“Idothinkitwasthemostfortunatethingintheworldthatthosechildrenshouldhavethemeaslesjustnow，“saidMeg，oneAprilday，asshestoodpackingthe`goabroady’trunkinherroom，surroundedbyhersisters。
　　“AndsoniceofAnnieMoffatnottoforgetherpromise。A
　　wholefortnightoffunwillberegularlysplendid，“repliedJo，lookinglikeawindmillasshefoldedskirtswithherlongarms。
　　“Andsuchlovelyweather，I’msogladofthat，“addedBeth，tidilysortingneckandhairribbonsinherbestbox，lentforthegreatoccasion。
　　“IwishIwasgoingtohaveafinetimeandwearallthesenicethings，“saidAmywithhermouthfullofpins，assheartisticallyreplenishedhersister’scushion。
　　“Iwishyouwereallgoing，butasyoucan’t，IshallkeepmyadventurestotellyouwhenIcomeback。I’msureit’stheleastIcandowhenyouhavebeensokind，lendingmethingsandhelpingmegetready，“saidMeg，glancingroundtheroomattheverysimpleoutfit，whichseemednearlyperfectintheireyes。
　　“WhatdidMothergiveyououtofthetreasurebox？“askedAmy，whohadnotbeenpresentattheopeningofacertaincedarchestinwhichMrs。Marchkeptafewrelicsofpastsplendor，asgiftsforhergirlswhenthepropertimecame。
　　“Apairofsilkstockings，thatprettycarvedfan，andalovelybluesash。Iwantedthevioletsilk，butthereisn’ttimetomakeitover，soImustbecontentedwithmyoldtarlatan。“
　　“Itwilllookniceovermynewmuslinskirt，andthesashwillsetitoffbeautifully。IwishIhadn’tsmashedmycoralbracelet，foryoumighthavehadit，“saidJo，wholovedtogiveandlend，butwhosepossessionswereusuallytoodilapidatedtobeofmuchuse。
　　“Thereisalovelyold-fashionedpearlsetinthetreasurechest，butMothersaidrealflowersweretheprettiestornamentforayounggirl，andLauriepromisedtosendmeallIwant，“
　　repliedMeg。“Now，letmesee，there’smynewgraywalkingsuit，justcurlupthefeatherinmyhat，Beth，thenmypoplinforSundayandthesmallparty，itlooksheavyforspring，doesn’tit？Thevioletsilkwouldbesonice。Oh，dear!“
　　“Nevermind，you’vegotthetarlatanforthebigparty，andyoualwayslooklikeanangelinwhite，“saidAmy，broodingoverthelittlestoreoffineryinwhichhersouldelighted。
　　“Itisn’tlow-necked，anditdoesn’tsweepenough，butitwillhavetodo。Mybluehousedresslookssowell，turnedandfreshlytrimmed，thatIfeelasifI’dgotanewone。Mysilksacqueisn’tabitthefashion，andmybonnetdoesn’tlooklikeSallie’s。Ididn’tliketosayanything，butIwassadlydisappointedinmyumbrella。ItoldMotherblackwithawhitehandle，butsheforgotandboughtagreenonewithayellowishhandle。It’sstrongandneat，soIoughtnottocomplain，butI
　　knowIshallfeelashamedofitbesideAnnie’ssilkonewithagoldtop，“sighedMeg，surveyingthelittleumbrellawithgreatdisfavor。
　　“Changeit，“advisedJo。
　　“Iwon’tbesosilly，orhurtMarmee’sfeelings，whenshetooksomuchpainstogetmythings。It’sanonsensicalnotionofmine，andI’mnotgoingtogiveuptoit。Mysilkstockingsandtwopairsofnewglovesaremycomfort。Youareadeartolendmeyours，Jo。Ifeelsorichandsortofelegant，withtwonewpairs，andtheoldonescleanedupforcommon。“AndMegtookarefreshingpeepatherglovebox。
　　“AnnieMoffathasblueandpinkbowsonhernightcaps。
　　Wouldyouputsomeonmine？“sheasked，asBethbroughtupapileofsnowymuslins，freshfromHannah’shands。
　　“No，Iwouldn’t，forthesmartcapswon’tmatchtheplaingownswithoutanytrimmingonthem。Poorfolksshouldn’trig，“
　　saidJodecidedly。
　　“IwonderifIshalleverbehappyenoughtohavereallaceonmyclothesandbowsonmycaps？“saidMegimpatiently。
　　“Yousaidtheotherdaythatyou’dbeperfectlyhappyifyoucouldonlygotoAnnieMoffat’s，“observedBethinherquietway。
