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into the habit of marrying。 He only lived a few years after he married her。
The doctor said he died of dyspepsia； but I shall always maintain that he died
of Atossa's tongue； that's what。 Poor soul； she always knew everything about
her neighbors； but she never was very well acquainted with herself。 Well；
she's gone anyhow； and I suppose the next excitement will be Diana's wedding。〃
〃It seems funny and horrible to think of Diana's being married；〃
sighed Anne； hugging her knees and looking through the gap in the
Haunted Wood to the light that was shining in Diana's room。
〃I don't see what's horrible about it； when she's doing so well；〃
said Mrs。 Lynde emphatically。 〃Fred Wright has a fine farm and
he is a model young man。〃
〃He certainly isn't the wild； dashing； wicked； young man Diana
once wanted to marry；〃 smiled Anne。 〃Fred is extremely good。〃
〃That's just what he ought to be。 Would you want Diana to marry
a wicked man？ Or marry one yourself？〃
〃Oh； no。 I wouldn't want to marry anybody who was wicked；
but I think I'd like it if he COULD be wicked and WOULDN'T。
Now； Fred is HOPELESSLY good。〃
〃You'll have more sense some day； I hope；〃 said Marilla。
Marilla spoke rather bitterly。 She was grievously disappointed。
She knew Anne had refused Gilbert Blythe。 Avonlea gossip buzzed
over the fact； which had leaked out； nobody knew how。 Perhaps
Charlie Sloane had guessed and told his guesses for truth。
Perhaps Diana had betrayed it to Fred and Fred had been indiscreet。
At all events it was known； Mrs。 Blythe no longer asked Anne；
in public or private； if she had heard lately from Gilbert； but
passed her by with a frosty bow。 Anne； who had always liked Gilbert's
merry； young…hearted mother； was grieved in secret over this。
Marilla said nothing； but Mrs。 Lynde gave Anne many exasperated
digs about it； until fresh gossip reached that worthy lady；
through the medium of Moody Spurgeon MacPherson's mother；
that Anne had another 〃beau〃 at college； who was rich and
handsome and good all in one。 After that Mrs。 Rachel held
her tongue； though she still wished in her inmost heart that
Anne had accepted Gilbert。 Riches were all very well；
but even Mrs。 Rachel； practical soul though she was； did not
consider them the one essential。 If Anne 〃liked〃 the Handsome
Unknown better than Gilbert there was nothing more to be said；
but Mrs。 Rachel was dreadfully afraid that Anne was going to
make the mistake of marrying for money。 Marilla knew Anne too
well to fear this； but she felt that something in the universal
scheme of things had gone sadly awry。
〃What is to be； will be；〃 said Mrs。 Rachel gloomily； 〃and what isn't
to be happens sometimes。 I can't help believing it's going to happen
in Anne's case； if Providence doesn't interfere； that's what。〃
Mrs。 Rachel sighed。 She was afraid Providence wouldn't interfere；
and she didn't dare to。
Anne had wandered down to the Dryad's Bubble and was curled up
among the ferns at the root of the big white birch where she and
Gilbert had so often sat in summers gone by。 He had gone into
the newspaper office again when college closed； and Avonlea
seemed very dull without him。 He never wrote to her； and Anne
missed the letters that never came。 To be sure； Roy wrote twice
a week； his letters were exquisite compositions which would have
read beautifully in a memoir or biography。 Anne felt herself
more deeply in love with him than ever when she read them； but
her heart never gave the queer； quick； painful bound at sight of
his letters which it had given one day when Mrs。 Hiram Sloane
had handed her out an envelope addressed in Gilbert's black；
upright handwriting。 Anne had hurried home to the east gable and
opened it eagerly to find a typewritten copy of some college
society report 〃only that and nothing more。〃 Anne flung the
harmless screed across her room and sat down to write an
especially nice epistle to Roy。
Diana was to be married in five more days。 The gray house at
Orchard Slope was in a turmoil of baking and brewing and boiling
and stewing； for there was to be a big； old…timey wedding。 Anne；
of course； was to be bridesmaid； as had been arranged when they
were twelve years old； and Gilbert was coming from Kingsport to
be best man。 Anne was enjoying the excitement of the various
preparations； but under it all she carried a little heartache。
She was； in a sense； losing her dear old chum； Diana's new home
would be two miles from Green Gables； and the old constant
companionship could never be theirs again。 Anne looked up at
Diana's light and thought how it had beaconed to her for many years；
but soon it would shine through the summer twilights no more。
Two big； painful tears welled up in her gray eyes。
〃Oh；〃 she thought； 〃how horrible it is that people have to grow
up and marry and CHANGE！〃
Chapter XXIX
Diana's Wedding
〃After all； the only real roses are the pink ones；〃 said Anne； as
she tied white ribbon around Diana's bouquet in the westwardlooking
gable at Orchard Slope。 〃They are the flowers of love and faith。〃
Diana was standing nervously in the middle of the room； arrayed
in her bridal white； her black curls frosted over with the film
of her wedding veil。 Anne had draped that veil； in accordance
with the sentimental compact of years before。
〃It's all pretty much as I used to imagine it long ago； when I
wept over your inevitable marriage and our consequent parting；〃
she laughed。 〃You are the bride of my dreams； Diana； with
the ‘lovely misty veil'； and I am YOUR bridesmaid。 But； alas！
I haven't the puffed sleeves though these short lace ones are
even prettier。 Neither is my heart wholly breaking nor do I
exactly hate Fred。〃
〃We are not really parting； Anne；〃 protested Diana。 〃I'm not
going far away。 We'll love each other just as much as ever。
We've always kept that ‘oath' of friendship we swore long ago；
haven't we？〃
〃Yes。 We've kept it faithfully。 We've had a beautiful
friendship； Diana。 We've never marred it by one quarrel or
coolness or unkind word； and I hope it will always be so。
But things can't be quite the same after this。 You'll have
other interests。 I'll just be on the outside。 But ‘such is
life' as Mrs。 Rachel says。 Mrs。 Rachel has given you one of
her beloved knitted quilts of the ‘tobacco stripe' pattern；
and she says when I am married she'll give me one； too。〃
〃The mean thing about your getting married is that I won't be
able to be your bridesmaid；〃 lamented Diana。
〃I'm to be Phil's bridesmaid next June； when she marries
Mr。 Blake； and then I must stop； for you know the proverb
‘three times a bridesmaid； never a bride；' 〃 said Anne；
peeping through the window over the pink and snow of the
blossoming orchard beneath。 〃Here comes the minister； Diana。〃
〃Oh； Anne；〃 gasped Diana； suddenly turning very pale and
beginning to tremble。