04-01-05-小妇人 [11]
，'said Meg，simply．
'Oh，'said Annie，with a strange look．
Her mother's loving words and Laurie's kindness made Meg feel much happier and she enjoyed the party very much．
Annie made her sing，and someone said that Meg had a fine voice．So Meg was having a nice time—until she heard some one say，on the other side of a large table of flowers：'How old is the Laurence boy？'
'Sixteen or seventeen，I think，'said another voice．
'It would be an excellent thing for one of those girls，'said a third voice．'Sallie says they are very friendly，and the old man thinks they are all wonderful．'
'I expect Mrs M．has made her plans，'said Mrs Moffat's voice，'but do you think the girl knows of them？'
'She told that little lie about her mother，and her cheeks went pink．I'm sure the note was from the boy really．Poor thing！She'd be very pretty if she had some nice clothes．Do you think she'll mind if we offer to lend her a dress for Thursday？'
'I shall ask young Laurence to come，and we'll have some fun with her afterwards．'
Meg tried to forget what she'd heard，but could not．The gossip made her angry，and she was glad when the party was over and she was alone in her bed．She cried quietly to herself．Why did people have to say those things？She and Laurie were just friends，but now that friendship felt damaged by the unkind gossip．
The next day，Miss Belle said，'Meg，dear，we've sent an invitation to your friend，Mr Laurence，for Thursday．'
Meg pretended to misunderstand．'You're very kind，but I'm afraid he won't come．He's nearly seventy．'
Miss Belle laughed．'I mean the young man．'
'There isn't one，'said Meg．'Laurie is only a boy．'
'Isn't he about your age？'said Clara．
'Nearer Jo's，'said Meg．'I'm seventeen in August．'
'It's nice of him to send you flowers，'said Annie．
'He often does，to all of us，'said Meg．'My mother and old Mr Laurence are friends，you know．'
'What will you wear on Thursday？'asked Sallie．
'My white dress again，I haven't got any others．'
'No others？'said Sallie．'How funny—'
'I have a pretty blue dress I can't wear any more，Meg，'said Belle．'It will please me if you wear it．'
'You're very kind，but—，'began Meg．
'Please，do，'said Belle．'You'll look quite beautiful in it．'
Meg couldn't refuse this kind offer and，on the Thursday evening，Belle helped to change Meg into a fine lady．She brushed and curled her hair，reddened her lips，then helped her to get into the sky-blue dress．The neck of the dress was cut very low，and Meg was quite shocked when she saw herself in the mirror．A necklace and earrings were added，and Meg was ready for the party．
At first，she felt strange in all the fine clothes，but she soon discovered that people who did not usually notice her now came to speak to her．Several young men who had only stared before now asked to be introduced．
Suddenly，Meg saw Laurie across the room．He was staring at her，and he didn't look very pleased．Meg began to feel uncomfortable，and she wished that she had worn her old dress．As she walked up to Laurie，she saw Belle and Annie watching them both and smiling．
'I'm glad you came，'Meg said to Laurie，in her most grown-up voice．'I was afraid you wouldn't．'
'Jo wanted me to come and tell her how you looked，'said Laurie．
'What will you tell her？'
'1'll say I didn't know you，because you look so unlike yourself．I'm quite afraid of you，'he said．
'The girls dressed me up for fun，'said Meg．'Don't you like it？'
'No，I don't，'came the cool reply．
Meg became angry．'Then I shan't stay with you！'And she walked off towards the window．
A moment or two later，an older man went past her and she heard him say to his friend，'That girl has been dressed up like a doll．'
'Oh dear，'thought Meg．'Why didn't I wear my own things？'
She turned and saw Laurie behind her．'Please forgive me，'he said．'Come and have something to eat．'
Meg tried to look annoyed．
'Please come，'he said again．'I don't like your dress，but I do think you are—wonderful．'
Meg smiled and found it impossible to stay angry with him．'Please don't tell them at home about my dress
