says--a lovely lady in a pale blue silk dress. A sewing-machine agent
gave it to her. I wish I had something to give Diana. I m an inch taller
than Diana, but she is ever so much fatter; she says she d like to be
thin because it s so much more graceful, but I m afraid she only said
it to soothe my feelings. We re going to the shore some day to gather
shells. We have agreed to call the spring down by the log bridge the
Dryad s Bubble. Isn t that a perfectly elegant name? I read a story
once about a spring called that. A dryad is sort of a grown-up fairy, I
think.
Well, all I hope is you won t talk Diana to death, said Marilla. But
remember this in all your planning, Anne. You re not going to play all
the time nor most of it. You ll have your work to do and it ll have to
be done first.
Anne s cup of happiness was full, and Matthew caused it to overflow. He
had just got home from a trip to the store at Carmody, and he sheepishly
produced a small parcel from his pocket and handed it to Anne, with a
deprecatory look at Marilla.
I heard you say you liked chocolate sweeties, so I got you some, he
said.
Humph, sniffed Marilla. It ll ruin her teeth and stomach. There,
there, child, don t look so dismal. You can eat those, since Matthew
has gone and got them. He d better have brought you peppermints. They re
wholesomer. Don t sicken yourself eating all them at once now.
Oh, no, indeed, I won t, said Anne eagerly. I ll just eat one
tonight, Marilla. And I can give Diana half of them, can t I? The
other half will taste twice as sweet to me if I give some to her. It s
delightful to think I have something to give her.
I will say it for the child, said Marilla when Anne had gone to
her gable, she isn t stingy. I m glad, for of all faults I detest
stinginess in a child. Dear me, it s only three weeks since she came,
and it seems as if she d been here always. I can t imagine the place
without her. Now, don t be looking I told-you-so, Matthew. That s bad
enough in a woman, but it isn t to be endured in a man. I m perfectly
willing to own up that I m glad I consented to keep the child and that
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