Welcome to Drift Off Bedtime Stories.
I'm your host Joanne and I'm so glad you've joined me.
Tonight we begin a new journey together as we dive into the timeless classic Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Each Sunday,
I'll be narrating a few chapters,
Offering a gentle escape into the charming world of Anne Shirley and the beautiful landscapes of Prince Edward Island.
Before we begin.
Let's take a moment to relax and settle in.
Find a comfortable position Gently close your eyes.
And take a deep breath in.
And slowly exhale.
Feel your body beginning to unwind as you let go of any tension.
Imagine yourself in a peaceful cozy space ready to drift off into a world of imagination and rest.
And so,
My friend.
Let's step into the enchanting world now of Anne of Green Gables.
Chapter 15 A Tempest in the School Teapot What a splendid day,
Said Anne,
Taking a deep breath.
Isn't it wonderful just to be alive on a day like this?
I feel sorry for people who aren't born yet,
Because they're missing it.
They might have good days,
But they can never have this one.
And it's even better to have such a lovely way to walk to school,
Isn't it?
It's much nicer than going by the road that's so dusty and hot,
" said Diana practically,
Peeking into her lunch basket and mentally calculating how to divide the three juicy raspberry tarts among ten girls.
The girls at Avonlea School always shared their lunches,
And eating three raspberry tarts alone or even just with your best friend would be considered awful mean.
But when the tarts were divided among ten girls,
He only got a tiny bite.
The path Anne and Diana took to school was very pretty.
Anne thought those walks with Diana were perfect and couldn't be improved even in her imagination.
Walking by the main road would have been so dull.
But going by Lover's Lane,
Willowmere,
Violet Vale and the Birch Path was truly romantic.
Lover's Lane started below the orchard at Green Gables and stretched far into the woods,
Ending at the Cuthbert Farm.
It was used to take cows to the back pasture and haul wood in the winter.
And had named it Lover's Lane within a month of arriving at Green Gables.
Not that lovers really walk there,
She explained to Marilla.
But Diana and I are reading a wonderful book that has a lover's lane in it.
So we wanted one too.
Isn't it a pretty name?
So romantic.
We can imagine lovers walking there.
I like that Lane,
Because you can think out loud without people thinking you're crazy.
Anne,
Started out alone in the morning,
Went down Lover's Lane to the brook.
There Diana met her,
And the two girls walked up the lane under the leafy maple trees.
Maples are such sociable trees,
" said Anne.
They're always rustling and whispering to you.
They walked until they reached a rustic bridge.
Then they left the lane,
Walked through Mr.
Barry's backfield,
And passed Willowmere.
Beyond Will O'Meara was Violet Vale.
A little green spot in the shadow of Mr.
Andrew Bell's big woods.
There are no violets there now,
Anne told Marilla.
But Diana says there are millions in the spring.
Can't you just imagine seeing them?
And takes my breath away.
I named it Violet Vale.
Diana says I'm good at coming up with fancy names for places.
It's nice to be clever at something,
Isn't it?
But Diana named the Birch Path.
She wanted to,
So I let her.
But I could have thought of something more poetic than plain birch path.
Anyone can come up with that.
But the Birch Path is one of the prettiest places in the world,
Marilla.
If it really was,
Other people thought so too when they found it.
It was a narrow winding path going down a long hill through Mr.
Bell's woods,
Where the light filtered through so many green leaves that it looked as flawless as a diamond.
It was lined with slim young birches,
White stemmed and graceful,
Ferns,
Star flowers,
Wild lilies of the valley,
And scarlet pigeon berries ruthlessly along it.
The air was always spicy,
Filled with bird calls and the murmur and laughter of the wind in the trees.
Sometimes you might see a rabbit if you were quiet,
Which with Anne and Diana happened about once in a blue moon.
In the valley,
The path led to the main road.
And then it was just up the Spruce Hill to the school.
The Avonlea School was a whitewashed building with low eaves and wide windows.
Inside,
It had comfortable,
Old-fashioned desks covered with the initials and carvings of three generations of schoolchildren.
The schoolhouse was set back from the road,
And behind it was a shady fir wood and a brook where all children put their bottles of milk in the morning to keep them cool and fresh until lunchtime.
Marilla watched Anne head off to school on the first day of September with many worries.
Anne was such an unusual girl.
How would she get along with the other children?
And how would she ever manage to stay quiet during school?
Things went better than Marilla feared,
And came home that evening in high spirits.
I think I'm gonna like school here,
She said.
I don't think much of the teacher though.
He's always curling his mustache and making eyes at Prissy Andrews.
