[00:01.720]Chapter6 Matthew and Marilla
[00:06.410]But when she arrived back at Green Gables,
[00:10.100]Anne knew at once that something was wrong.
[00:13.440]Matthew looked much older than before.
[00:17.980]'What's the matter with him?'Anne asked Marilla.
[00:23.130]'He's had some heart trouble this year,'replied Marilla.
[00:28.690]'He really isn't well.I'm worried about him.'
[00:33.770]'And you're not looking well,Marilla,'said Anne.
[00:38.460]'Now you must rest,while I do the housework.'
[00:42.720]Marilla smiled tiredly at Anne.
[00:46.740]'It's not the work,it's my head.It often hurts,behind my eyes.
[00:54.330]I must see the doctor about it soon.
[00:57.670]But another thing,Anne,have you heard any-thing about the Church Bank?'
[01:04.630]'I heard it was having a difficult time.'
[01:08.980]'All our money is in that bank.I know Matthew's worried about it.'
[01:14.910]The next morning a letter came for Matthew.
[01:20.920]Marilla saw his grey face and cried,'What's the matter,Matthew?'
[01:26.520]Anne,who was bringing an armful of flowers into the kitchen,
[01:32.630]saw his face too.Suddenly,Matthew fell to the ground.
[01:37.830]Anne dropped her flowers and ran to help Marilla.
[01:42.710]Together they tried everything,but it was too late.Matthew was dead.
[01:51.070]'It was his heart,'said the doctor,who arrived a little later.
[01:57.850]'Did he have any bad news suddenly?'
[02:00.910]'The letter!'cried Anne.'Shall I see what's in it?Oh Marilla,look!
[02:10.330]The Church Bank has had to close down!Your money,and Matthew's,has all gone!'
[02:18.230]Everybody in Avonlea was sorry to hear that Matthew was dead.
[02:24.710]For the first time in his life,Matthew Cuthbert was an important person.
[02:31.100]At first Anne couldn't cry.
[02:35.020]But then she remembered Matthew's smiling face when she told him about the Avery prize.
[02:41.730]Suddenly she started crying and couldn't stop.
[02:47.090]Marilla held her in her arms and they sobbed together.
[02:52.200]'Crying can't bring him back,'whispered Marilla.
[02:58.210]'We'll have to learn to live without him,Anne.'
[03:02.780]***
[03:05.340]In the next few weeks Anne and Marilla
[03:08.730]worked hard together on the farm and in the house.
[03:12.700]Everybody in Avonlea was very kind to them,but it was a sad time.
[03:19.270]One day Marilla said,'I'll miss you when you go to Red-mond College,Anne.
[03:26.170]What are the other Avonlea students going to do?'
[03:30.400]'Some of them are going to teach,and some are going to stay at Queen's.'
[03:38.270]'Gilbert's going to teach at Avonlea school,isn't he?'
[03:42.230]Anne didn't reply,so Marilla went on.
[03:47.200]'He's very tall and good-looking now,don't you think?
[03:52.910]Like his father,John,when he was younger.
[03:58.070]You know,John and I were very good friends,years ago.'
[04:02.380]Anne looked up,interested.'What happened?Why didn't you…?'
[04:09.970]'Well,we had a fight about something.
[04:14.090]He asked me to be friends again,but I couldn't forgive him.
[04:18.870]Later I was sorry,but he didn't speak to me again.
[04:23.700]Perhaps we…Oh well,it was a long time ago.'
[04:29.970]The next day Marilla went to see the doctor.
[04:35.190]When she came back,she looked very tired and ill.
[04:39.970]'What did the doctor say?'asked Anne worriedly.
[04:45.770]'He says I mustn't read or write,and I must wear glasses.
[04:53.490]Then my head won't hurt.But if I'm not very careful,I'll be blind in six months!'
[05:02.360]For a minute Anne was silent.Then she said firmly,'Then you must be careful,Marilla.'
[05:12.270]'Think how terrible it is to be blind!
[05:17.190]But how lucky you've got a free place at Redmond College!
[05:22.120]I can't give you any money,you see.All our money's gone,and I can't work now.
[05:30.050]I think I'll have to sell the farm,and go and live with Rachel Lynde!'
[05:36.690]And poor Marilla sobbed wildly.
[05:41.770]That night Anne sat alone in her bedroom.
[05:46.640]She thought and thought for some time,and then she smiled.
[05:52.520]When she went to bed,she knew what she was going to do.
[05:59.180]The next day she explained it all to Marilla.
[06:04.220]'You can't sell Green Gables,it's our home!
[06:10.350]Just listen,I've planned everything.
[06:14.850]I'm not going to Redmond College,it's too far away.
[06:20.590]I'm going to teach,in one of the village schools near here.
[06:25.840]Then I can live there during the week and come home at weekends to look after you.
[06:32.720]Diana's father will use our fields and pay us for them,
[06:38.680]And so we'll have some money.You see?'
[06:42.610]'Oh Anne!I'll be all right if you're here.
[06:48.740]But you must go to Redmond,if you want to study…'
[06:53.020]'Redmond College doesn't matter,'laughed Anne.
[06:59.680]'I'm going to study at home in the evenings.
[07:03.520]And I'm going to be a really good teacher!That's better than anything!'
[07:10.570]Marilla shook her head and tried not to cry.
[07:15.420]'You're a good girl,Anne.Now we can keep Green Gables!'
[07:22.720]A few days later Rachel Lynde came to the farm.
[07:29.450]'Do you know,'she said,'that Gilbert isn't going to be the Avonlea teacher now?'
[07:38.220]'Isn't he?'cried Anne.'Why not?'
[07:43.960]'When he heard that you wanted to be near Marilla,
[07:48.220]He decided to teach at a school in another village.
[07:52.560]So you can be the Avonlea teacher now.'
[07:56.010]'Oh!'said Anne,surprised.'That's…that's very kind of him.'
[08:04.030]And that day,when she saw Gilbert by the river,she stopped him and held out her hand.
[08:12.800]'Gilbert,'she said shyly,'I…I want to thank you.It's very good of you.
[08:24.140]If I'm the Avonlea teacher,I can help Marilla much more at home.'
[08:31.460]'I'm happy to help you,Anne,'said Gilbert.
[08:37.060]He smiled and held her hand firmly.'Are we going to be friends now?
[08:44.210]Have you forgiven me for calling you"carrots"?'
[08:48.410]Anne laughed.'I forgave you a long time ago.'
[08:54.420]'I'm sure we're going to be very good friends,Anne.Can I walk home with you?'
[09:02.000]And when Anne came into the Green Gables kitchen,Marilla said,
[09:08.230]'You look very happy,Anne.Was that Gilbert who was with you just now?'
[09:15.030]'Yes,'replied Anne,her face red.'Gilbert and I've decided to be friends.
[09:24.310]Oh Marilla,I think life is going to be good for all of us!
[09:30.090]We'll have to work hard,but we'll be happy.
[09:34.290]And we'll keep our dear old Green Gables!What could be better than that!'