“Ican’t，dear，becauseyouaren’tinvited，“beganMeg，butJobrokeinimpatiently，“Now，Meg，bequietoryouwillspoilitall。Youcan’tgo，Amy，sodon’tbeababyandwhineaboutit。“
　　“YouaregoingsomewherewithLaurie，Iknowyouare。Youwerewhisperingandlaughingtogetheronthesofalastnight，andyoustoppedwhenIcamein。Aren’tyougoingwithhim？“
　　“Yes，weare。Nowdobestill，andstopbothering。“
　　Amyheldhertongue，butusedhereyes，andsawMegslipafanintoherpocket。
　　“Iknow!Iknow!You’regoingtothetheatertoseetheSEVENCASTLES!“shecried，addingresolutely，“andIshallgo，forMothersaidImightseeit，andI’vegotmyragmoney，anditwasmeannottotellmeintime。“
　　“Justlistentomeaminute，andbeagoodchild，“saidMegsoothingly。“Motherdoesn’twishyoutogothisweek，becauseyoureyesarenotwellenoughyettobearthelightofthisfairypiece。NextweekyoucangowithBethandHannah，andhaveanicetime。“
　　“Idon’tlikethathalfaswellasgoingwithyouandLaurie。
　　Pleaseletme。I’vebeensickwiththiscoldsolong，andshutup，I’mdyingforsomefun。Do，Meg!I’llbeeversogood，“
　　pleadedAmy，lookingaspatheticasshecould。
　　“Supposewetakeher。Idon’tbelieveMotherwouldmind，ifwebundleherupwell，“beganMeg。
　　“IfshegoesIshan’t，andifIdon’t，Lauriewon’tlikeit，anditwillbeveryrude，afterheinvitedonlyus，togoanddraginAmy。Ishouldthinkshe’dhatetopokeherselfwheresheisn’twanted，“saidJocrossly，forshedislikedthetroubleofoverseeingafidgetychildwhenshewantedtoenjoyherself。
　　HertoneandmannerangeredAmy，whobegantoputherbootson，saying，inhermostaggravatingway，“Ishallgo。MegsaysI
　　may，andifIpayformyself，Lauriehasn’tanythingtodowithit。“
　　“Youcan’tsitwithus，forourseatsarereserved，andyoumustn’tsitalone，soLauriewillgiveyouhisplace，andthatwillspoilourpleasure。Orhe’llgetanotherseatforyou，andthatisn’tproperwhenyouweren’tasked。Youshan’tstirastep，soyoumayjuststaywhereyouare，“scoldedJo，crosserthanever，havingjustprickedherfingerinherhurry。
　　Sittingonthefloorwithonebooton，AmybegantocryandMegtoreasonwithher，whenLauriecalledfrombelow，andthetwogirlshurrieddown，leavingtheirsisterwailing。Fornowandthensheforgothergrown-upwaysandactedlikeaspoiledchild。Justasthepartywassettingout，Amycalledoverthebanistersinathreateningtone，“You’llbesorryforthis，JoMarch，seeifyouain’t。“
　　“Fiddlesticks!“returnedJo，slammingthedoor。
　　Theyhadacharmingtime，forTHESEVENCASTLESOFTHE
　　DIAMONDLAKEwasasbrilliantandwonderfulasheartcouldwish。
　　Butinspiteofthecomicalredimps，sparklingelves，andthegorgeousprincesandprincesses，Jo’spleasurehadadropofbitternessinit。Thefairyqueen’syellowcurlsremindedherofAmy，andbetweentheactssheamusedherselfwithwonderingwhathersisterwoulddotomakeher`sorryforit’。SheandAmyhadhadmanylivelyskirmishesinthecourseoftheirlives，forbothhadquicktempersandwereapttobeviolentwhenfairlyroused。AmyteasedJo，andJoirritatedAmy，andsemioccasionalexplosionsoccurred，ofwhichbothweremuchashamedafterward。
