Anne Of Green Gables, Part 5

Please enjoy this reading of the classic, much-beloved tale of Anne of Green Gables - an 11-year-old orphan girl sent by mistake to the "wrong" household to live...and all of her adventures that unfold from there...

"Anne of Green Gables" is a 1908 novel from Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery and was her most famous book - now considered a classic of children's literature!

Transcript

Hello there.

Thank you so much for joining me for this continued reading of Anne of Green Gables,

Which is a much-loved children's classic novel from 1908 from the Canadian author Lucy Maude Montgomery.

Perhaps you've already heard the preceding parts of this story.

If not,

It doesn't really matter.

You can also find them all in the playlist,

All in order,

In one place,

If you want to look for that.

But for now,

Let's just take a moment here to have a nice,

Deep exhale.

Letting go of the day,

Letting go of whatever baggage we might be bringing along with us into this moment.

For right now,

There's nowhere else that we have to be,

Nothing else for us to do.

So we can just relax,

Get ourselves comfortable,

And listen to the continuing story of Anne of Green Gables.

Chapter nine.

Mrs Rachel Lynde is properly horrified.

Anne had been a fortnight at Green Gables before Mrs Lynde arrived to inspect her.

Mrs Rachel,

To do her justice,

Was not to blame for this.

A severe and unseasonable attack of gripe had confined that good lady to her house ever since the occasion of her last visit to Green Gables.

Mrs Rachel was not often sick and had a well-defined contempt for people she had met.

But gripe,

She asserted,

Was like no other illness on earth and could only be interpreted as one of the special visitations of providence.

As soon as her doctor allowed her to put her foot out of doors,

She hurried up to Green Gables,

Bursting with curiosity to see Matthew and Marilla's orphan,

Concerning whom all sorts of stories and suppositions had gone abroad in Avonlea.

Anne had made good use of every waking moment of that fortnight.

Already she was acquainted with every tree and shrub about the place.

She had discovered that a lane opened out below the apple orchard and ran up through a belt of woodland,

And she had explored it to its furthest end.

In all its delicious vagaries of brook and bridge,

Fir coppice and wild cherry arch,

Corners thick with fern and branching byways of maple and mountain ash.

She had made friends with the spring down in the hollow,

That wonderful,

Deep,

Clear,

Icy-cold spring.

It was set about with smooth red sandstones and rimmed in by great palm-like clumps of water fern,

And beyond it was a log bridge over the brook.

That bridge led Anne's dancing feet up over a wooded hill beyond,

Where perpetual twilight reigned under the straight,

Thick-growing firs and spruces.

The only flowers there were myriads of delicate June-bells,

Those shyest and sweetest of woodland blooms,

And a few pale aerial star-flowers,

Like the spirits of last year's blossoms.

Gossamers glimmered like threads of silver among the trees,

And the fir-boughs and tassels seemed to utter friendly speech.

All these raptured voyages of exploration were made in the odd half-hours which she was allowed for play,

And Anne talked Matthew and Marilla half-deaf over her discoveries.

Not that Matthew complained,

To be sure.

He listened to it all with a wordless smile of enjoyment on his face.

Marilla permitted the chatter until she found herself becoming too interested in it,

Whereupon she always promptly quenched Anne by a curt command to hold her tongue.

Anne was out in the orchard when Mrs Rachel came,

Wandering at her own sweet will through the lush,

Tremulous grasses splashed with ruddy evening sunshine.

So,

That good lady had an excellent chance to talk her illness fully over,

Describing every ache and pulse-beat with such evident enjoyment that Marilla thought even gripe must bring its compensations.

When details were exhausted,

Mrs Rachel introduced the real reason of her call.

I've been hearing some surprising things about you and Matthew.

I don't suppose you are any more surprised than I am myself,

Said Marilla.

I'm getting over my surprise now.

It was too bad.

There was such a mistake,

Said Mrs Rachel sympathetically.

