.

  "Oh, oh, oh! What have you done? I'm spoiled! I can not move! My hair, oh, my hair!" wailed Meg, looking with melancholy on the choppy frizzle on her forehead.

  "Just my success! You should not have requested me to do it. I continually damage the entirety. I'm so sorry, however the tongs had been too warm, and so I've made a multitude," groaned terrible Jo, concerning the little black pancakes with tears of regret.

  "It isn't always spoiled. Just frizzle it, and tie your ribbon so the ends come to your forehead a chunk, and it will seem like the remaining style. I've visible many ladies do it so," stated Amy consolingly.

  "Serves me right for seeking to be first-class. I wish I'd allow my hair by myself," cried Meg petulantly.

  "So do I, it became so clean and pretty. But it will quickly grow out again," stated Beth, coming to kiss and comfort the shorn sheep.

  After various lesser mishaps, Meg became finished at remaining, and through the united exertions of the complete circle of relatives Jo's hair became were given up and her dress on. They appeared very well of their easy suits, Meg's in silvery drab, with a blue velvet snood, lace frills, and the pearl pin. Jo in maroon, with a stiff, gentlemanly linen collar, and a white chrysanthemum or for her most effective decoration. Each put on one great light glove, and carried one soiled one, and all pronounced the impact "quite smooth and quality". Meg's excessive-heeled slippers have been very tight and harm her, although she could not own it, and Jo's nineteen hairpins all seemed stuck instantly into her head, which become now not precisely cozy, but, expensive me, allow us to be stylish or die.

  "Have a good time, dearies!" stated Mrs. March, because the sisters went daintily down the walk. "Don't consume a good deal supper, and come away at eleven after I ship Hannah for you." As the gate clashed at the back of them, a voice cried from a window...

  "Girls, women! Have you you both were given excellent pocket handkerchiefs?"

  "Yes, sure, spandy first-class, and Meg has cologne on hers," cried Jo, including with amusing as they went on, "I do consider Marmee could ask that if we have been all jogging far from an earthquake."

  "It is one of her aristocratic tastes, and pretty proper, for a actual female is usually acknowledged via neat boots, gloves, and handkerchief," answered Meg, who had an amazing many little 'aristocratic tastes' of her personal.

  "Now bear in mind to maintain the horrific breadth out of sight, Jo. Is my sash proper? And does my hair look very bad?" said Meg, as she grew to become from the glass in Mrs. Gardiner's dressing room after a prolonged prink.

  "I understand I shall neglect. If you see me doing whatever incorrect, just job my memory by way of a wink, will you?" returned Jo, giving her collar a twitch and her head a hasty brush.

  "No, winking isn't always ladylike. I'll carry my eyebrows if any aspect is incorrect, and nod if you are all proper. Now hold your shoulder directly, and take quick steps, and do not shake hands in case you are brought to every body. It isn't the issue."

  "How do you study all of the proper ways? I in no way can. Isn't that track homosexual?"

  Down they went, feeling a trifle timid, for they seldom went to parties, and casual as this little amassing changed into, it become an occasion to them. Mrs. Gardiner, a stately old woman, greeted them kindly and exceeded them over to the eldest of her six daughters. Meg knew Sallie and become at her ease very soon, but Jo, who didn't care a good deal for women or girlish gossip, stood approximately, with her returned cautiously in opposition to the wall, and felt as a great deal out of vicinity as a colt in a flower lawn. Half a dozen jovial lads were speakme approximately skates in every other part of the room, and she or he longed to move and join them, for skating become one of the joys of her lifestyles. She telegraphed her desire to Meg, however the eyebrows went up so alarmingly that she dared no longer stir. No one came to talk to her, and one by one the organization faded away until she changed into left alone. She couldn't roam approximately and amuse herself, for the blistered breadth could show, so she stared at human beings as a substitute forlornly until the dancing began. Meg became asked straight away, and the tight slippers tripped about so swiftly that none would have guessed the pain their wearer suffered smilingly. Jo noticed a big crimson headed children drawing near her nook, and fearing he meant to engage her, she slipped right into a curtained recess, intending to peep and revel in herself in peace. Unfortunately, another bashful individual had chosen the equal shelter, for, as the curtain fell in the back of her, she determined herself face to face with the 'Laurence boy'.

  "Dear me, I did not recognise all of us turned into here!" stammered Jo, making ready to returned out as briskly as she had bounced in.

  But the boy laughed and said pleasantly, although he seemed a touch startled, "Don't mind me, stay if you want."

  "Shan't I disturb you?"

  "Not a bit. I best got here right here because I don't know many humans and felt alternatively abnormal in the beginning, you know."

  "So did I. Don't leave, please, except you'll rather."

  The boy sat down once more and looked at his pumps, until Jo said, seeking to be polite and smooth, "I think I've had the pride of seeing you earlier than. You live near us, do not you?"

