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III . Burdens and a Piano After the holidays it was hard to go back to work . Meg missed the pretty things at the Kings ’ house , and she envied the older girls there their parties and their dresses . Jo’s burden was Aunt March , who was never pleased . But the old lady had a large library full of dusty books , and when she fell asleep , Jo curled up in an armchair and read poetry and stories . Amy suffered at school , mostly because of her nose . It was not big or red , but it was flat , and she pinched it every night with a clothes peg to make it look finer . Beth was too shy to go to school , so she had always done her lessons at home with her father . Now she helped Hannah to keep the house neat and warm . She had six old dolls who were all poor and ugly , but she loved them dearly . Her real trouble was the old piano . It was out of tune , and nobody could afford to have it mended . Sometimes she cried over it a little when she was alone . When Laurie began to visit the March girls , the old brown house filled with fun . Mr Laurence called as well , and he talked with Mrs March about old times . Everyone liked the new friends except Beth , who was too frightened of the stern old gentleman to go to the big house . She longed to play the grand piano there , but she could not make herself go . When Mr Laurence heard this , he spoke to Mrs March . “ The boy neglects his music now , ” he said , “ and the piano suffers for want of use . Wouldn’t some of your girls like to come over and practise on it now and then , just to keep it in tune ? They needn’t see or speak to anyone . ” He looked at no one , but Beth heard every word . The next day she went over to the big house . She crept into the drawing room like a mouse , and at last she touched the great piano . Soon she forgot her fear and everything else . She played and played , and she didn’t know that Mr Laurence had opened his study door to listen . After that Beth went across the lawn nearly every day . To thank the old gentleman , she made him a pair of slippers . They were purple , with a bunch of flowers on each , and she worked on them for many evenings . Laurie helped her to put them on the study table one morning before the old man was up . For two days nothing happened . Beth began to be afraid that she had offended him . On the second afternoon she came home from a walk and saw her sisters ’ heads at the window . “ Here’s a letter from the old gentleman ! ” they cried . “ Come quick , and read it ! ”
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