`` Oh dear , we are growing up with a vengeance . Here 's Meg married and a mamma , Amy flourishing away at Paris , and Beth in love . I 'm the only one that has sense enough to keep out of mischief . '' Jo thought intently for a minute with her eyes fixed on the picture , then she smoothed out her wrinkled forehead and said , with a decided nod at the face opposite , `` No thank you , sir , you 're very charming , but you 've no more stability than a weathercock . So you need n't write touching notes and smile in that insinuating way , for it wo n't do a bit of good , and I wo n't have it . '' Then she sighed , and fell into a reverie from which she did not wake till the early twilight sent her down to take new observations , which only confirmed her suspicion . Though Laurie flirted with Amy and joked with Jo , his manner to Beth had always been peculiarly kind and gentle , but so was everybody 's . Therefore , no one thought of imagining that he cared more for her than for the others . Indeed , a general impression had prevailed in the family of late that ` our boy ' was getting fonder than ever of Jo , who , however , would n't hear a word upon the subject and scolded violently if anyone dared to suggest it . If they had known the various tender passages which had been nipped in the bud , they would have had the immense satisfaction of saying , `` I told you so . '' But Jo hated ` philandering ' , and would n't allow it , always having a joke or a smile ready at the least sign of impending danger . When Laurie first went to college , he fell in love about once a month , but these small flames were as brief as ardent , did no damage , and much amused Jo , who took great interest in the alternations of hope , despair , and resignation , which were confided to her in their weekly conferences . But there came a time when Laurie ceased to worship at many shrines , hinted darkly at one all-absorbing passion , and indulged occasionally in Byronic fits of gloom . Then he avoided the tender subject altogether , wrote philosophical notes to Jo , turned studious , and gave out that he was going to ` dig ' , intending to graduate in a blaze of glory . This suited the young lady better than twilight confidences , tender pressures of the hand , and eloquent glances of the eye , for with Jo , brain developed earlier than heart , and she preferred imaginary heroes to real ones , because when tired of them , the former could be shut up in the tin kitchen till called for , and the latter were less manageable . Things were in this state when the grand discovery was made , and Jo watched Laurie that night as she had never done before . If she had not got the new idea into her head , she would have seen nothing unusual in the fact that Beth was very quiet , and Laurie very kind to her . But having given the rein to her lively fancy , it galloped away with her at a great pace , and common sense , being rather weakened by a long course of romance writing , did not come to the rescue . As usual Beth lay on the sofa and Laurie sat in a low chair close by , amusing her with all sorts of gossip , for she depended on her weekly ` spin ' , and he never disappointed her . But that evening Jo fancied that Beth 's eyes rested on the lively , dark face beside her with peculiar pleasure , and that she listened with intense interest to an account of some exciting cricket match , though the phrases , ` caught off a tice ' , ` stumped off his ground ' , and ` the leg hit for three ' , were as intelligible to her as Sanskrit .
She also fancied , having set her heart upon seeing it , that she saw a certain increase of gentleness in Laurie 's manner , that he dropped his voice now and then , laughed less than usual , was a little absent-minded , and settled the afghan over XXXXX 's feet with an assiduity that was really almost tender .
Amy Beth Sanskrit alternations first month night tice twilight weekly