# ■ 5 A surprise for Beth

Laurie and the four girls were soon great friends． Mr Brooke complained to the old gentleman that his student was always running across to see the Marches．

Let him have a bit of a holiday，'said Mr Laurence．'He can catch up with his studies later．'

What good times they had！Writing and acting plays，happy evenings at the Marches， and little parties at the big house．Only Beth was too shy to go there． When Mr Laurence heard about Beth's shyness， he came to have tea with their mother one day，and began to talk about music and great singers he had heard． Beth found it impossible to stay in her corner and came to listen．

Laurie hasn't much time for his music，'Mr Laurence told Mrs March，'so the piano is not used very often．Would any of your girls like to play it sometimes？ They needn't see or speak to anyone，and I'll be in my study．'He got up to go．'But if they don't want to come…'

At this moment， a little hand touched his own． It was Beth's． 'I-I want to come，'she said， her voice shaking．'Very much．'

You're the musical girl，'said Mr Laurence， gently．

I'm Beth． Yes，I love music， and I shall come．'

The next day， Beth waited until the old and the young gentlemen both went out， then she ran across to the big house and found her way to the room with the beautiful piano．As soon as she began to play， she forgot her fears immediately in the delight which the music gave her．

After that， Beth went every day． She never knew that Mr Laurence often opened his study door to hear her playing， or that Laurie stood in the hall to keep the servants away from the shy little girl． But she was so grateful that she asked her mother and sisters to help her make the old gentleman a pair of slippers． After several days careful sewing， the slippers were finished． Then Beth wrote a short letter and， with Laurie's help， left it with the slippers in the old man's study one morning， before he was up．

The next day， Beth went out for a walk， and when she came back the others were waiting for her． 'Here's a letter for you， Beth！' they called out．'Come and read it！'She hurried to the house and they took her into the front room．'Look there！' everyone was saying at once． Beth looked-and got the biggest surprise of her life！For there stood a lovely little piano， with a letter on the top of it，addressed to ：' Miss Elizabeth March'．

You-you read it， Jo，' whispered Beth．'I can't．'

So Jo opened the letter and began to read．

Dear Miss March，'she read， 'I have had many pairs of slippers but none which have pleased me so much as yours．I should like to thank pou for your kindness by sending you something that once belonged to my little granddaughter，who died．With many thanks． I am your good friend，James Laurence．'

Jo put an arm around her sister．'Now try it，Beth，'she said．

Beth sat down and began to play， and everyone thought it was the most perfect piano they had ever heard．

You'll have to go and thank him，'said Jo， with a smik，knowing that Beth was much too shy to do anything like that．

But Beth surprised them all.'I'll do it at once，' she said bravely， and away she walked， through the garden and into the big house next door．She went up to the old gentleman's study and knocked on the door．

Come in，'said Mr Laurence．

Beth went in．'I came to say thank you， sir，'she began，in her quiet little voice． But he looked so friendly that she ran and put both her arms around his neck and kissed him．

The old gentleman was so surprised that he nearly fell off his chair． But he was very pleased indeed by that shy little kiss，and soon the two of them were talking like old friends． Later，he walked home with Beth．The girls， watching with great interest from the window， could not believe their eyes．'Well，'Meg said，' I do believe the world is coming to an end！'

■ 5 白絲的驚喜

羅瑞和四個女孩子很快就成了要好的朋友。布魯克先生向老先生抱怨說，他的學生常跑過去看望馬奇一家。

“讓他放些假吧，”勞倫斯先生說。“他以後會補上他的功課的。”

他們玩得真開心！編寫和上演劇本，有時在馬奇家度過歡樂的夜晚，有時在大房子裡舉辦小型的聚會。只是白絲太害羞，她不去那兒。勞倫斯先生聽說了白絲的羞澀以後，有一天他來跟她們的母親一起喝茶，並開始談論音樂和他所聽說過的歌唱家。白絲髮覺自己根本不可能呆在她的角落裡，於是過來傾聽。

“羅瑞沒什麼時間彈琴，”勞倫斯先生對馬奇太太說，“所以鋼琴不怎麼常用。你的孩子有誰想有時過來彈琴嗎？他們不用跟任何人談話，而我會呆在我自己的書房裡。”他站起身要走，“可如果她們不願意來……”

此時，一隻小手碰了碰他的手。是白絲。“我，我想來，”她說，聲音顫抖，“非常想。”

“你就是那個喜歡音樂的孩子？”勞倫斯先生輕柔地問。

“我是白絲。是的，我熱愛音樂，我願意來。”

第二天，白絲等到老先生和小先生都出門去了，她就跑到那座大房子裡，徑直找到那個擺著鋼琴的房間。她一開始彈琴，立刻就在音樂帶給她的愉快中忘記了恐懼。

從此以後，白絲每天都去彈琴。她從不知道勞倫斯先生常常打開他書房的門聽她彈琴，或者羅瑞站在大廳裡讓僕人們走開以不打擾這個害羞的女孩。可是她非常感激，就讓她母親和姐妹們幫她給老先生做了一雙拖鞋。經過幾天精心的縫製，拖鞋做好了。然後白絲寫了一張簡短的字條，在羅瑞的幫助下，有一天早晨，趁老先生還沒起床時將字條和拖鞋放進了他的書房。

第二天，白絲出門散步，當她回家時，大家都在等她。“這兒有你一封信，白絲！”她們喊。“快過來讀讀！”她趕快回到家，她們帶她來到前廳。“看那兒！”每個人都立即說。白絲看過去——她得到了她一生中最大的驚喜！因為那裡擺放著一架小鋼琴，上面放著一封信，寫道：“伊麗莎白·馬奇小姐收。”

“你，你讀吧，瓊，”白絲喃喃地說，“我讀不了。”

於是瓊打開那封信讀起來。

“親愛的馬奇小姐，”她讀道，“我有過很多雙拖鞋，可沒有一雙像你送我的那雙那樣使我高興。為了感謝你，我想送你一樣曾經屬於我死去的小孫女的東西。謝謝，我是你的好朋友，詹姆斯·勞倫斯。”

瓊用一隻手臂摟住她的妹妹。“現在就試試，白絲，”她說。

白絲坐下來開始彈琴，每個人都認為這是她們聽過的最好的鋼琴。

“你得去謝謝他，”瓊說，面帶微笑。她深知白絲太害羞了，肯定不會去做那種事。

可白絲讓大家都吃了一驚。“我馬上就去，”她勇敢地說，然後她就走了，穿過花園，來到隔壁的大房子。她走到樓上老先生的書房，敲了敲門。

“請進，”勞倫斯先生說。

白絲走了進去。“我來向您說聲謝謝，先生，”她開始用她那平靜細小的聲音說話。可他看上去如此慈詳，她跑過去用雙臂摟住他的脖子吻了他一下。

老先生太吃驚了，他幾乎從他的椅子上掉了下來。可他實際上被那個羞澀的輕輕的吻弄得很高興，不久他們倆就像老朋友一樣地散步了。之後，他陪白絲走回家。其他的孩子們從窗戶中以極大的興趣看著這一幕，簡直不敢相信她們的眼睛。“哎，”麥格說，“我相信世界末日就要到了。”