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pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents, " grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

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Publié par	Pub One Info
Date de parution	27 septembre 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9782819927426
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0100€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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LITTLE WOMEN
by
Louisa May Alcott
CHAPTER ONE
PLAYING PILGRIMS
“Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
“It's so dreadful to be poor! ” sighed Meg, lookingdown at her old dress.
“I don't think it's fair for some girls to haveplenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all, ” addedlittle Amy, with an injured sniff.
“We've got Father and Mother, and each other, ” saidBeth contentedly from her corner.
The four young faces on which the firelight shonebrightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo saidsadly, “We haven't got Father, and shall not have him for a longtime. ” She didn't say “perhaps never, ” but each silently addedit, thinking of Father far away, where the fighting was.
Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in analtered tone, “You know the reason Mother proposed not having anypresents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winterfor everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money forpleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can't domuch, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do itgladly. But I am afraid I don't, ” and Meg shook her head, as shethought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.
“But I don't think the little we should spend woulddo any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be muchhelped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything fromMother or you, but I do want to buy Undine and Sintran formyself. I've wanted it so long, ” said Jo, who was a bookworm.
“I planned to spend mine in new music, ” said Beth,with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth brush andkettle-holder.
“I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing pencils;I really need them, ” said Amy decidedly.
“Mother didn't say anything about our money, and shewon't wish us to give up everything. Let's each buy what we want,and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it, ”cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanlymanner.
“I know I do— teaching those tiresome childrennearly all day, when I'm longing to enjoy myself at home, ” beganMeg, in the complaining tone again.
“You don't have half such a hard time as I do, ”said Jo. “How would you like to be shut up for hours with anervous, fussy old lady, who keeps you trotting, is neversatisfied, and worries you till you're ready to fly out the windowor cry? ”
“It's naughty to fret, but I do think washing dishesand keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world. It makes mecross, and my hands get so stiff, I can't practice well at all. ”And Beth looked at her rough hands with a sigh that any one couldhear that time.
“I don't believe any of you suffer as I do, ” criedAmy, “for you don't have to go to school with impertinent girls,who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at yourdresses, and label your father if he isn't rich, and insult youwhen your nose isn't nice. ”
“If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk aboutlabels, as if Papa was a pickle bottle, ” advised Jo, laughing.
“I know what I mean, and you needn't be statiricalabout it. It's proper to use good words, and improve yourvocabilary, ” returned Amy, with dignity.
“Don't peck at one another, children. Don't you wishwe had the money Papa lost when we were little, Jo? Dear me! Howhappy and good we'd be, if we had no worries! ” said Meg, who couldremember better times.
“You said the other day you thought we were a dealhappier than the King children, for they were fighting and frettingall the time, in spite of their money. ”
“So I did, Beth. Well, I think we are. For though wedo have to work, we make fun of ourselves, and are a pretty jollyset, as Jo would say. ”
“Jo does use such slang words! ” observed Amy, witha reproving look at the long figure stretched on the rug.
Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets,and began to whistle.
“Don't, Jo. It's so boyish! ”
“That's why I do it. ”
“I detest rude, unladylike girls! ”
“I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits! ”
“Birds in their little nests agree, ” sang Beth, thepeacemaker, with such a funny face that both sharp voices softenedto a laugh, and the “pecking” ended for that time.
“Really, girls, you are both to be blamed, ” saidMeg, beginning to lecture in her elder-sisterly fashion. “You areold enough to leave off boyish tricks, and to behave better,Josephine. It didn't matter so much when you were a little girl,but now you are so tall, and turn up your hair, you should rememberthat you are a young lady. ”
“I'm not! And if turning up my hair makes me one,I'll wear it in two tails till I'm twenty, ” cried Jo, pulling offher net, and shaking down a chestnut mane. “I hate to think I'vegot to grow up, and be Miss March, and wear long gowns, and look asprim as a China Aster! It's bad enough to be a girl, anyway, when Ilike boy's games and work and manners! I can't get over mydisappointment in not being a boy. And it's worse than ever now,for I'm dying to go and fight with Papa. And I can only stay homeand knit, like a poky old woman! ”
And Jo shook the blue army sock till the needlesrattled like castanets, and her ball bounded across the room.