Couldn't you have sent her back?

I suppose we could,

But we decided not to.

Matthew took a fancy to her,

And I must say I like her myself,

Although I admit she has her faults.

The house seems a different place already.

She's a real bright little thing,

Marilla said more than she had intended to say when she began,

For she read disapproval in Mrs Rachel's expression.

It's a great responsibility you've taken on yourself,

Said that lady gloomily,

Gloomily,

Especially when you've never had any experience with children.

You don't know much about her,

Or her real disposition,

I suppose,

And there's no guessing how a child like that will turn out.

But I don't want to discourage you,

I'm sure,

Marilla.

I'm not feeling discouraged,

Was Marilla's dry response.

When I make up my mind to do a thing,

It stays made up.

Made up.

I suppose you'd like to see Anne?

I'll call her in.

Anne came running in presently,

Her face sparkling with the delight of her orchard rovings,

But abashed at finding the delight herself in the unexpected presence of a stranger.

She halted,

Confusedly,

Inside the door.

She certainly was an odd-looking little creature,

In the short,

Tight,

Wincy dress she had worn from the asylum,

Below which her thin legs seemed ungracefully long.

Her freckles were more numerous and obtrusive than ever.

The wind had ruffled her hatless hair into over-brilliant disorder.

It had never looked redder than at that moment.

Well,

They didn't pick you for your looks.

That's sure and certain,

Was Mrs Rachel Lynn's emphatic comment.

Mrs Rachel was one of those delightful and popular people who pride themselves on speaking their mind without fear or favour.

She's terrible skinny and homely,

Marilla.

Come here,

Child,

Let me have a look at you.

Lawful heart!

Did anyone ever see such freckles and hair as red as carrots?

Come here,

Child,

I say.

Anne came there,

But not exactly as Mrs Rachel expected.

With one bound,

She crossed the kitchen floor and stood before Mrs Rachel,

Her face scarlet with anger,

Her lips quivering and her whole slender form trembling from head to foot.

I hate you,

She cried in a choked voice,

Stamping her foot on the floor.

I hate you,

I hate you,

I hate you,

A louder stamp with each assertion of hatred.

How dare you call me skinny and ugly?

How dare you say I'm freckled and red-headed?

You are a rude,

Impolite,

Unfeeling woman.

Anne,

Exclaimed Marilla in consternation.

But Anne continued to face Mrs Rachel undauntedly,

Head up,

Eyes blazing,

Hands clenched,

Passionate indignation exhaling from her like an atmosphere.

How dare you say such things about me,

She repeated vehemently.

How would you like to have such things said about you?

How would you like to be told that you are fat and clumsy and probably hasn't a spark of imagination in you?

I don't care if I do hurt your feelings by saying so.

I hope I hurt them.

You have hurt mine worse than they were ever hurt before,

Even by Mrs Thomas's intoxicated husband,

And I'll never forgive you for it.

Never,

Never,

Stamp,

Stamp.

Did anybody ever see such a temper,

Exclaimed the horrified Mrs Rachel.

Anne,

Go to your room and stay there until I come up,

Said Marilla,

Marilla recovering her powers of speech with difficulty.

Anne,

Bursting into tears,

Rushed to the hall door,

Slammed it until the tins on the porch wall outside rattled in sympathy and fled through the hall and up the stairs like a whirlwind.

A subdued slam above told that the door of the east gable had been shut with equal vehemence.

Well,

I don't envy you your job bringing that up,

Marilla,

Said Mrs Rachel with unspeakable solemnity.

Marilla opened her lips to say she knew not what of apology or deprecation.

What she did say was a surprise to herself then and ever afterwards.

You shouldn't have tweeted her about her looks,

Rachel.

Marilla Cuthbert,

You don't mean to say that you are upholding her in such a terrible display of temper as we've just seen,

Demanded Mrs Rachel indignantly.

