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29 - Anne of Green Gables (version 4) by Lucy Maud Montgomery · Anne of Green Gables (version 4)

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine of Anne of Green Gables. This is
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  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: Recorded by Annie Coleman www dot Annie Coleman dot com.
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  Speaker 1: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Chapter twenty
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  Speaker 1: nine and Epoch in Anne's Life. Anne was bringing the
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  Speaker 1: cows home from the back pasture by way of Lover's Lane.
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  Speaker 1: It was a September evening, and all the gaps and
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  Speaker 1: clearings in the woods were brimmed up with ruby sunset light.
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  Speaker 1: Here and there the lane was splashed with it, but
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  Speaker 1: for the most part it was already quite shadowy. Beneath
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  Speaker 1: the maples, and the spaces under the furs were filled
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  Speaker 1: with a clear, violet dusk, like airy wine. The winds
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  Speaker 1: were out in their tops, and there is no sweeter
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  Speaker 1: music on earth than that which the wind makes in
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  Speaker 1: the fir trees. At evening, the cows swung placidly down
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  Speaker 1: the lane, and Anne followed them, dreamily, repeating aloud the
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  Speaker 1: battle canto from Marmion, which had been part of their
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  Speaker 1: English course the preceding winter. On which Miss Stacy had
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  Speaker 1: made them learn off by heart, and exulting in its
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  Speaker 1: rushing lines and the clash of spears in its imagery.
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  Speaker 1: When she came to the lines, the stubborn spearsmen still
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  Speaker 1: made good their dark, impenetrable wood. She stopped, in ecstasy
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  Speaker 1: to shut her eyes, that she might the better fancy
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  Speaker 1: herself one of that heroic ring. When she opened them again,
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  Speaker 1: it was to behold Diana coming through the gate that
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  Speaker 1: led into the berry field, and looking so important that
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  Speaker 1: Anne instantly divined there was news to be told. But
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  Speaker 1: betray too eager curiosity, she would not. Isn't this evening
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  Speaker 1: just like a purple dream? Diana? It makes me so
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  Speaker 1: glad to be alive In the mornings. I always think
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  Speaker 1: the morning's are best, but when evening comes, I think
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  Speaker 1: it's lovelier. Still, it's a very fine evening, said Diana.
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  Speaker 1: But oh, I have such news, Anne, guess you can
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  Speaker 1: have three guesses. Charlotte Gillis is going to be married
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  Speaker 1: in the church after all, and missus Allen wants us
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  Speaker 1: to decorate it, cried Anne. No, Charlotte's beau won't agree
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  Speaker 1: to that, because nobody ever has been married in the
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  Speaker 1: church yet, and he thinks it would seem too much
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  Speaker 1: like a funeral. It's too mean because it would be
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  Speaker 1: such fun. Guess again, Jane's mother is going to let
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  Speaker 1: her have a birthday party. Diana shook her head, her
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  Speaker 1: black eyes dancing with merriment. I can't think what it
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  Speaker 1: can be, said Anne in despair, unless it's a moody spurgeon.
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  Speaker 1: Mac Pherson saw you home from prayer meeting last night?
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  Speaker 1: Did he I I should think not, exclaimed Diana indignantly.
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  Speaker 1: I wouldn't be likely to boast of it if he did,
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  Speaker 1: the horrid creature. I knew you couldn't guess it. Mother
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  Speaker 1: had a letter from Aunt Josephine today, and Aunt Josephine
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  Speaker 1: wants you and me to go to town next Tuesday
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  Speaker 1: and stop with her for the exhibition there. Oh, Diana,
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  Speaker 1: whispered Anne, finding it necessary to lean up against a
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  Speaker 1: maple tree for support. Do you really mean it? But
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  Speaker 1: I'm afraid Marilla won't let me go. She will say
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  Speaker 1: that she can't encourage gadding about. That was what she
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  Speaker 1: said last week when Jane invited me to go with
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  Speaker 1: them and their double seated buggy to the American Concert
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  Speaker 1: at the White Sands Hotel. I wanted to go, but
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  Speaker 1: Marilla said I'd be better at home learning my lessons,
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  Speaker 1: and so would Jane. I was bitterly disappointed. Diana. I
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  Speaker 1: felt so heartbroken that I wouldn't say my prayers when
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  Speaker 1: I went to bed. But I repented of that and
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  Speaker 1: got up in the middle of the night and said them,
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  Speaker 1: I'll tell you, said Diana. We'll get mother to ask Marilla.
