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.
Now,
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 9.
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 grip 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 who were,
But grip,
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,
About whom all sorts of stories and suppositions had spread in Avonlea.
Anne had made good use of every waking moment of that fortnight.
She had already explored every tree and shrub around the place.
She discovered a lane that opened below the apple orchard and ran through a wooded area.
She explored it to its very end,
Enjoying the brook,
Bridges,
Fir trees,
Wild cherry arches,
Thick fern corners,
And 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 grape-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.
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 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 the good lady had an excellent chance to talk about her illness fully,
Describing every ache and pulse beat with such evident enjoyment that Marilla thought even grip must bring its compensations.
When details were exhausted,
Mrs.
Rachel introduced the real reason for her call.
I've been hearing some surprising things about you and Matthew.
I don't suppose you're 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 the lady 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.
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 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 empathetic comment.
Mrs.
Rachel was one of those delightful and popular people who pride themselves on speaking their mind without fear or favor.
She's terribly skinny and homely,
Marilla.
Come here,
Child,
And let me have a look at you.
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 and polite,
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?
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 having 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,
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.
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 even 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 like to 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 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.
With that,
Mrs.
Rachel swept out and away,
If a fat woman who always waddled could be said to sweep away,
And Marilla,
With a 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 realization of the enormity of her offense.
Marilla found Anne face down on her bed,
Crying bitterly,
Quite oblivious of muddy boots on a clean counterpane.
Anne,
She said not ungently,
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 tears 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 redheaded,
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.
Lind,
And instead of that,
You've disgraced me.
I'm sure I don't know why you should lose your temper like that.
Just because Mrs.
Lind 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 at her.
Well,
You made a fine exhibition of yourself,
I must say.
Mrs.
Lind 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's such a dark,
Homely little thing.
Marilla was every day of 50 before the sting had gone out of that memory.
I don't say that I think Mrs.
Lind 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 behavior 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 only bread and water,
And I shall not complain.
But I cannot ask Mrs.
Lind to forgive me.
We're not in the habit of shutting people up in dark,
Damp dungeons,
Said Marilla dryly,
Especially as they're rare,
Scarce,
And avidly.
But apologize to Mrs.
Lind 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.
Lind I'm sorry I said those things to her.
How can I?
I'm not sorry.
I'm sorry I 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,
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 final remark to stir up Anne's emotions,
Marilla went down to the kitchen,
Deeply troubled and upset.
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 incident that evening,
But when Anne remained defiant the next morning,
She had to explain why Anne was absent from the breakfast table.
Marilla told Matthew the whole story,
Emphasizing how serious Anne's behavior had been.
It's a good thing Rachel Wind got a telling off.
She's a meddlesome old gossip,
Matthew replied consolingly.
Matthew Cuthbert,
I'm astonished at you.
You know Anne's behavior was dreadful,
Yet you take her side.
I suppose you'll say next that she shouldn't be punished at all.
Well now,
No,
Not exactly,
Said Matthew uneasily.
I reckon she should be punished a little,
But don't be too hard on her,
Marilla.
She's never 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 behavior,
Demanded Marilla indignantly.
She'll have her meals regularly,
And I'll take them up to her myself.
But she'll stay up there until she's willing to apologize to Mrs.
Lynde,
And that's final,
Matthew.
Breakfast,
Dinner,
And supper were very silent meals,
As Anne still remained stubborn.
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 look.
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 around the barns and watching,
Slipped into the house with the air of a burglar and crept upstairs.
Matthew usually stayed between the kitchen and his little bedroom off the hall where he slept.
Once in a while,
He ventured uncomfortably into the parlor 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 gathered the courage to tap on it with his fingers and then open the door to peek in.
Anne was sitting on the yellow chair by the window,
Gazing mournfully into the garden.
She looked very small and unhappy,
And Matthew's heart ached for her.
He softly closed the door and tiptoed over to her.
Anne,
He whispered,
As if afraid of being overheard.
How are you doing,
Anne?
Anne smiled faintly.
Pretty well,
I imagine a lot,
And that helps pass the time.
Of course it's rather lonely,
But then I might as well get used to that.
Anne smiled again,
Bravely facing the long years of solitary confinement ahead of her.
Matthew remembered he needed to say what he had come to say quickly,
Lest Marilla return prematurely.
Well now,
Anne,
Don't you think you'd better do it and get it over with,
He whispered.
It'll have to be done sooner or later,
You know,
For Marilla's a very determined woman,
Very determined,
Anne.
Do it right away,
I say,
And get it over with.
Do you mean apologize to Mrs.
Lind?
Yes,
Apologize.
That's the very word,
Said Matthew eagerly.
Just smooth things 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 all through,
And I stayed mad all night.
I know I did,
Because I woke up three times,
And I was just furious each time.
But this morning,
It was over.
I wasn't angry anymore,
And it left a dreadful sort of emptiness too.
I felt so ashamed of myself,
But I just couldn't think of going and telling Mrs.
Lind 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 wanted me to.
Well now,
Of course I do.
