Anne of Green Gables Page #14

Oh, she's a prodigious talent.

I was moved beyond words.

On behalf of the Charlottetown hospital,

I would like to offer our

indebtedness to Mrs. Amelia Evans

for gracing us with such a stirring

performance in support of today's benefit.

Thank you.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to

present one of Avonlea's most celebrated students,

who achieved the highest standing in the

recent entrance examinations to Queens Academy.

Miss Anne Shirley.

It will be amusing to see what

arises from the local amateur actors.

The wind was a torrent of darkness

among the gusty trees.

The moon was a ghostly galleon

tossed upon cloudy seas.

The road was a ribbon of moonlight

over the purple moor,

And the highwayman came riding,

riding, riding...

The highwayman came riding,

up to the old inn-door.

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart,

I'm after a prize tonight.

But I shall return with the yellow gold

before the morning light.

Yet, if they press me sharply,

and harry me through the day,

Then look for me by moonlight,

Watch for me by moonlight,

I'll come to thee by moonlight,

though hell should bar the way."

Back, he spurred like a madman,

shouting a curse to the sky,

With the white road smoking behind him

and his rapier brandished high.

Blood-red were his spurs in the golden noon,

wine-red was his velvet coat,

When they shot him down on the highway,

Down like a dog on the highway,

And he lay in his blood on the highway,

with the bunch of lace at his throat.

Encore! Encore!

Dear, you were splendid.

Go back. They're encoring you.

I can't go back.

Anne, I have to admit I was so proud.

Your recitation was as

magnificent as Mrs. Evans'...

...and she's a professional.

[Josie Pye:
I saw you fawning over Anne Shirley]

I overheard that romantic-looking young man over there asking...

[Gilbert:
Well you sure couldn't get up

there and give a recital like her]

who the girl on the platform was with the lovely tizian hair.

[Josie:
I could be up there on stage. ]

[Gilbert:
I'd like to see that sometime.]

Whatever that means.

Plain red; it's just a

fancy way of saying it.

Well, he thought you

were wonderful anyway.

You'll forgive me for stealing

her away again, won't you?

There are so many people waiting

to meet our young Miss Shirley.

Will you excuse me?

I don't mean to be rude,

but there is someone I absolutely must

speak with. I'll return right away. I promise.

Very well, dear. But hurry up,

I have important people waiting.

Gilbert! Gilbert!

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to talk

to him, Anne. Blame me, if you want.

It's alright, Diana.

Some things just aren't meant to be.

Did you see all those diamonds?

I wish I were rich, then I could spend my whole

summer at a hotel eating icecream and chicken salad.

You know something, Diana?

We are rich.

We have sixteen years to our credit,

and we both have wonderful imaginations.

We should be as happy as queens.

Look at that! You couldn't enjoy its

loveliness anymore if you had ropes of diamonds.

I don't know about that.

I'm content with my string of pearls.

Matthew gave them to me with as much love as

ever went into any of those stuffy women's jewels.

I am happy Diana,

and nothing is gonna hold me back.

Hurry up, Anne. Do you think the

train is going to wait for you?

I'll take it, Matthew. It'll be

easier if I go quickly by myself.

Getting emotional over nothing.

Nothing? You both mean everything to me.

All this foolishness.

You might as well kiss him, too.

All aboard!

I'm afraid for her, Matthew.

She'll be gone so long.

She'll get terrible lonesome.

You mean, we'll get terrible lonesome.

I can't help wishing that

she'd stayed a little girl.

Mrs. Spencer made a

lucky mistake, I guess.

It wasn't luck, it was providence.

He knew we needed her.

Even with her queer little ways.

I loved her for them.

I like people who make me like them.

It saves me so much trouble,

forcing myself to like them.

Oh, but I'd be a much happier woman

if you'd stay at Beechwood with me.

There's no other place

I'd rather be, Miss Barry.

I know it's impractical. You

need to be near the school.

The lady who runs this boarding house is

a gentle woman of reduced circumstances.

You'll be quite safe.

Here we are, Peter.

Miss Barry said you have

a creative turn of mind, so...

I've given you my best room,

looking out over the street.

Thank you, I'm sure.

Cheer up, now. I've had dozens of

students here and not lost one of them yet.

If there's anything you

want, just let me know.

Thank you.

I can't cheer up. I don't want to

cheer up. I'd rather just be miserable.

Those of you that have elected to complete the

program for a teacher's license in one year

instead of two, have a

difficult struggle ahead of you.

But you're here because we

know you're capable of doing it.

These first two weeks will

be a probationary period

in which you can decide whether you really

want to complete the program in a single year.

In that sense, these first two weeks will

be the most important you spend at Queens.

Bear that in mind.

Anne Shirley!

You look positively ill.

Whenever your nose and eyes get

red, you just seem red all over.

Tell me, how are the

first year students doing?

Our French professor is a dream.

He's the cutest mustache.

Come for lunch and I'll tell all. I'm meeting

Jane and Ruby and some of the others.

Thank you, but I have

other business to attend to.

Gilbert won't be there, if

that's what's worrying you.

Whatever do you mean?

Gilbert Blythe is a rake,

and after his insulting behavior at the White Sands

concert, I've decided to completely ignore him.

Besides, there are far more dashing

young men around here anyway.

I'm amazed that Gilbert

could even insult you.

Anne!

We've been looking all over for you.

What's second year class like?

I don't know anyone. I wish you

people had decided to go into second.

Second? I'll be lucky if I pass first.

I don't care if I don't pass. My

father can afford to send me back.

You know, Anne, Frank Stockley told me that

the graduate who receives the highest mark

in English Lit. this year wins the Avery

scholarship. $250 a year for four years.

Are you sure?

The board of governors is announcing

it tomorrow. I'll be you for sure, Anne.

I don't know. This is a much bigger pond

we're swimming in now than in Avonlea.

Will you two goody-goodies

control yourselves.

There's a lot more to do around here

than keeping your nose in the books.

So, you have been here one week

and already you are planning to take

an arts degree from Redmond College.

I fully intend to win that Avery

scholarship if hard work can do it.

I never knew a girl with such

ambition, except perhaps myself.

But my ambition was for money.

God knows I've succeeded.

Never really considered money.

Probably just as well.

Though I can hardly

believe I'm saying so.

Wealth can be very empty when you

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