Percy is grown up,
You know.
She's 16 and studying for the entrance exam to Queen's Academy next year.
Tilly Bolter says the teacher's in love with her.
She has a beautiful complexion and curly brown hair,
And she styles it so elegantly.
She sits at the back,
And he spends most of his time there too.
He says he's explaining her lessons,
But Ruby Gillis says she saw him write something on her slate,
And when Prissy read it,
She blushed and giggled.
Ruby doesn't believe it was about the lesson.
And Shirley,
Don't talk about your teacher like that,
Said Marilla sharply.
You go to school to learn,
Not to criticize.
I hope you behaved yourself.
Indeed I did,
" said Anne.
It wasn't as hard as you might think.
I sit with Diana.
Our seat is by the window and we can see the lake of shining waters.
There are many nice girls at school,
And we had fun playing at lunchtime.
It's nice to have lots of girls to play with,
But I like Diana best and always will.
I'm far behind the others in schoolwork.
They're all in the fifth book,
And I'm only in the fourth.
I feel is a bit disgraceful.
But none of them have as much imagination as I do.
We had reading,
Geography,
Canadian history,
And dictation today.
Mr.
Phillips said my spelling was disgraceful and showed my slate to everyone.
I felt so embarrassed.
He could have been nicer to a newcomer.
Ruby Gillis gave me an apple.
Sophie Sloan lent me a lovely pink card with,
May I see your home on it?
Tilly Bolter let me wear her bead ring all afternoon.
Can I have some of those pearl beads from your old pincushion to make a ring?
And Marilla.
Jane Andrews told me that Minnie McPherson heard Prissy Andrews tell Sarah Gillis that I have a very pretty nose.
That's the first compliment I've ever had,
And it made me feel so strange.
Marilla,
Do I really have a pretty nose?
I know you'll tell me the truth.
Your nose is fine,
" said Marilla shortly.
Secretly,
She thought Anne's nose was very pretty,
But she didn't want to tell her.
That was three weeks ago,
And everything had gone smoothly so far.
Now,
On this crisp September morning.
Anne and Diana were happily walking down the bridge path.
Two of the happiest little girls in Avonlea.
I guess Gilbert Blythe will be in school today,
" said Diana.
He's been visiting his cousins in New Brunswick all summer and just came home Saturday night.
He's awfully handsome,
Anne,
And he teases the girls a lot.
He really torments us.
Diana's tone suggested she didn't mind the teasing so much.
Gilbert Blythe,
Said Anne.
Isn't his name written on the porch wall with Julia bells and a big take notice over them?
Yes,
Said Diana tossing her head,
But I'm sure he doesn't like Julia Bell that much.
I heard him say he studied the multiplication table by her freckles.
Oh,
Don't talk about freckles to me,
Begdan.
It's not polite when I have so many.
But I do think writing take notices on the wall about boys and girls is the silliest thing ever.
I'd like to see anyone dare to write my name with a boy's.
Not that anyone would,
" she added quickly.
Anne sighed.
She didn't want her name written up,
But it was a bit humiliating to know it wouldn't be.
Nonsense,
Said Diana,
Whose black eyes and glossy hair had made many Avonlea schoolboys write her name in take notices.
It's just a joke,
And don't be too sure your name won't ever be written up.
Charlie Sloan likes you.
He told his mother you were the smartest girl in school.
That's better than being good looking.
No,
It isn't,
" said Anne.
I'd rather be pretty than clever.
And I hate Charlie Sloane.
I can't stand boys with goggle eyes.
If anyone wrote my name with his,
I'd never get over it,
Diana Barry.
But it is nice to be at the top of the class.
You'll have Gilbert in your class now,
" said Diana,
And he's used to being the best.
He's in the 4th book even though he's nearly 14.
Four years ago,
His father was sick and they went to Alberta for his health.
So Gilbert didn't go to school much until they came back.
It won't be easy to stay atop now,
Anne.
I'm glad,
" said Anne quickly.
I couldn't really be proud of being the best among little kids.
I got to the top yesterday by spelling abolition.
Josie Pie was ahead of me,
And she peeked in her book.
Mr.
Phillips didn't see her.
He was looking at Chrissy Andrews,
But I did.
I gave her a look of freezing scorn,
And she turned as red as a beet and spelled it wrong anyway.
Those pie girls are cheats all around,
Said Diana indignantly as they climbed the fence to the main road.
Gertie Pie actually put her milk bottle in my spot in the brook yesterday.
Can you believe it?
I don't speak to her now.
When Mr.