　　“SoIdid!Well，Iamhappy，andIwon’tfret，butitdoesseemasifthemoreonegetsthemoreonewants，doesn’tit？Therenow，thetraysareready，andeverythinginbutmyballdress，whichIshallleaveforMothertopack，“saidMeg，cheeringup，assheglancedfromthehalf-filledtrunktothemanytimespressedandmendedwhitetarlatan，whichshecalledher`balldress’withanimportantair。
　　Thenextdaywasfine，andMegdepartedinstyleforafortnightofnoveltyandpleasure。Mrs。Marchhadconsentedtothevisitratherreluctantly，fearingthatMargaretwouldcomebackmorediscontentedthanshewent。Butshebeggedsohard，andSalliehadpromisedtotakegoodcareofher，andalittlepleasureseemedsodelightfulafterawinterofirksomeworkthatthemotheryielded，andthedaughterwenttotakeherfirsttasteoffashionablelife。
　　TheMoffatswereveryfashionable，andsimpleMegwasratherdaunted，atfirst，bythesplendorofthehouseandtheeleganceofitsoccupants。Buttheywerekindlypeople，inspiteofthefrivolouslifetheyled，andsoonputtheirguestatherease。
　　PerhapsMegfelt，withoutunderstandingwhy，thattheywerenotparticularlycultivatedorintelligentpeople，andthatalltheirgildingcouldnotquiteconcealtheordinarymaterialofwhichtheyweremade。Itcertainlywasagreeabletofaresumptuously，driveinafinecarriage，wearherbestfrockeveryday，anddonothingbutenjoyherself。Itsuitedherexactly，andsoonshebegantoimitatethemannersandconversationofthoseabouther，toputonlittleairsandgraces，useFrenchphrases，crimpherhair，takeinherdresses，andtalkaboutthefashionsaswellasshecould。ThemoreshesawofAnnieMoffat’sprettythings，themoresheenviedherandsighedtoberich。Homenowlookedbareanddismalasshethoughtofit，workgrewharderthanever，andshefeltthatshewasaverydestituteandmuch-injuredgirl，inspiteofthenewglovesandsilkstockings。
　　Shehadnotmuchtimeforrepining，however，forthethreeyounggirlswerebusilyemployedin`havingagoodtime’。Theyshopped，walked，rode，andcalledallday，wenttotheatersandoperasorfrolickedathomeintheevening，forAnniehadmanyfriendsandknewhowtoentertainthem。Heroldersisterswereveryfineyoungladies，andonewasengaged，whichwasextremelyinterestingandromantic，Megthought。Mr。Moffatwasafat，jollyoldgentleman，whoknewherfather，andMrs。Moffat，afat，jollyoldlady，whotookasgreatafancytoMegasherdaughterhaddone。Everyonepettedher，and`Daisey’，astheycalledher，wasinafairwaytohaveherheadturned。
　　Whentheeveningforthesmallpartycame，shefoundthatthepoplinwouldn’tdoatall，fortheothergirlswereputtingonthindressesandmakingthemselvesveryfineindeed。Sooutcamethetarlatan，lookingolder，limper，andshabbierthaneverbesideSallie’scrispnewone。Megsawthegirlsglanceatitandthenatoneanother，andhercheeksbegantoburn，forwithallhergentlenessshewasveryproud。Noonesaidawordaboutit，butSallieofferedtodressherhair，andAnnietotiehersash，andBelle，theengagedsister，praisedherwhitearms。ButintheirkindnessMegsawonlypityforherpoverty，andherheartfeltveryheavyasshestoodbyherself，whiletheotherslaughed，chattered，andflewaboutlikegauzybutterflies。Thehard，bitterfeelingwasgettingprettybad，whenthemaidbroughtinaboxofflowers。Beforeshecouldspeak，Anniehadthecoveroff，andallwereexclaimingatthelovelyroses，heath，andfernwithin。
　　“It’sforBelle，ofcourse，Georgealwayssendshersome，butthesearealtogetherravishing，“criedAnnie，withagreatsniff。
　　“TheyareforMissMarch，themansaid。Andhere’sanote，“
　　putinthemaid，holdingittoMeg。
　　“Whatfun!Whoaretheyfrom？Didn’tknowyouhadalover，“
　　criedthegirls，flutteringaboutMeginahighstateofcuriosityandsurprise。
