Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

Little Womenbut if they knew how we fellows talked about themafterward, they’d mend their ways, I fancy.’‘They do the same, and as their tongues are thesharpest, you fellows get the worst of it, for you are as sillyas they, every bit. If you behaved properly, they would,but knowing you like their nonsense, they keep it up, andthen you blame them.’‘Much you know about it, ma’am,’ said Laurie in asuperior tone. ‘We don’t like romps and flirts, though wemay act as if we did sometimes. The pretty, modest girlsare never talked about, except respectfully, amonggentleman. Bless your innocent soul! If you could be inmy place for a month you’d see things that would astonishyou a trifle. Upon my word, when I see one of thoseharum-scarum girls, I always want to say with our friendCock Robin...‘Out upon you, fie upon you,Bold-faced jig!’It was impossible to help laughing at the funny conflictbetween Laurie’s chivalrous reluctance to speak ill ofwomankind, and his very natural dislike of the unfemininefolly of which fashionable society showed him manysamples. Jo knew that ‘young Laurence’ was regarded as amost eligible parti by worldly mamas, was much smiled574 of 861