Little women

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE LAZY LAURENCE

Laurie went to Nice intending to stay a week, and remained a month.He was tired of wandering about alone, and Amy's familiar presenceseemed to give a homelike charm to the foreign scenes in which she bore apart. He rather missed the 'petting' he used to receive, and enjoyed a tasteof it again, for no attentions, however flattering, from strangers, were halfso pleasant as the sisterly adoration of the girls at home. Amy never wouldpet him like the others, but she was very glad to see him now, and quiteclung to him, feeling that he was the representative of the dear family forwhom she longed more than she would confess. They naturally tookcomfort in each other's society and were much together, riding, walking,dancing, or dawdling, for at Nice no one can be very industrious during thegay season. But, while apparently amusing themselves in the most carelessfashion, they were half-consciously making discoveries and formingopinions about each other. Amy rose daily in the estimation of her friend,but he sank in hers, and each felt the truth before a word was spoken. Amytried to please, and succeeded, for she was grateful for the many pleasureshe gave her, and repaid him with the little services to which womanlywomen know how to lend an indescribable charm. Laurie made no effortof any kind, but just let himself drift along as comfortably as possible,trying to forget, and feeling that all women owed him a kind word becauseone had been cold to him. It cost him no effort to be generous, and hewould have given Amy all the trinkets in Nice if she would have takenthem, but at the same time he felt that he could not change the opinion shewas forming of him, and he rather dreaded the keen blue eyes that seemedto watch him with such half-sorrowful, half-scornful surprise.

"All the rest have gone to Monaco for the day. I preferred to stay athome and write letters. They are done now, and I am going to Valrosa tosketch, will you come?" said Amy, as she joined Laurie one lovely daywhen he lounged in as usual, about noon. 

"Well, yes, but isn't it rather warm for such a long walk?" he answeredslowly, for the shaded salon looked inviting after the glare without. 

"I'm going to have the little carriage, and Baptiste can drive, so you'llhave nothing to do but hold your umbrella, and keep your gloves nice," returned Amy, with a sarcastic glance at the immaculate kids, which werea weak point with Laurie.

"Then I'll go with pleasure." and he put out his hand for her sketchbook.But she tucked it under her arm with a sharp... 

"Don't trouble yourself. It's no exertion to me, but you don't look equalto it." 

Laurie lifted his eyebrows and followed at a leisurely pace as she randownstairs, but when they got into the carriage he took the reins himself,and left little Baptiste nothing to do but fold his arms and fall asleep onhis perch. 

The two never quarreled. Amy was too well-bred, and just now Lauriewas too lazy, so in a minute he peeped under her hatbrim with an inquiringair. She answered him with a smile, and they went on together in the mostamicable manner. 

It was a lovely drive, along winding roads rich in the picturesque scenesthat delight beauty-loving eyes. Here an ancient monastery, whence thesolemn chanting of the monks came down to them. There a bare-leggedshepherd, in wooden shoes, pointed hat, and rough jacket over oneshoulder, sat piping on a stone while his goats skipped among the rocks orlay at his feet. Meek, mouse-colored donkeys, laden with panniers offreshly cut grass passed by, with a pretty girl in a capaline sitting betweenthe green piles, or an old woman spinning with a distaff as she went.Brown, soft-eyed children ran out from the quaint stone hovels to offernosegays, or bunches of oranges still on the bough. Gnarled olive treescovered the hills with their dusky foliage, fruit hung golden in the orchard,and great scarlet anemones fringed the roadside, while beyond greenslopes and craggy heights, the Maritime Alps rose sharp and white againstthe blue Italian sky.