No,

Said Marilla slowly,

I'm not trying to excuse her.

She's been very naughty and I'll have to give her a talking to about it,

But we must make allowances for her.

She's never been taught what is right.

And you were too hard on her,

Rachel.

Marilla could not help tacking on that last sentence,

Although she was again surprised at herself for doing it.

Mrs Rachel got up with an air of offended dignity.

Well,

I see that I'll have to be very careful what I say after this,

Marilla,

Since the fine feelings of orphans brought from goodness knows where have to be considered.

Before anything else.

Oh no,

I'm not vexed.

Don't worry yourself.

I'm too sorry for you to leave any room for anger in my mind.

You'll have your own troubles with that child.

But if you'll take my advice,

Which I suppose you won't do,

Although I've brought up ten children and buried two,

You'll do that talking to,

You mention,

With a fair-sized birch switch.

I should think that would be the most effective language for that kind of a child.

Her temper matches her hair,

I guess.

Well,

Good evening,

Marilla.

I hope you'll come down to see me often,

As usual.

But you can't expect me to visit here again in a hurry.

If I'm liable to be flown at and insulted in such a fashion.

It's something new in my experience.

Whereat Mrs Rachel swept out and away,

If a fat woman who always waddled could be said to sweep away.

And Marilla,

With a very solemn face,

Betook herself to the east gable.

On the way upstairs,

She pondered uneasily as to what she ought to do.

She felt no little dismay over the scene that had just been enacted.

How unfortunate that Anne should have displayed such temper before Mrs Rachel Lynde,

Of all people.

Then Marilla suddenly became aware of an uncomfortable and rebuking consciousness,

That she felt more humiliation over this than sorrow over the discovery of such a serious defect in Anne's disposition.

And how was she to punish her?

The amiable suggestion of the Birch Switch,

To the efficiency of which all of Mrs Rachel's own children could have borne smarting testimony,

Did not appeal to Marilla.

She did not believe she could whip a child.

No,

Some other method of punishment must be found to bring Anne to a proper realisation of the enormity of her offence.

Marilla found Anne,

Face downward on her bed,

Crying bitterly,

Quite oblivious of muddy boots.

On a clean counterpane.

Anne,

She said not un-gently.

No answer.

Anne,

With greater severity,

Get off that bed this minute and listen to what I have to say to you.

Anne squirmed off the bed.

And sat rigidly on a chair beside it,

Her face swollen and tear-stained and her eyes fixed stubbornly on the floor.

This is a nice way for you to behave.

Anne,

Aren't you ashamed of yourself?

She hadn't any right to call me ugly and red-headed,

Retorted Anne,

Evasive and defiant.

You hadn't any right to fly into such a fury and talk the way you did to her,

Anne.

I was ashamed of you.

Thoroughly ashamed of you.

I wanted you to behave nicely to Mrs Linde and instead of that you have disgraced me.

I'm sure I don't know why you should lose your temper like that just because Mrs Linde said you were red-haired and homely.

You say it yourself,

Often enough.

Oh,

But there's such a difference between saying a thing yourself and hearing other people say it,

Wailed Anne.

You may know a thing is so,

But you can't help hoping other people don't quite think it is.

I suppose you think I have an awful temper,

But I couldn't help it when she said those things.

Something just rose right up in me and choked me.

I had to fly out at her.

Well,

You made a fine exhibition of yourself.

I must say,

Mrs Linde will have a nice story to tell about you everywhere and she'll tell it too.

It was a dreadful thing for you to lose your temper like that,

Anne.

Just imagine how you would feel if somebody told you to your face that you were skinny and ugly,

Pleaded Anne tearfully.

An old remembrance suddenly rose up before Marilla.

She had been a very small child when she had heard one aunt say of her to another,

What a pity she is such a dark,

Homely,

Little thing.

Marilla was every day of fifty before the sting had gone out of that memory.

