Well, she s in the room, said Diana. You can go in if you want to. I
wouldn t dare. And I don t believe you ll do a bit of good.
With this encouragement Anne bearded the lion in its den--that is to
say, walked resolutely up to the sitting-room door and knocked faintly.
A sharp Come in followed.
Miss Josephine Barry, thin, prim, and rigid, was knitting fiercely by
the fire, her wrath quite unappeased and her eyes snapping through her
gold-rimmed glasses. She wheeled around in her chair, expecting to see
Diana, and beheld a white-faced girl whose great eyes were brimmed up
with a mixture of desperate courage and shrinking terror.
Who are you? demanded Miss Josephine Barry, without ceremony.
I m Anne of Green Gables, said the small visitor tremulously, clasping
her hands with her characteristic gesture, and I ve come to confess, if
you please.
Confess what?
That it was all my fault about jumping into bed on you last night. I
suggested it. Diana would never have thought of such a thing, I am sure.
Diana is a very ladylike girl, Miss Barry. So you must see how unjust it
is to blame her.
Oh, I must, hey? I rather think Diana did her share of the jumping at
least. Such carryings on in a respectable house!
But we were only in fun, persisted Anne. I think you ought to forgive
us, Miss Barry, now that we ve apologized. And anyhow, please forgive
Diana and let her have her music lessons. Diana s heart is set on her
music lessons, Miss Barry, and I know too well what it is to set your
heart on a thing and not get it. If you must be cross with anyone, be
cross with me. I ve been so used in my early days to having people cross
at me that I can endure it much better than Diana can.
Much of the snap had gone out of the old lady s eyes by this time
and was replaced by a twinkle of amused interest. But she still said
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