# ■ 7 Meg hears some gossip

Annie Moffat did not forget her promised invitation，and one April day Meg went to stay at the Moffats'large house．Meg thought it was wonderful．She loved riding in fine carriages，wearing her best dress every day，and doing nothing except enjoy herself．She soon began to talk about fashionable clothes and hairstyles in the way that the other girls did．And the more Meg saw of Annie's pretty things，the more she wished that she，too，was rich．

Annie's older sisters，Belle and Clara，were fine young ladies；Mr Moffat was a fat，friendly gentleman；and Mrs Moffat was a fat，friendly lady．They were all very kind to Meg and did their best to make her feel at home．

When the evening for a'small party'came，Meg's best dress looked very old next to Sallie's new one，but no one said anything about it．The girls were getting ready when a servant brought in a box of flowers．

For Miss March，'she said．'And here's a letter．'

What fun！Who are they from？'said the girls．'We didn't know you had a young man．'

The letter is from Mother and the flowers are from Laurie，'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，'she said．'They won't understand that it was just for fun，and it will worry Mother．I was stupid to wear it，but I'll tell them myself．'

I won't say anything，'he promised．

He did not see her again until supper time，when she was drinking wine with two other boys．

You'll feel ill tomorrow，if you drink much of that，Meg，'Laurie whispered to her．

I'm not Meg tonight，'she said．'I'm a doll who does crazy things．Tomorrow，I'll be good again．'

Meg danced and laughed and talked to as many young men as she could manage，but went to bed feeling that she hadn't enjoyed herself as much as she had expected．

She was sick all the next day， and on Saturday went home，quite tired of her fortnight's fun．

I'm glad to be home，'she said to her mother and Jo，after telling them how she was dressed up like a doll，drank too much wine，and was ill afterwards．She had laughed while telling them the story，but her face still looked worried at the end．

There is something else，I think，'said Mrs March，smoothing Meg' s cheek，which suddenly became rose-red．

Yes，'Meg said slowly．'I hate people saying and thinking awful things about us and Laurie．'Then she told them the gossip she had heard．

What rubbish！'said Jo．'Just wait until I see Annie Moffat！How stupid to think that Mother has “plans”，and that we are kind to Laurie because he is rich and may marry one of us one day．He'll laugh when I tell him！'

No，Jo，'said her mother．'You must never repeat wicked gossip．

Do you have “plans”，Mother？'asked Meg．

All mothers do，dear，'said Mrs March．'But my plans are different from Mrs Moffat's，I suspect．I want my daughters to be loved，and I want people to think well of them．I want them to marry well，but not to marry rich men just because they are rich．I'd rather you were poor men's wives，if that meant you had happy，peaceful lives．But your father and I believe that we'll always be proud of our daughters，whether they are married or single．'

You will，you will！said Meg and Jo，together．

■ 7 麥格聽到了閒言碎語

安妮·墨菲沒有忘記她答應過的邀請，一個春日，麥格來到了墨菲家的大房子裡。麥格覺得這太好了。她喜歡坐漂亮的馬車，每天都穿著她最好的衣服，除了玩樂以外不做任何事情。不久她就開始像其他女孩子一樣談論起時髦的衣服和髮型來。麥格見到安妮的漂亮東西越多，她就越希望自己也一樣地富有。

安妮的姐姐白拉和克拉拉都是很好的姑娘；墨菲先生是個胖胖的友好的紳士；墨菲太太是個胖胖的友好的女士。他們對麥格都很好，並且盡他們的所能使麥格就像在家裡一樣舒適。

晚上小型聚會的時候，麥格最好的衣服比起薩麗的新衣服來顯得很舊，可沒有任何人說起這件事。女孩子們正在做準備，這時僕人送來一盒花。

“給馬奇小姐的，”她說，“這兒有封信。”

“多有意思！是誰送的？”女孩子們問，“我們可不知道你還有個年輕的紳士。”

“信是媽媽送來的，花是羅瑞送的，”麥格簡單地說。

“噢，”薩麗說，帶著一種奇怪的表情。

母親充滿愛的話語和羅瑞的善良使麥格感到更加高興，舞會上她玩得很開心。安妮讓麥格唱歌，有人說她有一副好嗓子。於是麥格很愉快——直到她聽到一大桌子花的那邊有人在說話：“勞倫斯家的男孩有多大了？”

“十六七歲吧，我覺得，”另一個聲音說。

“這對那幾個女孩子之中的一個倒是太合適了，”第三個聲音說，“薩麗說她們都很友好，那個老頭也覺得她們都很不錯。”

“我覺得馬奇太太是早有打算了，”墨菲太太說，“可你們覺得那女孩子知道這些嗎？”

“她拿她母親撒了個小小的謊，她的臉都紅了。我敢肯定那封信其實是那個男孩寫的。可憐的孩子！如果她有些好衣服，她會很漂亮的。你們覺得如果星期四晚會時我們借給她一件衣服她會介意嗎？”

“我會請小勞倫斯來，然後我們再跟她逗趣。”

麥格試圖忘記她所聽到的話，可是不行。那些閒言碎語使她很生氣，所以晚會結束、她獨自躺到床上時她很不高興。她靜靜地哭了。人們為什麼要那麼說呢？她和羅瑞只是朋友，現在那份友誼像是要被那些不友好的閒話毀了。

