“Thatwilldo，thatwilldo，younglady。toomanysugarplumsarenotgoodforhim。Hismusicisn’tbad，butIhopehewilldoaswellinmoreimportantthings。Going？well，I’mmuchobligedtoyou，andIhopeyou’llcomeagain。Myrespectstoyourmother。
Goodnight，DoctorJo。“
Heshookhandskindly，butlookedasifsomethingdidnotpleasehim。Whentheygotintothehall，JoaskedLaurieifshehadsaidsomethingamiss。Heshookhishead。
“No，itwasme。Hedoesn’tliketohearmeplay。“
“Whynot？“
“I’lltellyousomeday。Johnisgoinghomewithyou，asI
can’t。“
“Noneedofthat。Iamnotayounglady，andit’sonlyastep。Takecareofyourself，won’tyou？“
“Yes，butyouwillcomeagain，Ihope？“
“Ifyoupromisetocomeandseeusafteryouarewell。“
“Iwill。“
“Goodnight，Laurie!“
“Goodnight，Jo，goodnight!“
Whenalltheafternoon’sadventureshadbeentold，thefamilyfeltinclinedtogovisitinginabody，foreachfoundsomethingveryattractiveinthebighouseontheothersideofthehedge。
Mrs。Marchwantedtotalkofherfatherwiththeoldmanwhohadnotforgottenhim，Meglongedtowalkintheconservatory，Bethsighedforthegrandpiano。andAmywaseagertoseethefinepicturesandstatues。
“Mother，whydidn’tMr。LaurenceliketohaveLaurieplay？“
askedJo，whowasofaninquiringdisposition。
“Iamnotsure，butIthinkitwasbecausehisson，Laurie’sfather，marriedanItalianlady，amusician，whichdispleasedtheoldman，whoisveryproud。Theladywasgoodandlovelyandaccomplished，buthedidnotlikeher，andneversawhissonafterhemarried。TheybothdiedwhenLauriewasalittlechild，andthenhisgrandfathertookhimhome。Ifancytheboy，whowasborninItaly，isnotverystrong，andtheoldmanisafraidoflosinghim，whichmakeshimsocareful。Lauriecomesnaturallybyhisloveofmusic，forheislikehismother，andIdaresayhisgrandfatherfearsthathemaywanttobeamusician。Atanyrate，hisskillremindshimofthewomanhedidnotlike，andsohe`glowered’asJosaid。“
“Dearme，howromantic!“exclaimedMeg。
“Howsilly!“saidJo。“Lethimbeamusicianifhewantsto，andnotplaguehislifeoutsendinghimtocollege，whenhehatestogo。“
“That’swhyhehassuchhandsomeblackeyesandprettymanners，Isuppose。Italiansarealwaysnice，“saidMeg，whowasalittlesentimental。
“Whatdoyouknowabouthiseyesandhismanners？Youneverspoketohim，hardly，“criedJo，whowasnotsentimental。
“Isawhimattheparty，andwhatyoutellshowsthatheknowshowtobehave。ThatwasanicelittlespeechaboutthemedicineMothersenthim。“
“Hemeanttheblancmange，Isuppose。“
“Howstupidyouare，child!Hemeantyou，ofcourse。“
“Didhe？“AndJoopenedhereyesasifithadneveroccurredtoherbefore。
“Ineversawsuchagirl!Youdon’tknowacomplimentwhenyougetit，“saidMeg，withtheairofayoungladywhoknewallaboutthematter。
“Ithinktheyaregreatnonsense，andI’llthankyounottobesillyandspoilmyfun。Laurie’saniceboyandIlikehim，andIwon’thaveanysentimentalstuffaboutcomplimentsandsuchrubbish。We’llallbegoodtohimbecausehehasn’tgotanymother，andhemaycomeoverandseeus，mayn’the，Marmee？“
“Yes，Jo，yourlittlefriendisverywelcome，andIhopeMegwillrememberthatchildrenshouldbechildrenaslongastheycan。“
“Idon’tcallmyselfachild，andI’mnotinmyteensyet，“
observedAmy。“Whatdoyousay，Beth？“
