# ■ 12 Love and Mr Brooke

When Beth woke from her long sleep，she looked into her mother's face and smiled．Then she slept again，but Mrs March held on to her daughter's thin little hand．

Hannah made breakfast while Meg and Jo listened as their mother told them about their father's health，and Mr Brooke's promise to stay with him．Then Meg and Jo closed their tired eyes and were able to rest at last．

Laurie went to give the good news to Amy at Aunt March's house． He， too， was tired after the long night， and just man-aged to finish telling his story before he fell asleep in the chair．Amy began to write a short letter to her mother， but before she could finish it， she saw Mrs March coming towards her aunt's house！Amy ran to meet her．

There were probably many happy little girls in the city that day，but Amy was the happiest of them all as she sat on her mother's knee．'I've been thinking a lot about Beth，'she said．'Everyone loves her because she isn't selfish．People wouldn't feel half so bad about me if I was sick， but I'd like to be loved and missed．I'm going to try and be like Beth as much as I can．'

Her mother kissed her．'I'm sure you will succeed，'she said．'Now I must go back to Beth． Be patient， little daughter， and we'll soon have you home again．'That evening， while Meg was writing to her father， Jo went upstairs to Beth's room and found her mother beside the bed，as the little girl slept．

I want to tell you something， Mother，'said Jo．

Is it about Meg？'said Mrs March．

How quickly you guessed！'said Jo．'Yes， it's about her．Last summer，Meg lost one of her gloves at the Laurences'picnic，and later Laurie told me that Mr Brooke had it，and kept it in his coat pocket． It fell out once， and Laurie saw it．Mr Brooke told Laurie that he liked Meg but was afraid to tell her because she was so young and he was so poor． Isn't it all awful？'

Do you think Meg likes and cares about him？'asked Mrs March，with a worried look．

I don t know anything about love！'said Jo．

Do you think she's not in interested in John？'said Mrs March．

Who？'said Jo， staring．

Mr Brooke，' said her mother．'I call him John because we became good friends at the hospital．'

Oh，dear！' said Jo．'He's been good to Father， and nowyou'll let Meg marry him，if she wants to．'

My dear，don't be angry，' said Mrs March．'John told us quite honestly that he loved Meg， but said he would earn enough money for a comfortable home before he asked her to marry him． He wants very much to make her love him if hecan．He's an excellent young man，but your father and I will not agree to Meg marrying before she is twenty．'

I want her to marry Laurie， and be rich，' said Jo．'I'm afraid Laurie isn't grown-up enough for Meg，' said Mrs March．'Don't make plans， Jo．Let time and their own hearts bring your friends together．'

Meg came in with the letter for her father．

Beautifully written，my dear，'said her mother，looking at the letter．'Please add that I send my love to John．''Do you call him John？'said Meg，smiling．

Yes， he's been like a son to us and we are very fond ofhim，'said Mrs March，watching her daughter closely．

I'm glad of that， because he's so lonely，'was Meg's qui-et answer．'Goodnight，Mother dear．'

Mrs March kissed her gently．'She does not love John yet，'she thought，'but she will soon learn to．'

■ 12 愛和布魯克先生

當白絲從她的長覺中醒來，她望著母親的臉，笑了。然後她又睡去了，可馬奇太太依舊握著女兒瘦瘦的小手。

海娜做早餐的時候，麥格和瓊聽她們的母親講述父親的健康狀況，她還說布魯克先生答應和他呆在一起。然後麥格和瓊合上了眼睛，終於能休息了。

羅瑞去把好消息告訴在馬奇姑媽家的艾米，經過那個長夜，他也太累了，剛一講完他的故事，他就在椅子上睡著了。

艾米開始給母親寫一封短信，可還沒等寫完，她就看見馬奇太太正朝馬奇姑媽家走來！艾米跑過去迎接她。

那天城裡大概有許多幸福的女孩，可當艾米坐在母親的膝頭上時，她就是她們中最幸福的一個。“我一直在惦念白絲，”她說。“每個人都喜歡她，因為她不自私。如果是我病了，大家一定不會有這個一半的感覺，可我希望被愛、被惦念。我一定努力像白絲那樣。”

她的母親吻了她。“我肯定你會成功的，”她說。“現在我得回到白絲那兒去。耐心點，小女兒，我們不久就讓你回家。”

那天晚上，在麥格給父親寫信的時候，瓊走上樓，來到白絲的房間，她發現母親正在床邊，白絲睡著了。

“我想告訴你些事，媽媽，”瓊說。

“是關於麥格的吧？”馬奇太太問。

“你猜得真快！”瓊說，“是的，是關於她。夏天，麥格在勞倫斯家的野餐會上丟了一隻手套，後來羅瑞告訴我布魯克先生拿了，把它放在他的外套口袋裡。有一次它掉了出來，羅瑞看到了。布魯克先生告訴羅瑞他喜歡麥格，卻不敢告訴她，因為她太年輕而他又那麼窮。這是不是很糟糕？”

“你覺得麥格喜歡他、在乎他嗎？”馬奇太太面帶憂慮地問。

“我對愛一無所知！”瓊說。

“你認為她對約翰不感興趣？”馬奇太太問。

“誰？”瓊瞪著眼問。

“布魯克先生，”她母親說。“我管他叫約翰，因為我們在醫院成了好朋友。”

“噢，天哪！”瓊說。“他對爸爸好，現在你又讓麥格嫁給他，如果她想的話。”

“我親愛的，別生氣，”馬奇太太說。“約翰非常誠懇地告訴我們說他愛麥格，可他說他要等到賺了足夠的錢建一個舒適的家時才向麥格求婚。他非常想盡他所能讓她愛他。他是個很出色的人，可你爸爸和我在麥格20歲之前不會同意她結婚。”

“我要讓他嫁給羅瑞，變得富有，”瓊說。

“恐怕羅瑞對麥格來說還沒長大，”馬奇太太說。“別做任何打算，瓊。讓時間和他們自己的心把你的朋友們帶到一起。”

麥格走進來，手裡拿著給她父親的信。

“寫得很棒，親愛的，”她母親看著信說。“請加上我帶給約翰我的愛。”

“你管他叫約翰嗎？”麥格笑著問。

“是的，他就像個兒子那樣對我們，我們都很喜歡他，”馬奇太太說，同時仔細地觀察著女兒。

“我很高興是那樣，因為他太孤單了。”麥格很安靜地答道。“晚安，親愛的媽媽。”

馬奇太太溫柔地吻了她。“她還不愛約翰，”她想，“可她很快就會學會的。”