"Yesterday you wanted to be a sea gull,” sniffed Marilla. "I told you to learn that prayer and not talk. But it seems impossible for you to stop if you have listeners. So go up to your room and learn it.”
Chapter VIII
Mrs. Rachel Lynde Is Horrified
Anne was already acquainted with every tree and shrub about the place[20]. She loved the orchard and she was there when Mrs. Rachel came to visit the Cuthberts.
"I heard some surprising things about you and Matthew. It was too bad there was such a mistake,” said Mrs. Rachel sympathetically. "Can't you send her back?”
"I suppose we can, but we decided not to. Matthew likes her. And I must say I like her myself – although I admit she has her faults. The house seems a different place already. She's a real bright little girl.”
"It's a great responsibility,” said Mrs. Rachel gloomily, "especially when you never had any experience with children. You don't know much about her or her real disposition. But I don't want to discourage you, Marilla.”
"I'm not discouraged,” was Marilla's dry response, "I suppose you want to see Anne. I'll call her in.”
Anne came in presently. She certainly was an odd-looking little creature in the short tight wincey dress from the asylum, below which her thin legs seemed ungracefully long. Her freckles were more numerous and obtrusive than ever. The wind ruffled her hatless hair into disorder.
"Well, you are not beautiful, that's sure and certain,” was Mrs. Rachel Lynde's emphatic comment. "She's terrible skinny and homely, Marilla. Come here, child, and let me have a look at you. Did anyone ever see such freckles? And hair as red as carrots! Come here, child, I say.”
Anne "came there,” but not exactly as Mrs. Rachel expected. Her face was scarlet with anger, her lips quivered.
"I hate you!” she cried. "I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! How dare you call me skinny and ugly? How dare you say I'm freckled and redheaded? You are a rude, impolite, unfeeling woman!”
"Anne!” exclaimed Marilla.
But Anne continued to face Mrs. Rachel undauntedly.
"How dare you say such things about me?” she repeated furiously. "What about you? Will you like if someone says that you are fat and clumsy and probably haven't a spark of imagination in you? I don't care if I hurt your feelings! I hope I hurt them. You hurt mine worse than Mrs. Thomas' intoxicated husband! And I'll never forgive you for it, never, never!”
Stamp! Stamp!
"Anne go to your room and stay there until I come up,” said Marilla.
Anne burst into tears, rushed to the hall door, and slammed it.
"Well, I don't envy you, Marilla,” said Mrs. Rachel with unspeakable solemnity.
"Why did you said so about her looks, Rachel?” asked Marilla.
"Marilla Cuthbert, you don't mean to say that you excuse her?” demanded Mrs. Rachel indignantly.
"No,” said Marilla slowly, "I don't excuse her. She was very naughty and I'll talk to her about it. But you were too hard on her, Rachel.”
Mrs. Rachel got up with an air of offended dignity.
"Well, I see that I must be very careful what I say after this, Marilla, not to hurt the fine feelings of orphans from nowhere. Well, good evening, Marilla. I hope you'll come down to see me as usual. But you can't expect me to visit here again.”
Marilla found Anne on her bed. Anne cried bitterly.
"Anne,” Marilla said.
No answer.
"Anne, get off that bed and listen to what I say to you.”
Anne squirmed off the bed and sat rigidly on a chair beside it.
"Anne! Aren't you ashamed of yourself?”
"She has no right to call me ugly and redheaded,” retorted Anne.
"You haven't any right to talk the way you did to her, Anne. I was ashamed of you – thoroughly ashamed of you. You disgraced me. I don't understand what happened. Mrs. Lynde said you were red-haired and homely. You say it yourself often enough.”
"Oh, but there's such a difference between yourself and other people!” wailed Anne. "I suppose you think I have an awful temper. When she said those things something just rose right up in me and choked me.”
"I don't say that I think Mrs. Lynde was exactly right, Anne,” she admitted in a softer tone. "Rachel is too outspoken. But that is no excuse for your behavior. She was an elderly person and my visitor. You were rude. So you must go to her and tell her you are very sorry for your bad temper and ask her to forgive you.”
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