Never say die , take a pinch of snuff , goodbye , goodbye ! '' squalled Polly , dancing on her perch , and clawing at the old lady 's cap as Laurie tweaked him in the rear . `` Hold your tongue , you disrespectful old bird ! And , Jo , you 'd better go at once . It is n't proper to be gadding about so late with a rattlepated boy like ... '' `` Hold your tongue , you disrespectful old bird ! '' cried Polly , tumbling off the chair with a bounce , and running to peck the ` rattlepated ' boy , who was shaking with laughter at the last speech . `` I do n't think I can bear it , but I 'll try , '' thought Amy , as she was left alone with Aunt March . `` Get along , you fright ! '' screamed Polly , and at that rude speech Amy could not restrain a sniff . CHAPTER EIGHTEEN DARK DAYS Beth did have the fever , and was much sicker than anyone but Hannah and the doctor suspected . The girls knew nothing about illness , and Mr. Laurence was not allowed to see her , so Hannah had everything her own way , and busy Dr. Bangs did his best , but left a good deal to the excellent nurse . Meg stayed at home , lest she should infect the Kings , and kept house , feeling very anxious and a little guilty when she wrote letters in which no mention was made of Beth 's illness . She could not think it right to deceive her mother , but she had been bidden to mind Hannah , and Hannah would n't hear of ` Mrs. March bein ' told , and worried just for sech a trifle . ' Jo devoted herself to Beth day and night , not a hard task , for Beth was very patient , and bore her pain uncomplainingly as long as she could control herself . But there came a time when during the fever fits she began to talk in a hoarse , broken voice , to play on the coverlet as if on her beloved little piano , and try to sing with a throat so swollen that there was no music left , a time when she did not know the familiar faces around her , but addressed them by wrong names , and called imploringly for her mother . Then Jo grew frightened , Meg begged to be allowed to write the truth , and even Hannah said she ` would think of it , though there was no danger yet ' . A letter from Washington added to their trouble , for Mr. March had had a relapse , and could not think of coming home for a long while . How dark the days seemed now , how sad and lonely the house , and how heavy were the hearts of the sisters as they worked and waited , while the shadow of death hovered over the once happy home . Then it was that Margaret , sitting alone with tears dropping often on her work , felt how rich she had been in things more precious than any luxuries money could buy -- in love , protection , peace , and health , the real blessings of life . Then it was that Jo , living in the darkened room , with that suffering little sister always before her eyes and that pathetic voice sounding in her ears , learned to see the beauty and the sweetness of Beth 's nature , to feel how deep and tender a place she filled in all hearts , and to acknowledge the worth of Beth 's unselfish ambition to live for others , and make home happy by that exercise of those simple virtues which all may possess , and which all should love and value more than talent , wealth , or beauty .
And Amy , in her exile , longed eagerly to be at home , that she might work for XXXXX , feeling now that no service would be hard or irksome , and remembering , with regretful grief , how many neglected tasks those willing hands had done for her .
Bangs Beth Jo Laurence Meg Washington night relapse sech snuff