Sheleanedherforeheadonthecoolpane，andstoodhalfhiddenbythecurtains，nevermindingthatherfavoritewaltzhadbegun，tillsomeonetouchedher，andturning，shesawLaurie，lookingpenitent，ashesaid，withhisverybestbowandhishandout……
　　“Pleaseforgivemyrudeness，andcomeanddancewithme。“
　　“I’mafraiditwillbetodisagreeabletoyou，“saidMeg，tryingtolookoffendedandfailingentirely。
　　“Notabitofit，I’mdyingtodoit。Come，I’llbegood。
　　Idon’tlikeyourgown，butIdothinkyouarejustsplendid。“
　　Andhewavedhishands，asifwordsfailedtoexpresshisadmiration。
　　Megsmiledandrelented，andwhisperedastheystoodwaitingtocatchthetime，“Takecaremyskirtdoesn’ttripyouup。It’stheplagueofmylifeandIwasagoosetowearit。“
　　“Pinitroundyourneck，andthenitwillbeuseful，“saidLaurie，lookingdownatthelittleblueboots，whichheevidentlyapprovedof。
　　Awaytheywentfleetlyandgracefully，forhavingpracticedathome，theywerewellmatched，andtheblitheyoungcouplewereapleasantsighttosee，astheytwirledmerrilyroundandround，feelingmorefriendlythaneveraftertheirsmalltiff。
　　“Laurie，Iwantyoutodomeafavor，willyou？’saidMeg，ashestoodfanningherwhenherbreathgaveout，whichitdidverysoonthoughshewouldnotownwhy。
　　“Won’tI!“saidLaurie，withalacrity。
　　“Pleasedon’ttellthemathomeaboutmydresstonight。
　　Theywon’tunderstandthejoke，anditwillworryMother。’
　　“Thenwhydidyoudoit？“saidLaurie’seyes，soplainlythatMeghastilyadded……
　　“Ishalltellthemmyselfallaboutit，and`fess’toMotherhowsillyI’vebeen。ButI’dratherdoitmyself。Soyou’llnottell，willyou？“
　　“IgiveyoumywordIwon’t，onlywhatshallIsaywhentheyaskme？“
　　“JustsayIlookedprettywellandwashavingagoodtime。“
　　“I’llsaythefirstwithallmyheart，buthowabouttheother？Youdon’tlookasifyouwerehavingagoodtime。
　　Areyou？’AndLaurielookedatherwithanexpressionwhichmadeheranswerinawhisper……
　　“No，notjustnow。Don’tthinkI’mhorrid。Ionlywantedalittlefun，butthissortdoesn’tpay，Ifind，andI’mgettingtiredofit。“
　　“HerecomesNedMoffat。Whatdoeshewant？“saidLaurie，knittinghisblackbrowsasifhedidnotregardhisyounghostinthelightofapleasantadditiontotheparty。
　　“Heputhisnamedownforthreedances，andIsupposehe’scomingforthem。Whatabore!“saidMeg，assumingalanguidairwhichamusedLaurieimmensely。
　　Hedidnotspeaktoheragaintillsuppertime，whenhesawherdrinkingchampagnewithNedandhisfriendFisher，whowerebehaving`likeapairoffools’，asLauriesaidtohimself，forhefeltabrotherlysortofrighttowatchovertheMarchesandfighttheirbattleswheneveradefenderwasneeded。
　　“You’llhaveasplittingheadachetomorrow，ifyoudrinkmuchofthat。Iwouldn’t，Meg，yourmotherdoesn’tlikeit，youknow，“hewhispered，leaningoverherchair，asNedturnedtorefillherglassandFisherstoopedtopickupherfan。
　　“I’mnotMegtonight，I’m`adoll’whodoesallsortsofcrazythings。TomorrowIshallputawaymy`fussandfeathers’
　　andbedesperatelygoodagain，“seansweredwithanaffectedlittlelaugh。
　　“Wishtomorrowwashere，then，“mutteredLaurie，walkingoff，ill-pleasedatthechangehesawinher。
　　Megdancedandflirted，chatteredandgiggled，astheothergirlsdid。AftersuppersheundertooktheGerman，andblunderedthroughit，nearlyupsettingherpartnerwithherlongskirt，andrompinginawaythatscandalizedLaurie，wholookedonandmeditatedalecture。Buthegotnochancetodeliverit，forMegkeptawayfromhimtillhecametosaygoodnight。