  "Next door." And he appeared up and laughed outright, for Jo's prim way became instead funny while he remembered how they had chatted about cricket when he introduced the cat home.

  That placed Jo at her ease and she or he laughed too, as she said, in her heartiest manner, "We did have one of these good time over your excellent Christmas present."

  "Grandpa despatched it."

  "But you positioned it into his head, didn't you, now?"

  "How is your cat, Miss March?" asked the boy, seeking to look sober while his black eyes shone with a laugh.

  "Nicely, thank you, Mr. Laurence. But I am no longer Miss March, I'm only Jo," again the younger female.

  "I'm not Mr. Laurence, I'm best Laurie."

  "Laurie Laurence, what an abnormal call."

  "My first name is Theodore, however I do not like it, for the fellows called me Dora, so I made them say Laurie alternatively."

  "I hate my name, too, so sentimental! I want every one could say Jo instead of Josephine. How did you're making the lads prevent calling you Dora?"

  "I thrashed 'em."

  "I cannot thrash Aunt March, so I assume I shall ought to bear it." And Jo resigned herself with a sigh.

  "Don't you want to bounce, Miss Jo?" requested Laurie, searching as if he concept the call suited her.

  "I adore it well enough if there is lots of room, and anybody is lively. In a place like this I'm sure to disappointed something, tread on people's feet, or do something dreadful, so I keep out of mischief and permit Meg sail approximately. Don't you dance?"

  "Sometimes. You see I've been overseas a good many years, and haven't been into enterprise enough but to know how you do things right here."

  "Abroad!" cried Jo. "Oh, tell me approximately it! I love dearly to listen people describe their travels."

  Laurie didn't appear to know in which to begin, but Jo's eager questions soon set him going, and he told her how he were at school in Vevay, in which the men never wore hats and had a fleet of boats at the lake, and for excursion fun went on strolling journeys approximately Switzerland with their teachers.

  "Don't I desire I'd been there!" cried Jo. "Did you visit Paris?"

  "We spent final wi
nter there."

  "Can you talk French?"

  "We were now not allowed to speak some thing else at Vevay."

  "Do say some! I can study it, but can not pronounce."

  "Quel nom a cette jeune demoiselle en les pantoufles jolis?"

  "How well you do it! Let me see ... You stated, 'Who is the young woman in the pretty slippers', didn't you?"

  "Oui, mademoiselle."

  "It's my sister Margaret, and you knew it was! Do you believe you studied she is quite?"

  "Yes, she makes me think about the German women, she appears so clean and quiet, and dances like a woman."

  Jo pretty glowed with pride at this boyish praise of her sister, and saved it as much as repeat to Meg. Both peeped and criticized and chatted until they felt like vintage friends. Laurie's bashfulness quickly wore off, for Jo's gentlemanly demeanor amused and set him at his ease, and Jo become her merry self again, because her get dressed changed into forgotten and no one lifted their eyebrows at her. She preferred the 'Laurence boy' higher than ever and took several properly appears at him, so that she would possibly describe him to the girls, for that they had no brothers, only a few male cousins, and boys had been almost unfamiliar beings to them.

  "Curly black hair, brown skin, massive black eyes, good-looking nostril, satisfactory tooth, small arms and feet, taller than I am, very polite, for a boy, and altogether jolly. Wonder how vintage he is?"

  It become on the tip of Jo's tongue to ask, but she checked herself in time and, with unusual tact, attempted to find out in a round-approximately manner.

  "I suppose you will college soon? I see you pegging away at your books, no, I imply reading tough." And Jo blushed on the dreadful 'pegging' which had escaped her.

  Laurie smiled however didn't seem bowled over, and spoke back with a shrug. "Not for a yr or two. I might not pass earlier than seventeen, besides."

  "Aren't you but fifteen?" asked Jo, searching on the tall lad, whom she had imagined seventeen already.

  "Sixteen, next month."

  "How I want I changed into going to university! You do not look as in case you appreciated it."

  "I hate it! Nothing however grinding or skylarking. And I don't just like the way fellows do both, on this country."

  "What do you like?"

  "To stay in Italy, and to enjoy myself in my personal manner."

  Jo desired very a good deal to ask what his personal manner turned into, but his black brows looked instead threatening as he knit them, so she changed the difficulty through pronouncing, as her foot kept time, "That's a first-rate polka! Why do not you go and strive it?"

  "If you will come too," he spoke back, with a gallant little bow.

  "I can not, for I advised Meg I would not, due to the fact..." There Jo stopped, and looked not sure whether or not to tell or to snort.

  "Because, what?"

  "You might not tell?"

  "Never!"

  "Well, I even have a awful trick of status before the hearth, and so I burn my frocks, and I scorched this one, and although it is well mended, it indicates, and Meg informed me to hold nevertheless so no one could see it. You may additionally snicker, if you want to. It is funny, I know."