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  Speaker 1: She'll be more likely to let you go then, and
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  Speaker 1: if she does, we'll have the time of our lives. Anne,
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  Speaker 1: I've never been to an exhibition, and it's so aggravating
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  Speaker 1: to hear the other girls talking about their trips. Jane
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  Speaker 1: and Ruby have been twice, and they're going this year again.
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  Speaker 1: I'm not going to think about it at all until
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  Speaker 1: I know whether I can go or not, said Anne resolutely.
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  Speaker 1: If I did and then was disappointed, it would be
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  Speaker 1: more than I could bear. But in case I do go,
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  Speaker 1: I'm very glad my new coat will be ready by
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  Speaker 1: that time. Marilla didn't think I needed a new coat.
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  Speaker 1: She said my old one would do very well for
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  Speaker 1: another winter, and that I ought to be satisfied with
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  Speaker 1: having a new dress. The dress is very pretty, Diana,
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  Speaker 1: navy blue and made so fashionably. Marilla always makes my
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  Speaker 1: dresses fashionably now because she says she doesn't intend to
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  Speaker 1: have Matthew going to missus Lynde to make them. I'm
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  Speaker 1: so glad. It is ever so much easier to be
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  Speaker 1: good if your clothes are fashionable. At least it is
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  Speaker 1: easier for me. I suppose it doesn't make such a
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  Speaker 1: difference to naturally good people. But Matthew said, I must
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  Speaker 1: have a new coat. So Marilla bought a lovely piece
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  Speaker 1: of blue broadcloth, and it's being made by a real
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  Speaker 1: dress banker over at Carmody. It's to be done Saturday night.
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  Speaker 1: And I'm trying not to imagine myself walking up the
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  Speaker 1: church aisle on Sunday in my new suit and cap,
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  Speaker 1: because I'm afraid it isn't right to imagine such things,
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  Speaker 1: but it just slips into my mind in spite of me.
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  Speaker 1: My cap is so pretty. Matthew bought it for me
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  Speaker 1: the day we were over at Carmody. It is one
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  Speaker 1: of those little blue velvet ones that are all the rage,
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  Speaker 1: with gold cord and tassels. Your new hat is elegant, Diana,
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  Speaker 1: and so becoming When I saw you come into church
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  Speaker 1: last Sunday, my heart swelled with pride to think you
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  Speaker 1: were my dearest friend. Do you suppose it's wrong for
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  Speaker 1: us to think so much about our clothes? Marilla says,
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  Speaker 1: it is very sinful, but it is such an interesting subject,
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  Speaker 1: isn't it. Marilla agreed to let Anne go to town, and
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  Speaker 1: it was arranged that mister Barry should take the girls
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  Speaker 1: in on the following Tuesday. As Charlottetown was thirty miles
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  Speaker 1: away and mister Barry wished to go and return the
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  Speaker 1: same day, it was necessary to make a very early start,
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  Speaker 1: but Anne counted it all joy and was up before
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  Speaker 1: sunrise on Tuesday morning. A glance from her window assured
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  Speaker 1: her that the day would be fine, for the eastern
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  Speaker 1: sky behind the furs of the Haunted Wood was all
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  Speaker 1: silvery and cloudless. Through the gap in the trees, a
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  Speaker 1: light was shining in the western gable of Orchard Slope.
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  Speaker 1: The token the Diana was also up. Anne was dressed
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  Speaker 1: by the time Matthew had the fire on and had
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  Speaker 1: the breakfast ready when Marilla came down, but for her
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  Speaker 1: own part, was much too excited to eat. After breakfast,
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  Speaker 1: the jaunty new cap and jacket were donned, and Anne
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  Speaker 1: hastened over the brook and up through the furs to
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  Speaker 1: Orchard Slope. Mister Barry and Diana were waiting for her,
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  Speaker 1: and they were soon on the road. It was a
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  Speaker 1: long drive, but Anne and Diane enjoyed every minute of it.