Phillips was in the back of the room helping Percy Andrews with Latin,
Diana whispered to Anne,
That's Gilbert Blythe sitting right across the aisle from you,
Anne.
Look at him and see if you think he's handsome.
Anne looked and saw Gilbert Blythe stealthily pinning Ruby Gillis's long yellow braid to the back of her seat.
He was a tall boy with curly brown hair,
Mischievous hazel eyes,
And a teasing smile.
Ruby Gilla stood up to take a sum to the teacher and fell back with a shriek.
Thinking her hair was pulled out by the roots.
Everyone looked at her,
And Mr.
Phillips glared sternly,
Making Ruby cry.
Gilbert had hidden the pin and was pretending to study his history with a serious face.
When the commotion settled,
He looked at Anne and winked playfully.
I think Gilbert Blythe is handsome and confided to Diana,
But I think he's very bold.
It's not good manners to wink at a girl you don't know.
But it wasn't until afternoon that things really started to happen.
Mr.
Phillips was in the corner explaining algebra to Percy Andrews,
And the rest of the students were doing as they pleased,
Eating green apples,
Whispering,
Drawing on their slates,
And playing with crickets on strings.
Gilbert Blythe was trying to get Anne Shirley to look at him,
But she was completely absorbed in a daydream,
Staring at the blue view of the lake of shining waters through the window.
Gilbert wasn't used to being ignored.
He wanted the red-haired Shirley girl with the pointed chin and big,
Unusual eyes to look at him.
He reached across the aisle,
Picked up the end of Anne's long red braid,
Held it out and whispered loudly,
Carrots,
Carrots.
Then Anne looked at him with fury.
She did more than look.
She jumped to her feet.
Her daydreams shattered.
She gave Gilbert a furious glance,
Her eyes sparkling with angry tears.
You mean,
Hateful boy,
She shouted passionately.
How dare you!
And then whack.
Anne brought her slate down on Gilbert's head,
Cracking the slate,
Not his head,
In half.
Avonlea School loved a scene,
And this one was especially entertaining.
Everyone gasped in horror and delight.
Diana gasped.
Ruby Gillis,
Prone to being hysterical,
Started crying.
Tommy Sloan let his team of crickets escape as he stared,
Mouth open.
Mr.
Phillips marched down the aisle and put his hand heavily on Anne's shoulder.
And Shirley,
What does this mean?
" he said angrily.
And in answer.
It was too much to expect her to say in front of the whole school that she had been called carrots.
Gilbert spoke up bravely.
It was my fault,
Mr.
Phillips.
" I teased her.
Mr.
Phillips ignored Gilbert.
I am sorry to see a pupil of mine displaying such temper and vindictiveness,
He said solemnly.
As if being his pupil should remove all bad behavior.
And go stand on the platform in front of the blackboard for the rest of the afternoon.
Anne would have much preferred a whipping to this punishment,
Which felt like a lash to her sensitive spirit.
With a pale set face,
She obeyed.
Mr.
Phillips took a chalk crayon and wrote on the blackboard above her head.
Anne surely has a very bad temper.
And Shirley must learn to control her temper.
He read it out loud so even the youngest students who couldn't read writing would understand.
Anne stood there the rest of the afternoon with that writing above her.
She didn't cry or hang her head.
Her anger was still too strong.
With resentful eyes and red cheeks,
She faced Diana's sympathetic look,
Charlie Sloan's indignant nods,
And Josie Pye's malicious smiles.
As for Gilbert Blythe,
She refused to look at him.
She would never look at him again.
She would never speak to him.
When school was dismissed,
Anne marched out with her head held high.
Gilbert Blythe tried to stop her at the porch door.
I'm really sorry I made fun of your hair,
Anne,
" he whispered contritely.
Honestly,
I am.
Don't stay mad forever,
Okay?
And swept by him disdainfully without a sign of hearing.
Oh,
How could you,
Anne?
" breathed Diana as they walked down the road,
Half reproachful,
Half admiring.
Diana felt she could never have resisted Gilbert's apology.
I will never forgive Gilbert Blythe said Anne firmly.
And Mr.
Phillips spelled my name without an E,
Too.
That's deeply hurtful,
Diana.
Diana had no idea what Anne meant.
But she knew it was something terrible.
You shouldn't mind Gilbert making fun of your hair,
She said soothingly.
He makes fun of all the girls.
He laughs at mine because it's so black.
He's called me a crow a dozen times,
And I've never heard him apologize before.
There's a big difference between being called a crow and being called carrots,
Said Anne with dignity.
Gilbert Blythe has hurt my feelings terribly,
Diana.
