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have of my mother is of her slapping me for something I had done。
I am sure I deserved it； and mother was always a good mother and I
love her dearly。 But I do wish my first memory of her was nicer。〃
〃I have just one memory of my mother and it is the sweetest of
all my memories；〃 said Mrs。 Allan。 〃I was five years old； and I
had been allowed to go to school one day with my two older sisters。
When school came out my sisters went home in different groups； each
supposing I was with the other。 Instead I had run off with a little
girl I had played with at recess。 We went to her home； which was
near the school； and began making mud pies。 We were having a
glorious time when my older sister arrived； breathless and angry。
〃‘You naughty girl〃 she cried； snatching my reluctant hand and
dragging me along with her。 ‘Come home this minute。 Oh； you're
going to catch it！ Mother is awful cross。 She is going to give
you a good whipping。'
〃I had never been whipped。 Dread and terror filled my poor
little heart。 I have never been so miserable in my life as I was
on that walk home。 I had not meant to be naughty。 Phemy Cameron
had asked me to go home with her and I had not known it was wrong
to go。 And now I was to be whipped for it。 When we got home my
sister dragged me into the kitchen where mother was sitting by
the fire in the twilight。 My poor wee legs were trembling so
that I could hardly stand。 And mother mother just took me up
in her arms； without one word of rebuke or harshness； kissed me
and held me close to her heart。 ‘I was so frightened you were
lost； darling；' she said tenderly。 I could see the love shining
in her eyes as she looked down on me。 She never scolded or
reproached me for what I had done only told me I must never go
away again without asking permission。 She died very soon
afterwards。 That is the only memory I have of her。 Isn't it a
beautiful one？〃
Anne felt lonelier than ever as she walked home； going by way of
the Birch Path and Willowmere。 She had not walked that way for
many moons。 It was a darkly…purple bloomy night。 The air was
heavy with blossom fragrance almost too heavy。 The cloyed
senses recoiled from it as from an overfull cup。 The birches of
the path had grown from the fairy saplings of old to big trees。
Everything had changed。 Anne felt that she would be glad when
the summer was over and she was away at work again。 Perhaps life
would not seem so empty then。
〃‘I've tried the world it wears no more
The coloring of romance it wore；'〃
sighed Anne and was straightway much comforted by the romance
in the idea of the world being denuded of romance！
Chapter XL
A Book of Revelation
The Irvings came back to Echo Lodge for the summer； and Anne spent
a happy three weeks there in July。 Miss Lavendar had not changed；
Charlotta the Fourth was a very grown…up young lady now； but still
adored Anne sincerely。
〃When all's said and done； Miss Shirley； ma'am； I haven't seen
any one in Boston that's equal to you；〃 she said frankly。
Paul was almost grown up； too。 He was sixteen； his chestnut
curls had given place to close…cropped brown locks； and he was
more interested in football than fairies。 But the bond between
him and his old teacher still held。 Kindred spirits alone do not
change with changing years。
It was a wet； bleak； cruel evening in July when Anne came back to
Green Gables。 One of the fierce summer storms which sometimes
sweep over the gulf was ravaging the sea。 As Anne came in the
first raindrops dashed against the panes。
〃Was that Paul who brought you home？〃 asked Marilla。 〃Why didn't
you make him stay all night。 It's going to be a wild evening。〃
〃He'll reach Echo Lodge before the rain gets very heavy； I think。
Anyway； he wanted to go back tonight。 Well； I've had a splendid
visit； but I'm glad to see you dear folks again。 ‘East； west；
hame's best。' Davy； have you been growing again lately？〃
〃I've growed a whole inch since you left；〃 said Davy proudly。
〃I'm as tall as Milty Boulter now。 Ain't I glad。 He'll have to
stop crowing about being bigger。 Say； Anne； did you know that
Gilbert Blythe is dying？〃 Anne stood quite silent and motionless；
looking at Davy。 Her face had gone so white that Marilla thought
she was going to faint。
〃Davy； hold your tongue；〃 said Mrs。 Rachel angrily。 〃Anne；
don't look like that DON'T LOOK LIKE THAT！ We didn't mean
to tell you so suddenly。〃
〃Is it true？〃 asked Anne in a voice that was not hers。
〃Gilbert is very ill；〃 said Mrs。 Lynde gravely。 〃He took down
with typhoid fever just after you left for Echo Lodge。 Did you
never hear of it？〃
〃No；〃 said that unknown voice。
〃It was a very bad case from the start。 The doctor said he'd
been terribly run down。 They've a trained nurse and everything's
been done。 DON'T look like that； Anne。 While there's life
there's hope。〃
〃Mr。 Harrison was here this evening and he said they had no hope of him；〃
reiterated Davy。
Marilla； looking old and worn and tired； got up and marched Davy grimly
out of the kitchen。
〃Oh； DON'T look so； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Rachel； putting her kind old arms
about the pallid girl。 〃I haven't given up hope； indeed I haven't。
He's got the Blythe constitution in his favor； that's what。〃
Anne gently put Mrs。 Lynde's arms away from her； walked blindly
across the kitchen； through the hall； up the stairs to her old room。
At its window she knelt down； staring out unseeingly。 It was very dark。
The rain was beating down over the shivering fields。 The Haunted Woods
was full of the groans of mighty trees wrung in the tempest； and the
air throbbed with the thunderous crash of billows on the distant shore。
And Gilbert was dying！
There is a book of Revelation in every one's life； as there is in the Bible。
Anne read hers that bitter night； as she kept her agonized vigil through
the hours of storm and darkness。 She loved Gilbert had always loved him！
She knew that now。 She knew that she could no more cast him out of her life
without agony than she could have cut off her right hand and cast it from her。
And the knowledge had come too late too late even for the bitter solace
of being with him at the last。 If she had not been so blind so foolish
she would have had the right to go to him now。 But he would never know
that she loved him he would go away from this life thinking that she
did not care。 Oh； the black years of emptiness stretching before her！
She could not live through them she could not！ She cowered down by
her window and wished； for the first time in her gay young life； that
she could die； too。 If Gilbert went away from her； without one word or
sign or message； she could not live。 Nothing was of any value without him。
She belonged to him and he to her。 In her hour of supreme agony she had
no doubt of that。 He did not