“Gracious, I hope not! half of some of your things wouldn’t suit me at all. But we mustn’t stand philandering here; I’ve got to help Amy, so you go and make yourself splendid; and if you’ll be so very kind as to let Hayes take a few nice flowers up to the Hall, I’ll bless you forever.”
“Couldn’t you do it now?” asked Laurie, so suggestively that Jo shut the gate in his face with inhospitable haste, and called through the bars, “Go away, Teddy; I’m busy.”
Thanks to the conspirators, the tables were turned that night; for Hayes sent up a wilderness of flowers, with a lovely basket, arranged in his best manner, for a centrepiece; then the March family turned out en masse, and Jo exerted herself to some purpose, for people not only came, but stayed, laughing at her nonsense, admiring Amy’s taste, and apparently enjoying themselves very much. Laurie and his friends gallantly threw themselves into the breach, bought up the bouquets, encamped before the table, and made that corner the liveliest spot in the room. Amy was in her element now, and, out of gratitude, if nothing more, was as sprightly and gracious as possible—coming to the conclusion, about that time, that virtue was its own reward, after all.
Jo behaved herself with exemplary propriety; and when Amy was happily surrounded by her guard of honor, Jo circulated about the hall, picking up various bits of gossip, which enlightened her upon the subject of the Chester change of base. She reproached herself for her share of the ill-feeling, and resolved to exonerate Amy as soon as possible; she also discovered what Amy had done about the things in the morning, and considered her a model of magnanimity. As she passed the art-table, she glanced over it for her sister’s things, but saw no signs of them. “Tucked away out of sight, I dare say,” thought Jo, who could forgive her own wrongs, but hotly resented any insult offered to her family.
“Good evening, Miss Jo. How does Amy get on?” asked May, with a conciliatory air, for she wanted to show that she also could be generous.