The matter might have blown over without more trouble,
If nothing else had happened.
But when things start to happen,
They often keep happening.
Avonlea scholars often spent their lunch hour picking gum in Mr.
Bell's Spruce Grove,
Over the hill and across his big pasture fields.
From there,
They could keep an eye on Ebb and Wright's house,
Where the teacher boarded.
When they saw Mr.
Phillips coming out,
They would run for the schoolhouse,
But since the distance was about three times longer than Mr.
Wright's lane,
They often arrived breathless and a few minutes late.
The next day,
Mr.
Phillips,
In a rare moment of strictness,
Announced before going home for lunch that he expected all students to be in their seats when he returned.
Anyone who came in late would be punished.
All the boys and some of the girls went to Mr.
Bell's Spruce Grove as usual,
Planning to stay only briefly.
But spruce groves are tempting.
They picked and lingered,
Losing track of time until Jimmy Glover shouted from the top of an old spruce,
Master's coming.
The girls on the ground started first and managed to reach the schoolhouse just in time.
The boys,
Who had to climb down from trees,
Were later.
And Anne,
Who hadn't been picking gum at all,
But was wandering at the far end of the grove,
Waist deep in bracken,
And singing softly to herself,
With a wreath of rice lilies in her hair,
Was the latest of all.
Anne could run like a deer though,
And she did,
Overtaking the boys at the door and getting swept into the schoolhouse just as Mr.
Phillips was hanging up his hat.
Mr.
Phillips' brief moment of strictness was over.
He didn't want the hassle of punishing a dozen students,
But he had to do something to save face.
So,
He looked for a scapegoat and found it in Anne,
Who had dropped into her seat,
Gasping for breath,
With a forgotten lily wreath hanging askew over one ear,
Giving her a disheveled look.
And Shirley.
Since you seem to enjoy the boy's company so much.
We'll indulge your taste for it this afternoon,
" he said sarcastically.
Take those flowers out of your hair and sit with Gilbert Blythe.
The other boys snickered.
Diana,
Turning pale with pity,
Plucked the wreath from Anne's hair and squeezed her hand.
Anne stared at the teacher as if she had turned to stone.
Did you hear what I said,
Anne?
Asked Mr.
Phillips sternly.
Yes,
Sir,
Said Anne slowly.
But I didn't think you really meant it.
I assure you I did,
" he said,
Still with the sarcastic tone that all children,
Especially Anne,
Hated.
It felt like a raw wound.
For a moment and look like she might disobey.
Then,
Realizing she had no choice,
She stood up haughtily,
Crossed the aisle,
Sat down beside Gilbert Blythe,
And buried her face in her arms on the desk.
Ruby Gillis,
Who saw her face as it went down.
Told the others on the way home that she had actually never seen anything like it.
It was so white with awful little red spots in it.
To Anne,
This was the end of the world.
Being singled out for punishment among equally guilty ones was bad enough.
Being sent to sit with a boy was worse.
But that boy being Gilbert Blythe was an unbearable insult.
Anne felt she couldn't bear it,
And it was useless to try.
She was consumed with shame,
Anger,
And humiliation.
At first,
The other students looked,
Whispered,
Giggled,
And nudged each other.
But as Anne never lifted her head,
And Gilbert worked on fractions as if he was completely absorbed,
They soon returned to their own tasks and forgot about Anne.
When Mr.
Phillips called the history class,
Anne didn't move,
And Mr.
Phillips,
Distracted by writing verses to Priscilla,
Didn't notice.
Once,
When no one was looking,
Gilbert took a little pink candy heart with a gold motto.
You are sweet,
From his desk,
And slipped it under Anne's arm.
Anne stood up,
Took the candy gingerly between her fingers,
Dropped it on the floor,
Crushed it to powder beneath her heel,
And went back to her position without looking at Gilbert.
When school was out,
Anne marched to her desk,
Ostentatiously took out everything—books,
Writing tablet,
Pen and ink,
Testament,
And arithmetic—and piled them neatly on her cracked slate.
What are you taking all those things home for,
Anne?
" Diana asked as soon as they were on the road.
She hadn't dared to ask before.
I'm not coming back to school anymore,
Said Anne.
Diana gasped and stared at Anne to see if she was serious.
Will Marilla let you stay home,
She asked.
She'll have to,
" said Anne.
I'll never go to school to that man again.
Oh Anne,
Diana looked like she was about to cry.
I think you're mean.
What shall I do?
Mr.
Phillips will make me sit with that horrid,
Girdy pie.
I know he will because she's sitting alone.
Please come back in.
