Anne of Green Gables Page #11

wear my hair like Alice Bell.

She's only seventeen and I

think she looks ridiculous.

I'm going to wait until I'm eighteen.

My, my. Doesn't Gilbert

look dashing tonight?

Gilbert? I hadn't noticed him.

It's too bad you've been so awful to

him. He might have asked you to dance.

If I wanted him to ask me, which

I don't, he certainly would.

Gilbert Blythe would stand on

his head for me if I asked him to.

Ah! He looked right at you again, Anne!

I bet you couldn't get him to dance with you.

Alright, Diana. If you insist.

Good evening, Gilbert Blythe.

Tell your brother I'll be seeing

him at the tobogganing party.

A glass of punch, Miss?

Thank you.

Diana! You look wonderful tonight.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you too, Gilbert.

How could you wish that

person a Merry Christmas?

I gather that person didn't

ask you to dance, after all.

Well, will you give me

the pleasure instead?

Thank you. I believe I will.

I think Gilbert took your dance card.

Such a romantic gesture would be

utterly beyond his imagination.

Well, then who? Josie Pye?

A secret admirer, obviously.

We should get to bed

before mother comes down.

She said we could sleep in the

spare bedroom. Isn't that exciting?

Alright, then. I'll race you to see

who get the warm side of the bed.

Ready? Get set. Go!

Oh! Merciful heavens!

What is the meaning of this?

Aunt Josephine. Mother said you

weren't coming until tomorrow.

Is that any reason to try

to kill me in my sleep?

Diana Barry, you are the worst

behaved girl I have ever known.

Your parents will certainly

hear about this outrage.

It's all my fault, ma'am.

It was my idea to race.

And we didn't know you were

in here. Honestly, we didn't.

Please don't tell mother, Aunt Jo.

We're terribly sorry.

I most certainly will tell her.

She'll want to know the reason why I've changed my

mind about the music lessons, I was going to pay for.

You need a few lessons in behavior

more than in music, young lady.

Now get out of here and let a

poor old woman get some sleep.

This is really dreadful, Anne.

I've always wanted music lessons, and she's the only

one in the family who's rich enough to pay for them.

I'll explain tomorrow.

Don't worry, Diana.

She'll probably leave in a big

huff first thing in the morning.

But I don't care. She's only father's

great-aunt.- We've never been close.

It was pretty funny, wasn't it?

Did you see the look on her face?

I won't have you lose your

music lessons because of me.

I just have to have a talk with her.

Anne, don't. She'll eat you alive.

I've had lots of practice in making

apologies before. Just leave it to me.

Alright.

What?

Come to finish the job?

Sorry, I startled you, ma'am.

Who are you?

Anne of Green Gables.

And I've come to confess.

Confess what?

I'm not interested in the confessions of

assassins who masquerade as little girls.

It was all my doing, Miss Barry.

Diana would never think of such a thing

as racing to a bed and jumping on it.

She's far too lady-like, whereas I am

merely an orphan who doesn't know any better.

So I think you ought to forgive Diana

and let her have her music lessons back.

Oh, you do, do you?

Yes, ma'am.

Do you have any idea what it's like to be

wakened from the few hours of precious sleep

granted an old woman in a strange bed by two

ferocious, wild girls landing on her head?

I don't know. I can imagine it must

have been terrifying in the extreme.

And if you had any imagination,

you could put yourself in our place.

I haven't been in your place for

forty-seven years, thank you very much.

Don't you have any

imagination, Miss Barry?

At my age, imagination

is a threat to life.

Well, we honestly didn't know you were

in there, and you scared us half to death.

You should just imagine how

exciting it was going to be for me

to sleep in a spare bedroom, reserved

for important company such as yourself.

As it was, I had to sleep with Minnie

May, and you don't know how she kicks.

Mine was the sleep of the

bitterly disappointed, Miss Barry.

I was forced to lie awake all night

with the knowledge that I had cost

Diana her career as a world

famous concert pianist.

I suppose your claim to

sympathy is as valid as mine.

Do you know what I am composing

here, Anne of Green Gables?

Sure I don't, Miss Barry.

It's a note expressing my

outrage to Diana's parents.

The trouble is, I don't

feel outraged anymore.

So, what do you suggest.

Perhaps if Diana apologized, which she's

too frightened to do at this moment.

I have a better idea.

Suppose I reinstate her music

lessons in exchange for...

you coming to visit me in

Charlottetown on occasion?

Me, Miss Barry?

Yes, you, Anne of Green Gables.

Diana can come along as well.

You amuse me, and precious little

in this world amuses me at my age.

You seem a very interesting old lady to me.

You're not an old ogre at all, are you?

I didn't mean that.

Excuse me, Miss Barry.

I most certainly am an old ogre,

and don't you let on any different.

Will you come and see me?

Then go tell Diana she can be

a concert pianist after all.

Thank you, Miss Barry. We appreciate,

you're making up your mind so swiftly.

Good day, Anne-girl.

You wouldn't think so to look at her, but

she is definitely a kindred spirit, Diana.

"Please find enclosed, two silver bagels.

One for you and one for the Anne-girl.

I want to become better

acquainted with you both.

If you come to town for a visit, I will put

you up in my very sparest of spare rooms.

Yours very truly, Aunt Josephine Barry."

You know, Diana, kindred spirits

aren't as scarce as I used to think.

Anne, do you intend to daydream during the

Charlottetown exam? Five minutes, class.

Well, don't worry. In two

days, it will all be over.

This is one of those rare moments when not

even my imagination can solve my anxiety.

Hello, Aunt Jo.

- Diana.

So, you've come to see

me at last, you Anne-girl.

Mercy me. You're both so much

better looking than you used to be.

I'm sure Diana is.

My hair is still red.

Come in, come in, John. Take the

bags right upstairs. Wipe your feet.

Aunt Jo.

You must be tired from your trip.

Nancy will prepare your

bath and look after you.

I suppose you want to

cram for your exam tonight.

Miss Stacey made me promise not to open

a book, so I won't get the jitters.

In that case, we can have a leisurely

dinner after you've freshened up.

And following your exam tomorrow,

I've planned a tremendous surprise.

Nancy, tell John that I will have my

tea with him in the palm room.

I've never been here before.

I didn't know she was this rich.

No wonder she has so little imagination.

That's the one consolation about being

poor; you have to dream all this up.

I wish I could go with you

and help you somehow, Anne.

Don't make me nervous. I'm trying to imagine away

this horrible, fluttery feeling around my heart.

I have faith in you.

You'll pass alright.

I'd rather not pass at all than

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