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Don't　ask　me　why。　　As　Lord　Dundreary　says；　‘there　are　thome　thingth　no

fellow　can　underthtand。'



〃Anne；　did　you　ever　get　on　a　street　car　and　then　discover　that　you

hadn't　any　money　with　you　to　pay　your　fare？　　I　did；　the　other　day。

It's　quite　awful。　　I　had　a　nickel　with　me　when　I　got　on　the　car。

I　thought　it　was　in　the　left　pocket　of　my　coat。　　When　I　got

settled　down　comfortably　I　felt　for　it。　　It　wasn't　there。

I　had　a　cold　chill。　　I　felt　in　the　other　pocket。　　Not　there。

I　had　another　chill。　　Then　I　felt　in　a　little　inside　pocket。

All　in　vain。　　I　had　two　chills　at　once。



〃I　took　off　my　gloves；　laid　them　on　the　seat；　and　went　over　all

my　pockets　again。　　It　was　not　there。　　I　stood　up　and　shook　myself；

and　then　looked　on　the　floor。　　The　car　was　full　of　people；　who

were　going　home　from　the　opera；　and　they　all　stared　at　me；　but

I　was　past　caring　for　a　little　thing　like　that。



〃But　I　could　not　find　my　fare。　　I　concluded　I　must　have　put　it　in

my　mouth　and　swallowed　it　inadvertently。



〃I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　　Would　the　conductor；　I　wondered；　stop

the　car　and　put　me　off　in　ignominy　and　shame？　　Was　it　possible

that　I　could　convince　him　that　I　was　merely　the　victim　of　my　own

absentmindedness；　and　not　an　unprincipled　creature　trying　to

obtain　a　ride　upon　false　pretenses？　　How　I　wished　that　Alec

or　Alonzo　were　there。　　But　they　weren't　because　I　wanted　them。

If　I　HADN'T　wanted　them　they　would　have　been　there　by　the　dozen。

And　I　couldn't　decide　what　to　say　to　the　conductor　when　he　came

around。　　As　soon　as　I　got　one　sentence　of　explanation　mapped　out

in　my　mind　I　felt　nobody　could　believe　it　and　I　must　compose

another。　　It　seemed　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　trust　in

Providence；　and　for　all　the　comfort　that　gave　me　I　might　as　well

have　been　the　old　lady　who；　when　told　by　the　captain　during　a

storm　that　she　must　put　her　trust　in　the　Almighty　exclaimed；

‘Oh；　Captain；　is　it　as　bad　as　that？'