I'd do almost anything for you,
Diana,
" said Anne sadly.
I'd let myself be torn limb from limb if it would help you.
But I can't do this,
So please don't ask.
It tears at my soul.
Think of all the fun you'll miss,
" mourned Diana.
We're gonna build a new house by the brook,
And we'll be playing ball next week.
You've never played ball,
Anne.
It's very exciting.
We're gonna learn a new song,
And Alice Andrews is bringing a new pansy book next week.
We'll read it out loud,
Chapter by chapter,
By the brook.
You love reading out loud,
Anne.
" Nothing changed Anne's mind.
She was determined not to go back to school with Mr.
Phillips.
She told Marilla when she got home.
Nonsense,
" said Marilla.
It isn't nonsense at all,
" said Anne,
Looking at Marilla with solemn,
Reproachful eyes.
Don't you understand,
Marilla?
I've been insulted.
Insulted Fiddlesticks,
You'll go to school tomorrow as usual.
Oh no,
Anne shook her head gently.
I'm not going back,
Marilla.
I'll learn my lessons at home and be as good as I can and keep quiet.
But I will not go back to school,
I promise you.
Marilla saw a look of unyielding stubbornness on Anne's small face.
She understood that she would have trouble changing Anne's mind,
But wisely decided to say nothing more for now.
I'll talk to Rachel about it this evening,
" she thought.
There's no use reasoning with Anne now.
She's too upset,
And I have a feeling she can be very stubborn.
From what I gather,
Mr.
Phillips has been rather strict.
But it wouldn't do to tell Anne that.
I'll just talk it over with Rachel.
She sent 10 children to school,
And she knows something about it.
She'll have heard the whole story by now.
Marilla found Mrs.
Linde knitting quilts as industriously and cheerfully as usual.
I suppose you know what I've come about,
" she said,
A little embarrassed.
Mrs.
Rachel nodded.
Tilly Bolter told me about it on our way home.
I don't know what to do with her,
" said Marilla.
She says she won't go back to school.
I've never seen a child so upset.
I knew things were going too smoothly to last.
She's so high-strung.
What would you advise,
Rachel?
Well,
Since you've asked for my advice,
" said Mrs.
Lynde amiably,
Loving to be asked for advice,
I'd humour her a little while at first.
I think Mr.
Phillips was in the wrong.
Of course it doesn't do so to say so to the children.
He was right to punish her for her temper,
But today was different.
The other late comers should have been punished too.
And I don't believe in making girls sit with boys for punishment.
It isn't proper.
Tilly Bolter was indignant and took Anne's side.
As did the other scholars.
And seems popular among them surprisingly.
You think I should let her stay at home?
" said Marilla in amazement.
Yes,
I wouldn't mention school until she brings it up herself.
She'll cool off in a week or so and be ready to go back.
If you force her now,
She might cause more trouble.
The less fuss,
The better.
She won't miss much by not going.
Mr.
Phillips isn't a good teacher.
He neglects the younger students and focuses on those preparing for Queens.
He wouldn't have gotten the job again if his uncle wasn't a trustee.
I don't know what's happening to education on this island.
Mrs.
Rachel shook her head,
As if saying things would be better if she were in charge.
Marilla took Mrs.
Rachel's advice and didn't mention school to Anne again.
Anne learned her lessons at home,
Did her chores,
And played with Diana in the chilly autumn twilights.
But when she saw Gilbert Blythe,
She ignored him with icy contempt,
Despite his attempts to make peace.
Even Diana couldn't help.
Anne seemed determined to hate Gilbert forever.
As much as she hated Gilbert,
She loved Diana intensely.
One evening,
Marilla found Anne crying bitterly by the east window.
What's the matter now?
Anne,
She asks.
It's about Diana,
Sobbed Anne.
I love Diana so much,
Marilla.
I can't live without her.
But I know when we grow up,
Diana will get married and leave me.
I hate her future husband already.
I've imagined the wedding.
Diana looking beautiful in her dress,
And me as the bridesmaid with a breaking heart,
Then saying goodbye forever,
And broke down entirely,
Crying even harder.
Marilla quickly turned away to hide her twitching face,
But it was no use.
She collapsed into the nearest chair and burst into hearty,
Unusual laughter.
Matthew,
Crossing the yard outside,
Stopped in amazement.
When had he ever heard Marilla laugh like that before?
Well,
And surely,
Said Marilla,
As soon as she could speak.
If you must borrow trouble,
For pity's sake borrow it closer to home.
You certainly have an imagination.
Sweet dreams my friend.
Sleep well.
You you
