her seat and refrain from rushing impulsively after her chum. A lump
came into her throat, and she hastily retired behind the pages of her
uplifted Latin grammar to hide the tears in her eyes. Not for worlds
would Anne have had Gilbert Blythe or Josie Pye see those tears.
But, oh, Marilla, I really felt that I had tasted the bitterness of
death, as Mr. Allan said in his sermon last Sunday, when I saw Diana go
out alone, she said mournfully that night. I thought how splendid it
would have been if Diana had only been going to study for the Entrance,
too. But we can t have things perfect in this imperfect world, as Mrs.
Lynde says. Mrs. Lynde isn t exactly a comforting person sometimes, but
there s no doubt she says a great many very true things. And I think the
Queen s class is going to be extremely interesting. Jane and Ruby
are just going to study to be teachers. That is the height of their
ambition. Ruby says she will only teach for two years after she gets
through, and then she intends to be married. Jane says she will devote
her whole life to teaching, and never, never marry, because you are paid
a salary for teaching, but a husband won t pay you anything, and growls
if you ask for a share in the egg and butter money. I expect Jane speaks
from mournful experience, for Mrs. Lynde says that her father is a
perfect old crank, and meaner than second skimmings. Josie Pye says she
is just going to college for education s sake, because she won t have to
earn her own living; she says of course it is different with orphans who
are living on charity--_they_ have to hustle. Moody Spurgeon is going to
be a minister. Mrs. Lynde says he couldn t be anything else with a name
like that to live up to. I hope it isn t wicked of me, Marilla, but
really the thought of Moody Spurgeon being a minister makes me laugh.
He s such a funny-looking boy with that big fat face, and his little
blue eyes, and his ears sticking out like flaps. But perhaps he will
be more intellectual-looking when he grows up. Charlie Sloane says he s
going to go into politics and be a member of Parliament, but Mrs. Lynde
says he ll never succeed at that, because the Sloanes are all honest
people, and it s only rascals that get on in politics nowadays.
What is Gilbert Blythe going to be? queried Marilla, seeing that Anne
was opening her C sar.
I don t happen to know what Gilbert Blythe s ambition in life is--if he
has any, said Anne scornfully.
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