　　Althoughtheoldest，Johadtheleastself-control，andhadhardtimestryingtocurbthefieryspiritwhichwascontinuallygettingherintotrouble。Herangerneverlastedlong，andhavinghumblyconfessedherfault，shesincerelyrepentedandtriedtodobetter。
　　HersistersusedtosaythattheyratherlikedtogetJointoafurybecauseshewassuchanangelafterward。PoorJotrieddesperatelytobegood，butherbosomenemywasalwaysreadytoflameupanddefeather，andittookyearsofpatientefforttosubdueit。
　　Whentheygothome，theyfoundamyreadingintheparlor。
　　Sheassumedaninjuredairastheycamein，neverliftedhereyesfromherbook，oraskedasinglequestion。Perhapscuriositymighthaveconqueredresentment，ifBethhadnotbeentheretoinquireandreceiveaglowingdescriptionoftheplay。Ongoinguptoputawayherbesthat，Jo’sfirstlookwastowardthebureau，forintheirlastquarrelAmyhadsoothedherfeelingsbyturningJo’stopdrawerupsidedownonthefloor。Everythingwasinitsplace，however，andafterahastyglanceintohervariousclosets，bags，andboxes，JodecidedthatAmyhadforgivenandforgottenherwrongs。
　　ThereJowasmistaken，fornextdayshemadeadiscoverywhichproducedatempest。Meg，Beth，andAmyweresittingtogether，lateintheafternoon，whenJoburstintotheroom，lookingexcitedanddemandingbreathlessly，“Hasanyonetakenmybook？“
　　MegandBethsaid，“No。“atonce，andlookedsurprised。Amypokedthefireandsaidnothing。Josawhercolorriseandwasdownuponherinaminute。
　　“Amy，you’vegotit!“
　　“No，Ihaven’t。“
　　“Youknowwhereitis，then!“
　　“No，Idon’t。“
　　“That’safib!“criedJo，takingherbytheshoulders，andlookingfierceenoughtofrightenamuchbraverchildthanAmy。
　　“Itisn’t。Ihaven’tgotit，don’tknowwhereitisnow，anddon’tcare。“
　　“Youknowsomethingaboutit，andyou’dbettertellatonce，orI’llmakeyou。“AndJogaveheraslightshake。
　　“Scoldasmuchasyoulike，you’llneverseeyoursillyoldbookagain，“criedAmy，gettingexcitedinherturn。
　　“whynot？“
　　“Iburneditup。“
　　“What!MylittlebookIwassofondof，andworkedover，andmeanttofinishbeforeFathergothome？Haveyoureallyburnedit？“
　　saidJo，turningverypale，whilehereyeskindledandherhandsclutchedAmynervously。
　　“Yes，Idid!ItoldyouI’dmakeyoupayforbeingsocrossyesterday，andIhave，so……“
　　Amygotnofarther，forJo’shottempermasteredher，andsheshookAmytillherteethchatteredinherhead，cryinginapassionofgriefandanger……
　　“Youwicked，wickedgirl!Inevercanwriteitagain，andI’llneverforgiveyouaslongasIlive。“
　　MegflewtorescueAmy，andBethtopacifyJo，butJowasquitebesideherself，andwithapartingboxonhersister’sear，sherushedoutoftheroomuptotheoldsofainthegarret，andfinishedherfightalone。
　　Thestormclearedupbelow，forMrs。Marchcamehome，and，havingheardthestory，soonbroughtAmytoasenseofthewrongshehaddonehersister。Jo’sbookwastheprideofherheart，andwasregardedbyherfamilyasaliterarysproutofgreatpromise。Itwasonlyhalfadozenlittlefairytales，butJohadworkedoverthempatiently，puttingherwholeheartintoherwork，hopingtomakesomethinggoodenoughtoprint。Shehadjustcopiedthemwithgreatcare，andhaddestroyedtheoldmanuscript，sothatAmy’sbonfirehadconsumedthelovingworkofseveralyears。Itseemedasmalllosstoothers，buttoJoitwasadreadfulcalamity，andshefeltthatitnevercouldbemadeuptoher。Bethmournedasforadepartedkitten，andMegrefusedtodefendherpet。Mrs。Marchlookedgraveandgrieved，andAmyfeltthatnoonewouldlovehertillshehadaskedpardonfortheactwhichshenowregrettedmorethananyofthem。