“Poor Jo! It's too bad, but it can't be helped. Soyou must try to be contented with making your name boyish, andplaying brother to us girls, ” said Beth, stroking the rough headwith a hand that all the dish washing and dusting in the worldcould not make ungentle in its touch.
“As for you, Amy, ” continued Meg, “you arealtogether too particular and prim. Your airs are funny now, butyou'll grow up an affected little goose, if you don't take care. Ilike your nice manners and refined ways of speaking, when you don'ttry to be elegant. But your absurd words are as bad as Jo's slang.”
“If Jo is a tomboy and Amy a goose, what am I,please? ” asked Beth, ready to share the lecture.
“You're a dear, and nothing else, ” answered Megwarmly, and no one contradicted her, for the 'Mouse' was the pet ofthe family.
As young readers like to know 'how people look', wewill take this moment to give them a little sketch of the foursisters, who sat knitting away in the twilight, while the Decembersnow fell quietly without, and the fire crackled cheerfully within.It was a comfortable room, though the carpet was faded and thefurniture very plain, for a good picture or two hung on the walls,books filled the recesses, chrysanthemums and Christmas rosesbloomed in the windows, and a pleasant atmosphere of home peacepervaded it.
Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, andvery pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of softbrown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rathervain. Fifteen-year-old Jo was very tall, thin, and brown, andreminded one of a colt, for she never seemed to know what to dowith her long limbs, which were very much in her way. She had adecided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes, which appearedto see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful.Her long, thick hair was her one beauty, but it was usually bundledinto a net, to be out of her way. Round shoulders had Jo, big handsand feet, a flyaway look to her clothes, and the uncomfortableappearance of a girl who was rapidly shooting up into a woman anddidn't like it. Elizabeth, or Beth, as everyone called her, was arosy, smooth-haired, bright-eyed girl of thirteen, with a shymanner, a timid voice, and a peaceful expression which was seldomdisturbed. Her father called her 'Little Miss Tranquility', and thename suited her excellently, for she seemed to live in a happyworld of her own, only venturing out to meet the few whom shetrusted and loved. Amy, though the youngest, was a most importantperson, in her own opinion at least. A regular snow maiden, withblue eyes, and yellow hair curling on her shoulders, pale andslender, and always carrying herself like a young lady mindful ofher manners. What the characters of the four sisters were we willleave to be found out.
The clock struck six and, having swept up thehearth, Beth put a pair of slippers down to warm. Somehow the sightof the old shoes had a good effect upon the girls, for Mother wascoming, and everyone brightened to welcome her. Meg stoppedlecturing, and lighted the lamp, Amy got out of the easy chairwithout being asked, and Jo forgot how tired she was as she sat upto hold the slippers nearer to the blaze.
“They are quite worn out. Marmee must have a newpair. ”
“I thought I'd get her some with my dollar, ” saidBeth.
“No, I shall! ” cried Amy.
“I'm the oldest, ” began Meg, but Jo cut in with adecided, “I'm the man of the family now Papa is away, and I shallprovide the slippers, for he told me to take special care of Motherwhile he was gone. ”
“I'll tell you what we'll do, ” said Beth, “let'seach get her something for Christmas, and not get anything forourselves. ”
“That's like you, dear! What will we get? ”exclaimed Jo.
Everyone thought soberly for a minute, then Megannounced, as if the idea was suggested by the sight of her ownpretty hands, “I shall give her a nice pair of gloves. ”
“Army shoes, best to be had, ” cried Jo.
“Some handkerchiefs, all hemmed, ” said Beth.
“I'll get a little bottle of cologne. She likes it,and it won't cost much, so I'll have some left to buy my pencils, ”added Amy.
“How will we give the things? ” asked Meg.
“Put them on the table, and bring her in and see heropen the bundles. Don't you remember how we used to do on ourbirthdays? ” answered Jo.
“I used to be so frightened when it was my turn tosit in the chair with the crown on, and see you all come marchinground to give the presents, with a kiss. I liked the things and thekisses, but it was dreadful to have you sit looking at me while Iopened the bundles, ” said Beth, who was toasting her face and thebread for tea at the same time.
“Let Marmee think we are getting things forourselves, and then surprise her. We must go s