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  Speaker 1: It was delightful to rattle along over the moist roads
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  Speaker 1: in the early red sunlight that was creeping across the
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  Speaker 1: shorn harvest fields. The air was fresh and crisp, and
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  Speaker 1: little smoke blue mists curled through the valleys and floated
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  Speaker 1: off from the hills. Sometimes the road went through the
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  Speaker 1: woods where maples were beginning to hang out scarlet banners,
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  Speaker 1: sometimes across rivers on bridges that made Anne's flesh cringe
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  Speaker 1: with the old half delightful fear. Sometimes it wound along
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  Speaker 1: a harbor shore and passed by a little cluster of
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  Speaker 1: weather gray fishing huts. Again it mounted to hills whence
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  Speaker 1: afar sweep of curving upland or misty blue sky could
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  Speaker 1: be seen. But wherever it went there was much of
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  Speaker 1: interest to discuss. It was almost noon when they reached
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  Speaker 1: town and found their way to Beechwood. It was quite
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  Speaker 1: a fine old mansion, set back from the street in
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  Speaker 1: a seclusion of green elms and branching beaches. Miss Barry
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  Speaker 1: met them at the door with a twinkle in her
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  Speaker 1: sharp black eyes. So you've come to see me at last, you,
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  Speaker 1: Anne girl, she said, Mercy child, how you have grown.
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  Speaker 1: You're taller than I am, I declare, and you're ever
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  Speaker 1: so much better looking than you used to be, too.
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  Speaker 1: But I dare say you know that without being told.
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  Speaker 1: Indeed I didn't, said Anne radiantly. I know I'm not
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  Speaker 1: so freckled as I used to be, so I've much
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  Speaker 1: to be thankful for. But I really hadn't dared to
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  Speaker 1: hope there was any other improvement. I'm so glad you
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  Speaker 1: think there is, Miss Barry. Miss Barry's house was furnished
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  Speaker 1: with great magnificence, As Anne told Marilla afterwards, The two
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  Speaker 1: little country girls were rather abashed by the splendor of
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  Speaker 1: the parlor where Miss Barry left them when she went
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  Speaker 1: to see about dinner. Isn't it just like a palace,
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  Speaker 1: whispered Diana. I never was in Aunt Josephine's house before,
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  Speaker 1: and I'd no idea it was so grand. I just
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  Speaker 1: wish Julia Bell could see this. She puts on such
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  Speaker 1: air about her mother's parlor. Velvet carpet sighed Anne luxuriously, Anne,
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  Speaker 1: silk curtains. I've dreamed of such things, Diana, but you know,
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  Speaker 1: I don't believe I feel very comfortable with them. After all,
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  Speaker 1: there are so many things in this room, and all
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  Speaker 1: so splendid that there is no scope for imagination. That
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  Speaker 1: is one consolation when you are poor. There are so
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  Speaker 1: many more things you can imagine about. They're sojourn in
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  Speaker 1: Town was something that Anne and Diana dated from for years,
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  Speaker 1: from first to last. It was crowded with delights. On Wednesday,
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  Speaker 1: Miss Barry took them to the exhibition grounds and kept
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  Speaker 1: them there all day. It was splendid. Anne related to
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  Speaker 1: Marilla later on, I never imagine anything so interesting. I
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  Speaker 1: don't really know which department was the most interesting. I
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  Speaker 1: think I liked the horses and the flowers and the
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  Speaker 1: fancy work best. Josie Pye took first for knitted lace.
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  Speaker 1: I was real glad she did, and I was glad
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  Speaker 1: that I felt glad for it. Shows I'm improving, don't
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  Speaker 1: you think, Marilla? When I can rejoice in Josie's success.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Harmon Andrews took second prize for Gravenstein apples, and
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  Speaker 1: mister Bell took first prize for a pig. Diana said
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  Speaker 1: she thought it was ridiculous for a Sunday school superintendent
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  Speaker 1: to take a prize in pigs. But I don't see why,
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  Speaker 1: do you? She said she would always think of it
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  Speaker 1: after this, when he was praying so solemnly. Clara Louise
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  Speaker 1: Macpherson took a prize for painting, and Missus Lynde got
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  Speaker 1: first prize for homemade butter and cheese. So Avonlea was
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  Speaker 1: pretty well represented, wasn't it. Missus Lynde was there that day,
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  Speaker 1: and I never knew how much I really liked her
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  Speaker 1: until I saw her familiar face among all those strangers.