I don't say that I think Mrs Linde was exactly right in saying what she did to you,

Anne,

She admitted in a softer tone,

Rachel is too outspoken.

But that is no excuse for such behaviour on your part.

She was a stranger and an elderly person and my visitor.

All three very good reasons why you should have been respectful to her.

You were rude and saucy and Marilla had a saving inspiration of punishment.

You must go to her and tell her you are very sorry for your bad temper and ask her to forgive you.

I can never do that,

Said Anne determinedly and darkly.

You can punish me in any way you like,

Marilla.

You can shut me up in a dark,

Damp dungeon inhabited by snakes and toads and feed me and feed me only on bread and water and I shall not complain.

But I cannot ask Mrs Linde to forgive me.

We're not in the habit of shutting people up in dark,

Damp dungeons,

Said Marilla dryly,

Especially as they're rather scarce in Avonlea.

But apologise to Mrs Linde,

You must and shall.

And you'll stay here in your room until you can tell me you're willing to do it.

I shall have to stay here forever then,

Said Anne mournfully.

Because I can't tell Mrs Linde I'm sorry I said those things to her.

How can I?

I'm not sorry.

I'm sorry I've vexed you,

But I'm glad I told her just what I did.

It was a great satisfaction.

I can't say I'm sorry when I'm not,

Can I?

I can't even imagine I'm sorry.

Perhaps your imagination will be in better working order by the morning,

Said Marilla,

Rising to depart.

You'll have the night to think over your conduct in,

And come to a better frame of mind.

You said you would try to be a very good girl if we kept you at Green Gables,

But I must say it hasn't seemed very much like it this evening.

Leaving this Parthian shaft to rankle in Anne's stormy bosom,

Marilla descended to the kitchen,

Grievously troubled in mind and vexed in soul.

She was as angry with herself as with Anne,

Because whenever she recalled Mrs Rachel's dumbfounded countenance,

Her lips twitched with amusement,

And she felt a most reprehensible desire to laugh.

Chapter 10.

Anne's Apology Marilla said nothing to Matthew about the affair that evening,

But when Anne proved still refractory the next morning,

An explanation had to be made to account for her absence from the breakfast table.

Marilla told Matthew the whole story,

Taking pains to impress him with a due sense of the enormity of Anne's behaviour.

It's a good thing Rachel Lind got a calling down.

She's a meddlesome old gossip,

Was Matthew's consolatory rejoinder.

Matthew Cuthbert,

I'm astonished at you.

You know that Anne's behaviour was dreadful.

And yet,

You take her part?

I suppose you'll be saying next thing that she oughtn't to be punished at all.

Well,

Now,

No,

Not exactly,

Said Matthew uneasily.

I reckon she ought to be punished a little.

But don't be too hard on her,

Marilla.

Recollect she hasn't ever had anyone to teach her right.

You're going to give her something to eat,

Aren't you?

When did you ever hear of me starving people into good behaviour?

Demanded Marilla indignantly.

She'll have her meals regular,

And I'll carry them up to her myself,

But she'll stay up there until she's willing to apologise to Mrs Lind.

And that's final,

Matthew.

Breakfast,

Dinner and supper were very silent meals,

For Anne still remained obdurate.

After each meal,

Marilla carried a well-filled tray to the East Gable and brought it down later on,

Not noticeably depleted.

Matthew eyed its last descent with a troubled eye.

Had Anne eaten anything at all?

When Marilla went out that evening to bring the cows from the back pasture,

Matthew,

Who had been hanging about the barns and watching,

Slipped into the house with the air of a burglar and crept upstairs.

As a general thing,

Matthew gravitated between the kitchen and the little bedroom off the hall where he slept.

Once in a while he ventured uncomfortably into the parlour or sitting room when the minister came to tea.

But he had never been upstairs in his own house since the spring he helped Marilla paper the spare bedroom,

And that was four years ago.