'Oh，'said Annie，with a strange look．
Her mother's loving words and Laurie's kindness made Meg feel much happier and she enjoyed the party very much．
Annie made her sing，and someone said that Meg had a fine voice．So Meg was having a nice time—until she heard some one say，on the other side of a large table of flowers：'How old is the Laurence boy？'
'Sixteen or seventeen，I think，'said another voice．
'It would be an excellent thing for one of those girls，'said a third voice．'Sallie says they are very friendly，and the old man thinks they are all wonderful．'
'I expect Mrs M．has made her plans，'said Mrs Moffat's voice，'but do you think the girl knows of them？'
'She told that little lie about her mother，and her cheeks went pink．I'm sure the note was from the boy really．Poor thing！She'd be very pretty if she had some nice clothes．Do you think she'll mind if we offer to lend her a dress for Thursday？'
'I shall ask young Laurence to come，and we'll have some fun with her afterwards．'
Meg tried to forget what she'd heard，but could not．The gossip made her angry，and she was glad when the party was over and she was alone in her bed．She cried quietly to herself．Why did people have to say those things？She and Laurie were just friends，but now that friendship felt damaged by the unkind gossip．
The next day，Miss Belle said，'Meg，dear，we've sent an invitation to your friend，Mr Laurence，for Thursday．'
Meg pretended to misunderstand．'You're very kind，but I'm afraid he won't come．He's nearly seventy．'
Miss Belle laughed．'I mean the young man．'
'There isn't one，'said Meg．'Laurie is only a boy．'
'Isn't he about your age？'said Clara．
'Nearer Jo's，'said Meg．'I'm seventeen in August．'
'It's nice of him to send you flowers，'said Annie．
'He often does，to all of us，'said Meg．'My mother and old Mr Laurence are friends，you know．'
'What will you wear on Thursday？'asked Sallie．
'My white dress again，I haven't got any others．'
'No others？'said Sallie．'How funny—'
'I have a pretty blue dress I can't wear any more，Meg，'said Belle．'It will please me if you wear it．'
'You're very kind，but—，'began Meg．
'Please，do，'said Belle．'You'll look quite beautiful in it．'
Meg couldn't refuse this kind offer and，on the Thursday evening，Belle helped to change Meg into a fine lady．She brushed and curled her hair，reddened her lips，then helped her to get into the sky-blue dress．The neck of the dress was cut very low，and Meg was quite shocked when she saw herself in the mirror．A necklace and earrings were added，and Meg was ready for the party．
At first，she felt strange in all the fine clothes，but she soon discovered that people who did not usually notice her now came to speak to her．Several young men who had only stared before now asked to be introduced．
Suddenly，Meg saw Laurie across the room．He was staring at her，and he didn't look very pleased．Meg began to feel uncomfortable，and she wished that she had worn her old dress．As she walked up to Laurie，she saw Belle and Annie watching them both and smiling．
'I'm glad you came，'Meg said to Laurie，in her most grown-up voice．'I was afraid you wouldn't．'
'Jo wanted me to come and tell her how you looked，'said Laurie．
'What will you tell her？'
'1'll say I didn't know you，because you look so unlike yourself．I'm quite afraid of you，'he said．
'The girls dressed me up for fun，'said Meg．'Don't you like it？'
'No，I don't，'came the cool reply．
Meg became angry．'Then I shan't stay with you！'And she walked off towards the window．
A moment or two later，an older man went past her and she heard him say to his friend，'That girl has been dressed up like a doll．'
'Oh dear，'thought Meg．'Why didn't I wear my own things？'
She turned and saw Laurie behind her．'Please forgive me，'he said．'Come and have something to eat．'
Meg tried to look annoyed．
'Please come，'he said again．'I don't like your dress，but I do think you are—wonderful．'
Meg smiled and found it impossible to stay angry with him．'Please don't tell them at home about my dress