〃Just　at　the　conventional　moment；　when　all　hope　had　fled；　and

the　conductor　was　holding　out　his　box　to　the　passenger　next　to　me；

I　suddenly　remembered　where　I　had　put　that　wretched　coin　of　the　realm。

I　hadn't　swallowed　it　after　all。　　I　meekly　fished　it　out　of　the

index　finger　of　my　glove　and　poked　it　in　the　box。　　I　smiled　at

everybody　and　felt　that　it　was　a　beautiful　world。〃



The　visit　to　Echo　Lodge　was　not　the　least　pleasant　of　many

pleasant　holiday　outings。　　Anne　and　Diana　went　back　to　it　by　the

old　way　of　the　beech　woods；　carrying　a　lunch　basket　with　them。

Echo　Lodge；　which　had　been　closed　ever　since　Miss　Lavendar's

wedding；　was　briefly　thrown　open　to　wind　and　sunshine　once　more；

and　firelight　glimmered　again　in　the　little　rooms。　　The　perfume

of　Miss　Lavendar's　rose　bowl　still　filled　the　air。　　It　was　hardly

possible　to　believe　that　Miss　Lavendar　would　not　come　tripping　in

presently；　with　her　brown　eyes　a…star　with　welcome；　and　that

Charlotta　the　Fourth；　blue　of　bow　and　wide　of　smile；　would　not

pop　through　the　door。　　Paul；　too；　seemed　hovering　around；　with

his　fairy　fancies。



〃It　really　makes　me　feel　a　little　bit　like　a　ghost　revisiting　the

old　time　glimpses　of　the　moon；〃　laughed　Anne。　　〃Let's　go　out　and

see　if　the　echoes　are　at　home。　　Bring　the　old　horn。　　It　is　still

behind　the　kitchen　door。〃



The　echoes　were　at　home；　over　the　white　river；　as　silver…clear

and　multitudinous　as　ever；　and　when　they　had　ceased　to　answer　the

girls　locked　up　Echo　Lodge　again　and　went　away　in　the　perfect

half　hour　that　follows　the　rose　and　saffron　of　a　winter　sunset。









Chapter　VIII



Anne's　First　Proposal





The　old　year　did　not　slip　away　in　a　green　twilight；　with　a

pinky…yellow　sunset。　　Instead；　it　went　out　with　a　wild；　white

bluster　and　blow。　　It　was　one　of　the　nights　when　the　storm…wind

hurtles　over　the　frozen　meadows　and　black　hollows；　and　moans

around　the　eaves　like　a　lost　creature；　and　drives　the　snow

sharply　against　the　shaking　panes。



〃Just　the　sort　of　night　people　like　to　cuddle　down　between　their

blankets　and　count　their　mercies；〃　said　Anne　to　Jane　Andrews；　who

had　come　up　to　spend　the　afternoon　and　stay　all　night。　　But　when

they　were　cuddled　between　their　blankets；　in　Anne's　little　porch

room；　it　was　not　her　mercies　of　which　Jane　was　thinking。



〃Anne；〃　she　said　very　solemnly；　〃I　want　to　tell　you　something。　　May　I〃



Anne　was　feeling　rather　sleepy　after　the　party　Ruby　Gillis　had

given　the　night　before。　　She　would　much　rather　have　gone　to　sleep

than　listen　to　Jane's　confidences；　which　she　was　sure　would　bore　her。

She　had　no　prophetic　inkling　of　what　was　coming。　　Probably　Jane　was

engaged；　too；　rumor　averred　that　Ruby　Gillis　was　engaged　to　the

Spencervale　schoolteacher；　about　whom　all　the　girls　were　said

to　be　quite　wild。



〃I'll　soon　be　the　only　fancy…free　maiden　of　our　old　quartet；〃

thought　Anne；　drowsily。　　Aloud　she　said；　〃Of　course。〃



〃Anne；〃　said　Jane；　still　more　solemnly；　〃what　do　you　think　of　my

brother　Billy？〃



Anne　gasped　over　this　unexpected　question；　and　floundered

helplessly　in　her　thoughts。　　Goodness；　what　DID　she　think　of

Billy　Andrews？　　She　had　never　thought　ANYTHING　about　him　

round…faced；　stupid；　perpetually　smiling；　good…natured　Billy

Andrews。　　Did　ANYBODY　ever　think　about　Billy　Andrews？



〃I　　I　don't　understand；　Jane；〃　she　stammered。　　〃What　do　you

mean　　exactly？〃



〃Do　you　like　Billy？〃　asked　Jane　bluntly。



〃Why　　why　　yes；　I　like　him；　of　course；〃　gasped　Anne；