He tiptoed along the hall and stood for several minutes outside the door of the East Gable before he summoned courage to tap on it with his fingers and then open the door to peep in.

Anne was sitting on the yellow chair by the window,

Gazing mournfully out into the garden.

Very small and unhappy,

She looked,

And Matthew's heart smote him.

He softly closed the door and tiptoed over to her.

Anne,

He whispered,

As if afraid of being overheard.

How are you making it,

Anne?

Anne smiled wanly.

Pretty well.

I imagine a good deal,

And that helps to pass the time.

Of course,

It's rather lonesome,

But then I may as well get used to that.

Anne smiled again,

Bravely facing the long years of solitary imprisonment before her.

Before her.

Matthew recollected that he must say what he had come to say without loss of time,

Lest Marilla return prematurely.

Well now,

Anne,

Don't you think you'd better do it and have it over with,

He whispered.

It'll have to be done,

Sooner or later,

You know,

For Marilla's a dreadful determined woman.

Dreadful determined,

Anne.

Do it right off,

I say,

And have it over.

Do you mean apologize to Mrs.

Lynde?

Yes,

Apologize.

That's the very word,

Said Matthew eagerly.

Just smooth it over,

So to speak.

That's what I was trying to get at.

I suppose I could do it to oblige you,

Said Anne thoughtfully.

It would be true enough to say I am sorry,

Because I am sorry now.

I wasn't a bit sorry last night.

I was mad clear through,

And I stayed mad all night.

All night.

I know I did,

Because I woke up three times,

And I was just furious every time.

But this morning,

It was over.

I wasn't in a temper anymore,

And it left a dreadful sort of gone-ness,

Too.

I felt so ashamed of myself.

But I just couldn't think of going and telling Mrs.

Lynde so.

It would be so humiliating.

I made up my mind I'd stay shut up here forever,

Rather than do that.

But still,

I'd do anything for you,

If you really want me to.

Well,

Now,

Of course I do.

It's terrible lonesome downstairs without you.

Just go and smooth things over.

That's a good girl.

Very well,

Said Anne resignedly.

I'll tell Marilla as soon as she comes in.

I've repented.

That's right.

That's right,

Anne.

But don't tell Marilla I said anything about it.

She might think I was putting my oar in,

And I promised not to do that.

Wild horses won't drag the secret from me,

Promised Anne solemnly.

How would wild horses drag a secret from a person,

Anyhow?

But Matthew was gone,

Scared at his own success.

He fled hastily to the remotest corner of the horse pasture,

Lest Marilla should suspect what he had been up to.

Marilla herself,

Upon her return to the house,

Was agreeably surprised to hear a plaintive voice calling Marilla over the banisters.

Marilla over the banisters.

Well,

She said,

Going into the hall.

I'm sorry I lost my temper and said rude things,

And I'm willing to go and tell Mrs Lind so.

Very well,

Marilla's crispness gave no sign of her relief.

She had been wondering what under the canopy she should do if Anne did not give in.

I'll take you down after milking.

Accordingly,

After milking,

Behold,

Marilla and Anne walking down the lane,

Walking down the lane,

The former erect and triumphant,

The latter drooping and dejected.

But halfway down,

Anne's dejection vanished as if by enchantment.

She lifted her head and stepped lightly along,

Her eyes fixed on the sunset sky and an air of subdued exhilaration about her.

Marilla beheld the change disapprovingly.

This was no meek penitent,

Such as it behooved her to take into the presence of the offended Mrs Lind.

What are you thinking of,

Anne,

She asked sharply.

I'm imagining out what I must say to Mrs Lind,

Answered Anne dreamily.

This was satisfactory,

Or should have been so,

But Marilla could not rid herself of the notion that something in her scheme of punishment was going askew.

Askew.

Anne had no business to look so wrapped and radiant.

Wrapped and radiant,

Anne continued,

Until they were in the very presence of Mrs Lind,

Who was sitting knitting by her kitchen window.

