04-01-05-小妇人 [6]
．He brushed his hair and tried to make his room tidy．Soon after， he heard voices downstairs，then a surprised servant ran up to his room．
There's a young lady to see you， sir，'she said．
A moment later，Jo appeared with a box in one hand and Beth's three small cats in the other． 'Mother sends her love，'she said．'Meg asked me to bring some of her cake， and Beth thought you would like to play with her cats． Isn't she funny？'
Laurie laughed How kind you all are，'he said．
'Shall I read to you？'sald Jo．
'I'd rather talk，'he said．
'I can talk all day，'said Jo，smiling．'Beth says I never know when to stop．'
'Is Beth the one who stays at home？'
'Yes，that's Beth．She's a good girl．'
'The pretty one is Meg，and the curly－haired one is Amy， is that right？' he said．
'Yes．How did you know？'
Laurie's face became red．'I hear you calling to each other，and you always seem to be having so much fun．Sometimes，in the evenings，you forget to close your curtains and I can see you sitting round the fire with your mother．I haven't got a mother．'
Jo saw the sadness in his eyes．'Why don't you come over and see us？ Would your grandfather let you？'
'Perhaps，if your mother asked him，'said Laurie．'He spends a lot of time among his books，and Mr Brooke，my tutor，doesn't live here．So I haven't anyone to go out with．Do you like your school？'
'I don't go to school．I go out to work-to my aunt's，'said Jo．She described the difficult old lady and made him laugh with her stories． She told him all about her sisters，the plays they acted，and their hopes and fears for their father．Then they talked about books， and Jo discovered that Laurie loved them as much as she did．
'Come and see our library，'he said．'Grandfather is out，so you needn't be afraid．'
'I 'm not afraid of anything，' replied Jo．
He took her down to a room where the walls were covered with books and pictures．
'You should be the happiest boy in the world！'said Jo，sitting in a big armchair and looking round．
'A person can't live on books，'he said．
Suddenly，a bell rang．
Jo jumped up out of the chair．It's your grand father！'she said．
'What if it is？'said Laurie， with a smile．'You're not afraid of anything， remember？'
'Perhaps I am a little bit afraid of him，'said Jo．
The servant came in at that moment．'The doctor is here to see you， sir，'she said to Laurie．
'Can I leave you for a minute or two， Jo？'he said．
'Yes， I'm very happy here，'said Jo．
He went away and Jo was staring at a large picture of the old gentleman when the door opened again without turning，she said，'I won't be afraid of him， because he's got kind eyes，although his mouth looks hard and cold．He's not as handsome as my grandfather， but I like him．'
'Thank you，'said a deep voice behind her．
She turned quickly-and saw old Mr Laurence！
Jo's face turned a bright red and she wanted to run away．But the old man's eyes looked kinder than those in the picture and seemed to have a smile in them ．
'So you're not afraid of me，eh？'he said．
'Not much，sir．'
'But I'm not as handsome as your grandfather？'
'Not quite，sir．'
'But you like me．'He laughed and shook hands with her．
'Now，what have you been doing with my grandson？'
'Trying to cheer him up， sir，' said Jo．'He seems a bit lonely．'
'Then come and have some tea with us．'
Laurie was very surprised to see Jo with his grandfather，but was soon talking and laughing happily with Jo．The old man watched the two young people and noticed the change in his grandson．'She's right，'he thought．The boy does need cheering up．'
After tea， they went into a room where there was a large and beautiful piano．
'Do you play？'Jo asked Laurie．
'Sometimes，'he answered．
'Play now． I want to hear it so I can tell Beth．'
So Laurie played and Jo listened．Afterwards，Mr Laurence said，'He plays quite well，but I want him to do well in more important things． Now， I hope you'll come again．'He shook hands with her．'Goodnight，Jo．'
Laurie walked to the door with her．'He doesn't like to hear me play，'he said．
'why not？' said Jo
There's a young lady to see you， sir，'she said．
A moment later，Jo appeared with a box in one hand and Beth's three small cats in the other． 'Mother sends her love，'she said．'Meg asked me to bring some of her cake， and Beth thought you would like to play with her cats． Isn't she funny？'
Laurie laughed How kind you all are，'he said．
'Shall I read to you？'sald Jo．
'I'd rather talk，'he said．
'I can talk all day，'said Jo，smiling．'Beth says I never know when to stop．'
'Is Beth the one who stays at home？'
'Yes，that's Beth．She's a good girl．'
'The pretty one is Meg，and the curly－haired one is Amy， is that right？' he said．
'Yes．How did you know？'
Laurie's face became red．'I hear you calling to each other，and you always seem to be having so much fun．Sometimes，in the evenings，you forget to close your curtains and I can see you sitting round the fire with your mother．I haven't got a mother．'
Jo saw the sadness in his eyes．'Why don't you come over and see us？ Would your grandfather let you？'
'Perhaps，if your mother asked him，'said Laurie．'He spends a lot of time among his books，and Mr Brooke，my tutor，doesn't live here．So I haven't anyone to go out with．Do you like your school？'
'I don't go to school．I go out to work-to my aunt's，'said Jo．She described the difficult old lady and made him laugh with her stories． She told him all about her sisters，the plays they acted，and their hopes and fears for their father．Then they talked about books， and Jo discovered that Laurie loved them as much as she did．
'Come and see our library，'he said．'Grandfather is out，so you needn't be afraid．'
'I 'm not afraid of anything，' replied Jo．
He took her down to a room where the walls were covered with books and pictures．
'You should be the happiest boy in the world！'said Jo，sitting in a big armchair and looking round．
'A person can't live on books，'he said．
Suddenly，a bell rang．
Jo jumped up out of the chair．It's your grand father！'she said．
'What if it is？'said Laurie， with a smile．'You're not afraid of anything， remember？'
'Perhaps I am a little bit afraid of him，'said Jo．
The servant came in at that moment．'The doctor is here to see you， sir，'she said to Laurie．
'Can I leave you for a minute or two， Jo？'he said．
'Yes， I'm very happy here，'said Jo．
He went away and Jo was staring at a large picture of the old gentleman when the door opened again without turning，she said，'I won't be afraid of him， because he's got kind eyes，although his mouth looks hard and cold．He's not as handsome as my grandfather， but I like him．'
'Thank you，'said a deep voice behind her．
She turned quickly-and saw old Mr Laurence！
Jo's face turned a bright red and she wanted to run away．But the old man's eyes looked kinder than those in the picture and seemed to have a smile in them ．
'So you're not afraid of me，eh？'he said．
'Not much，sir．'
'But I'm not as handsome as your grandfather？'
'Not quite，sir．'
'But you like me．'He laughed and shook hands with her．
'Now，what have you been doing with my grandson？'
'Trying to cheer him up， sir，' said Jo．'He seems a bit lonely．'
'Then come and have some tea with us．'
Laurie was very surprised to see Jo with his grandfather，but was soon talking and laughing happily with Jo．The old man watched the two young people and noticed the change in his grandson．'She's right，'he thought．The boy does need cheering up．'
After tea， they went into a room where there was a large and beautiful piano．
'Do you play？'Jo asked Laurie．
'Sometimes，'he answered．
'Play now． I want to hear it so I can tell Beth．'
So Laurie played and Jo listened．Afterwards，Mr Laurence said，'He plays quite well，but I want him to do well in more important things． Now， I hope you'll come again．'He shook hands with her．'Goodnight，Jo．'
Laurie walked to the door with her．'He doesn't like to hear me play，'he said．
'why not？' said Jo