Little Women Page #6

MRS. MARCH

Thank you, deary.

(00:
55:53)**

LAURIE:

Are you ready, Marmee? We'll just have to hurry to catch_c..

Christopher Columbus!

JO:

Well. It's boyish, becoming, and easy to keep in order. Marmee,

you'll miss your train.

AMY:

Yes, darling.

MRS. MARCH

Now, girls. Go on with your work as usual.

GIRLS:

We will, Marmee.

MRS. MARCH

Do everything that Hannah tells you.

BETH:

Oh, can't we go to the train with you, Marmee?

MRS. MARCH

No. No. I want you all to stay here and comfort each other. Meg,

dear, watch over your sisters. Be patient, Jo. Beth, dear, help

all you can. Amy, be obedient. No, no. I want you to stay here. I

want to carry away a picture in my mind of my brave little women

to take to Father. Good bye, my darlings.

GIRLS:

Good-bye, Marmee.

MRS. MARCH

God bless us and keep us all.

(Girls wave)**

(Lying in bed)**

(00:
57:28)**

MEG:

Jo, are you awake. Jo, you're crying.

JO:

No, I'm not.

MEG:

Don't cry, dear. Father'll be alright, and Mr. Brooke will take

care of Marmee.

JO:

I'm not crying because of that.

MEG:

What is it then?

JO:

My hair.

(Jo reads her story) **

JO:

_c. "The End"

(00:
58:18) **

AMY:

Oh, it gives me the shivers. I'm pins and needles all over.

MEG:

It's so exciting and so sad. Who wrote it?

LAURIE:

Your sister.

GIRLS:

Really? Jo? Oh, no! You did? Let me see.

LAURIE:

And I knew it all the time.

MEG:

Isn't that wonderful.

AMY:

Here it is. "By Miss Josephine March." Oh, Jo! I can't believe

it. Beth! Beth! Jo wrote a story. It's in the papers. Isn't that

marvelous. Look.

BETH:

Don't come near me.

AMY:

Meg. Jo. Something's wrong with Beth.

MEG:

What is it?

AMY:

I don't know.

MEG:

Where is she?

AMY:

In Marmee's cupboard.

LAURIE:

What's wrong? Why'd she go in there?

JO:

Darling, what is it? Bethy, what is it?

MEG:

What's wrong, Bethy?

JO:

What is it?

BETH:

Oh, Jo. The baby's dead.

JO:

What baby?

BETH:

Mrs. Hummel's. It died in my lap before she _c. before she got

back with the doctor. Jo!

JO:

Oh my poor Beth.

BETH:

The doctor said it was _c.. it was scarlet fever.

MEG:

Scarlet Fever?

AMY:

Hannah! Hannah!

BETH:

You don't think I'll get it, do you, Jo?

JO:

Oh, no, Bethy. Of course you won't.

BETH:

But_c. But Amy must keep away, cause_c_c cause she's never had

it. How does it start, Jo? With a sort of a_c a headache? and

sore throat? and _c and queer feelings all over?

JO:

I don't remember. Laurie, give me that doctor's book, will you?

MEG:

Jo, I think we'd better get her to bed. Come along, Bethy.

JO:

I'll find out what to do.

BETH:

I'll be alright, Meg.

MEG:

Come on Bethy.

LAURIE:

Of course you'll be alright.

JO:

Oh, here it is.

HANNAH:

For land's sakes! Go get Doctor Bangs, will you, Mr. Laurence?

LAURIE:

Alright.

HANNAH:

Have him come over as soon as he can.

LAURIE:

Yes.

HANNAH:

You stay down here Amy. You're to go over to Aunt Mrch's for a

spell, just in case.

AMY:

No, I won't. I won't. I'm going to stay right here with Beth.

JO:

Oh, be quiet for once, Amy.

AMY:

I'm not going to be sent away as though I were in the way.

LAURIE:

Well, I advise you to go. Scarlet Fever's no joke, miss.

AMY:

Well, I don't care.

LAURIE:

Oh.

AMY:

I'd rather get Scarlet Fever and die, than go to Aunt March's.

