CHAPTER FIVE

Being Neighborly

One morning, Jo went outside to make a path for Beth to walk through the snow. As she did her work, she looked over to the Laurence home, hoping to see the "Laurence boy" again. Since the party, she had been more eager than ever, and had planned many ways of making friends with him, but he had not been seen lately, and Jo began to think he had gone away. As she examined the lonely-looking home, she spotted the boy looking out sadly from an upstairs window.

"There he is," thought Jo, "poor boy! All alone and sick today. It's a shame!"

The boy's head turned, and he looked down with a great smile at Jo.

"How are you? Are you sick?" asked Jo.

Laurie opened the window, saying, "Better, thank you. I've had a bad cold, and was not allowed to leave the house this week."

"I'm sorry. What do you amuse yourself with?" "Nothing. It's dull and boring here."

"Don't you read?"

"Not much. They won't let me."

"Can't someone read to you?"

"Grandpa does sometimes, but my books don't interest him, and I hate to ask Brooke, my tutor, to read to me all the time."

"Have someone come and see you, then."

"There isn't anyone I'd like to see. Boys are so wild, and I'm too weak."

"Isn't there some nice girl who'd read and amuse you? Girls are quiet."

"Don't know any."

"You know us," began Jo.

"So I do! Will you come, please?" cried Laurie. "I'm not quiet and nice, but I'll come if Mother lets me. I'll go ask her. Shut that window like a good boy, and wait till I come."

Jo then marched into the house to speak to her mother. Laurie was quite excited at the idea of having company, and ran around his room to clean. Mrs March said he was a "little gentleman," and gave her daughter permission to go visit. Soon after, the servants at the Laurence home were surprised to find a young girl asking for "Mr Laurie."

"Here I am," she said cheerfully, walking into his room. "Mother sent her love and hopes you feel better. Meg wanted me to bring some of the dessert she made to you, and Beth thought her cats would be comforting, so I've brought them along, too. I knew you'd laugh at them, but I couldn't refuse, she was so anxious to do something."

Laurie, however, was delighted at having the kittens to play with.

"How kind you are! Now, please, sit down and let me amuse you."

"No, I came to amuse you. Shall I read aloud?" and Jo looked longingly at the bookshelf nearby.

"Thank you! I've read all those, but if you don't mind, I'd rather talk," answered Laurie.

"Not a bit. I'll talk all day if you'd like. Beth says I never know when to stop."

"Is Beth the one with pink cheeks, who stays at home usually?" asked Laurie with interest.

"Yes, that's Beth. She's my girl."

"The pretty one is Meg, and the curly-haired one is Amy, I believe?"

"How did you find that out?"

Laurie looked embarrassed, but answered, "I often hear you calling to one another, and when I'm alone up here, I often look over at your house. You always seem to be having such a good time. I'm sorry for being so rude, but sometimes you forget to close the curtains, and when the lights are on, it's like looking at a picture, with you all around the table with your mother. I don't have any mother, you know."

"Well, we'll never close the curtains anymore, and you may look as much as you like. I just wish, though, instead of watching, you'd come over and see us. Mother is so splendid, and Beth would sing to you and Amy would dance. Meg and I would make you laugh, and we'd have a wonderful time. Wouldn't your grandpa let you?"

"I think he would, if your mother asked him. He's very kind, though he does not look so. He lets me do what I like, as long as I don't bother strangers," began Laurie.

"We are not strangers, we are neighbors, and you shouldn't think you'd be a bother. We want to know you, and I've been trying to get to know you for so long. We haven't lived here for too long, you know, but still know all our neighbors but you."

"You see, Grandpa doesn't mind much what happens outside. Mr Brooke, my tutor, doesn't stay here, and I have no one to go about with me, so I usually just stay at home."

"That's bad. You should go out visiting everywhere you are asked. Then, you'll have many friends, and pleasant places to go to. Don't worry about being shy. It won't last long if you keep trying."

Then they got to talking about books, and to Jo's delight, she found that Laurie loved them as well as she did, and had read even more than herself.

"If you love them so much, come down and see ours. Grandpa is out, so don't be afraid," said Laurie. "I'm not afraid of anything," returned Jo.

Jo was amazed with the books, furniture and paintings, and looked about her with satisfaction. 'Theodore Laurence, you should be the happiest boy in the world!" she exclaimed.

"A boy can't live on books," said Laurie. Suddenly, a bell rang, and a servant came into the room.

"Dear me! It's your grandpa!" exclaimed Jo.

