I m sorry I lost my temper and said rude things, and I m willing to go
and tell Mrs. Lynde so.
Very well. Marilla s crispness gave no sign of her relief. She had
been wondering what under the canopy she should do if Anne did not give
in. I ll take you down after milking.
Accordingly, after milking, behold Marilla and Anne walking down the
lane, the former erect and triumphant, the latter drooping and dejected.
But halfway down Anne s dejection vanished as if by enchantment. She
lifted her head and stepped lightly along, her eyes fixed on the sunset
sky and an air of subdued exhilaration about her. Marilla beheld the
change disapprovingly. This was no meek penitent such as it behooved her
to take into the presence of the offended Mrs. Lynde.
What are you thinking of, Anne? she asked sharply.
I m imagining out what I must say to Mrs. Lynde, answered Anne
dreamily.
This was satisfactory--or should have been so. But Marilla could not
rid herself of the notion that something in her scheme of punishment was
going askew. Anne had no business to look so rapt and radiant.
Rapt and radiant Anne continued until they were in the very presence
of Mrs. Lynde, who was sitting knitting by her kitchen window. Then the
radiance vanished. Mournful penitence appeared on every feature. Before
a word was spoken Anne suddenly went down on her knees before the
astonished Mrs. Rachel and held out her hands beseechingly.
Oh, Mrs. Lynde, I am so extremely sorry, she said with a quiver in
her voice. I could never express all my sorrow, no, not if I used up
a whole dictionary. You must just imagine it. I behaved terribly to
you--and I ve disgraced the dear friends, Matthew and Marilla, who have
let me stay at Green Gables although I m not a boy. I m a dreadfully
wicked and ungrateful girl, and I deserve to be punished and cast out
by respectable people forever. It was very wicked of me to fly into a
temper because you told me the truth. It _was_ the truth; every word you
said was true. My hair is red and I m freckled and skinny and ugly.
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