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  Speaker 1: There were thousands of people there, Marilla. It made me
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  Speaker 1: feel dreadfully insignificant. And Miss Barry took us up to
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  Speaker 1: the grand stand to see the horse races. Missus Lynde
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  Speaker 1: wouldn't go. She said horse racing was an abomination, and she,
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  Speaker 1: being a church member, thought it her bound and duty
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  Speaker 1: to set a good example by staying away. But there
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  Speaker 1: were so many there. I don't believe Missus Lynde's absence
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  Speaker 1: would ever be noticed. I don't think, though, that I
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  Speaker 1: ought to go very often to horse races because they
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  Speaker 1: are awfully fascinating. Diana got so excited that she offered
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  Speaker 1: to bet me ten cents that the red horse would win.
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  Speaker 1: I didn't believe he would, but I refused to bet
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  Speaker 1: because I wanted to tell missus Allen all about everything,
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  Speaker 1: and I felt sure it wouldn't do to tell her
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  Speaker 1: that it's always wrong to do anything you can't tell
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  Speaker 1: the minister's wife. It's as good as an extra conscience
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  Speaker 1: to have a minister's wife for your friend. And I
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  Speaker 1: was very glad I didn't bet, because the red horse
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  Speaker 1: did win, and I would have lost ten cents. So
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  Speaker 1: you see that virtue was its own reward. We saw
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  Speaker 1: a man go up in a balloon. I'd love to
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  Speaker 1: go up in a balloon, Marilla, it would be simply thrilling.
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  Speaker 1: And we saw a man selling fortunes. You paid him
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  Speaker 1: ten cents, and a little bird picked out your fortune
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  Speaker 1: for you. Miss Barry gave Diana and me ten cents
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  Speaker 1: each to have our fortunes told. Mine was that I
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  Speaker 1: would marry a dark complexed man who was very wealthy,
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  Speaker 1: and I will go across water to live. I looked
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  Speaker 1: carefully at all the dark men I saw after that,
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  Speaker 1: but I don't care much for any of them. And anyhow,
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  Speaker 1: I suppose it's too early to be looking out for him. Yet. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: it wasn't never to be forgotten day, Marilla. I was
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  Speaker 1: so tired I couldn't sleep at night. Miss Barry put
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  Speaker 1: us in the spare room. According to promise. It was
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  Speaker 1: an elegant room, Marilla. But somehow sleeping in a spare
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  Speaker 1: room isn't what I used to think it was. That's
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  Speaker 1: the worst of growing up, and I'm beginning to realize it.
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  Speaker 1: The things you wanted so much when you were a
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  Speaker 1: child don't seem half so wonderful to you when you
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  Speaker 1: get them. Thursday, the girls had a drive in the park,
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  Speaker 1: and in the evening Miss Barry took them to a
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  Speaker 1: concert in the Academy of Music, where a noted Prima
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  Speaker 1: Donna was to sing to Anne. The evening was a
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  Speaker 1: glittering vision of delight. Oh, Marillallah, it was beyond description.
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  Speaker 1: I was so excited I couldn't even talk, so you
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  Speaker 1: may know what it was like. I just sat in
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  Speaker 1: enraptured silence. Madame Salitsky was perfectly beautiful and wore white
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  Speaker 1: satin and diamonds, but when she began to sing, I
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  Speaker 1: never thought about anything else. Oh, I can't tell you
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  Speaker 1: how I felt, but it seemed to me that it
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  Speaker 1: could never be hard to be good anymore. I felt
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  Speaker 1: like I do when I look up to the stars.
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  Speaker 1: Tears came into my eyes, but oh they were such
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  Speaker 1: happy tears. I was so sorry when it was all over,
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  Speaker 1: and I told Miss Barry, I didn't see how I
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  Speaker 1: was ever to return to common life again. She said
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  Speaker 1: she thought if we went over to the restaurant across
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  Speaker 1: the street and had an ice cream, it might help me.
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  Speaker 1: That sounded so prosaic, but to my surprise, I found
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  Speaker 1: it to be true. The ice cream was delicious, Marilla,
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  Speaker 1: and it was so lovely and dissipated to be sitting
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  Speaker 1: there eating it at eleven o'clock at night. Diana said
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  Speaker 1: she believed she was born for city life. Miss Barry
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  Speaker 1: asked me what my opinion was, but I said I
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  Speaker 1: would have to think it over very seriously before I
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  Speaker 1: could tell her what I really thought. So I thought
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  Speaker 1: it over as I went to bed. That is the
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  Speaker 1: best time to think things out. And I came to
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  Speaker 1: the conclusion, Marilla, that I wasn't born for city life,
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  Speaker 1: and that I was glad of it. It's nice to
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  Speaker 1: be eating ice cream at brilliant restaurants at eleven o'clock
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  Speaker 1: at night once in a while, but as a regular thing.