It's terribly lonely 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 that 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 interfering,
And I promise 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 already 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 return to the house,
Was agreeable surprised to hear a plaintive voice calling,
Marilla,
Over the banister.
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.
Linde so.
Very well.
Marilla's crispness gave no sign of her relief.
She had been wondering what she would 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,
The former erect and triumphant,
The latter drooping and dejected.
But halfway down,
Anne's dejection vanished as if by magic.
She lifted her head and stepped lightly along,
Her eyes fixed on the sunset sky and an air of subdued excitement about her.
Marilla beheld the change disapprovingly.
This was not the meek penitent she intended to present to the offended Mrs.
Linde.
What are you thinking of,
Anne?
I'm imagining what I must say to Mrs.
Linde,
Answered Anne dreamily.
That was satisfactory,
Or should have been,
But Marilla could not rid herself of the notion that something in her punishment scheme was going awry.
Anne had no business looking so wrapped and radiant.
Wrapped and radiant,
Anne remained until they stood before Mrs.
Linde,
Who was sitting and 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.
Oh,
Mrs.
Linde,
I am so extremely sorry,
She said with a quiver in her voice.
I can never express all my sorrow.
No,
Not if I used up a whole dictionary.
You must just imagine it.
I behave terribly to you,
And I've disgraced the dear friends Matthew and Marilla who have left me to 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.
Linde,
Please,
Please forgive me.
If you refuse it,
It will be a lifelong sorrow for a poor little orphan girl.
Would you,
Even if she had a dreadful temper?
Oh,
I'm sure you wouldn't.
Please say you forgive me,
Mrs.
Linde.
Anne clasped her hands together,
Bowed her head,
And waited for the word of judgment.
There was no mistaking her sincerity.
It was in every tone of her voice.
Both Marilla and Mrs.
Linde recognized it,
But Marilla understood with dismay that Anne was actually enjoying her humiliation.
Where was the wholesome punishment Marilla had intended?
Anne had turned it into a form of positive pleasure.
Good Mrs.
Linde,
Not being very perceptive,
Did not see this.
She only saw that Anne had made a very thorough apology,
And all resentment vanished from her kind,
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 all.
It can't be denied your hair is terribly red,
But I knew a girl once,
Went to school with her in fact,
Whose hair was every bit as red as yours when she was young,
But when she grew up it darkened to a real handsome auburn.
I wouldn't be surprised if yours did too,
Not a bit.
Oh,
Mrs.
Linde,
Anne drew a long breath as she rose to her feet.
You've given me 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 grow 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's so much more room for imagination out there.
Yes,
Run along,
Child,
And you can pick a bouquet of those white June lilies over in the corner if you like.
As the door closed behind Anne,
Mrs.
Linde 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's something kind of appealing 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 strange way of expressing herself.
A little too,
Well,
Too kind of forceful,
You know.
But she'll likely get over that now that she's come to live amongst civilized folks.
And then,
Her temper's pretty quick,
I guess.
But there's one comfort.
A child with a quick temper who just blazes up and cools down isn't 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 bunch of white narcissi in her hands.
I apologized pretty well,
Didn't I?
She said proudly as they walked down the lane.
I thought since I had to do it,
I might as well do it thoroughly.
You did it thoroughly,
All right,
Was Marilla's comment.
Marilla was dismayed at finding herself inclined to laugh at the recollection.
She also felt uneasy,
Thinking 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 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 tease me about my looks,
Said Anne with a sigh.
I don't get cross about other things.
But I'm so tired of being teased about my hair,
And it just makes me boil over.
Do you think my hair will really be handsome,
Auburn,
When I grow up?
You shouldn't think so much about your looks,
Anne.
I'm afraid you're 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 mirror and see something that isn't pretty.
It makes me feel so sad,
Just as I feel when I look at anything ugly.
I pity it because it isn't beautiful.
Handsome is as handsome does,
Quoted Marilla.
I've heard that said before,
But I have my doubts about it,
Remarked skeptical Anne.
Oh,
Aren't these flowers sweet?
It was lovely of Mrs.
Lynde to give them to me.
I have no hard feelings against Mrs.
Lynde now.
It gives you a lovely,
Comfortable feeling to apologize 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 over there above the dark hill.
Anne,
Do hold your tongue,
Said Marilla,
Thoroughly worn out trying to follow the twists and turns of Anne's thoughts.
Anne said no more until they turned into their own lane.
A little gypsy wind came down 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 firm grip.
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 hard at all.
Something warm and pleasant welled up in Marilla's heart at the touch of that thin little hand in her own.
A throb of motherhood she had missed,
Perhaps.
Its very unaccustomedness and sweetness disturbed her.
She hastened to restore her feelings to their normal calm by imparting 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 thoughtfully.
But I'm going to imagine that I'm the wind 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,
And then I'll blow over the lake of shining waters,
And ripple it up into little sparkling waves.
Oh,
There's so much room for imagination in a wind,
So I'll not talk anymore just now,
Marilla.
Thank goodness for that,
Breathed Marilla in devout relief.
Sweet dreams,
My friend.
Sleep well.