"Well, what if it is? You are not afraid of anything, you know," returned the boy.

"I think I am a little bit afraid of him, but I don't know why I should be. Marmee says he is quite a wonderful man."

"The doctor is here to see you, sir," said the servant after a moment.

"Would you mind if I left you for a minute? I suppose I must go see the doctor," said Laurie.

"Don't mind me. I'm quite happy here with all these books," answered Jo.

Laurie went away, and his guest amused herself in her own way. She was standing in front of a painting of old Mr Laurence when the door was opened again, and without turning, she said, "I'm sure now that I shouldn't be afraid of him, for he's got kind eyes. He isn't as handsome as my grandfather, but I like him."

"Thank you, Miss," said an old voice behind her, and there stood old Mr Laurence.

Jo was speechless with embarrassment, but she decided she would not run away.

"So you're not afraid of me?" asked the old man.

"Not much, sir."

"And you don't think me as handsome as your grandfather?"

"Not quite, sir."

"But you like me still?"

"Yes, I do, sir."

That answer pleased the old gentleman. He gave a short laugh, and shook hands with her, saying, "You've certainly got your grandfather's spirit. He was a fine man, but what is better he was also brave and honest, and I was proud to be his friend."

"Thank you, sir." And Jo was quite comfortable after that, for it suited her exactly.

"Now," said the old man, "won't you have tea with us?"

"Yes, I'd love to."

Laurie then returned to the room, astonished to see his grandfather and new friend smiling and laughing together.

The old gentleman did not say much as he drank his four cups of tea, but he watched the young people, who soon chatted away like old friends, and he observed quite a change in his grandson.

"The boy is lonely. I'll see what these little girls can do for him," thought Mr Laurence, as he looked and listened. He liked Jo, for her strange but honest ways suited him, and she seemed to understand the boy almost as well as if she had been one herself.

After they finished the tea, Jo planned to leave, but Laurie insisted that she see the indoor garden. As they entered the well-lighted room, she saw brightly-colored flowers and wonderful trees all around. While she looked around in amazement, Laurie was busy cutting the finest flowers till his hands were full. Then he tied them up, saying, with a happy look, "Please give these to your mother, and tell her I like the medicine she sent me very much."

They found Mr Laurence standing before the fire in the great sitting room, but Jo's attention was on the grand piano which stood open.

"Do you play?" she asked, turning to Laurie.

"Sometimes," he answered modestly.

"Please do now. I want to hear it, so I can tell Beth."

So Laurie played and Jo listened, and her respect for the "Laurence boy" increased very much, as he played remarkably well. She wished Beth could hear him, but she did not say so, and only praised him till he was red with embarrassment.

"That will do, young lady," said the grandfather. "His music isn't bad, but I hope he will do as well in more important things. Are you leaving? Well, I'm so glad you could come, and I hope you'll visit us again. Say hello to your mother. Good night, Doctor Jo."

When he said goodbye, he looked rather upset, and when she and Laurie went into the hall, she asked if she had upset the old man.

"No, it was me. He doesn't like to hear me play." "Why not?"

"I'll tell you some day. Will you come again, I hope?"

"If you promise to come and see us after you are well."

"I will."

"Good night, Laurie!"

"Good night, Jo, good night!"

When all the afternoon's adventures had been told, the family felt they should all go visit. Mrs March wished to talk of her father with the old man who had not forgotten him, Meg hoped to walk through the indoor garden, Beth wanted to see the grand piano, and Amy was eager to see the fine pictures.

"Mother, why didn't Mr Laurence like to have Laurie play?" asked Jo.

"I am not sure, but I think it was because his son, Laurie's father, married an Italian lady, a musician, which displeased the old man, who is very proud. The lady was good and lovely, but he did not like her, and never saw his son after he married. They both died when Laurie was a little child, and then his grandfather took him home. I suppose the boy, who was born in Italy, is not very strong, and the old man is afraid of losing him, which makes him so careful. Laurie loves music just as his mother did, and I believe his grandfather fears that he may want to be a musician. Perhaps the grandson's skill reminds him of the woman he did not like."

"Dear me, how romantic!" exclaimed Meg.

"How silly!" said Jo. "Let him be a musician if he wants to, and not send him to college when he hates to go."

"That's why he has such handsome black eyes and good manners, I suppose. Italians are always nice," said Meg.

"Well, we'll all be good to the Laurence boy because he hasn't got any mother, and he may come over and see us, right, Marmee?"

"Yes, Jo, your little friend is very welcome anytime," responded her mother.

(end of section)