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Chapter6 Matthew and Marilla |
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But when she arrived back at Green Gables, |
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Anne knew at once that something was wrong. |
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Matthew looked much older than before. |
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' What' s the matter with him?' Anne asked Marilla. |
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' He' s had some heart trouble this year,' replied Marilla. |
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' He really isn' t well. I' m worried about him.' |
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' And you' re not looking well, Marilla,' said Anne. |
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' Now you must rest, while I do the housework.' |
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Marilla smiled tiredly at Anne. |
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' It' s not the work, it' s my head. It often hurts, behind my eyes. |
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I must see the doctor about it soon. |
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But another thing, Anne, have you heard anything about the Church Bank?' |
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' I heard it was having a difficult time.' |
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' All our money is in that bank. I know Matthew' s worried about it.' |
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The next morning a letter came for Matthew. |
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Marilla saw his grey face and cried,' What' s the matter, Matthew?' |
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Anne, who was bringing an armful of flowers into the kitchen, |
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saw his face too. Suddenly, Matthew fell to the ground. |
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Anne dropped her flowers and ran to help Marilla. |
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Together they tried everything, but it was too late. Matthew was dead. |
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' It was his heart,' said the doctor, who arrived a little later. |
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' Did he have any bad news suddenly?' |
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' The letter!' cried Anne.' Shall I see what' s in it? Oh Marilla, look! |
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The Church Bank has had to close down! Your money, and Matthew' s, has all gone!' |
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Everybody in Avonlea was sorry to hear that Matthew was dead. |
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For the first time in his life, Matthew Cuthbert was an important person. |
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At first Anne couldn' t cry. |
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But then she remembered Matthew' s smiling face when she told him about the Avery prize. |
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Suddenly she started crying and couldn' t stop. |
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Marilla held her in her arms and they sobbed together. |
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' Crying can' t bring him back,' whispered Marilla. |
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' We' ll have to learn to live without him, Anne.' |
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In the next few weeks Anne and Marilla |
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worked hard together on the farm and in the house. |
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Everybody in Avonlea was very kind to them, but it was a sad time. |
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One day Marilla said,' I' ll miss you when you go to Redmond College, Anne. |
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What are the other Avonlea students going to do?' |
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' Some of them are going to teach, and some are going to stay at Queen' s.' |
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' Gilbert' s going to teach at Avonlea school, isn' t he?' |
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Anne didn' t reply, so Marilla went on. |
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' He' s very tall and goodlooking now, don' t you think? |
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Like his father, John, when he was younger. |
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You know, John and I were very good friends, years ago.' |
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Anne looked up, interested.' What happened? Why didn' t you?' |
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' Well, we had a fight about something. |
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He asked me to be friends again, but I couldn' t forgive him. |
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Later I was sorry, but he didn' t speak to me again. |
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Perhaps we Oh well, it was a long time ago.' |
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The next day Marilla went to see the doctor. |
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When she came back, she looked very tired and ill. |
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' What did the doctor say?' asked Anne worriedly. |
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' He says I mustn' t read or write, and I must wear glasses. |
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Then my head won' t hurt. But if I' m not very careful, I' ll be blind in six months!' |
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For a minute Anne was silent. Then she said firmly,' Then you must be careful, Marilla.' |
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' Think how terrible it is to be blind! |
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But how lucky you' ve got a free place at Redmond College! |
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I can' t give you any money, you see. All our money' s gone, and I can' t work now. |
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I think I' ll have to sell the farm, and go and live with Rachel Lynde!' |
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And poor Marilla sobbed wildly. |
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That night Anne sat alone in her bedroom. |
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She thought and thought for some time, and then she smiled. |
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When she went to bed, she knew what she was going to do. |
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The next day she explained it all to Marilla. |
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' You can' t sell Green Gables, it' s our home! |
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Just listen, I' ve planned everything. |
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I' m not going to Redmond College, it' s too far away. |
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I' m going to teach, in one of the village schools near here. |
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Then I can live there during the week and come home at weekends to look after you. |
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Diana' s father will use our fields and pay us for them, |
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And so we' ll have some money. You see?' |
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' Oh Anne! I' ll be all right if you' re here. |
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But you must go to Redmond, if you want to study' |
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' Redmond College doesn' t matter,' laughed Anne. |
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' I' m going to study at home in the evenings. |
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And I' m going to be a really good teacher! That' s better than anything!' |
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Marilla shook her head and tried not to cry. |
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' You' re a good girl, Anne. Now we can keep Green Gables!' |
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A few days later Rachel Lynde came to the farm. |
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' Do you know,' she said,' that Gilbert isn' t going to be the Avonlea teacher now?' |
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' Isn' t he?' cried Anne.' Why not?' |
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' When he heard that you wanted to be near Marilla, |
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He decided to teach at a school in another village. |
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So you can be the Avonlea teacher now.' |
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' Oh!' said Anne, surprised.' That' s that' s very kind of him.' |
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And that day, when she saw Gilbert by the river, she stopped him and held out her hand. |
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' Gilbert,' she said shyly,' I I want to thank you. It' s very good of you. |
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If I' m the Avonlea teacher, I can help Marilla much more at home.' |
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' I' m happy to help you, Anne,' said Gilbert. |
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He smiled and held her hand firmly.' Are we going to be friends now? |
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Have you forgiven me for calling you" carrots"?' |
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Anne laughed.' I forgave you a long time ago.' |
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' I' m sure we' re going to be very good friends, Anne. Can I walk home with you?' |
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And when Anne came into the Green Gables kitchen, Marilla said, |
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' You look very happy, Anne. Was that Gilbert who was with you just now?' |
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' Yes,' replied Anne, her face red.' Gilbert and I' ve decided to be friends. |
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Oh Marilla, I think life is going to be good for all of us! |
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We' ll have to work hard, but we' ll be happy. |
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And we' ll keep our dear old Green Gables! What could be better than that!' |