“Well,” explained Anne,
“I’ve learned a new and valuable lesson today.
Ever since I came to Green Gables I’ve been making mistakes, and each mistake has helped to cure me of some great shortcoming.
The affair of the amethyst brooch cured me of meddling with things that didn’t belong to me.
The Haunted Wood mistake cured me of letting my imagination run away with me.
The liniment cake mistake cured me of carelessness in cooking. Dyeing my hair cured me of vanity.
I never think about my hair and nose now—at least, very seldom.
And today’s mistake is going to cure me of being too romantic.
I have come to the conclusion that it is no use trying to be romantic in Avonlea.
It was probably easy enough in towered Camelot hundreds of years ago, but romance is not appreciated now.
I feel quite sure that you will soon see a great improvement in me in this respect, Marilla.”
“I’m sure I hope so,” said Marilla skeptically.
But Matthew, who had been sitting mutely in his corner, laid a hand on Anne’s shoulder when Marilla had gone out.
“Don’t give up all your romance, Anne,” he whispered shyly, “a little of it is a good thing—not too much, of course—but keep a little of it, Anne, keep a little of it.”
CHAPTER XXIX.
An Epoch in Anne’s Life
ANNE was bringing the cows home from the back pasture by way of Lover’s Lane.
It was a September evening and all the gaps and clearings in the woods were brimmed up with ruby sunset light.
Here and there the lane was splashed with it, but for the most part it was already quite shadowy beneath the maples, and the spaces under the firs were filled with a clear violet dusk like airy wine.
The winds were out in their tops, and there is no sweeter music on earth than that which the wind makes in the fir trees at evening.
The cows swung placidly down the lane, and Anne followed them dreamily, repeating aloud the battle canto from Marmion—which had also been part of their English course the preceding winter and which Miss Stacy had made them learn off by heart—and exulting in its rushing lines and the clash of spears in its imagery.
When she came to the lines
The stubborn spearsmen still made good
Their dark impenetrable wood,
she stopped in ecstasy to shut her eyes that she might the better fancy herself one of that heroic ring.
When she opened them again it was to behold Diana coming through the gate that led into the Barry field and looking so important that Anne instantly divined there was news to be told.
But betray too eager curiosity she would not.
“Isn’t this evening just like a purple dream, Diana?
It makes me so glad to be alive.
In the mornings I always think the mornings are best; but when evening comes I think it’s lovelier still.”
“It’s a very fine evening,” said Diana, “but oh, I have such news, Anne.
Guess.
You can have three guesses.”
“Charlotte Gillis is going to be married in the church after all and Mrs. Allan wants us to decorate it,” cried Anne.
“No.
Charlotte’s beau won’t agree to that, because nobody ever has been married in the church yet, and he thinks it would seem too much like a funeral.
It’s too mean, because it would be such fun.
Guess again.”
“Jane’s mother is going to let her have a birthday party?”
Diana shook her head, her black eyes dancing with merriment.
“I can’t think what it can be,” said Anne in despair, “unless it’s that Moody Spurgeon MacPherson saw you home from prayer meeting last night.
Did he?”
“I should think not,” exclaimed Diana indignantly.
“I wouldn’t be likely to boast of it if he did, the horrid creature!
I knew you couldn’t guess it.
Mother had a letter from Aunt Josephine today, and Aunt Josephine wants you and me to go to town next Tuesday and stop with her for the Exhibition.
There!”
“Oh, Diana,” whispered Anne, finding it necessary to lean up against a maple tree for support, “do you really mean it?
But I’m afraid Marilla won’t let me go.
She will say that she can’t encourage gadding about.