mistake came to be made? We sent word to Mrs. Spencer to bring us a boy.
Were there no boys at the asylum?
Oh, yes, there was an abundance of them. But Mrs. Spencer said
_distinctly_ that you wanted a girl about eleven years old. And the
matron said she thought I would do. You don t know how delighted I was.
I couldn t sleep all last night for joy. Oh, she added reproachfully,
turning to Matthew, why didn t you tell me at the station that you
didn t want me and leave me there? If I hadn t seen the White Way of
Delight and the Lake of Shining Waters it wouldn t be so hard.
What on earth does she mean? demanded Marilla, staring at Matthew.
She--she s just referring to some conversation we had on the road,
said Matthew hastily. I m going out to put the mare in, Marilla. Have
tea ready when I come back.
Did Mrs. Spencer bring anybody over besides you? continued Marilla
when Matthew had gone out.
She brought Lily Jones for herself. Lily is only five years old and she
is very beautiful and had nut-brown hair. If I was very beautiful and
had nut-brown hair would you keep me?
No. We want a boy to help Matthew on the farm. A girl would be of
no use to us. Take off your hat. I ll lay it and your bag on the hall
table.
Anne took off her hat meekly. Matthew came back presently and they sat
down to supper. But Anne could not eat. In vain she nibbled at the
bread and butter and pecked at the crab-apple preserve out of the little
scalloped glass dish by her plate. She did not really make any headway
at all.
You re not eating anything, said Marilla sharply, eying her as if it
were a serious shortcoming. Anne sighed.
I can t. I m in the depths of despair. Can you eat when you are in the
depths of despair?
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