Little Women Page #4

if she keeps her back to the wall.

- You'd better hurry, girls.

- Coming, Marmee.

How I hate to be elegant!

The dress is lovely.

Just lovely!

Thank you, Marmee,

for letting me wear your lace and pearls.

They're old,

but you're young and very pretty.

Thank you.

Amy, you're perfect.

Thank you.

- And Bethy.

- Isn't she the pretty one?

Do I really have to go?

There'll be all those people...

It would hurt Laurie's feelings if you

stayed at home. He's been so kind.

Besides, dear Beth,

you must learn not to be afraid of people.

All right.

My shoes are too tight,

and I have 19 hairpins sticking in my hair...

and a patch on my back,

and I feel dreadful.

- Where are your gloves?

- Here, they're stained with lemonade.

- I didn't think I'd better wear them.

- You must!

You can tell a lady by her gloves.

- Not this lady.

- A lady, barehanded?

You have to have gloves.

You can't dance without them.

I can't dance

and keep my back to the wall, anyway.

I'll crumple them up in my hand.

Here, at least wear one of my nice ones

and carry one of your ruined ones.

All right.

Don't stretch it.

Your hands are bigger than mine.

- Well, goodnight.

- Goodnight, dear.

Goodnight, Hannah.

Don't eat too much. Wait till you're asked.

Don't be afraid.

Have you all got clean handkerchiefs?

And don't put your hands

behind your back or stare.

And don't stride about or swear.

You'll disgrace me.

And don't say, "Christopher Columbus."

I'll be prim as a dish.

Let's be elegant or die!

So boyish!

That's the biggest piano I ever saw.

It's bigger than our kitchen.

- Meg's still dancing with Mr. Brooke.

- I bet she's getting dizzy.

You don't get dizzy when you

look straight into your partner's eyes.

Why not?

Because you don't see anything else.

You don't see other stuff whirling by.

May I engage you for this dance?

Do say, yes.

- Thank you, no. I don't care for dancing.

- I'm enthusiastic for it.

What are you doing there,

behind that palm?

There's nobody behind that palm.

- Then why aren't you dancing?

- Mother thinks I'm too young to dance.

Besides, I'd rather mingle with my sister

than mingle with the crowd.

- That is, if she were here.

- She can't see anything from there.

She doesn't want to see much.

She likes to listen to the music.

Come on out and sit

where you can hear it better.

What's the matter?

She has an infirmity.

She's shy.

I see.

If it weren't for that

she'd be simply fastidious...

for she's a real artiste

and plays the piano beautifully.

She should come over here

and play sometime.

She'd never do that.

She doesn't play for people. Just herself.

I wasn't going to listen to her.

It is just that

that piano is going to ruin for want of use.

I was hoping somebody would come

and practice on it, just to keep it in tune.

If no one cares to come, never mind.

Someone cares very much.

So you're the musical young lady.

I didn't realize

that you heard what I was saying.

I heard, sir. I'm Beth.

I'll come if no one will hear me

and be disturbed.

Not a soul, my dear. And you come, too.

Tell your mother

that I think all her daughters are simply...

fastidious.

Isn't he "perfectionary"?

This is the third polka,

and I'm hanged if you refuse me again.

Please, don't ask me anymore.

- Why not? Don't you like to dance?

- I love to. Only I promised I wouldn't.

Of all the silly... Why?

Look.

Again?

I have an idea. Come along.

Come on.

There's no one in here,

and we can dance to our heart's content.

Christopher Columbus, we're betrayed!

What will you girls take to keep

our secret? Money or refreshments?

Thank you.

We don't really care for anything.

We had a light supper at home, because

we knew the refreshments here would...

- Well, it's true.

- I am glad you changed your mind.

Come along. We'll bring them something.

Hello, Sally.

Good evening, Mrs. Gardiner.

Isn't it a beautiful party?

Laurie, my dear boy,

have you met my Sally?

Of course. Many times. Excuse us, please.

Rude. Absolutely rude.

That's what comes of his running around

with that Josephine March.

I suppose she's set her cap for him.

What can you expect

with four girls in a family?

One of them has to marry money,

since they have none.

Mr. James Laurence

will have something to say about that.

I'm sure he has other ideas for the boy.

Of course,

it would be a triumph for Mrs. March.

I must say,

she's managing the affair very well.

- What happened? What's the matter?

- I'll take it.

I brought you a beautiful lemonade.

- I want to go home.

- What happened?

We can't tell you now. Not in front of him.

She wants to go home.

She's had a dreadful shock.

- Will you ask Meg to come?

- Of course.

But someday, when I come back,

I hope to settle down in Concord.

- Mr. Laurence promised...

- Sorry to interrupt.

Jo asked me to fetch you, Miss Meg.

I believe it's an emergency.

Will you excuse me, please?

It would only upset Marmee if we told her.

There's nothing she could do about it.

- Of all the base, false, slanderous...

- Jo, we know.

- It doesn't do any good to swear about it.

- We can keep it from Marmee.

So let's take an oath never

to tell Marmee or anybody else.

That horrible Mrs. Gardiner,

insulting all of us.

And before we had our refreshments.

Stop thinking of your stomach

and take your oath.

- I swear.

- So do I.

And I.

I solemnly vow never to breathe a word

to a living soul, until death...

- To bed, girls.

- Right away.

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

Here, you take it.

Thank you.

You're going to have

a lovely nose someday.

Yes, I know.

- Goodnight, dear.

- Goodnight.

You don't have any plans for us, do you?

- Plans?

- You know...

like some mothers have

for their daughters?

Like wanting us to marry rich men

or something?

Yes, Jo, I have a great many plans.

I want you all to be beautiful,

accomplished...

and good.

I want you to be admired and loved...

and respected.

I want you to lead

pleasant and useful lives.

And I pray to the Lord

to send you as little sorrow as he sees fit.

Of course, I'm ambitious for you.

Of course, I'd like to see you

marry rich men, if you loved them.

I'm no different from any other mother.

But I'd rather see you

as the happy wives of poor men...

or even respectable old maids...

than queens on thrones...

without peace or self-respect.

I'm never going to get married. Never.

Aren't you, my Jo?

Go to sleep, now.

"And yet 'tis whispered...

"that when the gondolas

glide through the fatal waters...

"these same waters still run crimson...

"with the blood of Lady Viella...

"and her gallant lover...

"slain by the phantom hand.

"The end."

Yes, Beth? Come in.

- What's the matter?

- My story.

Poor Jo. Isn't it any good?

It's wonderful.

Laurie's waiting downstairs for you.

Oh, bilge, I told him not to bother me.

He said he's going to wait

until you come down.

Let him. I wish he'd realize

I haven't time for his nonsense.

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