Jo, marching up and down, with her hands behind her back, and her
nose in the air.

"I don't mean to act any more after this time. I'm getting
too old for such things," observed Meg, who was as much a child
as ever about 'dressing-up' frolics.

"You won't stop, I know, as long as you can trail round in a
white gown with your hair down, and wear gold-paper jewelry.
You are the best actress we've got, and there'll be an end
of everything if you quit the boards," said Jo. "We ought
to rehearse tonight. Come here, Amy, and do the fainting scene,
for you are as stiff as a poker in that."

"I can't help it. I never saw anyone faint, and I don't choose
to make myself all black and blue, tumbling flat as you do. If I
can go down easily, I'll drop. If I can't, I shall fall into a
chair and be graceful. I don't care if Hugo does come at me with
a pistol," returned Amy, who was not gifted with dramatic power,
but was chosen because she was small enough to be borne out shrieking
by the villain of the piece.

"Do it this way. Clasp your hands so, and stagger across the
room, crying frantically, 'Roderigo! Save me! Save me!'" and away
went Jo, with a melodramatic scream which was truly thrilling.

Amy followed, but she poked her hands out stiffly before her,
and jerked herself along as if she went by machinery, and her "Ow!"
was more suggestive of pins being run into her than of fear and
anguish. Jo gave a despairing groan, and Meg laughed outright,