Little Women Page #3

are Beth and Amy.

How do you do?

We know all about you, you know.

About how you ran away to join the Army.

And I'd have done the same in your place.

And how you were both

in the same regiment, which is splendid.

Josephine, come on, please.

Well, 'bye.

What will they think? Stopping to talk

when we hadn't met them properly.

I don't care.

Anyway, you weren't very friendly.

You wouldn't even say "how do you do?"

I didn't like the way

that man stared at me.

What man? Mr. Brooke? I didn't notice.

Well, I did.

He's still looking.

- Who?

- Mr. Brooke. Don't look back.

Who, me?

One for you.

And one for me. Isn't this fun?

Doesn't that taste good?

Hello! Hustle yourself

and come on out and help me.

- I can't. I have the quinsy.

- What a shame!

It isn't contagious. I can have visitors.

I don't know anyone, though.

Well, you know me.

Would you care to come over

and keep me company?

Marmee!

Miss March calling on Mr. Laurence.

The young one.

- Won't you come in, Miss March?

- Thank you, I will.

- Hello, Miss March.

- Hello.

- Let me take your coat.

- Thank you.

Here's some blancmange.

It's soft and will slide down easily.

Thank you.

I've come to entertain you.

I'll read aloud and you can listen.

I do love to read aloud.

I'd rather just talk, if you don't mind.

- Oh no, I love to talk, too.

- Very well.

Christopher Columbus!

What richness! This is a palace!

It's marvelous!

So roomy and so full of things.

And look at the flowers!

They're lovely. Absolutely lovely!

I call this splendor, I really do.

Theodore Laurence, you ought to be

the happiest creature alive.

It just looks like a room to me.

And it certainly doesn't make me happy.

- Let's have some tea. How many lumps?

- One, please.

Three.

Well, Mr. Laurence,

now do tell me all about yourself.

I know about your school and the Army,

in fact, everything.

But before that, what?

- I used to live in Europe with my...

- Europe?

- I'm going to Europe.

- Really? When?

I don't know exactly.

You see, my Aunt March...

I just started working as her companion.

What a nervous, fidgety soul she is, too.

Anyway, my Aunt March has rheumatism,

and the doctor thought baths.

Not that she hasn't got a bath.

She has a very nice one.

Did you have any baths

while you were there?

- I mean for your rheumatism?

- I haven't got rheumatism.

Neither have I, but I figured

baths wouldn't do me any harm.

That is to say, while I was there.

I've always wanted to go to Europe.

Not for the baths, of course,

but for my writing.

It's so good for writers.

You see Aunt March...

But you don't know her.

What were you going to say,

Mr. Laurence?

I wasn't going to say anything.

But I'm not Mr. Laurence. I'm Laurie.

Well, Laurie.

How are you getting along

with your grandfather?

Fine. Once I get used to him.

You know he's... Well, he's all right.

- Yes, I know.

- Isn't he a holy terror?

You ought to see my Aunt March.

- This looks too good to eat.

- It is. Meg made it. She's the oldest.

She is?

- Brooke and I were wondering...

- Why? I mean, why should he wonder?

He seems quite taken

by your sister's beauty...

and he wondered if there was anybody...

That is, anybody she liked.

- Did he ask you to find out?

- No, I just...

You may tell him

we don't like anybody in our house.

That is, we like a great many people,

but we don't like young men.

We like young men, too,

but we don't like those...

who wonder about who else we like.

Meg is too young and far too clever...

to bother about who wonders about her.

It's all ridiculous!

- You're on fire!

- Fire?

Clumsy of me.

Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you.

That's the second dress

I've scorched this week.

I like to toast myself and I get too close.

I think I'd better go home.

Please don't go home.

It's dull as tombs in here.

Is that why you stand at your window

looking in at us?

It's rude of me, I know.

But you always seem to be having

such a good time.

When the lamps are lit, it's like a picture...

to see you all around the fire

with your mother.

Where's your mother?

She died in France shortly after my father.

I'm sorry, truly.

I give you leave

to look in at us whenever you like.

Only why don't you come over?

Then you'd be a part of the picture.

And Marmee is so splendid.

Grandfather might not approve.

He doesn't believe in being neighborly.

- He'd say I was imposing.

- Oh, bilge.

He looks grim, all right.

I can see how his face

might frighten a lot of people.

But I can't imagine being afraid of him.

Of course, every time I've ever seen him,

he's been barking at something.

Somehow, I rather like him.

Well, thank you, ma'am.

And you think my face frightens people,

do you?

Yes, sir. Frankly, I do.

You understand, I don't think you mean

to frighten them, but your face...

Well, you asked me, sir. Yes, I do think so.

And I bark, do I?

I've heard you bark. Yes, sir.

Perhaps you don't bark all the time,

but you do bark. Yes, sir.

And with all that,

you rather like me, do you?

Yes, I do.

I really do, in spite of everything.

And I like you.

- Will you have a cup of tea?

- Thank you, I had one. I was just going.

- I'll walk home with you.

- No, young man, you're staying indoors.

I will see Miss March home.

I want to pay my respects to your mother.

I'm afraid I've neglected

my neighborly duties too long.

Higher, higher.

Class is dismissed.

I hope this'll teach her a lesson.

- Stuck-up thing.

- That'll teach her not to cut up didoes.

Amy March, you may close the door.

Mr. Davis, if I solemnly promise

not to draw anymore on my slate...

when I'm supposed to be doing sums,

may I go?

- Have I your promise?

- Yes, sir.

Very well.

Give me your slate.

Oh, no.

Your slate, Miss March.

I beg of you.

Did you draw this, Miss March?

I think so.

Hand me the ruler.

Hold out your hand.

Higher.

I'm ready, Mr. Davis.

You may go, Miss March.

Oh, thank you.

- What did he do?

- What did he say?

- Did he punish you some more?

- Tell us.

He didn't say anything.

I merely told him

that my mother would certainly...

take me out of this miserable school

when I told her how I'd been "humilated."

I told him I could not stay

to discuss the matter with him...

as I have to prepare

for the ball I am attending tonight...

which is being given in my honor

by Mr. James Laurence, the millionaire.

I told him I could not stand

the "deggeradation"...

of being forced to attend school

with a lot of ill-mannered girls...

who stick their silly noses

into refined, elegant people's business.

The stuck-up thing.

Oh, dear, it shows.

I don't know what you're going to do?

I'll blend it in.

I can do it with a few strokes of the brush.

Splendid. I'll stick

to every chair in the place.

- I thought if I pinned this bow over it...

- A bow? There?

I'm sorry, but you'll just have to sit on it.

Sit on one patch all evening.

She could stand

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