第二天，白拉小姐說：“麥格，親愛的，我們給你的朋友勞倫斯先生髮了份邀請，請他參加星期四的舞會。”

麥格假裝誤會了：“你們真好，可我想他不會來的。他都快70歲了。”

白拉小姐笑了。“我是說那個年輕的先生。”

“沒有年輕的先生，”麥格說，“勞瑞還是個孩子。”

“他不是和你差不多大嗎？”克拉拉問。

“他離瓊更近些。”麥格說。“我八月份就17歲了。”

“他送你花真好，”安妮說。

“他經常這樣，給我們大家都送，”麥格說。“你們知道，我媽媽和老勞倫斯先生是朋友。”

“你星期四穿什麼？”薩麗問。

“還是我那件白衣服，我沒有別的了。”

“沒有別的衣服？”薩麗道，“這太有意思了——”

“我有一件很漂亮的藍裙子，我穿不下了，麥格，”白拉說，“你如果穿上它我會很高興。”

“你太好了，可是——”麥格開始說。

“穿上吧，”白拉說。“你穿上會非常漂亮的。”

麥格無法拒絕這份好心，星期四晚上，白絲幫忙把麥格變成了一個漂亮的淑女。她替她梳了頭，捲了頭髮，上了脣色，然後幫她穿上那件天藍色的衣裙。那件衣服的領子開得很低，當麥格從鏡子裡看到自己時，她感到十分震驚。戴上項鍊和耳環後，麥格就準備好參加舞會了。

剛開始，她穿著那些好衣服感覺很彆扭，可不久她發現那些平常不注意她的人開始跟她攀談了。幾個年輕人原先只盯著她看，現在都希望被介紹給她。

突然，麥格看見了屋子那頭的羅瑞。他正盯著她瞧，看上去不太高興。麥格開始感到很不舒服，她希望她穿的是自己的舊衣服，她朝羅瑞走過去，她看見白拉和安妮看著他倆在笑。

“我很高興你來了，”麥格儘量用成熟的聲音對羅瑞說，“我以為你不會來呢。”

“瓊讓我來的，她讓我告訴她你看上去怎麼樣，”羅瑞說。

“那你會怎樣告訴她？”

“我會告訴她我不認識你，因為你看上去不像你自己。我很怕你，”他說。

“那些姑娘把我打扮成這樣玩兒的，”麥格說，“你不喜歡嗎？”

“不，我不喜歡，”回答是冷冷的。

麥格感到很生氣。“那我就不跟你在一起了！”她隨後朝窗戶走去。

一兩分鐘之後，一個年長些的紳士從她身邊走過，她聽見他對他的朋友說：“那個女孩被打扮得像個玩具娃娃。”

“噢，天哪，”麥格想，“我為什麼不穿我自己的衣服？”

她轉過身，看見羅瑞站在她身後。“請原諒我吧，”他說。“來吃點東西吧。”

麥格盡力裝做不開心。

“來吧，”他又說，“我不喜歡你的衣服，可我確實覺得你——很出色。”

麥格笑了，她發現根本不可能跟他生氣。“千萬別告訴家裡人我的衣服的事，”麥格說。“她們不會明白那只是為了好玩兒，媽媽會擔心的。我穿這身衣服真是愚蠢，可我會親自告訴她們。”

“我什麼也不會說。”他發誓說。

他直到晚飯時才又見到她，她正在跟另外兩個男孩喝葡萄酒。

“如果你喝得多了，你明天會難受的，麥格，”羅瑞輕聲對她說。

“我今晚不是麥格，”她說。“我是一個做瘋狂事的玩具娃娃。明天我就變好了。”

麥格又跳又笑，儘可能地跟很多年輕紳士談話，可她上床睡覺時並沒像她期待的那樣感覺玩得很開心。

第二天她一整天覺得很不舒服。星期六她回家了，由於前一天的玩樂，她感到很累。

“真高興回家來，”當她向母親和瓊講述了她怎樣被打扮得像個玩具娃娃、怎樣喝了太多的葡萄酒、後來感到難受的事後，她說。她在向她們講她的故事時笑過，但最後她的表情還是顯得憂慮。

“我覺得還有些別的事，”馬奇太太邊說邊撫摸著麥格的臉頰。那張臉突然變得通紅。

“是的，”麥格慢慢地說，“我討厭人們說些和想些關於我們和羅瑞的壞話。”之後她向她們講述了她聽到的閒話。

“廢話！”瓊說，“等我看見安妮·墨菲時再說！這有多愚蠢，覺得媽媽早有'打算'，還認為我們對羅瑞好是因為他有錢，將來會跟我們其中的一個結婚。如果我告訴他他會笑壞了的！”

“不許，瓊，”她母親說，“你永遠不許重複不好的閒話。”

“你早有'打算'嗎，媽媽？”麥格問。

“所有的母親都有打算的，親愛的，”馬奇太太說。“可我認為我的打算跟墨菲太太的有所不同。我要我的女兒們被愛，我要大家都喜歡她們。我要她們婚姻美滿，可不是只為了富有而嫁給富人。如果你們成為窮人的妻子，可那意味著你們擁有幸福寧靜的生活，我倒寧願你們那樣做。不過你們的父親和我相信我們會永遠為我們的女兒自豪，無論她們是單身還是已婚。”

“你們會的，你們會的。”麥格和瓊異口同聲地說道。