Anne of Green Gables Page #3

Well, no, it's not exactly my name,...

But, oh, I would love

to be called Cordelia.

I don't understand what you mean.

Cordelia is a perfectly elegant name.

What is your name child,

and no more nonsense?

Anne Shirley. Plain, old,

unromantic Anne Shirley.

Anne Shirley is a fine, sensible name,

and hardly one to be ashamed of.

Oh, I'm not ashamed,...

but if you are going to call me Anne, would

you please be sure to spell it with an "e"?

What difference does it

make how it is spelled?

It makes a lot of difference.

Print out "A-n-n" and it

looks absolutely dreadful,...

but Anne with an "e"

is quite distinguished.

So if you'll only call

me Anne with an "e",

I'll try and reconcile myself

to not being called Cordelia.

Very well then, Anne, with an "e",...

how is it that you happened

to be brought and not a boy?

If I were very beautiful and had

nut-brown hair, would you keep me?

No. We have absolutely

no use for a girl.

Well, don't stand there gaping.

Come along. Bring your bag. Now that you're here,

I suppose we'll have to put you somewhere tonight.

Take off your hat.

You must be hungry.

I can't eat. I can never eat

when I'm in the depths of despair.

The depths of despair?

Can you eat when you're that way?

I've never been that way.

Can't you even imagine you're

in the depths of despair?

No, I can not. To despair

is to turn your back on God.

This is your room for the night.

Wash up and then come down for supper.

Yes, Miss Cuthbert.

I'm taking her straight over to

that Spencer woman in the morning.

This girl has to go

straight back to the asylum.

I suppose.

You suppose? Don't you know it?

She's a nice little thing, Marilla.

Seems a pity to send her back.

She's... she's so set on staying.

Matthew Cuthbert, I believe

this child has bewitched you.

I can see plain as plain

you want to keep her.

We could hire a boy, and

she can be company for you.

I'm not suffering for company,...

particularly a girl who prattles

on without stopping for breath.

She's no good for us.

She has to go straight

back where she came from.

Well, we might be of some good to her.

Good night, Anne with an "e".

It's difficult to say goodnight, when

it's the worst night I've ever known.

Good night, just the same, child.

Goodnight. Miss Cuthbert.

Little Jerry Buote from

the Creek was around.

I told him I guess that I'd

hire him on for the summer.

Hurry up, child!

I'm just fixing Green

Gables in my memory.

In years to come I'm gonna

look back on Green Gables

as a beautiful dream

that will always haunt me.

Don't you think it's romantic...

- You can think about it as you drive along.

I shall never forget your

kindness, Mr. Cuthbert.

Marilla.

Marilla, dear. You're the last

person I ever expected to see today.

I'd had imagined you would be getting

Anne settled. How are you Anne?

As well as a victim of tragic

circumstances could be, Mrs. Spencer.

There seems to be some

queer mistake, Sarah.

We told Roberta for you to get us a boy.

Oh, Marilla, you don't say.

Well, Roberta distinctly

said that you wanted a girl.

I knew I should have gone myself.

I am dreadfully sorry, Marilla.

I suppose the asylum

will take the child back.

Well, as a matter of fact,...

Mrs. Blewett was up here yesterday asking

me if I could get her a little girl.

She has such a large family, you know.

Ten children and another one on the way,

she's simply beside herself for help.

Excuse me, Mrs. Spencer, would there

happen to be any twins among them?

Oh, she has two sets of twins.

How did you know, child?

Twins seem to be my lot in life.

Anne, you'll be just the girl.

And, oh, look, there's Mrs.

Blewett this blessed minute.

I call this positively providential.

You, who, Mrs. Blewett.

Mrs. Blewett, Anne Shirley.

She'll be just the thing for you.

Miss Cuthbert.

Mrs. Blewett.

How old are you, girl.

Thirteen.

Ain't much to you... but you're wiry...

and I don't know but the wiry

ones can work the hardest.

I'll expect you to earn

your keep, no mistaking that.

And I want you to act

smart and be respectful.

Alright, I'll take her.

My twins have been awful fractious

these days and I'm terrible worn out.

Well, now, I don't know.

I feel I oughtn't to make a

decision until I speak to Matthew.

I'll just take her home

again and talk to him.

Good afternoon, ladies.

Miss Cuthbert, did you really say

it or did I only just image it?

I haven't said anything yet, young

lady, except I want to speak to Matthew.

Sending you back to the

orphanage is one thing.

Handing you over to the likes

of Matilda Blewett is another.

I'd rather go back to the

asylum than live with her.

Two sets of twins! Oof.

Besides, she looks

exactly like a gimlet.

You should be ashamed of yourself,

speaking of a stranger that way.

Hold your tongue and don't

criticize your elders.

I'll try and do anything

and be anything you want,...

if you'll only keep me, Miss Cuthbert.

Well, aren't you going

to say anything, Matthew?

I wouldn't give a dog I

liked to that Blewett woman.

It makes no sense to keep her.

But if we did keep her,...

I'd expect you not to

interfere with my methods.

An old maid like me may not know

much about raising a child,...

but I know a darn sight more

than an old bachelor like you.

Oh, she could talk a hind

leg of a mule, that's certain.

Oh, wouldn't that be

a change around here?

Have you said your prayers?

I never say any prayers.

What do you mean? Haven't you

been taught to say your prayers?

Mrs. Hammond told me that God made my hair red

on purpose, and I've never cared for him since.

Well, while you are under my

roof, you will say your prayers.

Why, of course, if you want me to.

How does one do it?

Well, you kneel beside the bed.

That's the part I never

really could understand.

Why must people kneel down to pray?

If I really wanted to pray, I'd go out

into a great, big field, all alone,...

and I'd look up into the sky. I'd imagine

it was the dome of a great cathedral,...

and then I'd close my eyes

and just feel the prayer.

What am I to say?

Well, I think you're old enough

to think of your own prayer. You...

thank God for his blessings and then

humbly ask him for the things you want.

I'll do my best.

Dear Gracious, Heavenly Father,

I thank you for everything.

As for the things I especially want,...

they're so numerous it would take a

great deal of time to mention them all,...

so I'll just mention

the two most important.

Please, let me stay at Green Gables.

Please, make me

beautiful when I grow up.

I remain yours respectfully,

Anne Shirley,...

with an "e".

Did I do alright?

Yes, if you were addressing a

business letter to the catalog store.

Get into bed.

I should have said "Amen"

instead of "yours respectfully".

Do you think it will

make any difference?

I expect God will overlook it.

This time.

Good night.

Good night, Miss Cuthbert.

That girl is next door

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