Mrs. Lynde?
No, Mrs. Lynde had not. She shook her head sagely.
You must learn to think a little, Anne, that s what. The proverb you
need to go by is Look before you leap --especially into spare-room
beds.
Mrs. Lynde laughed comfortably over her mild joke, but Anne remained
pensive. She saw nothing to laugh at in the situation, which to her
eyes appeared very serious. When she left Mrs. Lynde s she took her way
across the crusted fields to Orchard Slope. Diana met her at the kitchen
door.
Your Aunt Josephine was very cross about it, wasn t she? whispered
Anne.
Yes, answered Diana, stifling a giggle with an apprehensive glance
over her shoulder at the closed sitting-room door. She was fairly
dancing with rage, Anne. Oh, how she scolded. She said I was the
worst-behaved girl she ever saw and that my parents ought to be ashamed
of the way they had brought me up. She says she won t stay and I m sure
I don t care. But Father and Mother do.
Why didn t you tell them it was my fault? demanded Anne.
It s likely I d do such a thing, isn t it? said Diana with just scorn.
I m no telltale, Anne Shirley, and anyhow I was just as much to blame
as you.
Well, I m going in to tell her myself, said Anne resolutely.
Diana stared.
Anne Shirley, you d never! why--she ll eat you alive!
Don t frighten me any more than I am frightened, implored Anne. I d
rather walk up to a cannon s mouth. But I ve got to do it, Diana. It
was my fault and I ve got to confess. I ve had practice in confessing,
fortunately.
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