【正文】
e mute inquiry if she had seen it. But Jo had her own eyes to ta ke ca re of, and feeling that they could not be trusted, she prudently kept them on the little sock she was knitting, like a model maiden aunt. A stealthy glance now and then refreshed her like sips of fresh water after a dusty walk, for the sidelong peeps showed her several propitious omens. Mr. Bhaer39。s face had lost the absentminded expression, and looked all alive with interest in the present moment, actually young and handsome, she thought, fetting to pare him with Laurie, as she usually did strange m en, to their great detriment. Then he seemed quite inspired, though the burial customs of the ancients, to which the conversation had strayed, might not be considered an exhilarating topic. Jo quite glowed with triumph when Teddy got quenched in an argument, and thought to herself, as she watched her father39。s absorbed face, How he would enjoy having such a man as m y Professor to talk with every day! Lastly, Mr. Bhaer was dressed in a new suit of blac k, which made him look more like a gentleman than ever. His bushy hair had been cut and smoothly brushed, but didn39。t stay in order long, for in exciting moments, he rumpled it up in the droll way he used to do, and Jo liked it rampantly erect better than flat, because she thought it gave his fine forehead a Jove like aspect. Poor Jo, how she did glorify that plain man, as she sat knitting away so quietly, yet letting nothing escape her, not even the fact that Mr. Bhaer actually had gold sleevebuttons in his immaculate wristbands. Dear old fellow! He couldn39。t have got himself up with more care if he39。d been going a wooing, said Jo to herself, and then a sudden thought born of the w ords made her blush so dreadfully that she had to drop her ball, and go down after it to hide her face. The maneuver did not succeed as well as she expected, however, for though just in the act of sng creature39。 was let severely a lone, but Amy39。s talent and taste were duly plimented by the offer of the art table, and she exerted herself to prepare and secure appropriate and valuable contributions to it. Everything went on smoothly till the day before the fair opened, then there occurred one of the little skirmishes which it is almost impossible to avoid, when some fiveandtwenty women, old and young, with all their private piques and prejudices, try to work together. May Chester was rather jealous of Amy because the latter was a greater favorite than herself, and just at this time several trifling circumstances occurred to increase the feeling. Amy39。s dainty penandink work entirely eclipsed May39。s painted vasesthat was one thorn. Then the all conquering Tudor had danced four times with Amy at a late party and only once with May that was thorn number two. But the chief grievance that rankled in her soul, and gave an excuse for her unfriendly conduct, was a rumor which some obliging gossip had whispered to her, that the March girls had made fun of her at the Lambs39。. All the blame of this should have fallen upon Jo, for her naughty imitation had been too lifelike to escape detection, and the frolicsome Lambs had permitted the joke to escape. No hint of this had reached the culprits, however, and Amy39。s dismay can be imagined, when, the very evening before the fair, as she was putting the last touches to her pretty table, Mrs. Chester, w ho, of course, resented the supposed ridicule of her daughter, said, in a bland tone, but with a cold look... I fie filled. Her best tile got a splash of water, which left a sephia tear on the Cupid39。s cheek. She bruised her hands with hammering, and got cold working in a draft, which last affliction filled her with apprehensions for the morrow. Any girl reader who has suffered like afflictions will sympathize with poor Amy and wish her well through her task. There was great indignation at home when she told her story that evening. Her mother said it was a shame, but told her she ha d done right. Beth declared she wouldn39。t go to the fair at all, and Jo demanded why she didn39。t take all her pretty things and leave those mean people to get on without her. Because they are mean is no reason why i should be. I hate such things, and though I think I39。ve a right to be hurt, I don39。t intend to show it. They will feel that more than angry speeches or huffy actions, won39。t they, Marmee? That39。s the right spirit, my dear. A kiss for a blow is always best, though it39。s not very easy to give it sometimes, said he r mother, with the air of one who had learned the difference between preaching and practicing. In spite of various very natural temptations to resent and retaliate, Amy adhered to her resolution all the next day, bent on conquering her enemy by kindness. She began well, thanks to a silent reminder that came to her unexpectedly, but most oppor tunely. As she arranged her table that morning, w hile the little girls were in the anteroom filling the baske ts, she took up her pet production, a little book, the antique cover of which her father had found among his treasures, and in which on leaves of vellum she had beautifully illuminated different texts. As she turned the pages rich in dainty devices with very pardonable pride, her eye fell upon one verse that made her stop and think. Framed in a brilliant scrollwor k of scarlet, blue and gold, with little spirits of good will helping one another up and dow n among the thorns and flowers, were the words, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. I ought, but I don39。t, thought Amy, as her eye went from the bright page to May39。s discontented face behind the big vases, that could not hide the vacancies her pretty work had once filled. Amy stood a minute, turning the leaves in her hand, reading on each some sweet rebuke for all heartburnings and uncharitableness of spiri t. Many wise and true