Gettheretheydid,however,indueseason.Mrs.SpencerlivedinabigyellowhouseatWhiteSandsCove,andshecametothedoorwithsurpriseandwelcomemingledonherbenevolentface. “Dear,dear,”sheexclaimed,“you’rethelastfolksIwaslookingfortoday,butI’mrealgladtoseeyou.You’llputyourhorsein?Andhowareyou,Anne?” “I’maswellascanbeexpected,thankyou,”saidAnnesmilelessly.Ablightseemedtohavedescendedonher. “Isupposewe’llstayalittlewhiletorestthemare,”saidMarilla,“butIpromisedMatthewI’dbehomeearly. Thefactis,Mrs.Spencer,there’sbeenaqueermistakesomewhere,andI’vecomeovertoseewhereitis. Wesendword,MatthewandI,foryoutobringusaboyfromtheasylum. WetoldyourbrotherRoberttotellyouwewantedaboytenorelevenyearsold.” “MarillaCuthbert,youdon’tsayso!”saidMrs.Spencerindistress. “Why,RobertsentworddownbyhisdaughterNancyandshesaidyouwantedagirl—didn’tsheFloraJane?” appealingtoherdaughterwhohadcomeouttothesteps. “Shecertainlydid,MissCuthbert,”corroboratedFloraJaneearnestly. “I’mdreadfulsorry,”saidMrs.Spencer. “It’stoobad;butitcertainlywasn’tmyfault,yousee,MissCuthbert. IdidthebestIcouldandIthoughtIwasfollowingyourinstructions.Nancyisaterribleflightything. I’veoftenhadtoscoldherwellforherheedlessness.” “Itwasourownfault,”saidMarillaresignedly. “Weshouldhavecometoyouourselvesandnotleftanimportantmessagetobepassedalongbywordofmouthinthatfashion. Anyhow,themistakehasbeenmadeandtheonlythingtodoistosetitright. Canwesendthechildbacktotheasylum? Isupposethey’lltakeherback,won’tthey?” “Isupposeso,”saidMrs.Spencerthoughtfully,“butIdon’tthinkitwillbenecessarytosendherback. Mrs.PeterBlewettwasuphereyesterday,andshewassayingtomehowmuchshewishedshe’dsentbymeforalittlegirltohelpher. Mrs.Peterhasalargefamily,youknow,andshefindsithardtogethelp.Annewillbetheverygirlforyou.Icallitpositivelyprovidential.” MarilladidnotlookasifshethoughtProvidencehadmuchtodowiththematter. Herewasanunexpectedlygoodchancetogetthisunwelcomeorphanoffherhands,andshedidnotevenfeelgratefulforit. SheknewMrs.PeterBlewettonlybysightasasmall,shrewish-facedwomanwithoutanounceofsuperfluousfleshonherbones.Butshehadheardofher. “Aterribleworkeranddriver,”Mrs.Peterwassaidtobe;anddischargedservantgirlstoldfearsometalesofhertemperandstinginess,andherfamilyofpert,quarrelsomechildren. MarillafeltaqualmofconscienceatthethoughtofhandingAnneovertohertendermercies. “Well,I’llgoinandwe’lltalkthematterover,”shesaid. “Andifthereisn’tMrs.Petercomingupthelanethisblessedminute!” exclaimedMrs.Spencer,bustlinghergueststhroughthehallintotheparlor,whereadeadlychillstruckonthemasiftheairhadbeenstrainedsolongthroughdarkgreen,closelydrawnblindsthatithadlosteveryparticleofwarmthithadeverpossessed. “Thatisreallucky,forwecansettlethematterrightaway.Takethearmchair,MissCuthbert. Anne,yousithereontheottomananddon’twiggle.Letmetakeyourhats. FloraJane,gooutandputthekettleon.Goodafternoon,Mrs.Blewett. Wewerejustsayinghowfortunateitwasyouhappenedalong.Letmeintroduceyoutwoladies.Mrs.Blewett,MissCuthbert.Pleaseexcusemeforjustamoment. IforgottotellFloraJanetotakethebunsoutoftheoven.” Mrs.Spencerwhiskedaway,afterpullinguptheblinds. Annesittingmutelyontheottoman,withherhandsclaspedtightlyinherlap,staredatMrsBlewettasonefascinated. Wasshetobegivenintothekeepingofthissharp-faced,sharp-eyedwoman? Shefeltalumpcomingupinherthroatandhereyessmartedpainfully. Shewasbeginningtobeafraidshecouldn’tkeepthetearsbackwhenMrs.Spencerreturned,flushedandbeaming,quitecapableoftakinganyandeverydifficulty,physical,mentalorspiritual,intoconsiderationandsettlingitoutofhand. “Itseemsthere’sbeenamistakeaboutthislittlegirl,Mrs.Blewett,”shesaid. “IwasundertheimpressionthatMr.andMissCuthbertwantedalittlegirltoadopt.Iwascertainlytoldso.Butitseemsitwasaboytheywanted. Soifyou’restillofthesamemindyouwereyesterday,Ithinkshe’llbejustthethingforyou.” Mrs.BlewettdartedhereyesoverAnnefromheadtofoot. “Howoldareyouandwhat’syourname?”shedemanded. “AnneShirley,”falteredtheshrinkingchild,notdaringtomakeanystipulationsregardingthespellingthereof,“andI’melevenyearsold.” “Humph!Youdon’tlookasiftherewasmuchtoyou.Butyou’rewiry. Idon’tknowbutthewiryonesarethebestafterall. Well,ifItakeyouyou’llhavetobeagoodgirl,youknow—goodandsmartandrespectful. I’llexpectyoutoearnyourkeep,andnomistakeaboutthat. Yes,IsupposeImightaswelltakeheroffyourhands,MissCuthbert. Thebaby’sawfulfractious,andI’mcleanwornoutattendingtohim. IfyoulikeIcantakeherrighthomenow.” MarillalookedatAnneandsoftenedatsightofthechild’spalefacewithitslookofmutemisery—themiseryofahelplesslittlecreaturewhofindsitselfoncemorecaughtinthetrapfromwhichithadescaped. Marillafeltanuncomfortableconvictionthat,ifshedeniedtheappealofthatlook,itwouldhaunthertoherdyingday. More-over,shedidnotfancyMrs.Blewett. Tohandasensitive,“highstrung”childovertosuchawoman! No,shecouldnottaketheresponsibilityofdoingthat! “Well,Idon’tknow,”shesaidslowly.“Ididn’tsaythatMatthewandIhadabsolutelydecidedthatwewouldn’tkeepher. InfactImaysaythatMatthewisdisposedtokeepher. Ijustcameovertofindouthowthemistakehadoccurred. IthinkI’dbettertakeherhomeagainandtalkitoverwithMatthew. IfeelthatIoughtn’ttodecideonanythingwithoutconsultinghim. Ifwemakeupourmindnottokeepherwe’llbringorsendherovertoyoutomorrownight. Ifwedon’tyoumayknowthatsheisgoingtostaywithus.Willthatsuityou,Mrs.Blewett?” “Isupposeit’llhaveto,”saidMrs.Blewettungraciously. DuringMarilla’sspeechasunrisehadbeendawningonAnne’sface. Firstthelookofdespairfadedout;thencameafaintflushofhope;hereeyesgrewdeepandbrightasmorningstars. Thechildwasquitetransfigured;and,amomentlater,whenMrs.SpencerandMrs.BlewettwentoutinquestofarecipethelatterhadcometoborrowshesprangupandflewacrosstheroomtoMarilla. “Oh,MissCuthbert,didyoureallysaythatperhapsyouwouldletmestayatGreenGables?” shesaid,inabreathlesswhisper,asifspeakingaloudmightshatterthegloriouspossibility.