　　“Remember!“shesaid，tryingtosmile，forthesplittingheadachehadalreadybegun。
　　“Silencea`lamort，“repliedLaurie，withamelodramaticflourish，ashewentaway。
　　ThislittlebitofbyplayexcitedAnnie’scuriosity，butMegwastootiredforgossipandwenttobed，feelingasifshehadbeentoamasqueradeandhadn’tenjoyedherselfasmuchassheexpected。Shewassickallthenextday，andonSaturdaywenthome，quiteusedupwithherfortnight’sfunandfeelingthatshehad`satinthelapofluxury’longenough。
　　“Itdoesseempleasanttobequiet，andnothavecompanymannersonallthetime。Homeisaniceplace，thoughitisn’tsplendid，“saidMeg，lookingaboutherwitharestfulexpression，asshesatwithhermotherandJoontheSundayevening。
　　“I’mgladtohearyousayso，dear，forIwasafraidhomewouldseemdullandpoortoyouafteryourfinequarters，“repliedhermother，whohadgivenhermanyanxiouslooksthatday。Formotherlyeyesarequicktoseeanychangeinchildren’sfaces。
　　Meghadtoldheradventuresgaylyandsaidoverandoverwhatacharmingtimeshehadhad，butsomethingstillseemedtoweighuponherspirits，andwhentheyoungergirlsweregonetobed，shesatthoughtfullystaringatthefire，sayinglittleandlookingworried。AstheclockstrucknineandJoproposedbed，Megsuddenlyleftherchairand，takingBeth’sstool，leanedherelbowsonhermother’sknee，sayingbravely……
　　“Marmee，Iwantto`fess’。“
　　“Ithoughtso。Whatisit，dear？“
　　“ShallIgoaway？“askedJodiscreetly。
　　“Ofcoursenot。Don’tIalwaystellyoueverything？Iwasashamedtospeakofitbeforetheyoungerchildren，butIwantyoutoknowallthedreadfulthingsIdidattheMoffats’。“
　　“Weareprepared，“saidMrs。March，smilingbutlookingalittleanxious。
　　“Itoldyoutheydressedmeup，butIdidn’ttellyouthattheypowderedandsqueezedandfrizzled，andmademelooklikeafashionplate。LauriethoughtIwasn’tproper。Iknowhedid，thoughhedidn’tsayso，andonemancalledme`adoll’。Iknewitwassilly，buttheyflatteredmeandsaidIwasabeauty，andquantitiesofnonsense，soIletthemmakeafoolofme。“
　　“Isthatall？“askedJo，asMrs。Marchlookedsilentlyatthedowncastfaceofherprettydaughter，andcouldnotfinditinherhearttoblameherlittlefollies。
　　“No，Idrankchampagneandrompedandtriedtoflirt，andwasaltogetherabominable，“saidMegself-reproachfully。
　　“Thereissomethingmore，Ithink。“AndMrs。Marchsmoothedthesoftcheek，whichsuddenlygrewrosyasMegansweredslowly……
　　“Yes。It’sverysilly，butIwanttotellit，becauseIhatetohavepeoplesayandthinksuchthingsaboutusandLaurie。“
　　ThenshetoldthevariousbitsofgossipshehadheardattheMoffats’，andasshespoke，Josawhermotherfoldherlipstightly，asifillpleasedthatsuchideasshouldbeputintoMeg’sinnocentmind。
　　“Well，ifthatisn’tthegreatestrubbishIeverheard，“criedJoindignantly。“Whydidn’tyoupopoutandtellthemsoonthespot？’
　　“Icouldn’t，itwassoembarrassingforme。Icouldn’thelphearingatfirst，andthenIwassoangryandashamed，Ididn’trememberthatIoughttogoaway。“
　　“JustwaittillIseeAnnieMoffat，andI’llshowyouhowtosettlesuchridiculousstuff。Theideaofhaving`plans’andbeingkindtoLauriebecausehe’srichandmaymarryusby-and-by!Won’theshoutwhenItellhimwhatthosesillythingssayaboutuspoorchildren？“AndJolaughed，asifonsecondthoughtsthethingstruckherasagoodjoke。
