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MacPherson； whose round face and objectionable ears were as round
and objectionable as ever； and Billy Andrews； who sat in a corner all
the evening； chuckled when any one spoke to him； and watched Anne
Shirley with a grin of pleasure on his broad； freckled countenance。
Anne had known beforehand of the party； but she had not known
that she and Gilbert were； as the founders of the Society； to be
presented with a very complimentary 〃address〃 and 〃tokens of
respect〃 in her case a volume of Shakespeare's plays； in
Gilbert's a fountain pen。 She was so taken by surprise and
pleased by the nice things said in the address； read in Moody
Spurgeon's most solemn and ministerial tones； that the tears
quite drowned the sparkle of her big gray eyes。 She had worked
hard and faithfully for the A。V。I。S。； and it warmed the cockles
of her heart that the members appreciated her efforts so sincerely。
And they were all so nice and friendly and jolly even the Pye
girls had their merits； at that moment Anne loved all the world。
She enjoyed the evening tremendously； but the end of it rather
spoiled all。 Gilbert again made the mistake of saying something
sentimental to her as they ate their supper on the moonlit
verandah； and Anne； to punish him； was gracious to Charlie Sloane
and allowed the latter to walk home with her。 She found；
however； that revenge hurts nobody quite so much as the one who
tries to inflict it。 Gilbert walked airily off with Ruby Gillis；
and Anne could hear them laughing and talking gaily as they
loitered along in the still； crisp autumn air。 They were
evidently having the best of good times； while she was horribly
bored by Charlie Sloane； who talked unbrokenly on； and never；
even by accident； said one thing that was worth listening to。
Anne gave an occasional absent 〃yes〃 or 〃no；〃 and thought how
beautiful Ruby had looked that night； how very goggly Charlie's
eyes were in the moonlight worse even than by daylight and
that the world； somehow； wasn't quite such a nice place as she
had believed it to be earlier in the evening。
〃I'm just tired out that is what is the matter with me；〃
she said； when she thankfully found herself alone in her own room。
And she honestly believed it was。 But a certain little gush of joy；
as from some secret； unknown spring； bubbled up in her heart
the next evening； when she saw Gilbert striding down through the
Haunted Wood and crossing the old log bridge with that firm；
quick step of his。 So Gilbert was not going to spend this last
evening with Ruby Gillis after all！
〃You look tired； Anne；〃 he said。
〃I am tired； and； worse than that； I'm disgruntled。 I'm tired
because I've been packing my trunk and sewing all day。 But I'm
disgruntled because six women have been here to say good…bye to
me； and every one of the six managed to say something that seemed
to take the color right out of life and leave it as gray and
dismal and cheerless as a November morning。〃
〃Spiteful old cats！〃 was Gilbert's elegant comment。
〃Oh； no； they weren't；〃 said Anne seriously。 〃That is just the
trouble。 If they had been spiteful cats I wouldn't have minded
them。 But they are all nice； kind； motherly souls； who like me
and whom I like； and that is why what they said； or hinted； had
such undue weight with me。 They let me see they thought I was
crazy going to Redmond and trying to take a B。A。； and ever since
I've been wondering if I am。 Mrs。 Peter Sloane sighed and said
she hoped my strength would hold out till I got through； and at
once I saw myself a hopeless victim of nervous prostration at the
end of my third year； Mrs。 Eben Wright said it must cost an awful
lot to put in four years at Redmond； and I felt all over me that
it was unpardonable of me to squander Marilla's money and my own
on such a folly。 Mrs。 Jasper Bell said she hoped I wouldn't let
college spoil me； as it did some people； and I felt in my bones
that the end of my four Redmond years would see me a most
insufferable creature； thinking I knew it all； and looking down
on everything and everybody in Avonlea； Mrs。 Elisha Wright said
she understood that Redmond girls； especially those who belonged
to Kingsport； were 'dreadful dressy and stuck…up；' and she
guessed I wouldn't feel much at home among them； and I saw
myself； a snubbed； dowdy； humiliated country girl； shuffling
through Redmond's classic halls in coppertoned boots。〃
Anne ended with a laugh and a sigh commingled。 With her sensitive
nature all disapproval had weight； even the disapproval of those
for whose opinions she had scant respect。 For the time being life
was savorless； and ambition had gone out like a snuffed candle。
〃You surely don't care for what they said；〃 protested Gilbert。
〃You know exactly how narrow their outlook on life is； excellent
creatures though they are。 To do anything THEY have never done
is anathema maranatha。 You are the first Avonlea girl who has
ever gone to college； and you know that all pioneers are considered
to be afflicted with moonstruck madness。〃
〃Oh； I know。 But FEELING is so different from KNOWING。 My common
sense tells me all you can say； but there are times when common
sense has no power over me。 Common nonsense takes possession of
my soul。 Really； after Mrs。 Elisha went away I hardly had the
heart to finish packing。〃
〃You're just tired； Anne。 Come； forget it all and take a walk
with me a ramble back through the woods beyond the marsh。
There should be something there I want to show you。〃
〃Should be！ Don't you know if it is there？〃
〃No。 I only know it should be； from something I saw there in spring。
Come on。 We'll pretend we are two children again and we'll go the
way of the wind。〃
They started gaily off。 Anne； remembering the unpleasantness of
the preceding evening； was very nice to Gilbert； and Gilbert； who
was learning wisdom； took care to be nothing save the schoolboy
comrade again。 Mrs。 Lynde and Marilla watched them from the
kitchen window。
〃That'll be a match some day；〃 Mrs。 Lynde said approvingly。
Marilla winced slightly。 In her heart she hoped it would； but it
went against her grain to hear the matter spoken of in Mrs。 Lynde's
gossipy matter…of…fact way。
〃They're only children yet；〃 she said shortly。
Mrs。 Lynde laughed good…naturedly。
〃Anne is eighteen； I was married when I was that age。 We old
folks； Marilla； are too much given to thinking children never
grow up； that's what。 Anne is a young woman and Gilbert's a man；
and he worships the ground she walks on； as any one can see。
He's a fine fellow； and Anne can't do better。 I hope she won't
get any romantic nonsense into her head at Redmond。 I don't
approve of them coeducational places and never did； that's what。
I don't believe；〃 concluded Mrs。 Lynde solemnly； 〃that the
students at such colleges ever do much else than flirt。〃
〃They must study a little；〃 said Marilla； w