Poor little girl , it will be a sad going home for her , I 'm afraid , '' and Laurie opened his desk , as if writing to Amy had been the proper conclusion of the sentence left unfinished some weeks before . But he did not write the letter that day , for as he rummaged out his best paper , he came across something which changed his purpose . Tumbling about in one part of the desk among bills , passports , and business documents of various kinds were several of Jo 's letters , and in another compartment were three notes from Amy , carefully tied up with one of her blue ribbons and sweetly suggestive of the little dead roses put away inside . With a half-repentant , half-amused expression , Laurie gathered up all Jo 's letters , smoothed , folded , and put them neatly into a small drawer of the desk , stood a minute turning the ring thoughtfully on his finger , then slowly drew it off , laid it with the letters , locked the drawer , and went out to hear High Mass at Saint Stefan 's , feeling as if there had been a funeral , and though not overwhelmed with affliction , this seemed a more proper way to spend the rest of the day than in writing letters to charming young ladies . The letter went very soon , however , and was promptly answered , for Amy was homesick , and confessed it in the most delightfully confiding manner . The correspondence flourished famously , and letters flew to and fro with unfailing regularity all through the early spring . Laurie sold his busts , made allumettes of his opera , and went back to Paris , hoping somebody would arrive before long . He wanted desperately to go to Nice , but would not till he was asked , and Amy would not ask him , for just then she was having little experiences of her own , which made her rather wish to avoid the quizzical eyes of ` our boy ' . Fred Vaughn had returned , and put the question to which she had once decided to answer , `` Yes , thank you , '' but now she said , `` No , thank you , '' kindly but steadily , for when the time came , her courage failed her , and she found that something more than money and position was needed to satisfy the new longing that filled her heart so full of tender hopes and fears . The words , `` Fred is a good fellow , but not at all the man I fancied you would ever like , '' and Laurie 's face when he uttered them , kept returning to her as pertinaciously as her own did when she said in look , if not in words , `` I shall marry for money . '' It troubled her to remember that now , she wished she could take it back , it sounded so unwomanly . She did n't want Laurie to think her a heartless , worldly creature . She did n't care to be a queen of society now half so much as she did to be a lovable woman . She was so glad he did n't hate her for the dreadful things she said , but took them so beautifully and was kinder than ever . His letters were such a comfort , for the home letters were very irregular and not half so satisfactory as his when they did come . It was not only a pleasure , but a duty to answer them , for the poor fellow was forlorn , and needed petting , since Jo persisted in being stonyhearted . She ought to have made an effort and tried to love him . It could n't be very hard , many people would be proud and glad to have such a dear boy care for them . But Jo never would act like other girls , so there was nothing to do but be very kind and treat him like a brother . If all brothers were treated as well as Laurie was at this period , they would be a much happier race of beings than they are .
XXXXX never lectured now .
Amy Jo Nice Paris Stefan Vaughn allumettes left passports weeks