“Didyoureallysayit?OrdidIonlyimaginethatyoudid?” “Ithinkyou’dbetterlearntocontrolthatimaginationofyours,Anne,ifyoucan’tdistinguishbetweenwhatisrealandwhatisn’t,”saidMarillacrossly. “Yes,youdidhearmesayjustthatandnomore. Itisn’tdecidedyetandperhapswewillconcludetoletMrs.Blewetttakeyouafterall. ShecertainlyneedsyoumuchmorethanIdo.” “I’drathergobacktotheasylumthangotolivewithher,”saidAnnepassionately.“Shelooksexactlylikea—likeagimlet.” MarillasmotheredasmileundertheconvictionthatAnnemustbereprovedforsuchaspeech. “Alittlegirllikeyoushouldbeashamedoftalkingsoaboutaladyandastranger,”shesaidseverely.“Gobackandsitdownquietlyandholdyourtongueandbehaveasagoodgirlshould.” “I’lltrytodoandbeanythingyouwantme,ifyou’llonlykeepme,”saidAnne,returningmeeklytoherottoman. WhentheyarrivedbackatGreenGablesthateveningMatthewmettheminthelane. Marillafromafarhadnotedhimprowlingalongitandguessedhismotive. ShewaspreparedforthereliefshereadinhisfacewhenhesawthatshehadatleastbroughtbackAnnebackwithher. Butshesaidnothing,tohim,relativetotheaffair,untiltheywerebothoutintheyardbehindthebarnmilkingthecows. ThenshebrieflytoldhimAnne’shistoryandtheresultoftheinterviewwithMrs.Spencer. “Iwouldn’tgiveadogIlikedtothatBlewettwoman,”saidMatthewwithunusualvim. “Idon’tfancyherstylemyself,”admittedMarilla,“butit’sthatorkeepingherourselves,Matthew. Andsinceyouseemtowanther,IsupposeI’mwilling—orhavetobe. I’vebeenthinkingovertheideauntilI’vegotkindofusedtoit.Itseemsasortofduty. I’veneverbroughtupachild,especiallyagirl,andIdaresayI’llmakeaterriblemessofit.ButI’lldomybest. SofarasI’mconcerned,Matthew,shemaystay.” Matthew’sshyfacewasaglowofdelight. “Wellnow,Ireckonedyou’dcometoseeitinthatlight,Marilla,”hesaid.“She’ssuchaninterestinglittlething.” “It’dbemoretothepointifyoucouldsayshewasausefullittlething,”retortedMarilla,“butI’llmakeitmybusinesstoseeshe’strainedtobethat. Andmind,Matthew,you’renottogointerferingwithmymethods. Perhapsanoldmaiddoesn’tknowmuchaboutbringingupachild,butIguesssheknowsmorethananoldbachelor.Soyoujustleavemetomanageher. WhenIfailit’llbetimeenoughtoputyouroarin.” “There,there,Marilla,youcanhaveyourownway,”saidMatthewreassuringly. “Onlybeasgoodandkindtoherasyoucanwithoutspoilingher. Ikindofthinkshe’soneofthesortyoucandoanythingwithifyouonlygethertoloveyou.” Marillasniffed,toexpresshercontemptforMatthew’sopinionsconcerninganythingfeminine,andwalkedofftothedairywiththepails. “Iwon’ttellhertonightthatshecanstay,”shereflected,asshestrainedthemilkintothecreamers. “She’dbesoexcitedthatshewouldn’tsleepawink. MarillaCuthbert,you’refairlyinforit. Didyoueversupposeyou’dseethedaywhenyou’dbeadoptinganorphangirl? It’ssurprisingenough;butnotsosurprisingasthatMatthewshouldbeatthebottomofit,himthatalwaysseemedtohavesuchamortaldreadoflittlegirls. Anyhow,we’vedecidedontheexperimentandgoodnessonlyknowswhatwillcomeofit.” 
