“Perhaps it was wrong, but I tried to do right.  I wasn’t sure, no one said anything, and I hoped I was mistaken.  It would have been selfish to frighten you all when Marmee was so anxious about Meg, and Amy away, and you so happy with Laurie—­at least I thought so then.”

“And I thought you loved him, Beth, and I went away because I couldn’t,” cried Jo, glad to say all the truth.

Beth looked so amazed at the idea that Jo smiled in spite of her pain, and added softly, “Then you didn’t, dearie?  I was afraid it was so, and imagined your poor little heart full of lovelornity all that while.”

“Why, Jo, how could I, when he was so fond of you?” asked Beth, as innocently as a child.  “I do love him dearly.  He is so good to me, how can I help It?  But he could never be anything to me but my brother.  I hope he truly will be, sometime.”

“Not through me,” said Jo decidedly.  “Amy is left for him, and they would suit excellently, but I have no heart for such things, now.  I don’t care what becomes of anybody but you, Beth.  You must get well.”

“I want to, oh, so much!  I try, but every day I lose a little, and feel more sure that I shall never gain it back.  It’s like the tide, Jo, when it turns, it goes slowly, but it can’t be stopped.”

“It shall be stopped, your tide must not turn so soon, nineteen is too young, Beth.  I can’t let you go.  I’ll work and pray and fight against it.  I’ll keep you in spite of everything.  There must be ways, it can’t be too late.  God won’t be so cruel as to take you from me,” cried poor Jo rebelliously, for her spirit was far less piously submissive than Beth’s.

Simple, sincere people seldom speak much of their piety.  It shows itself in acts rather than in words, and has more influence than homilies or protestations.  Beth could not reason upon or explain the faith that gave her courage and patience to give up life, and cheerfully wait for death.  Like a confiding child, she asked no questions, but left everything to God and nature, Father and Mother of us all, feeling sure that they, and they only, could teach and strengthen heart and spirit for this life and the life to come.  She did not rebuke Jo with saintly speeches, only loved her better for her passionate affection, and clung more closely to the dear human love, from which our Father never means us to be weaned, but through which He draws us closer to Himself.  She could not say, “I’m glad to go,” for life was very sweet for her.  She could only sob out, “I try to be willing,” while she held fast to Jo, as the first bitter wave of this great sorrow broke over them together.

By and by Beth said, with recovered serenity, “You’ll tell them this when we go home?”

“I think they will see it without words,” sighed Jo, for now it seemed to her that Beth changed every day.

“Perhaps not.  I’ve heard that the people who love best are often blindest to such things.  If they don’t see it, you will tell them for me.  I don’t want any secrets, and it’s kinder to prepare them.  Meg has John and the babies to comfort her, but you must stand by Father and Mother, won’t you Jo?”