His capacious waistcoat was suggestive of a large heart underneath . His rusty coat had a social air , and the baggy pockets plainly proved that little hands often went in empty and came out full . His very boots were benevolent , and his collars never stiff and raspy like other people 's . `` That 's it ! '' said Jo to herself , when she at length discovered that genuine good will toward one 's fellow men could beautify and dignify even a stout German teacher , who shoveled in his dinner , darned his own socks , and was burdened with the name of Bhaer . Jo valued goodness highly , but she also possessed a most feminine respect for intellect , and a little discovery which she made about the Professor added much to her regard for him . He never spoke of himself , and no one ever knew that in his native city he had been a man much honored and esteemed for learning and integrity , till a countryman came to see him . He never spoke of himself , and in a conversation with Miss Norton divulged the pleasing fact . From her Jo learned it , and liked it all the better because Mr. Bhaer had never told it . She felt proud to know that he was an honored Professor in Berlin , though only a poor language-master in America , and his homely , hard-working life was much beautified by the spice of romance which this discovery gave it . Another and a better gift than intellect was shown her in a most unexpected manner . Miss Norton had the entree into most society , which Jo would have had no chance of seeing but for her . The solitary woman felt an interest in the ambitious girl , and kindly conferred many favors of this sort both on Jo and the Professor . She took them with her one night to a select symposium , held in honor of several celebrities . Jo went prepared to bow down and adore the mighty ones whom she had worshiped with youthful enthusiasm afar off . But her reverence for genius received a severe shock that night , and it took her some time to recover from the discovery that the great creatures were only men and women after all . Imagine her dismay , on stealing a glance of timid admiration at the poet whose lines suggested an ethereal being fed on ` spirit , fire , and dew ' , to behold him devouring his supper with an ardor which flushed his intellectual countenance . Turning as from a fallen idol , she made other discoveries which rapidly dispelled her romantic illusions . The great novelist vibrated between two decanters with the regularity of a pendulum ; the famous divine flirted openly with one of the Madame de Staels of the age , who looked daggers at another Corinne , who was amiably satirizing her , after outmaneuvering her in efforts to absorb the profound philosopher , who imbibed tea Johnsonianly and appeared to slumber , the loquacity of the lady rendering speech impossible . The scientific celebrities , forgetting their mollusks and glacial periods , gossiped about art , while devoting themselves to oysters and ices with characteristic energy ; the young musician , who was charming the city like a second Orpheus , talked horses ; and the specimen of the British nobility present happened to be the most ordinary man of the party .
Before the evening was half over , Jo XXXXX so completely disillusioned , that she sat down in a corner to recover herself .
Turning devoting fallen felt gave liked said seeing told went