wondering　if　she　were　telling　the　literal　truth。　　Certainly　she

did　not　DISlike　Billy。　　But　could　the　indifferent　tolerance　with

which　she　regarded　him；　when　he　happened　to　be　in　her　range　of

vision；　be　considered　positive　enough　for　liking？　　WHAT　was　Jane

trying　to　elucidate？



〃Would　you　like　him　for　a　husband？〃　asked　Jane　calmly。



〃A　husband！〃　　Anne　had　been　sitting　up　in　bed；　the　better　to

wrestle　with　the　problem　of　her　exact　opinion　of　Billy　Andrews。

Now　she　fell　flatly　back　on　her　pillows；　the　very　breath　gone

out　of　her。　　〃Whose　husband？〃



〃Yours；　of　course；〃　answered　Jane。　　〃Billy　wants　to　marry　you。

He's　always　been　crazy　about　you　　and　now　father　has　given　him

the　upper　farm　in　his　own　name　and　there's　nothing　to　prevent　him

from　getting　married。　　But　he's　so　shy　he　couldn't　ask　you

himself　if　you'd　have　him；　so　he　got　me　to　do　it。　　I'd　rather　not

have；　but　he　gave　me　no　peace　till　I　said　I　would；　if　I　got　a

good　chance。　　What　do　you　think　about　it；　Anne？〃



Was　it　a　dream？　　Was　it　one　of　those　nightmare　things　in　which

you　find　yourself　engaged　or　married　to　some　one　you　hate　or

don't　know；　without　the　slightest　idea　how　it　ever　came　about？

No；　she；　Anne　Shirley；　was　lying　there；　wide　awake；　in　her　own　bed；

and　Jane　Andrews　was　beside　her；　calmly　proposing　for　her　brother　Billy。

Anne　did　not　know　whether　she　wanted　to　writhe　or　laugh；　but　she　could

do　neither；　for　Jane's　feelings　must　not　be　hurt。



〃I　　I　couldn't　marry　Bill；　you　know；　Jane；〃　she　managed　to　gasp。

〃Why；　such　an　idea　never　occurred　to　me　　never！〃



〃I　don't　suppose　it　did；〃　agreed　Jane。　　〃Billy　has　always　been　far

too　shy　to　think　of　courting。　　But　you　might　think　it　over；　Anne。

Billy　is　a　good　fellow。　　I　must　say　that；　if　he　is　my　brother。

He　has　no　bad　habits　and　he's　a　great　worker；　and　you　can　depend

on　him。　　‘A　bird　in　the　hand　is　worth　two　in　the　bush。'　He　told　me　to

tell　you　he'd　be　quite　willing　to　wait　till　you　got　through　college；

if　you　insisted；　though　he'd　RATHER　get　married　this　spring　before

the　planting　begins。　　He'd　always　be　very　good　to　you；　I'm　sure；

and　you　know；　Anne；　I'd　love　to　have　you　for　a　sister。〃



〃I　can't　marry　Billy；〃　said　Anne　decidedly。　　She　had　recovered

her　wits；　and　was　even　feeling　a　little　angry。　　It　was　all　so

ridiculous。　　〃There　is　no　use　thinking　of　it；　Jane。　　I　don't　care

anything　for　him　in　that　way；　and　you　must　tell　him　so。〃



〃Well；　I　didn't　suppose　you　would；〃　said　Jane　with　a　resigned

sigh；　feeling　that　she　had　done　her　best。　　〃I　told　Billy　I　didn't

believe　it　was　a　bit　of　use　to　ask　you；　but　he　insisted。　　Well；

you've　made　your　decision；　Anne；　and　I　hope　you　won't　regret　it。〃



Jane　spoke　rather　coldly。　　She　had　been　perfectly　sure　that　the

enamored　Billy　had　no　chance　at　all　of　inducing　Anne　to　marry　him。

Nevertheless；　she　felt　a　little　resentment　that　Anne　Shirley；

who　was；　after　all；　merely　an　adopted　orphan；　without　kith　or　kin；

should　refuse　her　brother　　one　of　the　Avonlea　Andrews。　　Well；

pride　sometimes　goes　before　a　fall；　Jane　reflected　ominously。



Anne　permitted　herself　to　smile　in　the　darkness　over　the　idea

that　she　might　ever　regret　not　marrying　Billy　Andrews。



〃I　hope　Billy　won't　feel　very　badly　over　it；〃　she　said　nicely。



Jane　made　a　movement　as　if　she　were　tossing　her　head　on　her　pillow。



〃Oh；　he　won't　break　his　heart。　　Billy　has　too　much　good　sense　for　that。

He　likes　Nettie　Blewett　pretty　well；　too；　and　mother　would　rather　he

married　her