“It’s often so, and we like to watch it, for it is never the same, but always splendid,” replied Amy, wishing she could paint it.

“Jo talks about the country where we hope to live sometime—­the real country, she means, with pigs and chickens and haymaking.  It would be nice, but I wish the beautiful country up there was real, and we could ever go to it,” said Beth musingly.

“There is a lovelier country even than that, where we shall go, by-and-by, when we are good enough,” answered Meg with her sweetest voice.

“It seems so long to wait, so hard to do.  I want to fly away at once, as those swallows fly, and go in at that splendid gate.”

“You’ll get there, Beth, sooner or later, no fear of that,” said Jo.  “I’m the one that will have to fight and work, and climb and wait, and maybe never get in after all.”

“You’ll have me for company, if that’s any comfort.  I shall have to do a deal of traveling before I come in sight of your Celestial City.  If I arrive late, you’ll say a good word for me, won’t you, Beth?”

Something in the boy’s face troubled his little friend, but she said cheerfully, with her quiet eyes on the changing clouds, “If people really want to go, and really try all their lives, I think they will get in, for I don’t believe there are any locks on that door or any guards at the gate.  I always imagine it is as it is in the picture, where the shining ones stretch out their hands to welcome poor Christian as he comes up from the river.”

“Wouldn’t it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?” said Jo, after a little pause.

“I’ve made such quantities it would be hard to choose which I’d have,” said Laurie, lying flat and throwing cones at the squirrel who had betrayed him.

“You’d have to take your favorite one.  What is it?” asked Meg.

“If I tell mine, will you tell yours?”

“Yes, if the girls will too.”

“We will.  Now, Laurie.”

“After I’d seen as much of the world as I want to, I’d like to settle in Germany and have just as much music as I choose.  I’m to be a famous musician myself, and all creation is to rush to hear me.  And I’m never to be bothered about money or business, but just enjoy myself and live for what I like.  That’s my favorite castle.  What’s yours, Meg?”

Margaret seemed to find it a little hard to tell hers, and waved a brake before her face, as if to disperse imaginary gnats, while she said slowly, “I should like a lovely house, full of all sorts of luxurious things—­nice food, pretty clothes, handsome furniture, pleasant people, and heaps of money.  I am to be mistress of it, and manage it as I like, with plenty of servants, so I never need work a bit.  How I should enjoy it!  For I wouldn’t be idle, but do good, and make everyone love me dearly.”

“Wouldn’t you have a master for your castle in the air?” asked Laurie slyly.