　　“ThenoteisfromMother，andtheflowersfromLaurie，“saidMegsimply，yetmuchgratifiedthathehadnotforgottenher。
　　“Oh，indeed!“saidAnniewithafunnylook，asMegslippedthenoteintoherpocketasasortoftalismanagainstenvy，vanity，andfalsepride，forthefewlovingwordshaddonehergood，andtheflowerscheeredherupbytheirbeauty。
　　Feelingalmosthappyagain，shelaidbyafewfernsandrosesforherself，andquicklymadeuptherestindaintybouquetsforthebreasts，hair，orskirtsofherfriends，offeringthemsoprettilythatClara，theeldersister，toldhershewas`thesweetestlittlethingsheeversaw’，andtheylookedquitecharmedwithhersmallattention。Somehowthekindactfinishedherdespondency，andwhenalltherestwenttoshowthemselvestoMrs。Moffat，shesawahappy，bright-eyedfaceinthemirror，asshelaidherfernsagainstherripplinghairandfastenedtherosesinthedressthatdidn’tstrikeherassoveryshabbynow。
　　Sheenjoyedherselfverymuchthatevening，forshedancedtoherheart’scontent。Everyonewasverykind，andshehadthreecompliments。Anniemadehersing，andsomeonesaidshehadaremarkablyfinevoice。MajorLincolnaskedwho`thefreshlittlegirlwiththebeautifuleyes’was，andMr。Moffatinsistedondancingwithherbecauseshe`didn’tdawdle，buthadsomespringinher’，ashegracefullyexpressedit。Soaltogethershehadaverynicetime，tillsheoverheardabitofconversation，whichdisturbedherextremely。Shewassittingjustinsidetheconservatory，waitingforherpartnertobringheranice，whensheheardavoiceaskontheothersideoftheflowerywall……
　　“Howoldishe？“
　　“Sixteenorseventeen，Ishouldsay，“repliedanothervoice。
　　“Itwouldbeagrandthingforoneofthosegirls，wouldn’tit？Salliesaystheyareveryintimatenow，andtheoldmanquitedotesonthem。“
　　“Mrs。M。hasmadeherplans，Idaresay，andwillplayhercardswell，earlyasitis。Thegirlevidentlydoesn’tthinkofityet，“saidMrs。Moffat。
　　“Shetoldthatfibabouthermomma，asifshedidknow，andcoloredupwhentheflowerscamequiteprettily。Poorthing!
　　She’dbesoniceifshewasonlygotupinstyle。Doyouthinkshe’dbeoffendedifweofferedtolendheradressforThursday？“
　　askedanothervoice。
　　“She’sproud，butIdon’tbelieveshe’dmind，forthatdowdytarlatanisallshehasgot。Shemaytearittonight，andthatwillbeagoodexcuseforofferingadecentone。“
　　HereMeg’spartnerappeared，tofindherlookingmuchflushedandratheragitated。Shewasproud，andherpridewasusefuljustthen，forithelpedherhidehermortification，anger，anddisgustatwhatshehadjustheard。For，innocentandunsuspiciousasshewas，shecouldnothelpunderstandingthegossipofherfriends。Shetriedtoforgetit，butcouldnot，andkeptrepeatingtoherself，“Mrs。M。hasmadeherplans，““thatfibabouthermamma，“and’dowdytarlatan，“tillshewasreadytocryandrushhometotellhertroublesandaskforadvice。Asthatwasimpossible，shedidherbesttoseemgay，andbeingratherexcited，shesucceededsowellthatnoonedreamedwhataneffortshewasmaking。
　　Shewasverygladwhenitwasalloverandshewasquietinherbed，whereshecouldthinkandwonderandfumetillherheadachedandherhotcheekswerecooledbyafewnaturaltears。Thosefoolish，yetwellmeantwords，hadopenedanewworldtoMeg，andmuchdisturbedthepeaceoftheoldoneinwhichtillnowshehadlivedashappilyasachild。HerinnocentfriendshipwithLauriewasspoiledbythesillyspeechesshehadoverheard。HerfaithinhermotherwasalittleshakenbytheworldlyplansattributedtoherbyMrs。Moffat，whojudgedothersbyherself，andthesensibleresolutiontobecontentedwiththesimplewardrobewhichsuitedapoorman’sdaughterwasweakenedbytheunnecessarypityofgirlswhothoughtashabbydressoneofthegreatestcalamitiesunderheaven。