  But Laurie did not snort. He handiest looked down a minute, and the expression of his face perplexed Jo when he stated very lightly, "Never mind that. I'll let you know how we are able to manipulate. There's a protracted corridor obtainable, and we are able to dance grandly, and no person will see us. Please come."

  Jo thanked him and gladly went, wishing she had two neat gloves when she noticed the best, pearl-colored ones her partner wore. The corridor turned into empty, and they had a grand polka, for Laurie danced nicely, and taught her the German step, which overjoyed Jo, being full of swing and spring. When the track stopped, they sat down on the steps to get their breath, and Laurie changed into inside the midst of an account of a college students' festival at Heidelberg when Meg regarded looking for her sister. She beckoned, and Jo reluctantly followed her into a aspect room, where she observed her on a sofa, keeping her foot, and looking faded.

  "I've sprained my ankle. That stupid excessive heel grew to become and gave me a sad wrench. It aches so, I can rarely stand, and I do not know how I'm ever going to get home," she stated, rocking from side to side in pain.

  "I knew you'd harm your ft with the ones stupid footwear. I'm sorry. But I do not see what you may do, besides get a carriage, or live here all night time," replied Jo, softly rubbing the poor ankle as she spoke.

  "I cannot have a carriage with out its costing ever so much. I dare say I cannot get one at all, for the general public come in their very own, and it is a protracted manner to the solid, and no one to ship."

  "I'll cross."

  "No, indeed! It's beyond 9, and darkish as Egypt. I can't prevent here, for the house is complete. Sallie has a few ladies staying along with her. I'll rest until Hannah comes, and then do the satisfactory I can."

  "I'll ask Laurie. He will cross," stated Jo, searching relieved because the idea befell to her.

  "Mercy, no! Don't ask or tell absolutely everyone. Get me my rubbers, and positioned those slippers with our matters. I can not dance anymore, but as soon as supper is over, watch for Hannah and inform me the minute she comes."

  "They are going out to supper now. I'll stay with you. I'd alternatively."

  "No, dear, run alongside, and produce me some espresso. I'm so worn-out I cannot stir."

  So Meg reclined, with rubbers properly hidden, and Jo went blundering away to the dining room, which she found after going into a china closet, and commencing the door of a room in which old Mr. Gardiner turned into taking a touch private refreshment. Making a dart at the table, she secured the espresso, which she right away spilled, thereby making the the front of her get dressed as terrible as the returned.

  "Oh, dear, what a blunderbuss I am!" exclaimed Jo, finishing Meg's glove by using scrubbing her gown with it.

  "Can I assist you?" stated a friendly voice. And there was Laurie, with a full cup in a single hand and a plate of ice in the different.

  "I become trying to get some thing for Meg, who's very tired, and someone shook me, and here I am in a nice kingdom," spoke back Jo, glancing dismally from the stained skirt to the coffee-colored glove.

  "Too terrible! I was searching out a person to present this to. May I take it for your sister?"

  "Oh, thanks! I'll display you where she is. I do not provide to take it myself, for I must only get into any other scrape if I did."

  Jo led the manner, and as though used to ready on women, Laurie drew up a touch table, delivered a second installment of coffee and ice for Jo, and turned into so obliging that even unique Meg stated him a 'pleasant boy'. They had a merry time over the bonbons and mottoes, and had been in the midst of a quiet game of Buzz, with two or 3 other young those who had strayed in, whilst Hannah appeared. Meg forgot her foot and rose so quickly that she became pressured to seize keep of Jo, with an exclamation of pain.

  "Hush! Don't say something," she whispered, including aloud, "It's nothing. I turned my foot a bit, it truly is all," and limped upstairs to place her matters on.

  Hannah scolded, Meg cried, and Jo was at her wits' give up, until she determined to take things into her personal palms. Slipping out, she ran down and, finding a servant, requested if he ought to get her a carriage. It passed off to be a hired waiter who knew nothing about the community and Jo changed into searching spherical for assist whilst Laurie, who had heard what she said, came up and offered his grandfather's carriage, which had simply come for him, he stated.

  "It's so early! You can't imply to head yet?" started out Jo, looking relieved but hesitating to accept the provide.

  "I continually pass early, I do, genuinely! Please permit me take you domestic. It's all on my way, you understand, and it rains, they are saying."

  That settled it, and telling him of Meg's mishap, Jo gratefully widespread and rushed up to carry down the relaxation of
the celebration. Hannah hated rain as a great deal as a cat does so she made no problem, and they rolled away in the luxurious near carriage, feeling very festive and fashionable. Laurie went at the container so Meg may want to keep her foot up, and the women talked over their party in freedom.

  "I had a capital time. Did you?" asked Jo, rumpling up her hair, and making herself comfortable.