she stroked the wavy hair which had been allowed to grow for her sake—how touching that was, to be sure!—
“I agree with mother that you and I are not suited to each other, because our quick tempers and strong wills would probably make us very miserable, if we were so foolish as to—” Jo paused a little over the last word, but Laurie uttered it with a rapturous expression—
“Marry—no, we shouldn’t! If you loved me, Jo, I should be a perfect saint, for you could make me anything you like.”
“No, I can’t. I’ve tried it and failed, and I won’t risk our happiness by such a serious experiment. We don’t agree and we never shall; so we’ll be good friends all our lives, but we won’t go and do anything rash.”
“Yes, we will if we get the chance,” muttered Laurie rebelliously.
“Now do be reasonable, and take a sensible view of the case,” implored Jo, almost at her wit’s end.
“I won’t be reasonable; I don’t want to take what you call ‘a sensible view;’ it won’t help me, and it only makes you harder. I don’t believe you’ve got any heart.”
“I wish I hadn’t!”
There was a little quiver in Jo’s voice, and, thinking it a good omen, Laurie turned round, bringing all his persuasive powers to bear as he said, in the wheedlesome tone that had never been so dangerously wheedlesome before—
“Don’t disappoint us, dear! Everyone expects it. Grandpa has set his heart upon it, your people like it, and I can’t get on without you. Say you will, and let’s be happy. Do, do!”