`` Yes , I did ! I told you I 'd make you pay for being so cross yesterday , and I have , so ... '' Amy got no farther , for Jo 's hot temper mastered her , and she shook Amy till her teeth chattered in her head , crying in a passion of grief and anger ... `` You wicked , wicked girl ! I never can write it again , and I 'll never forgive you as long as I live . '' Meg flew to rescue Amy , and Beth to pacify Jo , but Jo was quite beside herself , and with a parting box on her sister 's ear , she rushed out of the room up to the old sofa in the garret , and finished her fight alone . The storm cleared up below , for Mrs. March came home , and , having heard the story , soon brought Amy to a sense of the wrong she had done her sister . Jo 's book was the pride of her heart , and was regarded by her family as a literary sprout of great promise . It was only half a dozen little fairy tales , but Jo had worked over them patiently , putting her whole heart into her work , hoping to make something good enough to print . She had just copied them with great care , and had destroyed the old manuscript , so that Amy 's bonfire had consumed the loving work of several years . It seemed a small loss to others , but to Jo it was a dreadful calamity , and she felt that it never could be made up to her . Beth mourned as for a departed kitten , and Meg refused to defend her pet . Mrs. March looked grave and grieved , and Amy felt that no one would love her till she had asked pardon for the act which she now regretted more than any of them . When the tea bell rang , Jo appeared , looking so grim and unapproachable that it took all Amy 's courage to say meekly ... `` Please forgive me , Jo . I 'm very , very sorry . '' `` I never shall forgive you , '' was Jo 's stern answer , and from that moment she ignored Amy entirely . No one spoke of the great trouble , not even Mrs. March , for all had learned by experience that when Jo was in that mood words were wasted , and the wisest course was to wait till some little accident , or her own generous nature , softened Jo 's resentment and healed the breach . It was not a happy evening , for though they sewed as usual , while their mother read aloud from Bremer , Scott , or Edgeworth , something was wanting , and the sweet home peace was disturbed . They felt this most when singing time came , for Beth could only play , Jo stood dumb as a stone , and Amy broke down , so Meg and Mother sang alone . But in spite of their efforts to be as cheery as larks , the flutelike voices did not seem to chord as well as usual , and all felt out of tune . As Jo received her good-night kiss , Mrs. March whispered gently , `` My dear , do n't let the sun go down upon your anger . Forgive each other , help each other , and begin again tomorrow . ''
Jo wanted to lay her XXXXX down on that motherly bosom , and cry her grief and anger all away , but tears were an unmanly weakness , and she felt so deeply injured that she really could n't quite forgive yet .
book dozen head kitten moment mother pride promise teeth work