that was responsible for this extraordinary petition. She tucked the child up in bed, mentally vowing that she should be taught a prayer the very next day, and was leaving the room with the light when Anne called her back.
âIâve just thought of it now. I should have said âAmenâ in place of âyours respectfully,â shouldnât I?âthe way the ministers do. Iâd forgotten it, but I felt a prayer should be finished off in some way, so I put in the other. Do you suppose it will make any difference?â
âIâI donât suppose it will,â said Marilla. âGo to sleep now like a good child. Good night.â
âI can say good night tonight with a clear conscience,â said Anne, cuddling luxuriously down among her pillows.
Marilla retreated to the kitchen, set the candle firmly on the table, and glared at Matthew.
âMatthew Cuthbert, itâs about time somebody adopted that child and taught her something. Sheâs next door to a perfect heathen. Will you believe that she never said a prayer in her life till tonight? Iâll send to the manse tomorrow and borrow the Peep of Day series, thatâs what Iâll do. And she shall go to Sunday-school just as soon as I can get some suitable clothes made for her. I foresee that I shall have my hands full. Well, well, we canât get through this world without our share of trouble. Iâve had a pretty easy life of it so far, but my time has come at last and I suppose Iâll just have to make the best of it.â
8
Anneâs Bringing-up Is Begun
F OR REASONS BEST known to herself, Marilla did not tell Anne that she was to stay at Green Gables until the next afternoon. During the forenoon she kept the child busy with various tasks and watched over her with a keen eye while she did them. By noon she had concluded that Anne was smart and obedient, willing to work and quick to learn; her most serious shortcoming seemed to be a tendency to fall into daydreams in the middle of a task and forget all about it until such time as she was sharply recalled to earth by a reprimand or a catastrophe.
When Anne had finished washing the dinner dishes she suddenly confronted Marilla with the air and expression of one desperately determined to learn the worst. Her thin little body trembled from head to foot; her face flushed and her eyes dilated until they were almost black; she clasped her hands tightly and said in an imploring voice:
âOh, please, Miss Cuthbert, wonât you tell me if you are going to send me away or not? Iâve tried to be patient all the morning, but I really feel that I cannot bear not knowing any longer. Itâs a dreadful feeling. Please tell me.â
âYou havenât scalded the dishcloth in clean hot water as I told you to do,â said Marilla immovably. âJust go and do it before you ask any more questions, Anne.â
Anne went and attended to the dishcloth. Then shereturned to Marilla and fastened imploring eyes on the latterâs face.
âWell,â said Marilla, unable to find any excuse for deferring her explanation longer, âI suppose I might as well tell you. Matthew and I have decided to keep youâthat is, if you will try to be a good little girl and show yourself grateful. Why, child, whatever is the matter?â
âIâm crying,â said Anne in a tone of bewilderment. âI canât think why. Iâm glad as glad can be. Oh, glad doesnât seem the right word at all. I was glad about the White Way and the cherry blossomsâbut this! Oh, itâs something more than glad. Iâm so happy. Iâll try to be so good. It will be uphill work, I expect, for Mrs. Thomas often told me I was desperately wicked. However, Iâll do my very best. But can you tell me why Iâm crying?â
âI suppose itâs because youâre all excited and worked up,â said Marilla disapprovingly. âSit down on that