\"Yes，youwill！\"persistedJo。\"You’llgetoverthisafterawhile，andfindsomelovelyaccomplishedgirl，whowilladoreyou，andmakeafinemistressforyourfinehouse。Ishouldn’t。I’mhomelyandawkwardandoddandold，andyou’dbeashamedofme，andweshouldquarrel——wecan’thelpitevennow，yousee—andIshouldn’tlikeelegantsocietyandyouwould，andyou’dhatemyscribbling，andIcouldn’tgetonwithoutit，andweshouldbeunhappy，andwishwehadn’tdoneit，andeverythingwouldbehorrid！\"
\"Anythingmore？\"askedLaurie，findingithardtolistenpatientlytothispropheticburst。
\"Nothingmore，exceptthatIdon’tbelieveIshallevermarry。I’mhappyasIam，andlovemylibertytoowelltobeinahurrytogiveitupforanymortalman。\"
\"Iknowbetter！\"brokeinLaurie。\"Youthinksonow，butthere’llcomeatimewhenyouwillcareforsomebody，andyou’lllovehimtremendously，andliveanddieforhim。Iknowyouwill，it’syourway，andIshallhavetostandbyandseeit。\"Andthedespairinglovercasthishatuponthegroundwithagesturethatwouldhaveseemedcomical，ifhisfacehadnotbeensotragic。
\"Yes，Iwillliveanddieforhim，ifherevercomesandmakesmelovehiminspiteofmyself，andyoumustdothebestyoucan！\"criedJo，losingpatiencewithpoorTeddy。\"I’vedonemybest，butyouwon’tbereasonable，andit’sselfishofyoutokeepteasingforwhatIcan’tgive。Ishallalwaysbefondofyou，veryfondindeed，asafriend，butI’llnevermarryyou，andthesooneryoubelieveitthebetterforbothofus——sonow！\"