[00:01.31]2 At Green Gables
[00:05.78]And so the next morning Marilla said,
[00:10.25]'Well,Anne,Matthew and I have decided to keep you,
[00:16.07]only if you're a good girl,of course.Why,child,what's the matter?'
[00:23.42]'I'm crying,'sobbed Anne,'because I'm very happy!It's beautiful here!
[00:34.32]People say I'm very bad,but I'll try very hard to be good.
[00:41.78]Oh,thank you!Thank you!'
[00:45.41]'Now stop crying,child,'said Marilla a little crossly,'and listen.
[00:53.69]We're going to adopt you,and send you to school after the summer holidays.'
[00:59.69]Anne stopped crying.'Can I call you Aunt Marilla?
[01:07.25]I've never had any family at all,so I'd really like to have an aunt.
[01:13.86]We could imagine that you're my mother's sister.'
[01:18.73]'I couldn't,'answered Marilla firmly.
[01:23.49]'Don't you imagine things?'asked Anne,surprised.
[01:29.12]'No,I don't,'Marilla replied.'I do my housework,
[01:34.85]and look after Matthew,and go to church on Sunday.
[01:39.20]There's no time for imagining things in this house.Just remember that,Anne.'
[01:46.44]Anne was silent for a few minutes.
[01:51.68]Then she said,'Marillam do you think I'll find a best friend in Avonlea?
[02:01.67]Someone who really understands me and knows all my secrets.
[02:07.48]I've always wanted a friend like that.'
[02:11.21]'Our friends,the Barrys,have a daughter called Diana,who's eleven,like you.
[02:18.75]But if you want to play with her,you'll have to be very good.
[02:23.78]Mrs Barry is very careful about Diana's friends.'
[02:28.22]'Diana!What a beautiful name!'said Anne excitedly.
[02:36.45]'Her hair isn't red,is it?I hope it isn't.'
[02:42.02]She looked sadly at her red plaits.'I hate my hair.'
[02:47.33]'Diana has dark hair.She's a good,clever girl.Try to be like her,Anne.'
[02:55.70]When the two girls met,they knew at once that they would be good friends.
[03:03.30]They often played together,in the fields,or by the river,or in the garden.
[03:10.37]In the morning Anne helped Marilla with the housework.
[03:15.83]Then in the afternoon she played with Diana,
[03:19.17]or talked happily to Matthew while he worked on the farm.
[03:23.54]She soon knew and loved every flower,tree,and animal at Green Gables.
[03:32.45]The Cuthberts had another friend,Mrs Rachel Lynde.
[03:38.50]She liked to know everything that was happening in and around Avonlea.
[03:45.22]She was very interested in the Cuthberts'little orphan girl,so one day she visited Marilla.
[03:56.35]'I was very surprised to hear about the child,'she told Marilla.
[04:04.58]'So you and Matthew have adopted her!'
[04:09.33]'I'm surprised myself,'answered Marilla with a smile.
[04:13.77]'But she's a clever little thing,you know.
[04:16.89]And she's always dancing,or singing,or laughing.'
[04:21.25]Mrs Lynde shook her head sadly.'What a mistake,Marilla!
[04:30.03]You've never had any children yourself,so how can you look after her?'
[04:36.04]Just then Anne ran in from the garden.
[04:41.81]She stopped suddenly when she saw a stranger in the kitchen.
[04:47.22]Mrs Lynde looked at the thin little girl in the short dress,
[04:52.46]with her freckled face and red hair.
[04:55.23]'Isn't she thin,Marilla?'she said.
[05:00.84]'Just look at those freckles!And hair as red as carrots!'
[05:07.04]Anne's face went red.She ran up to Mrs Lynde.
[05:13.80]'I hate you!'she shouted angrily.'I hate you!
[05:22.05]You're a horrible,fat old woman!'And she ran upstairs.
[05:29.66]'Oh dear,oh dear!'said Mrs Lynde.'What a terrible child!
[05:38.75]You'll not have an easy time with her,Marilla.'
[05:42.98]'You were rude to her,Rachel,'
[05:47.30]Marilla replied,before she could stop herself.
[05:50.81]'Well!'said Mrs Lynde.She got up and walked to the door.
[05:57.77]'I think this orphan is more important to you than I am.
[06:04.96]When I think how long we've been friends…
[06:08.32]You'll have trouble with her,I can tell you.Well,I'm sorry for you,that's all.Goodbye.'
[06:19.72]Marilla went upstairs to Anne's room.
[06:25.11]The child was lying on her narrow bed,sobbing loudly.
[06:30.82]'You mustn't get angry like that,Anne.
[06:35.62]Mrs Lynde is my friend,and you were very rude to her.'
[06:40.67]'She was rude to me!'said Anne.
[06:45.70]'She said I was thin and freckled and red-haired.It was very unkind!'
[06:54.50]'I understand how you feel,'said Marilla.
[06:59.06]'But you must go to her and tell her you're sorry.'
[07:04.01]'I can never do that,'said Anne firmly.
[07:10.06]'Then you must stay in your room and think about it.
[07:14.65]You can come out when you agree to say that you're sorry.'
[07:21.96]Anne stayed in her room all the next day.
[07:26.82]Downstairs the house was very quiet without her.
[07:31.18]That evening,while Marilla was busy in the garden,Matthew went up to Anne's room.
[07:39.45]The child was sitting sadly by the window.
[07:44.46]'Anne,'he said shyly,'why don't you say you're sorry?
[07:52.65]Then you can come down,and we can all be happy.'
[07:57.62]'I am sorry now,'said Anne.'I was very angry yesterday!But do you really want me to…'
[08:11.69]'Yes,do,please.It's lonely downstairs without you.But don't tell Marilla I've talked to you.'
[08:24.19]Marilla was pleased to hear that Anne was sorry.
[08:28.21]Later that evening,when she and Anne were in Mrs Lynde's warm kitchen,
[08:33.20]Anne suddenly fell on her knees.
[08:36.85]'Oh Mrs Lynde,'cried the little girl,'I'm very sorry.
[08:45.27]I can't tell you how sorry I am,so you must just imagine it.
[08:52.05]I am a bad girl!But please say you will forgive me.
[08:58.93]I'll be sad all my life if you don't!'
[09:03.48]'She's enjoying herself!'thought Marilla,watching Anne's face.
[09:11.16]'She doesn't look sorry at all,but happy and excited!'
[09:16.93]But Mrs Lynde said kindly,'Of course I forgive you.'
[09:23.18]And later she said to Marilla,'Perhaps you're right to keep her.
[09:29.44]She's a strange little thing,but I think I like her.'