OnthemorningwhenthefinalresultsofalltheexaminationsweretobepostedonthebulletinboardatQueen’s,AnneandJanewalkeddownthestreettogether. Janewassmilingandhappy;examinationswereoverandshewascomfortablysureshehadmadeapassatleast;furtherconsiderationstroubledJanenotatall;shehadnosoaringambitionsandconsequentlywasnotaffectedwiththeunrestattendantthereon. Forwepayapriceforeverythingwegetortakeinthisworld;andalthoughambitionsarewellworthhaving,theyarenottobecheaplywon,butexacttheirduesofworkandself-denial,anxietyanddiscouragement. Annewaspaleandquiet;intenmoreminutesshewouldknowwhohadwonthemedalandwhotheAvery. Beyondthosetenminutestheredidnotseem,justthen,tobeanythingworthbeingcalledTime. “Ofcourseyou’llwinoneofthemanyhow,”saidJane,whocouldn’tunderstandhowthefacultycouldbesounfairastoorderitotherwise. “IhavenothopeoftheAvery,”saidAnne.“EverybodysaysEmilyClaywillwinit. AndI’mnotgoingtomarchuptothatbulletinboardandlookatitbeforeeverybody.Ihaven’tthemoralcourage. I’mgoingstraighttothegirls’dressingroom. Youmustreadtheannouncementsandthencomeandtellme,Jane. AndIimploreyouinthenameofouroldfriendshiptodoitasquicklyaspossible. IfIhavefailedjustsayso,withouttryingtobreakitgently;andwhateveryoudoDON’Tsympathizewithme.Promisemethis,Jane.” Janepromisedsolemnly;but,asithappened,therewasnonecessityforsuchapromise. WhentheywentuptheentrancestepsofQueen’stheyfoundthehallfullofboyswhowerecarryingGilbertBlythearoundontheirshouldersandyellingatthetopsoftheirvoices,“HurrahforBlythe,Medalist!” ForamomentAnnefeltonesickeningpangofdefeatanddisappointment.SoshehadfailedandGilberthadwon!Well,Matthewwouldbesorry—hehadbeensosureshewouldwin. “ThreecheersforMissShirley,winneroftheAvery!” “Oh,Anne,”gaspedJane,astheyfledtothegirls’dressingroomamidheartycheers.“Oh,AnneI’msoproud!Isn’titsplendid?” AndthenthegirlswerearoundthemandAnnewasthecenterofalaughing,congratulatinggroup. Hershoulderswerethumpedandherhandsshakenvigorously. ShewaspushedandpulledandhuggedandamongitallshemanagedtowhispertoJane: “Oh,won’tMatthewandMarillabepleased!Imustwritethenewshomerightaway.” Commencementwasthenextimportanthappening. TheexerciseswereheldinthebigassemblyhalloftheAcademy. Addressesweregiven,essaysread,songssung,thepublicawardofdiplomas,prizesandmedalsmade. MatthewandMarillawerethere,witheyesandearsforonlyonestudentontheplatform—atallgirlinpalegreen,withfaintlyflushedcheeksandstarryeyes,whoreadthebestessayandwaspointedoutandwhisperedaboutastheAverywinner. “Reckonyou’regladwekepther,Marilla?”whisperedMatthew,speakingforthefirsttimesincehehadenteredthehall,whenAnnehadfinishedheressay. “It’snotthefirsttimeI’vebeenglad,”retortedMarilla.“Youdoliketorubthingsin,MatthewCuthbert.” MissBarry,whowassittingbehindthem,leanedforwardandpokedMarillainthebackwithherparasol. “Aren’tyouproudofthatAnne-girl?Iam,”shesaid. AnnewenthometoAvonleawithMatthewandMarillathatevening. ShehadnotbeenhomesinceAprilandshefeltthatshecouldnotwaitanotherday. Theappleblossomswereoutandtheworldwasfreshandyoung.DianawasatGreenGablestomeether. Inherownwhiteroom,whereMarillahadsetafloweringhouseroseonthewindowsill,Annelookedaboutheranddrewalongbreathofhappiness. “Oh,Diana,it’ssogoodtobebackagain. It’ssogoodtoseethosepointedfirscomingoutagainstthepinksky—andthatwhiteorchardandtheoldSnowQueen.Isn’tthebreathofthemintdelicious? Andthattearose—why,it’sasongandahopeandaprayerallinone.Andit’sGOODtoseeyouagain,Diana!” “IthoughtyoulikedthatStellaMaynardbetterthanme,”saidDianareproachfully.“JosiePyetoldmeyoudid.JosiesaidyouwereINFATUATEDwithher.” AnnelaughedandpeltedDianawiththefaded“Junelilies”ofherbouquet. “StellaMaynardisthedearestgirlintheworldexceptoneandyouarethatone,Diana,”shesaid. “Iloveyoumorethanever—andI’vesomanythingstotellyou. ButjustnowIfeelasifitwerejoyenoughtosithereandlookatyou. I’mtired,Ithink—tiredofbeingstudiousandambitious. Imeantospendatleasttwohourstomorrowlyingoutintheorchardgrass,thinkingofabsolutelynothing.” “You’vedonesplendidly,Anne.Isupposeyouwon’tbeteachingnowthatyou’vewontheAvery?” “No.I’mgoingtoRedmondinSeptember.Doesn’titseemwonderful? I’llhaveabrandnewstockofambitionlaidinbythattimeafterthreeglorious,goldenmonthsofvacation.JaneandRubyaregoingtoteach. Isn’titsplendidtothinkweallgotthrougheventoMoodySpurgeonandJosiePye?” “TheNewbridgetrusteeshaveofferedJanetheirschoolalready,”saidDiana.