“Iwasthinkingaboutour`PILGRIM’SPROGRESS’，“answeredBeth，whohadnotheardaword。“HowwegotoutoftheSloughandthroughtheWicketGatebyresolvingtobegood，andupthesteephillbytrying，andthatmaybethehouseoverthere，fullofsplendidthings，isgoingtobeourPalaceBeautiful。“
“Wehavegottogetbythelionsfirst，“saidJo，asifsheratherlikedtheprospect。
ThebighousedidproveaPalaceBeautiful，thoughittooksometimeforalltogetin，andBethfounditveryhardtopassthelions。OldMr。Laurencewasthebiggestone，butafterhehadcalled，saidsomethingfunnyorkindtoeachoneofthegirls，andtalkedoveroldtimeswiththeirmother，nobodyfeltmuchafraidofhim，excepttimidBeth。TheotherlionwasthefactthattheywerepoorandLaurierich，forthismadethemshyofacceptingfavorswhichtheycouldnotreturn。But，afterawhile，theyfoundthatheconsideredthemthebenefactors，andcouldnotdoenoughtoshowhowgratefulhewasforMrs。March’smotherlywelcome，theircheerfulsociety，andthecomforthetookinthathumblehomeoftheirs。Sotheysoonforgottheirprideandinterchangedkindnesseswithoutstoppingtothinkwhichwasthegreater。
Allsortsofpleasantthingshappenedaboutthattime，forthenewfriendshipflourishedlikegrassinspring。EveryonelikedLaurie，andheprivatelyinformedhistutorthat“theMarcheswereregularlysplendidgirls。“Withthedelightfulenthusiasmofyouth，theytookthesolitaryboyintotheirmidstandmademuchofhim，andhefoundsomethingverycharmingintheinnocentcompanionshipofthesesimple-heartedgirls。Neverhavingknownmotherorsisters，hewasquicktofeeltheinfluencestheybroughtabouthim，andtheirbusy，livelywaysmadehimashamedoftheindolentlifeheled。
Hewastiredofbooks，andfoundpeoplesointerestingnowthatMr。
Brookewasobligedtomakeveryunsatisfactoryreports，forLauriewasalwaysplayingtruantandrunningovertotheMarches’。
“Nevermind，lethimtakeaholiday，andmakeitupafterward，“
saidtheoldgentleman。“Thegoodladynextdoorsaysheisstudyingtoohardandneedsyoungsociety，amusement，andexercise。Isuspectsheisright，andthatI’vebeencoddlingthefellowasifI’dbeenhisgrandmother。Lethimdowhathelikes，aslongasheishappy。
Hecan’tgetintomischiefinthatlittlenunneryoverthere，andMrs。Marchisdoingmoreforhimthanwecan。“
Whatgoodtimestheyhad，tobesure。Suchplaysandtableaux，suchsleighridesandskatingfrolics，suchpleasanteveningsintheoldparlor，andnowandthensuchgaylittlepartiesatthegreathouse。Megcouldwalkintheconservatorywhenevershelikedandrevelinbouquets，Jobrowsedoverthenewlibraryvoraciously，andconvulsedtheoldgentlemanwithhercriticisms，Amycopiedpicturesandenjoyedbeautytoherheart’scontent，andLaurieplayed`lordofthemanor’inthemostdelightfulstyle。
ButBeth，thoughyearningforthegrandpiano，couldnotpluckupcouragetogotothe`MansionofBliss’，asMegcalledit。ShewentoncewithJo，buttheoldgentleman，notbeingawareofherinfirmity，staredathersohardfromunderhisheavyeyebrows，andsaid“Hey!“soloud，thathefrightenedhersomuchher`feetchatteredonthefloor’，shenevertoldhermother，andsheranaway，declaringshewouldnevergothereanymore，notevenforthedearpiano。Nopersuasionsorenticementscouldovercomeherfear，till，thefactcomingtoMr。Laurence’searinsomemysteriousway，hesetaboutmendingmatters。Duringoneofthebriefcallshemade，heartfullyledtheconversationtomusic，andtalkedawayaboutgreatsingerswhomhehadseen，fineorganshehadheard，andtoldsuchcharminganecdotesthatBethfounditimpossibletostayinherdistantcorner，butcreptnearerandnearer，asiffascinated。Atthebackofhischairshestoppedandstoodlistening，withhergreateyeswideopenandhercheeksredwithexcitementofthisunusualperformance。Takingnomorenoticeofherthanifshehadbeenafly，Mr。LaurencetalkedonaboutLaurie’slessonsandteachers。Andpresently，asiftheideahadjustoccurredtohim，hesaidtoMrs。March……
