far away. I just felt like a parrot. It s providential that I practiced
those recitations so often up in the garret, or I d never have been able
to get through. Did I groan all right?
Yes, indeed, you groaned lovely, assured Diana.
I saw old Mrs. Sloane wiping away tears when I sat down. It was
splendid to think I had touched somebody s heart. It s so romantic
to take part in a concert, isn t it? Oh, it s been a very memorable
occasion indeed.
Wasn t the boys dialogue fine? said Diana. Gilbert Blythe was just
splendid. Anne, I do think it s awful mean the way you treat Gil. Wait
till I tell you. When you ran off the platform after the fairy dialogue
one of your roses fell out of your hair. I saw Gil pick it up and put
it in his breast pocket. There now. You re so romantic that I m sure you
ought to be pleased at that.
It s nothing to me what that person does, said Anne loftily. I simply
never waste a thought on him, Diana.
That night Marilla and Matthew, who had been out to a concert for the
first time in twenty years, sat for a while by the kitchen fire after
Anne had gone to bed.
Well now, I guess our Anne did as well as any of them, said Matthew
proudly.
Yes, she did, admitted Marilla. She s a bright child, Matthew. And
she looked real nice too. I ve been kind of opposed to this concert
scheme, but I suppose there s no real harm in it after all. Anyhow, I
was proud of Anne tonight, although I m not going to tell her so.
Well now, I was proud of her and I did tell her so fore she went
upstairs, said Matthew. We must see what we can do for her some of
these days, Marilla. I guess she ll need something more than Avonlea
school by and by.
There s time enough to think of that, said Marilla. She s only
thirteen in March. Though tonight it struck me she was growing quite a
181