Then,

The radiance vanished.

Mournful penitence appeared on every feature.

Before a word was spoken,

Anne suddenly went down on her knees before the astonished Mrs Rachel and held out her hands beseechingly.

Beseechingly.

Oh,

Mrs Lind,

I am so extremely sorry,

She said with a quiver in her voice.

I could never express all my sorrow.

No,

Not if I used up a whole dictionary.

You must just imagine it,

I behaved terribly to you and I've disgraced the dear friends Matthew and Marilla who have let me stay at Green Gables,

Although I'm not a boy.

I'm a dreadfully wicked and ungrateful girl,

And I deserve to be punished and cast out by respectable people forever.

It was very wicked of me to fly into a temper because you told me the truth.

It was the truth.

Every word you said was true.

My hair is red and I'm freckled and skinny and ugly.

What I said to you was true too,

But I shouldn't have said it.

Oh,

Mrs Lind,

Please,

Please forgive me.

If you refuse,

It will be a lifelong sorrow on a poor little orphan girl.

Well,

Would you?

Even if she had a dreadful temper?

Oh,

I am sure you wouldn't.

Please say you forgive me,

Mrs Lind.

Anne clasped her hands together,

Bowed her head and waited for the word of judgment.

There was no mistaking her sincerity.

It breathed in every tone of her voice.

Both Marilla and Mrs Lind recognized its unmistakable ring.

But the former understood in dismay that Anne was actually enjoying her valley of humiliation,

Was reveling in the thoroughness of her abasement.

Where was the wholesome punishment upon which she,

Marilla,

Had plumed herself?

Anne had turned it into a species of positive pleasure.

Pleasure!

Good Mrs Lind,

Not being overburdened with perception,

Did not see this.

She only perceived that Anne had made a very thorough apology.

And all resentment vanished from her kindly,

If somewhat officious,

Heart.

There,

There.

Get up,

Child,

She said heartily.

Of course.

I forgive you.

I guess I was a little too hard on you,

Anyway.

But I'm such an outspoken person.

You just mustn't mind me,

That's what.

It can't be denied,

Your hair is terrible red.

But I knew a girl once,

Went to school with her,

In fact,

Whose hair was every mite as red as yours when she was young.

But when she grew up,

It darkened to a real handsome auburn.

I wouldn't be a mite surprised if yours did,

Too.

Not a mite.

Not a mite.

Oh,

Mrs Lind!

Anne drew a long breath as she rose to her feet.

You have given me a hope.

I shall always feel that you are a benefactor.

Oh,

I could endure anything if I only thought my hair would be a handsome auburn when I grew up.

It would be so much easier to be good if one's hair was a handsome auburn,

Don't you think?

And now,

May I go out into your garden and sit on that bench under the apple trees while you and Marilla are talking?

There is so much more scope for imagination out there.

Laws,

Yes.

Run along,

Child.

And you can pick a bouquet of them white dune lilies over in the corner,

If you like.

As the door closed behind Anne,

Mrs Lind got briskly up to light a lamp.

She's a real odd little thing.

Take this chair,

Marilla.

It's easier than the one you've got.

I just keep that for the hired boy to sit on.

Yes,

She certainly is an odd child.

But there is something kind of taking about her,

After all.

I don't feel so surprised at you and Matthew keeping her as I did,

Nor so sorry for you,

Either.

She may turn out all right.

Of course,

She has a queer way of expressing herself.

A little too,

Well,

Too kind of forcible,

You know?

But she'll likely get over that now that she's come to live among civilized folks.

And then her temper's pretty quick,

I guess.

But there's one comfort.

A child that has a quick temper,

Just blaze up and cool down,

Ain't never likely to be sly or deceitful.

Preserve me from a sly child,

That's what.

On the whole,

Marilla,

I kind of like her.

When Marilla went home,

Anne came out of the fragrant twilight of the orchard with a sheaf of white narcissi in her hands.