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  Speaker 1: I'd rather be in the east gable at eleven, sound asleep,
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  Speaker 1: but kind of knowing even in my sleep that the
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  Speaker 1: stars were shining outside and that the wind was blowing
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  Speaker 1: in the firs across the brook. I told Miss Barry
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: so at breakfast the next morning, and she laughed. Miss
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: Barry generally laughed at anything I said, even when I
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  Speaker 1: said the most solemn things. I don't think I liked it, Marilla,
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: because I wasn't trying to be funny. But she is
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  Speaker 1: a most hospitable lady and treated us royally. Friday brought
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: going home time, and mister Barry drove in for the girls. Well,
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  Speaker 1: I hope you've enjoyed yourselves, said Miss Barry as she
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: bade them good bye. Indeed we have, said Diana, and
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  Speaker 1: you Anne, girl, I've enjoyed every minute of the time,
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: said Anne, throwing her arms impulsively about the old woman's
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  Speaker 1: neck and kissing her wrinkled cheek. Diana would never have
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  Speaker 1: dared to do such a thing, and felt rather aghast
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: at Anne's freedom. But Miss Barry was pleased, and she
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: stood on her veranda and watched the buggy out of sight.
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: Then she went back into her big house with a sigh.
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: It seemed very lonely, lacking those fresh, young lives. Miss
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: Barry was a rather selfish old lady, if the truth
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: must be told, and had never cared much for anybody
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  Speaker 1: but herself. She valued people only as they were of
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: service to her or amused her. Anne had amused her,
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  Speaker 1: and consequently stood high in the old lady these good graces.
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: But Miss Barry found herself thinking less about Anne's quaint
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  Speaker 1: speeches than of her fresh enthusiasms, her transparent emotions, her
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  Speaker 1: little winning ways, and the sweetness of her eyes and lips.
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: I thought Marilla Cuthbert was an old fool when I
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: heard she'd adopted a girl out of an orphan asylum,
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  Speaker 1: she said to herself, But I guess she didn't make
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  Speaker 1: much of a mistake. After all, if I'd a child
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  Speaker 1: like Anne in the house, all the time, I'd be
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  Speaker 1: a better and happier woman. Anne and Diana found the
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: drive home as pleasant as the drive in pleasanter indeed,
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: since there was the delightful consciousness of home waiting at
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  Speaker 1: the end of it. It was sunset when they passed
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: through white sands and turned into the shore road. Beyond
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: the Avonlea Hills came out darkly against the saffron sky.
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: Behind them. The moon was rising out of the sea
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: that grew all radiant and transfigured in her light. Every
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: little cove along the curving road was a marvel of
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: dancing ripples. The waves broke with a soft swish on
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: the rocks below them, and the tang of the sea
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  Speaker 1: was in the strong, fresh air. Oh but it's good
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  Speaker 1: to be alive and to be going home, breathed Anne.
• 17:21
  Speaker 1: When she crossed the log bridge over the brook, the
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  Speaker 1: kitchen light of green Gables winked her a friendly welcome back,
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: and through the open door shone the hearth fire, sending
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: out its warm red glow athwart the chilly autumn night.
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: Anne ran blithely up the hill and into the kitchen,
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: where a hot supper was waiting on the table. So
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: you've got back, said Marilla, folding up her knitting. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: and oh, it's so good to be back, said Anne joyously.
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  Speaker 1: I could kiss everything, even to the clock. Marilla a
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: broiled chicken. You don't mean to say you cooked that
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  Speaker 1: for me. Yes, I did, said Marilla. I thought you'd
• 18:01
  Speaker 1: be hungry after such a drive and needs something real appetizing.
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  Speaker 1: Hurry and take off your things and we'll have supper
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: as soon as Matthew comes in. I'm glad you've got back.
• 18:11
  Speaker 1: I must say, it's been fearful lonesome here without you,
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: and I never put in four longer days. After supper,
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: Anne sat before the fire between Matthew and Marilla and
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: gave them a full account of her visit. I've had
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: a splendid time, she concluded, happily, and I feel that
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: it marks an epoch in my life. But the best
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: of it all was the coming home end of chapter
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: twenty nine of Anne of Green Gables, read by Annie
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: Coleman in Saint Louis, Missouri, in February two thousand eight.