“Jo, dear, I want to say one thing, and then we’ll put it by forever.  As I told you in my letter when I wrote that Amy had been so kind to me, I never shall stop loving you, but the love is altered, and I have learned to see that it is better as it is.  Amy and you changed places in my heart, that’s all.  I think it was meant to be so, and would have come about naturally, if I had waited, as you tried to make me, but I never could be patient, and so I got a heartache.  I was a boy then, headstrong and violent, and it took a hard lesson to show me my mistake.  For it was one, Jo, as you said, and I found it out, after making a fool of myself.  Upon my word, I was so tumbled up in my mind, at one time, that I didn’t know which I loved best, you or Amy, and tried to love you both alike.  But I couldn’t, and when I saw her in Switzerland, everything seemed to clear up all at once.  You both got into your right places, and I felt sure that it was well off with the old love before it was on with the new, that I could honestly share my heart between sister Jo and wife Amy, and love them dearly.  Will you believe it, and go back to the happy old times when we first knew one another?”

“I’ll believe it, with all my heart, but, Teddy, we never can be boy and girl again.  The happy old times can’t come back, and we mustn’t expect it.  We are man and woman now, with sober work to do, for playtime is over, and we must give up frolicking.  I’m sure you feel this.  I see the change in you, and you’ll find it in me.  I shall miss my boy, but I shall love the man as much, and admire him more, because he means to be what I hoped he would.  We can’t be little playmates any longer, but we will be brother and sister, to love and help one another all our lives, won’t we, Laurie?”

He did not say a word, but took the hand she offered him, and laid his face down on it for a minute, feeling that out of the grave of a boyish passion, there had risen a beautiful, strong friendship to bless them both.  Presently Jo said cheerfully, for she didn’t want the coming home to be a sad one, “I can’t make it true that you children are really married and going to set up housekeeping.  Why, it seems only yesterday that I was buttoning Amy’s pinafore, and pulling your hair when you teased.  Mercy me, how time does fly!”

“As one of the children is older than yourself, you needn’t talk so like a grandma.  I flatter myself I’m a ‘gentleman growed’ as Peggotty said of David, and when you see Amy, you’ll find her rather a precocious infant,” said Laurie, looking amused at her maternal air.

“You may be a little older in years, but I’m ever so much older in feeling, Teddy.  Women always are, and this last year has been such a hard one that I feel forty.”

“Poor Jo!  We left you to bear it alone, while we went pleasuring.  You are older.  Here’s a line, and there’s another.  Unless you smile, your eyes look sad, and when I touched the cushion, just now, I found a tear on it.  You’ve had a great deal to bear, and had to bear it all alone.  What a selfish beast I’ve been!” and Laurie pulled his own hair, with a remorseful look.