I apologized pretty well,

Didn't I?

She said proudly as they went down the lane.

I thought since I had to do it,

I might as well do it thoroughly.

You did it thoroughly,

All right enough,

Was Marilla's comment.

Marilla was dismayed at finding herself inclined to laugh over the recollection.

She had also an uneasy feeling that she ought to scold Anne for apologizing so well.

But then that was ridiculous.

She compromised with her conscience by saying severely,

I hope you won't have occasion to make many more such apologies.

I hope you'll try to control your temper now,

Anne.

That wouldn't be so hard if people wouldn't twit me about my looks,

Said Anne with a sigh.

I don't get cross about other things,

But I'm so tired of being twitted about my hair and it just makes me boil right over.

Do you suppose my hair will really be a handsome auburn when I grow up?

You shouldn't think so much about your looks,

Anne.

I'm afraid you are a very vain little girl.

How can I be vain when I know I'm homely,

Protested Anne.

I love pretty things and I hate to look in the glass and see something that isn't pretty.

It makes me feel so sorrowful,

Just as I feel when I look at any ugly thing.

I pity it because it isn't beautiful.

Handsome is as handsome does,

Quoted Marilla.

I've had that said to me before,

But I have my doubts about it,

Remarked sceptical Anne,

Sniffing at her nice sissy.

Oh,

Aren't these flowers sweet?

It was lovely of Mrs Linde to give them to me.

I have no hard feelings against Mrs Linde now.

It gives you a lovely,

Comfortable feeling to apologise and be forgiven,

Doesn't it?

Aren't the stars bright tonight?

If you could live in a star,

Which one would you pick?

I'd like that lovely,

Clear,

Big one,

Way over there,

Above that dark hill.

Anne,

Do hold your tongue,

Said Marilla,

Thoroughly worn out,

Trying to follow the gyrations of Anne's thoughts.

Anne said no more,

Until they turned into their own lane.

A little gypsy wind came down it to meet them.

Laden with the spicy perfume of young,

Dew-wet ferns.

Far up in the shadows,

A cheerful light gleamed out through the trees from the kitchen at Green Gables.

Anne suddenly came close to Marilla and slipped her hand into the older woman's hard,

Into the older woman's hard palm.

It's lovely to be going home and know it's home,

She said.

I love Green Gables already.

And I never loved any place before.

No place ever seemed like home.

Oh,

Marilla,

I'm so happy.

I could pray right now and not find it a bit hard.

Something warm and pleasant welled up in Marilla's heart.

At touch of that thin little hand in her own,

A throb of the maternity she had missed,

Perhaps.

Its very unaccustomedness and sweetness disturbed her.

She hastened to restore her sensations to their normal calm by inculcating a moral.

If you'll be a good girl,

You'll always be happy,

Anne.

And you should never find it hard to say your prayers.

Saying one's prayers isn't exactly the same thing as praying,

Said Anne meditatively.

But I'm going to imagine that I'm the wind that is blowing up there in those treetops.

When I get tired of the trees,

I'll imagine I'm gently waving down here in the ferns.

And then I'll fly over to Mrs.

Lynn's garden and set the flowers dancing.

And then I'll go with one great swoop over the clover field.

Then I'll blow over the lake of shining waters and ripple it all up into little sparkling waves.

There's so much scope for imagination in a wind.

So I'll not talk anymore just now,

Marilla.

Thanks be to goodness for that,

Breathed Marilla in devout relief.

Reviews

Love this reading of this favorite so much I am not going to sleep LOL! ❤️

🌷🌻🌹Such a treat to listen to! You have talent! 🌹🌻🌷

Enchanted by these stories. Your voice and the pace and excellent diction bring the whole of Avonlea to life. Thank you for taking so much time to make this happen.

I just can not stop listening. I love it so much,though not very good for my nights sleep.
Thank you 🤍