“GilbertBlytheisgoingtoteach,too.Hehasto. Hisfathercan’taffordtosendhimtocollegenextyear,afterall,sohemeanstoearnhisownwaythrough. Iexpecthe’llgettheschoolhereifMissAmesdecidestoleave.” Annefeltaqueerlittlesensationofdismayedsurprise. Shehadnotknownthis;shehadexpectedthatGilbertwouldbegoingtoRedmondalso. Whatwouldshedowithouttheirinspiringrivalry? Wouldnotwork,evenatacoeducationalcollegewitharealdegreeinprospect,beratherflatwithoutherfriendtheenemy? ThenextmorningatbreakfastitsuddenlystruckAnnethatMatthewwasnotlookingwell.Surelyhewasmuchgrayerthanhehadbeenayearbefore. “Marilla,”shesaidhesitatinglywhenhehadgoneout,“isMatthewquitewell?” “No,heisn’t,”saidMarillainatroubledtone. “He’shadsomerealbadspellswithhisheartthisspringandhewon’tsparehimselfamite. I’vebeenrealworriedabouthim,buthe’ssomebetterthiswhilebackandwe’vegotagoodhiredman,soI’mhopinghe’llkindofrestandpickup.Maybehewillnowyou’rehome.Youalwayscheerhimup.” AnneleanedacrossthetableandtookMarilla’sfaceinherhands. “YouarenotlookingaswellyourselfasI’dliketoseeyou,Marilla.Youlooktired. I’mafraidyou’vebeenworkingtoohard. Youmusttakearest,nowthatI’mhome. I’mjustgoingtotakethisonedayofftovisitallthedearoldspotsandhuntupmyolddreams,andthenitwillbeyourturntobelazywhileIdothework.” Marillasmiledaffectionatelyathergirl. “It’snotthework—it’smyhead.I’vegotapainsooftennow—behindmyeyes. DoctorSpencer’sbeenfussingwithglasses,buttheydon’tdomeanygood. ThereisadistinguishedoculistcomingtotheIslandthelastofJuneandthedoctorsaysImustseehim.IguessI’llhaveto. Ican’treadorsewwithanycomfortnow. Well,Anne,you’vedonerealwellatQueen’sImustsay. TotakeFirstClassLicenseinoneyearandwintheAveryscholarship—well,well,Mrs.Lyndesayspridegoesbeforeafallandshedoesn’tbelieveinthehighereducationofwomenatall;shesaysitunfitsthemforwoman’struesphere.Idon’tbelieveawordofit. SpeakingofRachelremindsme—didyouhearanythingabouttheAbbeyBanklately,Anne?” “Ihearditwasshaky,”answeredAnne.“Why?” “ThatiswhatRachelsaid.Shewasuphereonedaylastweekandsaidtherewassometalkaboutit.Matthewfeltrealworried. Allwehavesavedisinthatbank—everypenny. IwantedMatthewtoputitintheSavingsBankinthefirstplace,butoldMr.Abbeywasagreatfriendoffather’sandhe’dalwaysbankedwithhim. Matthewsaidanybankwithhimattheheadofitwasgoodenoughforanybody.” “Ithinkhehasonlybeenitsnominalheadformanyyears,”saidAnne.“Heisaveryoldman;hisnephewsarereallyattheheadoftheinstitution.” “Well,whenRacheltoldusthat,IwantedMatthewtodrawourmoneyrightoutandhesaidhe’dthinkofit.ButMr.Russelltoldhimyesterdaythatthebankwasallright.” Annehadhergooddayinthecompanionshipoftheoutdoorworld. Sheneverforgotthatday;itwassobrightandgoldenandfair,sofreefromshadowandsolavishofblossom. Annespentsomeofitsrichhoursintheorchard;shewenttotheDryad’sBubbleandWillowmereandVioletVale;shecalledatthemanseandhadasatisfyingtalkwithMrs.Allan;andfinallyintheeveningshewentwithMatthewforthecows,throughLovers’Lanetothebackpasture. Thewoodswereallgloriedthroughwithsunsetandthewarmsplendorofitstreameddownthroughthehillgapsinthewest. Matthewwalkedslowlywithbenthead;Anne,tallanderect,suitedherspringingsteptohis. “You’vebeenworkingtoohardtoday,Matthew,”shesaidreproachfully.“Whywon’tyoutakethingseasier?” “Wellnow,Ican’tseemto,”saidMatthew,asheopenedtheyardgatetoletthecowsthrough. “It’sonlythatI’mgettingold,Anne,andkeepforgettingit. Well,well,I’vealwaysworkedprettyhardandI’dratherdropinharness.” “IfIhadbeentheboyyousentfor,”saidAnnewistfully,“I’dbeabletohelpyousomuchnowandspareyouinahundredways.IcouldfinditinmyhearttowishIhadbeen,justforthat.” “Wellnow,I’dratherhaveyouthanadozenboys,Anne,”saidMatthewpattingherhand. “Justmindyouthat—ratherthanadozenboys. Wellnow,Iguessitwasn’taboythattooktheAveryscholarship,wasit? Itwasagirl—mygirl—mygirlthatI’mproudof.” Hesmiledhisshysmileatherashewentintotheyard. Annetookthememoryofitwithherwhenshewenttoherroomthatnightandsatforalongwhileatheropenwindow,thinkingofthepastanddreamingofthefuture. OutsidetheSnowQueenwasmistilywhiteinthemoonshine;thefrogsweresinginginthemarshbeyondOrchardSlope. Annealwaysrememberedthesilvery,peacefulbeautyandfragrantcalmofthatnight. Itwasthelastnightbeforesorrowtouchedherlife;andnolifeiseverquitethesameagainwhenoncethatcold,sanctifyingtouchhasbeenlaiduponit. 