　　Whentheteabellrang，Joappeared，lookingsogrimandunapproachablethatittookallAmy’scouragetosaymeekly……
　　“Pleaseforgiveme，Jo。I’mvery，verysorry。“
　　“Inevershallforgiveyou，“wasJo’ssternanswer，andfromthatmomentsheignoredAmyentirely。
　　Noonespokeofthegreattrouble，notevenMrs。March，forallhadlearnedbyexperiencethatwhenJowasinthatmoodwordswerewasted，andthewisestcoursewastowaittillsomelittleaccident，orherowngenerousnature，softenedJo’sresentmentandhealedthebreach。Itwasnotahappyevening，forthoughtheysewedasusual，whiletheirmotherreadaloudfromBremer，Scott，orEdgeworth，somethingwaswanting，andthesweethomepeacewasdisturbed。Theyfeltthismostwhensingingtimecame，forBethcouldonlyplay，Jostooddumbasastone，andAmybrokedown，soMegandMothersangalone。Butinspiteoftheireffortstobeascheeryaslarks，theflutelikevoicesdidnotseemtochordaswellasusual，andallfeltoutoftune。
　　AsJoreceivedhergood-nightkiss，Mrs。Marchwhisperedgently，“Mydear，don’tletthesungodownuponyouranger。Forgiveeachother，helpeachother，andbeginagaintomorrow。“
　　Jowantedtolayherheaddownonthatmotherlybosom，andcryhergriefandangerallaway，buttearswereanunmanlyweakness，andshefeltsodeeplyinjuredthatshereallycouldn’tquiteforgiveyet。Soshewinkedhard，shookherhead，andsaidgrufflybecauseAmywaslistening，“Itwasanabominablething，andshedoesn’tdeservetobeforgiven。“
　　Withthatshemarchedofftobed，andtherewasnomerryorconfidentialgossipthatnight。
　　Amywasmuchoffendedthatheroverturesofpeacehadbeenrepulsed，andbegantowishshehadnothumbledherself，tofeelmoreinjuredthanever，andtoplumeherselfonhersuperiorvirtueinawaywhichwasparticularlyexasperating。Jostilllookedlikeathundercloud，andnothingwentwellallday。Itwasbittercoldinthemorning，shedroppedherpreciousturnoverinthegutter，AuntMarchhadanattackofthefidgets，Megwassensitive，Bethwouldlookgrievedandwistfulwhenshegothome，andAmykeptmakingremarksaboutpeoplewhowerealwaystalkingaboutbeinggoodandyetwouldn’teventrywhenotherpeoplesetthemavirtuousexample。
　　“Everybodyissohateful，I’llaskLaurietogoskating。Heisalwayskindandjolly，andwillputmetorights，Iknow，“saidJotoherself，andoffshewent。
　　Amyheardtheclashofskates，andlookedoutwithanimpatientexclamation。
　　“There!ShepromisedIshouldgonexttime，forthisisthelasticeweshallhave。Butit’snousetoasksuchacrosspatchtotakeme。“
　　“Don’tsaythat。Youwereverynaughty，anditishardtoforgivethelossofherpreciouslittlebook，butIthinkshemightdoitnow，andIguessshewill，ifyoutryherattherightminute，“saidMeg。“Goafterthem。Don’tsayanythingtillJohasgotgood-naturedwithLaurie，thantakeaquietminuteandjustkissher，ordosomekindthing，andI’msureshe’llbefriendsagainwithallherheart。“