“Theboyneglectshismusicnow，andI’mgladofit，forhewasgettingtoofondofit。Butthepianosuffersforwantofuse。Wouldn’tsomeofyourgirlsliketorunover，andpracticeonitnowandthen，justtokeepitintune，youknow，ma`am？“
Bethtookastepforward，andpressedherhandstightlytogethertokeepfromclappingthem，forthiswasanirresistibletemptation，andthethoughtofpracticingonthatsplendidinstrumentquitetookherbreathaway。BeforeMrs。Marchcouldreply，Mr。Laurencewentonwithanoddlittlenodandsmile……
“Theyneedn’tseeorspeaktoanyone，butruninatanytime。
ForI’mshutupinmystudyattheotherendofthehouse，Laurieisoutagreatdeal，andtheservantsarenevernearthedrawingroomafternineo’clock。“
Hereherose，asifgoing，andBethmadeuphermindtospeak，forthatlastarrangementleftnothingtobedesired。“Please，telltheyoungladieswhatIsay，andiftheydon’tcaretocome，why，nevermind。“Herealittlehandslippedintohis，andBethlookedupathimwithafacefullofgratitude，asshesaid，inherearnestyettimidway……
“Ohsir，theydocare，veryverymuch!“
“Areyouthemusicalgirl？“heasked，withoutanystartling“Hey!“ashelookeddownatherverykindly。
“I’mBeth。Iloveitdearly，andI’llcome，ifyouarequitesurenobodywillhearme，andbedisturbed，“sheadded，fearingtoberude，andtremblingatherownboldnessasshespoke。
“Notasoul，mydear。Thehouseisemptyhalftheday，socomeanddrumawayasmuchasyoulike，andIshallbeobligedtoyou。“
“Howkindyouare，sir!“
Bethblushedlikearoseunderthefriendlylookhewore，butshewasnotfrightenednow，andgavethehandagratefulsqueezebecauseshehadnowordstothankhimforthepreciousgifthehadgivenher。
Theoldgentlemansoftlystrokedthehairoffherforehead，and，stoopingdown，hekissedherr，saying，inatonefewpeopleeverheard……
“Ihadalittlegirlonce，witheyeslikethese。Godblessyou，mydear!Goodday。madam。“Andawayhewent，inagreathurry。
Bethhadarapturewithhermother，andthenrusheduptoimpartthegloriousnewstoherfamilyofinvalids，asthegirlswerenothome。Howblithelyshesangthatevening，andhowtheyalllaughedatherbecauseshewokeAmyinthenightbyplayingthepianoonherfaceinhersleep。Nextday，havingseenboththeoldandyounggentlemanoutofthehouse，Beth，aftertwoorthreeretreats，fairlygotinatthesidedoor，andmadeherwayasnoiselesslyasanymousetothedrawingroomwhereheridolstood。Quitebyaccident，ofcourse，somepretty，easymusiclayonthepiano，andwithtremblingfingersandfrequentstopstolistenandlookabout，Bethatlasttouchedthegreatinstrument，andstraightwayforgotherfear，herself，andeverythingelsebuttheunspeakabledelightwhichthemusicgaveher，foritwaslikethevoiceofabelovedfriend。
ShestayedtillHannahcametotakeherhometodinner，butshehadnoappetite，andcouldonlysitandsmileuponeveryoneinageneralstateofbeatitude。