　　“IfyoutellLaurie，I’llneverforgiveyou!Shemustn’t，mustshe，Mother？“saidMeg，lookingdistressed。
　　“No，neverrepeatthatfoolishgossip，andforgetitassoonasyoucan，“saidMrs。Marchgravely。“IwasveryunwisetoletyougoamongpeopleofwhomIknowsolittle，kind，Idaresay，butworldly，ill-bred，andfullofthesevulgarideasaboutyoungpeople。IammoresorrythanIcanexpressforthemischiefthisvisitmayhavedoneyou，Meg。“
　　“Don’tbesorry，Iwon’tletithurtme。I’llforgetallthebadandrememberonlythegood，forIdidenjoyagreatdeal，andthankyouverymuchforlettingmego。I’llnotbesentimentalordissatisfied，Mother。IknowI’masillylittlegirl，andI’llstaywithyoutillI’mfittotakecareofmyself。Butitisnicetobepraisedandadmired，andIcan’thelpsayingIlikeit，“saidMeg，lookinghalfashamedoftheconfession。
　　“Thatisperfectlynatural，andquiteharmless，ifthelikingdoesnotbecomeapassionandleadonetodofoolishorunmaidenlythings。Learntoknowandvaluethepraisewhichisworthhaving，andtoexcitetheadmirationofexcellentpeoplebybeingmodestaswellaspretty，Meg。“
　　Margaretsatthinkingamoment，whileJostoodwithherhandsbehindher，lookingbothinterestedandalittleperplexed，foritwasanewthingtoseeMegblushingandtalkingaboutadmiration，lovers，andthingsofthatsort。AndJofeltasifduringthatfortnighthersisterhadgrownupamazingly，andwasdriftingawayfromherintoaworldwhereshecouldnotfollow。
　　“Mother，doyouhave`plans’，asMrs。Moffatsaid？“askedMegbashfully。
　　“Yes，mydear，Ihaveagreatmany，allmothersdo，butminediffersomewhatfromMrs。Moffat’s，Isuspect。Iwilltellyousomeofthem，forthetimehascomewhenawordmaysetthisromanticlittleheadandheartofyoursright，onaveryserioussubject。Youareyoung，Meg，butnottooyoungtounderstandme，andmothers’lipsarethefittesttospeakofsuchthingstogirlslikeyou。Jo，yourturnwillcomeintime，perhaps，solistentomy`plans’andhelpmecarrythemout，iftheyaregood。“
　　Jowentandsatononearmofthechair，lookingasifshethoughttheywereabouttojoininsomeverysolemnaffair。
　　Holdingahandofeach，andwatchingthetwoyoungfaceswistfully，Mrs。Marchsaid，inherseriousyetcheeryway……
　　“Iwantmydaughterstobebeautiful，accomplished，andgood。
　　Tobeadmired，loved，andrespected。Tohaveahappyyouth，tobewellandwiselymarried，andtoleaduseful，pleasantlives，withaslittlecareandsorrowtotrythemasGodseesfittosend。
　　Tobelovedandchosenbyagoodmanisthebestandsweetestthingwhichcanhappentoawoman，andIsincerelyhopemygirlsmayknowthisbeautifulexperience。Itisnaturaltothinkofit，Meg，righttohopeandwaitforit，andwisetoprepareforit，sothatwhenthehappytimecomes，youmayfeelreadyforthedutiesandworthyofthejoy。Mydeargirls，Iamambitiousforyou，butnottohaveyoumakeadashintheworld，marryrichmenmerelybecausetheyarerich，orhavesplendidhouses，whicharenothomesbecauseloveiswanting。Moneyisaneedfulandpreciousthing，andwhenwellused，anoblething，butIneverwantyoutothinkitisthefirstoronlyprizetostrivefor。I’dratherseeyoupoormen’swives，ifyouwerehappy，beloved，contented，thanqueensonthrones，withoutself-respectandpeace。“
　　“Poorgirlsdon’tstandanychance，Bellesays，unlesstheyputthemselvesforward，“sighedMeg。
　　“Thenwe’llbeoldmaids，“saidJostoutly。