weren t, though, when I saw Matthew starting off today. I thought maybe
he was going to the doctor s.
Marilla s lips twitched understandingly. She had expected Mrs.
Rachel up; she had known that the sight of Matthew jaunting off so
unaccountably would be too much for her neighbor s curiosity.
Oh, no, I m quite well although I had a bad headache yesterday, she
said. Matthew went to Bright River. We re getting a little boy from an
orphan asylum in Nova Scotia and he s coming on the train tonight.
If Marilla had said that Matthew had gone to Bright River to meet a
kangaroo from Australia Mrs. Rachel could not have been more astonished.
She was actually stricken dumb for five seconds. It was unsupposable
that Marilla was making fun of her, but Mrs. Rachel was almost forced to
suppose it.
Are you in earnest, Marilla? she demanded when voice returned to her.
Yes, of course, said Marilla, as if getting boys from orphan asylums
in Nova Scotia were part of the usual spring work on any well-regulated
Avonlea farm instead of being an unheard of innovation.
Mrs. Rachel felt that she had received a severe mental jolt. She thought
in exclamation points. A boy! Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of all people
adopting a boy! From an orphan asylum! Well, the world was certainly
turning upside down! She would be surprised at nothing after this!
Nothing!
What on earth put such a notion into your head? she demanded
disapprovingly.
This had been done without her advice being asked, and must perforce be
disapproved.
Well, we ve been thinking about it for some time--all winter in fact,
returned Marilla. Mrs. Alexander Spencer was up here one day before
Christmas and she said she was going to get a little girl from the
asylum over in Hopeton in the spring. Her cousin lives there and Mrs.
Spencer has visited her and knows all about it. So Matthew and I have
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