LAURIE:

Now, Amy. Be a good girl. I'll pop around every day and tell you

how Beth is. And I'll tell you what! Every day I'll come and take

you out driving. Mm?

AMY:

Well _c.. Yes.

LAURIE:

That's our girl!

JO:

Oh, Bethy. If you should really be ill, I'll never forgive

myself. I let you go to the Hummels every day when I should have

gone.

MEG:

No, it's my fault. I'm the oldest, and I should have gone. I

promised Marmee I'd look after you. Don't you think we ought to

telegraph her.

HANNAH:

No. We mustn't. The poor lady can't leave you father. And it

would only make her all the more anxious.

BETH:

Oh, please don't telegraph, Jo. Hannah knows just what to do. I

_c. I feel better already.

(Doctor by Beth's side) **

(01:
01:48) **

DR. BANGS

If Mrs. March can leave her husband, we'd better send for her.

HANNAH:

The girls had the telegram all ready, but I wouldn't let them

send it, and now the poor lady _c.

JO:

Oh, Mother! Mother! What if she shouldn't get here in time?

(Jo runs up to the attic) **

(01:
03:00) **

LAURIE:

Oh, Jo, is it that bad?

JO:

She doesn't know me. She doesn't look like my Beth. How am I

gonna bear it? Marmee and Father being so far away.

LAURIE:

I'm here. Hold on to me. Jo, dearest. Oh, poor Jo. You're all

worn out. What does the doctor say?

JO:

We're sending for Marmee. If she were only here.

LAURIE:

She will be. Grandfather and I got fidgety and thought your

mother ought to know. She'd just never forgive us if Beth _c

well, if anything happened, so I telegraphed yesterday.

JO:

You?

LAURIE:

She'll be here on the two o'clock train tonight, and I'm going to

meet her.

JO:

Oh, Laurie. Oh, Mother. Oh. Oh, I beg your pardon, but you're

such a dear. I couldn't help flying at you.

LAURIE:

Fly at me again. I rather like it.

JO:

Laurie, you're so silly.

LAURIE:

I better go. Well. To the railroad station! And _c And I shan't

spare the horses.

JO:

Oh, bless you, Laurie. Bless you.

(Jo kneels to prey) **

JO:

If you really want Bethy, please wait until Marmee comes home.

But, oh God, please don't _c because she's so _c well, please

don't_c

(Jo paces the room) **

(01:
06:06) **

MEG:

If God spares Bethy, I'll love him, and serve him all my life.

JO:

If life is as hard as this, I don't see how we ever should get

through it.

MEG:

Hannah! Hannah!

HANNAH:

What is it? What is it?

JO:

Good-bye, my Bethy. Good-bye.

DR. BANGS

The fever's turned. She's sleeping naturally.

HANNAH:

Lord be praised.

JO:

Marmee's here. She's come.

(Downstairs) **

(01:
07:56) **

AMY:

Isn't it wonderful to have Bethy downstairs at last. Come on.

Everything's all ready. Be careful.

(Jubilant chatter) **

JO:

And see the lovely flowers that Mr. Laurence sent you.

BETH:

Oh. And my bird_c I've never been so happy.

LAURIE:

Begging you pardon. Do the Marches live here?

GIRLS:

Hello.

LAURIE:

Wait'll she sees what I brought for her.

GIRLS:

Oh, Father.

(Jubilant chatter) **

MEG:

Bethy.

HANNAH:

Land sakes! She's walking.

MRS. MARCH

Oh, my dear.

MR. MARCH

My Bethy.

BETH:

Father.

MRS. MARCH

Oh, my darling.

AMY:

She hasn't walked since she was sick. She ? downstairs.

(Meg humming a tune) **

(01:
09:50) **

JO:

Are you expecting someone?

MEG:

Why_c Why, no. What do you mean?

JO:

Meg. Meg. Why can't we stay as we are? Do you have to go and fall

in love, and spoil all our peace, and fun and happy times

together. You're not like your old self a bit. And you_c. you're

getting so far away from me, I _c Oh, Meg. Don't. Don't go and

marry that man.

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