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〃And to think you go next week！〃
〃But we're together still；〃 said Anne cheerily。 〃We mustn't let next
week rob us of this week's joy。 I hate the thought of going myself
home and I are such good friends。 Talk of being lonesome！
It's I who should groan。 YOU'LL be here with any number of your
old friends AND Fred！ While I shall be alone among strangers；
not knowing a soul！〃
〃EXCEPT Gilbert AND Charlie Sloane；〃 said Diana； imitating
Anne's italics and slyness。
〃Charlie Sloane will be a great comfort； of course；〃 agreed Anne
sarcastically； whereupon both those irresponsible damsels laughed。
Diana knew exactly what Anne thought of Charlie Sloane； but；
despite sundry confidential talks； she did not know just what
Anne thought of Gilbert Blythe。 To be sure； Anne herself
did not know that。
〃The boys may be boarding at the other end of Kingsport； for all
I know；〃 Anne went on。 〃I am glad I'm going to Redmond； and I am
sure I shall like it after a while。 But for the first few weeks
I know I won't。 I shan't even have the comfort of looking forward
to the weekend visit home； as I had when I went to Queen's。
Christmas will seem like a thousand years away。〃
〃Everything is changing or going to change；〃 said Diana sadly。
〃I have a feeling that things will never be the same again； Anne。〃
〃We have come to a parting of the ways； I suppose；〃 said Anne
thoughtfully。 〃We had to come to it。 Do you think； Diana； that
being grown…up is really as nice as we used to imagine it would
be when we were children？〃
〃I don't know there are SOME nice things about it；〃 answered
Diana； again caressing her ring with that little smile which
always had the effect of making Anne feel suddenly left out and
inexperienced。 〃But there are so many puzzling things； too。
Sometimes I feel as if being grown…up just frightened me and
then I would give anything to be a little girl again。〃
〃I suppose we'll get used to being grownup in time；〃 said Anne
cheerfully。 〃There won't be so many unexpected things about it
by and by though； after all； I fancy it's the unexpected
things that give spice to life。 We're eighteen； Diana。 In two
more years we'll be twenty。 When I was ten I thought twenty was
a green old age。 In no time you'll be a staid； middle…aged
matron； and I shall be nice； old maid Aunt Anne； coming to visit
you on vacations。 You'll always keep a corner for me； won't you；
Di darling？ Not the spare room； of course old maids can't
aspire to spare rooms； and I shall be as 'umble as Uriah Heep；
and quite content with a little over…the…porch or off…the…parlor
cubby hole。〃
〃What nonsense you do talk； Anne；〃 laughed Diana。 〃You'll marry
somebody splendid and handsome and rich and no spare room in
Avonlea will be half gorgeous enough for you and you'll turn
up your nose at all the friends of your youth。〃
〃That would be a pity； my nose is quite nice； but I fear turning
it up would spoil it；〃 said Anne； patting that shapely organ。
〃I haven't so many good features that I could afford to spoil
those I have； so； even if I should marry the King of the Cannibal
Islands； I promise you I won't turn up my nose at you； Diana。〃
With another gay laugh the girls separated； Diana to return to
Orchard Slope； Anne to walk to the Post Office。 She found a
letter awaiting her there； and when Gilbert Blythe overtook her
on the bridge over the Lake of Shining Waters she was sparkling
with the excitement of it。
〃Priscilla Grant is going to Redmond； too；〃 she exclaimed。
〃Isn't that splendid？ I hoped she would； but she didn't think
her father would consent。 He has； however； and we're to board
together。 I feel that I can face an army with banners or all
the professors of Redmond in one fell phalanx with a chum like
Priscilla by my side。〃
〃I think we'll like Kingsport；〃 said Gilbert。 〃It's a nice old
burg； they tell me； and has the finest natural park in the world。
I've heard that the scenery in it is magnificent。〃
〃I wonder if it will be can be any more beautiful than this；〃
murmured Anne； looking around her with the loving； enraptured eyes
of those to whom 〃home〃 must always be the loveliest spot in the world；
no matter what fairer lands may lie under alien stars。
They were leaning on the bridge of the old pond； drinking deep of
the enchantment of the dusk； just at the spot where Anne had climbed
from her sinking Dory on the day Elaine floated down to Camelot。
The fine； empurpling dye of sunset still stained the western skies；
but the moon was rising and the water lay like a great； silver dream
in her light。 Remembrance wove a sweet and subtle spell over the
two young creatures。
〃You are very quiet； Anne；〃 said Gilbert at last。
〃I'm afraid to speak or move for fear all this wonderful beauty
will vanish just like a broken silence；〃 breathed Anne。
Gilbert suddenly laid his hand over the slender white one lying
on the rail of the bridge。 His hazel eyes deepened into darkness；
his still boyish lips opened to say something of the dream and hope
that thrilled his soul。 But Anne snatched her hand away and
turned quickly。 The spell of the dusk was broken for her。
〃I must go home；〃 she exclaimed； with a rather overdone carelessness。
〃Marilla had a headache this afternoon； and I'm sure the twins will
be in some dreadful mischief by this time。 I really shouldn't have
stayed away so long。〃
She chattered ceaselessly and inconsequently until they reached
the Green Gables lane。 Poor Gilbert hardly had a chance to get
a word in edgewise。 Anne felt rather relieved when they parted。
There had been a new； secret self…consciousness in her heart with
regard to Gilbert； ever since that fleeting moment of revelation
in the garden of Echo Lodge。 Something alien had intruded into
the old； perfect； school…day comradeship something that
threatened to mar it。
〃I never felt glad to see Gilbert go before；〃 she thought； half…
resentfully； half…sorrowfully； as she walked alone up the lane。
〃Our friendship will be spoiled if he goes on with this nonsense。
It mustn't be spoiled I won't let it。 Oh； WHY can't boys be
just sensible！〃
Anne had an uneasy doubt that it was not strictly 〃sensible〃 that
she should still feel on her hand the warm pressure of Gilbert's；
as distinctly as she had felt it for the swift second his had
rested there； and still less sensible that the sensation was far
from being an unpleasant one very different from that which
had attended a similar demonstration on Charlie Sloane's part；
when she had been sitting out a dance with him at a White Sands
party three nights before。 Anne shivered over the disagreeable
recollection。 But all problems connected with infatuated swains
vanished from her mind when she entered the homely； unsentimental
atmosphere of the Green Gables kitchen where an eight…year…old
boy was crying grievously on the sofa。