human
Nelly,
gpt
I'm awake,
human
Why didn't you speak?
gpt
I was thinking, replied Nelly.
human
Sarah hasn't gone down yet.
gpt
Pshaw, said Rob,
human
It's awful cold, whispered Nelly;
gpt
I can't keep even my hands out of bed. I'm going to jump up and see if any hot air comes in at the register.
human
Cold as Greenland, Rob, she said,
gpt
Sarah can't have made the fire. I don't believe she is up.
human
Oh, dear, said Rob,
gpt
Oh, Rob! she said,
human
I don't want to be selfish about it. I'd be willing to take turns and be sick half the times; or some more than half,--I guess three-quarters: but I think you ought to have a little.
gpt
But don't you see, Nell, it can't be that way, interrupted Rob;
human
I don't think that would be so nice, Rob, said Nelly,
gpt
Pshaw, Nell, replied Rob, impatiently as before:
human
I don't know why: we have as many eyes as boys have. I see lots more things in the woods than you do, always.
gpt
Oh, not that sort of things, answered Rob;
human
he exclaimed suddenly, sitting bolt upright in bed in his excitement.
gpt
It's as cold as out-doors here, and there isn't a creature stirring in the house, and it's broad daylight.
human
Oh, Rob, do lie down and cover yourself up, cried Nelly.
gpt
You're a naughty boy, and you'll have another sore throat as sure's you're alive. It isn't broad daylight nor any thing like it. I can't but just see the stockings.
human
Can't but just see them! said Rob.
gpt
Didn't I tell you girls couldn't see any thing? Why, I can see them just as plain, just as plain as if I was in 'em! Ain't they big, Nell? I know what's in yours, for one thing.
human
Oh, Rob! do you? Tell me!
gpt
I can't, replied Rob.
human
I promised mamma I wouldn't. But it's something you've wanted awfully.
gpt
A doll, Rob! oh, is it a doll with eyes that can shut? oh, say, Rob! pleaded Nelly.
human
It's long past the time I ought to have had it, if you hadn't been sick: you might tell me. I'll tell you what one of your things is if you will.
gpt
I don't want to know, Nell, replied Rob,
human
You can't make her hear, Rob, answered Nelly.
gpt
They shut the doors ever so long ago. They were talking about something they didn't want us to hear.
human
How do you know?
gpt
Because I heard some of what they said, and I coughed so that they might know I was awake, replied Nelly.
human
Oh, Rob, it is awful!
gpt
What's awful? what is it, Nell? Tell me, can't you?
human
No, Rob I'm not going to tell you any thing about it, replied Nelly.
gpt
It wouldn't be fair, because they didn't want us to know. It'll be time enough when it comes.
human
When what comes? shouted Rob, thoroughly roused now.
gpt
I do say, Nell March, you're enough to try a saint. What did you tell me any thing about it for? I'll tell mamma the minute she comes in, and tell her you listened. Oh, shame, shame, shame on a listener!
human
Rob, you're just as mean as you can be, cried Nelly.
gpt
I didn't listen, and mamma knows very well I wouldn't do such a thing. Of course I couldn't help hearing when both doors were open, and I coughed out loud as soon as I thought about it that most likely they didn't mean we should know any thing about it. I heard papa say something about the children, and mamma said, 'we won't tell them till it is all settled,' and then I gave a great big cough, and she got up and shut both the doors; so now, Rob, you see I wasn't a listener. I wouldn't listen for any thing: mamma said once it was the very meanest kind of a lie in the whole world! Mamma knows I wouldn't do it, and you can just tell her what you like, you old hateful boy.
human
Oh, there are grandpa's things coming! and they would run out to see them unloaded. You would have thought that old Mr. March supposed there was nothing to eat in all the village, to see what quantities of food he sent up. But the most peculiar thing about it was that he sent such queer things. He was as queer about his food as he was about every thing else, and he did not eat the things other people ate. For instance, he never ate butter; he ate fresh olive oil on everything; and he had a notion that no olive oil was brought to this country to sell which was fit to eat. He had an intimate friend who was an old sea captain, and used to sail to Smyrna; this sea captain used to bring over for him large boxes of bottles of olive oil every spring and autumn; and two or three of these boxes he would use up in the course of the winter. He never used more than half of the oil in a bottle: after it had been opened a few days, he did not like it; he would smell it very carefully each day, and, by the third or fourth day, he would shove the bottle from him, and say,
gpt
Bah! throw the stuff away! throw it away! it isn't fit to eat! Mrs. March had great trouble in disposing of these half bottles of oil; everybody in the neighborhood took them, and very glad people were to get them too, for the oil was delicious; but there were enough for two or three villages of the size of Mayfield. These sweet-oil boxes had curious letters on them in scarlet and blue, and the bottles were all rolled up in a sort of shining silver paper, which Rob and Nelly used to keep to cover boxes with. It was very pretty, so they were always glad when they saw a big pile of the olive-oil boxes. Then there were also boxes full of bottles of pepper-sauce; this came in big black bottles, and the little peppers showed red through the glass; the smallest drop of this pepper-sauce made your mouth burn like fire, but this queer old gentleman used to pour it over every thing he ate. The big bottle of pepper-sauce and the big bottle of olive oil were always put by his plate, and he poured first from one and then from the other, until the food on his plate was nearly swimming in the strange mixture. Salt fish was another of his favorite dishes, and he brought up every autumn huge piles of them. They came in flat packages, tied up with coarse cord; when Mr. Earle threw them down to the ground from the top of his wagon a strong and disagreeable odor rose in the air, and Rob and Nelly used to exclaim,
human
Groans for the salt fish! groans for the salt fish! Why didn't you lose it off the wagon, Mr. Earle?
gpt
It wouldn't have made any odds, miss, Mr. Earle used to reply.
human
The old gentleman'd have made me go back for more. Besides the salt fish, there were little kegs full of what are called